Introducing the Project Manager

This professional acts as the liaison between the corporate offices and the team members. Consider the team lead a conduit through which the corporate vision flows and becomes itemized and broken down into bits and pieces of data. Leadership styles, communication abilities, clarity of vision, a firm grasp of personal strengths and weaknesses and a willingness to function continuously as the project’s hub are critical. Leadership training and development classes frequently touch on these aspects; what do they mean in real life?

1. Leadership Styles

There are different types of leadership. Mind Tools recognizes (among others):

• High-handed leaders
• Peer leaders
• Hands-off management
• By the book approaches

The ability to switch between leadership styles is a must for the effective lead. The makeup of the team thrives on the project manager’s ability to adapt to common traits and make the most of cultural and skill diversity. It is not possible to approach each project and every team with the same leadership style. For managers who are new to the profession, this is a major challenge.

2. Communication Abilities

Superior project management skills demand that the leader is comfortable with a variety of communication devices. A technophobe will not do well in this position. For the professional who is new to this type of position, consider the many ways that team members are currently passing information back and forth.

There are social media platforms, smart phones, iPhone apps for project management, video conferencing, texting and company Intranets. As the project lead, you have to be comfortable with each of these applications and know how to effectively communicate within them. In some cases this means setting up groups within these platforms and ensuring that every team member is plugged in.

3. Clarity or Focus

One of the key leadership skills is clarity. Do you fully understand what the project seeks to accomplish? Are you aware of changes to the procedures or tweaks to the expected outcomes? Moreover, are you able to clearly communicate your vision?

This type of focus is the structural framework of the project. It dictates who will be entrusted with various aspects, and who reports to whom. Clarity spells out the mission and helps draft the outline of the entire project. Focus also helps to set a loose timeline that allows for benchmarks as well as individual goal setting and results tracking.

4. Integrity

Having a firm grasp of personal strengths and weaknesses is a personal development skill. It might take some cultivating. This level of integrity prevents the project manager from taking on more than is realistic to accomplish. Going further, it sets up the team for success, not for a potential failure. A project manager with flawed or missing integrity will agree to any and all corporate stipulations, even if the team lacks the infrastructure to meet the demands.

Autocratic leadership styles frequently attempt to make up for missing team components. For example, the project manager will demand overtime, require team members to rely on personal assets to provide communication platforms and rule by fear in an attempt to squeeze maximum productivity out of the team. Even though this approach nets results, it does not promote loyalty or a willingness to undertake more projects with the team lead.

5. Motivation

Being willing to act as project hub is an attitude that comes from an equal mix of leading by example and being motivated by the overall success of the team. Project managers are hands-on professionals who have the skills to take over for a team member — and who do not shy away from doing so. Their skills create trust in the team members and their willingness to work as hard as — if not harder than — others fosters loyalty. Trust and loyalty are essential components of motivation.

Project managers inspire employees to share the corporate vision and give it their all to see them realized.

A Word on Virtual Team Work

There used to be a time when all team members would meet periodically in a conference room and discuss the project at hand. Times have changed, and it is not uncommon for team members to be spread among different offices, cities and even countries. While there is some travel that the team leader might undertake, a lot of the interaction is virtual to maintain the different phases of project management.

The University of Missouri-St. Louis defines this approach as a “Geographically Dispersed Team,” which comes with its own set of challenges. Virtual interactivity is a must, but time change challenges as well as cultural diversity can become stumbling blocks. It is up to the project manager to note these potential problems and choose team members based on the likely success of the group, not necessarily based on seniority or membership in prior team efforts.

There are no shortcuts to these five essential leadership skills for project success. Sure, it is possible to gloss over a weakness in any one of them for a brief period of time, but long term projects in particular quickly expose the flaws of a team leader. Businesses who thrive on the project approach know to pick their leaders wisely and develop candidates for team leadership through classes, training and refresher courses as well as cross-training.

How can you label the boxes correctly?

There are two robots guarding the doors. They will let you choose one door but upon doing so you must go through it.

You can, however, ask one robot one question. The problem is one robot always tells the truth ,the other always lies and you don’t know which is which.

What is the question you ask?

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Love them anyway!

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway!

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway!

The good you do today, will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway!

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway!

The biggest person with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds;
Think big anyway!

People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs.
Fight for underdogs anyway!

What you spend years building up may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway!

People really need help, but will attack you if you help them.
Help them anyway!

Give the world the best you have and it may kick you in the teeth.
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway!

Three lawyers and three engineers are traveling by train to a conference. At the station, each of the three lawyers buys a ticket while the three engineers buy only one ticket.

“How can the three of you travel on one ticket?” asks a lawyer.

“Watch and you’ll see,” answers an engineer.

Aboard the train the lawyers take their respective seats while all three engineers cram into the restroom and squeeze the door closed behind them.

