Happy Vizsla - by janiejonesmt via Flickr
Our dog is a Vizsla, and her name is Snickers. She has a corn allergy and is now 14 years old, so we buy a primo brand that is about $45 a bag. It has to have the right mix of protein and fat, and we’re picky about the primary ingredients too.
When we switched to this brand we saw an immediate improvement in Snickers. She wasn’t itching all the time, she had more of a spring in her step, and was just a lot happier.
As I walked through the pet store the other day I was thinking about how much of an investment I had made in my own professional development during 2009. When I arrived at the shelf where Snicker’s dog food lay in wait for me, I took a look at the price sticker.
I asked myself, “So did I spend that much on my own personal development this year?” Did I invest at least that much in becoming a better project manager and coach?
The answer was yes, much more than $45. Hundreds and thousands in terms of hours and dollars.
But have I always done that?
Unfortunately, there have been years where I didn’t spend a cent on improving myself as a trainer, developer, or project manager when I’ve had those roles. How much further along could I be today had I invested more in myself earlier, in terms of my time and money?
So I’m standing in line looking at all the dog treats and toys on display, some of which we’ve bought before. I love my dog, but it’s a strange truth that many people spend more time and money annually on their pets than they do on improving themselves.
So what have you done for yourself lately?
There are tons of free and low-cost ways to take initiative and develop yourself. If you are not continuously improving, you’re probably falling behind!
Here are some ideas for you. These are resources I’ve put together to help you grow professionally.
Free Newsletters:
- Project Management Career Coaching
- PMP/CAPM Certification
- Work Breakdown Structure Training
- PDU Resources (if you have a PMI certification)
Past posts and categories:
What will you do to invest in yourself in 2010? Leave a comment below!
Related posts:
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Josh — volunteering is a great way to develop your skills. If anyone is interested in doing something with asapm, they can go here: http://www.asapm.org/m_volunteer.asp or contact me directly at wrd@pmpartners.com.
Duncan
Absolutely Bill, thanks for the great comment!
Josh — volunteering is a great way to develop your skills. If anyone is interested in doing something with asapm, they can go here: http://www.asapm.org/m_volunteer.asp or contact me directly at wrd@pmpartners.com.
Duncan
Absolutely Bill, thanks for the great comment!
Josh,
We’ve had a Vizsla, from the Russet Leather line in Ohio. Game dog competed her while in California. We determined you need two Vizslas or no Vizslas.
For our current dogs – a Corgie and a pound puppy – the $45 to $48 per bag (Candide) is the only choice after listening to the stories from a neighbors father who was the New York State vet about the measurable increase in cancers from “store bought” dog. We get our food from PC Pantry here in Boulder where they make their own food as well.
My best suggestion for people in our domain is to “learn” all the guidance around program planning and controls and the roles of program managers. I’m breath taken at times, how many people have all the technical details of the activities of PM but not how these are applied in practice in their specific domain.
I know exactly what you mean about needing 2, they are a very sociable breed that needs a lot of attention and affection.
I like your comment. I think you’re saying there are a lot of tactical project managers who neglect strategy. Or maybe you are referring to project managers who switch domains and try to rely on the generic PM activities instead of immersing themselves in the domain-specific applications?
When I moved into aerospace, I took on the roles of coordinator and analyst at first, specifically because I knew I’d need to learn industry-specific applications before I’d be ready to manage.
My past experience wasn’t worthless, but it took me a good year before I was comfortable moving back into a project management role. It was time well spent; I learned a ton about engineering, science, and how the programmatics on large and complex missions really work.
Josh,
We’ve had a Vizsla, from the Russet Leather line in Ohio. Game dog competed her while in California. We determined you need two Vizslas or no Vizslas.
For our current dogs – a Corgie and a pound puppy – the $45 to $48 per bag (Candide) is the only choice after listening to the stories from a neighbors father who was the New York State vet about the measurable increase in cancers from “store bought” dog. We get our food from PC Pantry here in Boulder where they make their own food as well.
My best suggestion for people in our domain is to “learn” all the guidance around program planning and controls and the roles of program managers. I’m breath taken at times, how many people have all the technical details of the activities of PM but not how these are applied in practice in their specific domain.
I know exactly what you mean about needing 2, they are a very sociable breed that needs a lot of attention and affection.
I like your comment. I think you’re saying there are a lot of tactical project managers who neglect strategy. Or maybe you are referring to project managers who switch domains and try to rely on the generic PM activities instead of immersing themselves in the domain-specific applications?
When I moved into aerospace, I took on the roles of coordinator and analyst at first, specifically because I knew I’d need to learn industry-specific applications before I’d be ready to manage.
My past experience wasn’t worthless, but it took me a good year before I was comfortable moving back into a project management role. It was time well spent; I learned a ton about engineering, science, and how the programmatics on large and complex missions really work.
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