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Welcome to the Mindavation online project management newsletter. Summer has arrived... Many people have started to enjoy summer, but have you? Treat yourself to some fun and relaxation!
Our commitment is to share news about project management upcoming events, tips & tricks of the trade, recommended reference materials and Mindavation offerings.
This month's focus is dealing with all the chaos in our work environment. We are very busy at work dealing with tons of issues - but that doesn't mean things have to spiral out-of-control! This month you'll receive a template, book recommendation and an article specific to managing all the chaos that surrounds us - read on!
| Free Template of the Month |
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Each month Mindavation will offer a template from our Project Templates CD free of charge. Don't miss out on this opportunity!
This month's download is our Project Charter template. This template provides an outline to start your project off right with documented project scope, business purpose of the project, and the responsibilities and authority levels of the project manager.
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| Book Recommendation of the Month |
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Changing Minds: The Art and Science of Changing Our Own and Other People's Minds by Howard Gardner
As the title indicates, this book as an in-depth look at how we hold thoughts, release thoughts and change our minds. It is a more academic, research based book than we normally review in this newsletter, but it does have some practical and pragmatic tools that can be helpful to the project manager or leader in any discipline. One particularly useful area is Gardner's "seven factors" which help us form our thoughts. These are reason, research, resonance, "redescriptions", rewards, real world events, and resistances. Described in detail, these "Re's" can be used as tools when we try to change our, or others, minds. Another example of a useful tool is the seven approaches we can take when we communicate in an effort to change minds - narrative, quantitative, logic, existential, aesthetic, hands-on and cooperative. The author describes each of these in more than sufficient detail for the interested leader to adopt.
Gardner also presents case studies which address changing the minds of large diverse groups (such as a country and its people), a large homogeneous group (a large company) all the way down to changing your own mind or that of another individual. There are definitely useful "nuggets" in this book for the reader who is willing to wade through the research and background presented.
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| Coming Soon to a City Near You... |
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June 16-17, 2005 Denver, CO "Intelligent Disobedience - The Difference Between Good and Great Project Managers" public offering. Sign up NOW - Registration closes June 14th!
June 18, 2005 Fort Worth, TX "Gathering and Documenting User Requirements" presented by Mindavation and sponsored by the PMI Fort Worth chapter. Registrations are now being taken by the chapter.
That's it for our summer events! Our first fall public offering is Complex IT Project Management on September 14-16 in Madison, WI.
Looking for a class to attend? Would you like to meet us face to face? If we are in your area, feel free to contact us to schedule a meeting.
Mindavation specializes in project management onsite corporate training and project management consulting services. If your organization has eight or more employees to train - an onsite course could be the ideal solution for your needs. In addition, if you have projects to manage and you do not have enough project managers or the required experience, then Mindavation is ready to assist you!
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| This Month's Article: Bringing Order to Project Chaos |
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By Denise DeCarlo, PMP
Are you trying to make sense of today's hectic business environment? Does each day seem to get more out-of-control? As project management professionals our job is to be organized, plan the details to avoid surprises, and deliver a product that meets the expectations of our customer.
However, planning seems to be the last thing organizations are willing to invest in. Instead, the "fire of the day" seems to be the normal mode of operation. This article examines five essential elements to help a project manager maintain some semblance of control.
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| Mindavation Project Templates CD Available |
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Mindavation offers 30 customizable project templates and tools to make your life easier! The CD includes full project lifecycle templates and tools.
Documents are in MS Word, MS Excel, MS Project (and Adobe). Modify each template to suit YOUR business and project needs.
Price (including shipping & handling): $100
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| Win a Free Class from Mindavation for your Company |
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Mindavation is partnering with the PMI Mile Hi Chapter by donating a free day of project management training to the company that has the most new members that join the PMI Mile Hi chapter from May 1st to December 31, 2005.
Details are available on the PMI Mile Hi website. Join the PMI Mile Hi chapter now AND get one free day of project management training for your company from Mindavation!
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See Mindavation In Action! |
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Fort Worth PMI Chapter Saturday workshop in Fort Worth, TX - June 18th
Denise DeCarlo, PMP, has been selected to present a 1-day workshop on Gathering and Documenting User Requirements at the Fort Worth PMI monthly workshop on Saturday, June 18th. Earn 7.5 PDU's and learn some new tricks of the trade! Sign up now via the chapter site.
If your organization is interested in this presentation please contact Mindavation at 1-866-888-MIND(6463)
Want to see other Mindavators in action? Click here to see our full schedule...
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