Foul Tech Sours

In my short time as a professional, I've performed a few actions that I personally consider "checking the box": Graduated high school. Check. Got a government internship. Check. Got a technical undergraduate degree. Check. Obtained a job as a software developer. Check.  Got a job in project management. Check. Got my CAPM. Check. Completed a Master in Project Management. Check (Almost..two weeks left!) Although I have already gotten my foot in the door as a Technical Project Manager, I realize that many of my classmates have not yet penetrated the field. Being among my actual peers (age-wise) has made me realize that we are all completing these "checks in boxes", but don't know what to do next. We (yes, we) often find ourselves performing these accomplishments then asking "How do I...?", "What if I...?", or just straight up "Now what?" especially when it comes to entering the project management fie...

Good communication is known to be a key component of successful project management. Project managers are expected to have a broad set of communication skills: they must be interpersonal, amiable, tactful in their communications, and most importantly, they must be open minded. With open mindedness comes the expectation that project managers are tolerant of individuals of varying ethnicities, religious beliefs, knowledge levels, financial situations, personal characteristics, and temperament. The personality of an individual cannot be changed, however, the way in which a project manager communicates with stakeholder, can change. An experienced project manager will have likely dealt with different personalities over the course of his or her career. Some people are introverts while other are extroverts. Some people say exactly what they’re thinking, while other people may be more soft spoken. Some individuals may always require detailed guidance and direction, while others may be more au...

Micro manager. Unpleasant. Incompetent. Dishonest. Unprofessional. Late. Demanding. Entitled. Unfortunately, most professionals can say that they've had a boss at some point in their career that has displayed one or more of these characteristics. Often times, these people tend to be c-level, or "higher ups", or just managers in general, that likely made it to the position they're in due to taking credit for other people's work. As cliche as it may seem, my recent experiences, both professionally and academically, have got me considering TRULY how different bosses are from leaders. From a professional perspective, I've been thinking about the bosses I've encountered: They are great at delegating work. Whether they actually SHOULD delegate the work is irrelevant to them. As long as it gets done and gets done correctly, protocol, pay grade, and job descriptions don't tend to matter too much. They refuse to communicate down unless it's to their...

In one of my classes I was recently required to write a paper on a position that I plan to pursue. Anyone that knows me knows that I set very high goals for myself and I often times accomplish those goals. I decided to share my paper just in case any one happened to care, or is curious about the role of the Chief Information Officer of an enterprise. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The IT field has several positions and titles that may vary from company to company, but each is significant in its own way.   Although these positions hold some sort of significance, there are only a few that are meant to lead, use judgment, and make decisions for the better of the organization. It is common to consider a president, vice president or Chief Executive Officer, but the Chief Information Officer plays a heavy role in the success and well being of the company.             For years...