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| PMI CEO Gregory
Balestrero |
An energetic group of PMI volunteer leaders met in
Atlanta, Georgia, USA on 4–6 October to share best practices,
network and discuss changes that are transforming component
governance as PMI continues to mature and grow.
More than 600 chapter, specific interest group (SIG)
and college leaders representing 27 countries participated in the
North America meeting of the Leadership Institute prior to PMI
Global Congress 2007—North America.
PMI CEO Gregory Balestrero, in the opening session of
the meeting, called the 6,000 volunteers that globally give their
time to PMI “an army of leaders to serve the world.”
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| Keynote Speaker
Susan Scott |
Putting a definitive theme to the gathering was
keynote speaker Susan Scott, founder of the Fierce, Inc. consultancy
and author of the book Fierce Conversations.
Ms. Scott is a teacher, mentor and coach to chief
executive officers and is a strong proponent of frank, honest and
engaging conversations as a means to achieve leadership and
success.
Ms. Scott noted that business is an extended
conversation, and she finds that businesses fail “one conversation
at a time.” She recommended leaders converse with themselves to find
out what they are “pretending not to know.”
Leaders can improve their skills by seeing what most
people do not see, Ms. Scott said. For example, she feels that
companies do a disservice to their managers when they give
360-degree feedback anonymously. She said the anonymity prevents
employees from engaging in conversation and “making it real.” A
careful conversation is a failed conversation because it merely
postpones what has to take place,” she said.
Following the opening session, a panel of staff and
volunteer leaders spoke on the initiative to align components to
PMI’s strategic plan.
Via a video introduction, PMI Chair Linda Vella, PMP,
and Mr. Balestrero discussed the importance of leveraging the power
of the profession to achieve the envisioned goal that “worldwide,
organizations will embrace value and utilize project management and
attribute their success to it.” To support this effort, component
mentors will educate component leaders and facilitate workshops
within their regions in the next year.
Performance Management Framework
Peter Monkhouse, PMP, a member of the PMI Community
Development Member Advisory Group, covered the Performance
Management Framework (PMF) that will provide metrics baselines for
the delivery of value by PMI communities.
Mr. Monkhouse specified core services that communities
will have to provide, such as professional development events, a
website, communication with members and new member recognition and
marketing.
He also recommended extended services that communities
can provide, including Project Management Professional
(PMP®) examination prep courses, mentoring, outreach to
industry, collaboration with other communities and project of the
year competitions.
Mr. Monkhouse says that PMF will include ways to help
communities that are not meeting minimum targets, including bringing
in other volunteers for guidance.
As next steps, the PMF initiative will develop
processes and procedures and introduce infrastructure leading to a
pilot in 2008. PMF implementation is targeted for 2009.
Wes Balakian, PMP, spoke of leveraging the power of
the profession through component alignment and how we can achieve
PMI’s envisioned goal as we work together towards that end.
He reported on an alignment exercise that was
successfully held by these PMI chapters: Washington, D.C., USA; São
Paulo, Brazil; Southern Ontario, Canada; Lima, Peru; PMI Poland
Chapter; North Carolina, USA; Kentucky Bluegrass, USA; and Brasil,
Distrito Federal.
Following that busy and motivational morning,
attendees celebrated the best of the best at the Component
Awards Ceremony and Luncheon. Component award recipients are named
below. You can find out much more in a special supplement of this
month’s PMI Today.
Afternoon sessions were devoted to all-important
component learning and sharing sessions broken out by geographic
regions as well as the SIGs and colleges.
A New Masters Class of Leaders
The highlight of the first evening was a Leadership
Institute Masters Class graduation ceremony and reception. The
current class included 27 members from 10 countries.
Master class participant Kent Hamblen, PMP, was
enthusiastic about his experience. “It’s the most worthwhile thing
I’ve done in 20 years,” said Mr. Hamblen. “I learned a lot about
dealing with others, leadership and myself. I had to dig deep to
develop a personal vision.”
Another class participant, Edward Asci, PMP, agreed.
“The class was very eye-opening,” he said. “It was well worth the
investment.”
Virtual Communities Project
Update
The Virtual Communities Project (VCP) team updated all
attendees on the VCP. An aim of the VCP is to normalize member
value, so that consistent service is provided across all virtual
communities.
The VCP team developed two new types of community
models based upon service delivered by successful PMI SIGs and
colleges as well as best practices from other associations’ virtual
communities. The models are:
- Model 2, which involves moderate autonomy,
a PMI-appointed committee to administer the community, a PMI
charter and service on the PMI online infrastructure. Community
members must also be PMI members but non-members who are
registered PMI.org users can have limited access to community
services. Size would not be limited.
- Model 3, which involves low autonomy and a
similar administration committee and charter. This type of virtual
community would primarily provide a place for collaboration and
discussion rather than knowledge-gathering. It would offer
membership at no charge and be open to PMI members and non-members
registered on PMI.org.
The transition plan will be a major effort over the
next two years, to be completed in stages. All virtual communities
will be aligned by the beginning of 2010. The current SIG and
college leaders will serve a key role to help determine the skills
needed on the new virtual administrative communities.
Frank Dialogue
 The remainder of the Leadership Institute
Meeting focused on extended educational breakouts on the three core
topics of association governance, individual leadership development
and PMI institutional knowledge.
One heavily attended session featured Frank Schettini,
PMI director of Information Technology, who explained PMI’s
enterprise architecture and what it means to components. When Mr.
Schettini said PMI plans to revive the Technology Member Advisory
Group and asked for volunteers, a slew of business cards were passed
his way.
A silent auction of attractive items donated by
chapters and SIG volunteers from around the world raised funds for
the PMI
Educational Foundation.
Attendees got to continue the fierce — or intense —
conversation by asking frank questions of PMI Board of Director
officers, the CEO and COO at the Leader to Leader dialogue session.
And the second evening’s reception was an ideal chance for more
networking, socializing and even dancing.
Many attendees were first-timers and new to chapter
and SIG leadership. Debra Wallace, MBA, PMP, treasurer of PMI’s
Central Massachusetts Chapter, said the meeting “was a real
eye-opener ... I have lots to suggest when I get home!”
Abelardo Mayoral, PMP, vice president of volunteers of
the PMI Canadian West Coast Chapter, enjoyed sharing the best
practices of his chapter and gathering ideas from other chapters on
how to attract more volunteers and members. “It’s a great meeting to
grow and meet people,” said Mr. Mayoral.
PMI thanks the International Institute for Learning, Inc. and the
Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry
University for their generous sponsorship.
The next Leadership Institute Meeting will occur 10–11
November in Cancun, Mexico. | 