When the conductor comes around collecting tickets, he knocks on the restroom door and says, “Ticket, please.” The door opens a crack and a single arm emerges with a ticket in hand. The conductor takes it and moves on.

The lawyers are impressed with this clever idea. One the way home from the conference, they decide to copy the engineers’ technique. At the station, they buy a single ticket for their return trip. To their astonishment, the engineers don’t buy a ticket at all!

“How in the hell are you going to pull this off?” asks a lawyer.

“Watch and you’ll see,” answers an engineer.

They board the train. The three lawyers cram into one restroom and the three engineers cram into the other restroom.

Shortly after the train departs, one of the engineers leaves his restroom and knocks on the other restroom door. “Ticket, please!”

You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you.
An arrow can be shot by dragging the bow back; similarly, if life is dragging back with obstacles, be patient. It is getting ready to launch you to greater heights.
When you fail do not take two steps back, because you may just be one step behind success.
Looking back has a history to reveal and looking forward has a future to unveil.
There are choices aplenty, you have free will to choose the path, though the destination is simply one.
What you think you are, you are. Dare to be what you think you want to be.
Life is a story about accepting challenges and taking responsibilities.
Never say quit, no matter how tough it may get; for the tougher the journey the more enjoyable the destination.

Author – unknown

वर्षो तक वन मे घों घूम
बढ़ा विघ्नो को चूम चूम
सह धूप घाम पानी पत्थर
पांडव आए कुच्छ ओर निखर

सौभाग्या ना सब दिन होता हे
देखे आगे क्या होता हे

मैत्री की राह दिखाने को
सब को सुमार्ग पे लाने को
दुर्योधन को समझने को
भीषण विध्वंस बचाने को
भगवान हस्तिनापुर आए
पन्डदाव का संदेशा लाए

दो न्याय अगर तो आधा दो
पर इसमे भी यदि बाधा हो
तो देदो केवल पाच ग्राम
रखो अपनी धरती तमाम

हम वही खुशी से खाएँगे
परिजन पे असी ना उठाएँगे (असी = हथियार)

दुर्योधन वो भी दे ना सका
आशीष समाज की ले ना सका
उल्टे हरी को बाँधने चला
जो था असाध्या, साधने चला

जब नाश मनुज पर छाता हे
पहले विवेक मर जाता हे

हरी ने भीषण हुंकार किया
अपना स्वरूप विस्तार किया
डगमग डगमग दिग्गज डोले
भगवान कुपित होकर बोले

जंजीर बढ़ा अब साध मुझे
हा हा दुर्योधन बाँध मुझे

यह देख गगन मुझमे ले है
यह देख पवन मुझमे ले है
मुझमे विलीन झंकार सकल
मुझमे ले है संसार सकल

अमरतवा फूलता है मुझमें
संहार झूलता है मुझमे

उदयचल मेरे दीप्त भाल
भू-मंडल वक्ष-स्थल विशाल
भुज परिधि बाँध को घेरे हैं
मैनाक मेरु पग मेरे हैं

दिखते जो ग्रह नक्शत्र निकार
सब हैं मेरे मुख के अंदर

शक हो तो द्रिश्य आकांड देख
मुझमे सारा ब्रह्मांड देख
चर-अचर जीव, जग क्षर अक्षर
नश्वर मनुश्य, सूरजति अमर

सात कोटि सूर्या, सात कोटि चंद्रा
सात कोटि सरित सर सिंधु मंडरा

सात कोटि ब्रह्मा विष्णु महेश
सात कोटि जलपाटि जीश्णु धनेश
सात कोटि रुद्रा, सात कोटि काल
सात कोटि दंड धार लोकपाल

जंजीर बढ़ा कर साध इन्हे
हन हन दुर्योधन बाँध इन्हे

भूतल अटल पाताल देख
गत और अनागत काल देख
यह देख जगत का आदि सृजन
यह देख महाभारत का ऋण

मृतको से पति हुई भू है
पहचान कहाँ इसमे तू है?

अंबार का कुन्तल जाल देख
पद के नीचे पाताल देख
मुट्ठी में तीनो काल देख
मेरा स्वरूप विकराल देख

सब जन्म मुझी से पाते हैं
फिर लौट मुझी में आते हैं

जिहवा से कढती ज्वाल सघन
सांसो से पाता जन्म पवन
पर जाती मेरी दृष्टि जिधर
हँसने लगती है सृष्टि उधर

मैं जभि मूंड़ता हूँ लोचन
छा जाता चारो और मरन

बाँधने मुझे तो आया है
जंजीर बड़ी क्या लाया है?
यदि मुझे बाँधना चाहे मॅन
पहले तू बाँध अनंत गगन

सुने को साध ना सकता है
वो मुझे बाँध कब सकता है?

