Cheetah Know-How Network - March 2009

Are You Shovel Ready?

By Michelle LaBrosse, PMP^®, Founder & Chief Cheetah, Cheetah Learning

The U.S. government is getting ready to make unprecedented investments in energy, healthcare and education.  Whether you see it as pork or progress is not the question.  The question is what can you do as a project manager to be “shovel ready?”

Think about what many of these projects have in common:  technology and infrastructure.  For project managers, this means we have an opportunity to play a major role in rebuilding America.  We just have to be “shovel ready.”

In Project Management, “shovel ready” can be abbreviated to three letters: PMP^®.  The federal government now requires the PMP certification to be part of most contracts, and many state governments are following suit.

You may be thinking, how can one project manager like me have an impact on programs this large?  Think about it this way: All of these huge programs are made up of smaller projects, and in order for these programs to succeed, the projects have to be successful.

That’s where you come in armed with your PMP and Project Management expertise.  The good news for PMPs is that the PMP is much more than a certification that gets you in the door; it’s even more powerful once you are through that door.  Your PMP gives you the knowledge and skills to meet deadlines, manage resources well and be able to bring projects in on time and within budget.  If you are in transition and looking for a job, the PMP can give you an edge in the market, and research shows that PMPs can earn as much as $10,000 more per year than those without certification.

Here are five ways you can get “shovel ready” and be a project manager who is part of one of the largest infrastructure government programs in U.S. history.

Five Ways to Get Shovel Ready
 

1. Become PMP certified, or if you are already a PMP, keep your certification current with ongoing PDU courses.
2. Manage resources effectively so you can consistently show results that are on time, and within budget.
3. Understand where you and your Project Management skills can fit into the big picture of any large program.
4. Use your Project Management knowledge to assess and manage the risk in any project.
5. Keep building on your Project Management skills so you can capitalize on emerging opportunities quickly.

I know there’s a lot of debate about the government stimulus package, but there’s one thing we can all agree on:  We need to be as effective as possible with these programs.  As project managers, we’re already ahead of the pack.  We just need to arrive shovel in hand and ready to go!

To get “shovel ready” take our Capitalize on the Recession course and use promo code “MarchKHN” and enjoy 20% off when you register by March 31, 2009.

If you are not PMP certified, use the promotion code Cheetahstimulus and get 20% off our classroom or online PMP courses at www.cheetahlearning.com.

Chief Cheetah Podcast Is Yours for the Downloading

Want to hear what Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, and Chief Cheetah has to say about getting “shovel ready?”  Download our podcast at http://podcast.cheetahlearning.com/podcastgen/ and hear the words straight from the Cheetah’s mouth.
 

About Cheetah Learning and the Know How Network

The Know How Network is a monthly column written by Michelle LaBrosse, the founder and Chief Cheetah of Cheetah Learning.  Distributed to hundreds of newsletters and media outlets around the world, the Know How Network brings the promise, purpose and passion of Project Management to people everywhere. Visit www.cheetahlearning.com to learn more about Cheetah PM, the fastest way to learn about Project Management and get your PMP. You can also get your career in gear with CheetahWare, free Project Management tools from Cheetah Learning.

About the Author

Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is an entrepreneurial powerhouse with a penchant for making success easy, fun and fast.  She is the founder of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses.

Cheetah Learning is a virtual company with 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide. To date, more than 30,000 people have become “Cheetahs” using Cheetah Learning’s innovative Project Management and accelerated learning techniques.  

Recently honored by the Project Management Institute (PMI^®), Cheetah Learning was named Professional Development Provider of the Year at the 2008 PMI^® Global Congress.  A dynamic keynote speaker and industry thought leader, Michelle was previously recognized by PMI as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the world.

Michelle’s articles have appeared in over 100 publications and web sites around the world. Her monthly column, the Know How Network is carried by over 400 publications, and her monthly newsletter goes out to more than 50,000 people.  Her radio program, Your World Your Way, is a weekly broadcast that is an inspiring and practical look at how Project Management fuels success.

She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Manager’s (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University   and the University of Dayton. 

She lives in Nevada with her family and likes to rejuvenate in Alaska where you’ll often find her kayaking, hiking, and riding her motorcycle.