हिट वचन नही तूने माना
मैत्री का मूल्य ना पहचाना
तो ले अब मैं भी जाता हून
अंतिम संकल्प सुनाता हून

याचना नही अब रंण होगा
जीवन जै या की मरण होगा

टकराएँगे नक्शत्र निकार
बरसेगी भू पर वाहनी प्रखर
फन शेषनाग का डोलेगा
विकराल काल मुँह खोलेगा

दुर्योधन रंण ऐसा होगा
फिर कभी नही जैसा होगा

भाई पर भाई टूटेंगे
विष-बान बूँद-से छूटेंगे
सौभाग्या मनुज के फूटेंगे
वायस श्रगाल सुख लूटेंगे

आख़िर तू भूषायी होगा
हिंसा का पर्दायी होगा

थी सभा सन्न, सब लोग डरे
चुप थे या थे बेहोश पड़े
केवल दो नर ना आघाते थे
धृशट्राष्ट्रा-विदुर सुख पाते थे

कर जोड़ खरे प्रमुदित निर्भय
दोनो पुकारते थे जै-जै..

In roman English ….

varsho tak van me ghom ghoom
badha vighno ko chum chum
sah dhoop gham pani patthar
pandav aaye kuchh or nikhar

soubhagya na sab din hota he
dekhe aage kya hota he

maitri ki raah dikhane ko
sab ko sumarg pe laane ko
duryodhan ko samjhane ko
bheeshan vidhwans bachane ko

bhagwan hastinapur aaye
panddav ka sandesha laaye

do nyay agar to adha do
par isme bhi yadi badha ho
to dedo kewal paach gram
rakho apni dharti tamam

hum vahi khushi se khayenge
parijan pe asi na uthayenge (asi = hathiyaar)

duryodhan woh bhi de na saka
ashish samaj ki le na saka
ulte hari ko bandhne chala
jo tha asadhya sadhne chala

jab naash manuj par chhata he
pehle vivek mar jata he

hari ne bheeshan hunkar kiya
apna swaroop vistar kiya
dagmag dagmag diggaj dole
bhagwan kupit hokar bole

janjeer badha ab saadh mujhe
haa haa duryodhan baandh mujhe

yeh dekh gagan mujhme lay hai
yeh dekh pawan mujhme lay hai
mujhme wilin jhankaar sakal
mujhme lay hai sansaar sakal

amaratva phhoolta hai muhme
sanhaar jhoolta hai mujhme

udayachal mere dipt bhaal
bhu-mandal vaksh-sthal vishaal
bhuj paridhi bandh ko ghere hain
mainaak meru pag mere hain

dipte jo grah nakshatra nikar
sab hain mere mukh ke andar

drig ho to drishya akaand dekh
mujhme saara brahmaand dekh
char-achar jeev, jag kshar akshar
nashwar manushya, surjati amar

sat koti surya, sat koti chandra
sat koti sarit sar sindhu mandra

sat koti brahma vishnu mahesh
sat koti jalpati jishnu dhanesh
sat koti rudra, sat koti kaal
sat koti dand dhar lokpaal

janjeer badha kar saadh inhe
haan haan duryodhan baandh inhe

bhutal atal paatal dekh
gat aur anagat kaal dekh
yeh dekh jagat ka aadi srijan
yeh dekh mahabhaarat ka run

mritako se pati hui bhu hai
pahchaan kahan isme tu hai?

ambar ka kuntal jaal dekh
pad ke niche paatal dekh
mutthi mein tino kaal dekh
mera swaroop vikraal dekh

sab janm mujhi se paate hain
phir laut mujhi mein aate hain

jihwa se kadhti jwaal saghan
saanso se paata janm pawan
par jati meri drishti jidhar
hansne lagti hai srishti udhar

main jabhi moondta hoon lochan
chha jata charo aur maran

baandhne mujhe to aaya hai
janjeer badi kya laaya hai?
yadi mujhe baandhna chahe mann
pahle tu baandh anant gagan

sune ko saadh na sakta hai
wo mujhe baandh kab sakta hai?

hit wachan nahi tune maana
maitri ka moolya na pahchana
to le ab main bhi jata hoon
antim sankalp sunaata hoon

yaachna nahi ab rann hoga
jivan jai ya ki maran hoga

takrayenge nakshatra nikar
barsegi bhoo par wahni prakhar
phan sheshnaag ka dolega
wikraal kaal munh kholega

duryodhan rann aisa hoga
phir kabhi nahi jaisa hoga

bhai par bhai tootenge
vish-baan boond-se chutenge
saubhagya manuj ke phootenge
vaayas shrigaal sukh lootenge

aakhir tu bhushayi hoga
himsa ka pardayi hoga

thi sabha sann, sab log dare
chup the ya the behosh pade
kewal do nar na aghate the
dhrishtrashtra-vidur sukh paate the

kar jod khare pramudit nirbhay
dono pukaarte the jai-jai..

awesome photo shoot

Aaron Nace shows us the beauty and magic of Photoshop with this recently completed photo manipulation.
Orignal post can be found at
http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/photo-manipulation-of-the-day