The Project Manager Vision
You can seize only what you can see. A great leader's courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position. Every Project Manager should manage his/her career as a project, or we may say like a program. We must manage many projects in our life and one of them is our professional developement as a project manager.
To grow up personally and professionally should be a project manager obligation. It needs time, effort, passion, persistence and patience. To get a handle on vision and how it comes to be a part of a good leader's life, understand these things:
1. VISION starts within: Vision comes from inside. Draw on your natural gifts and desires. Know yourself better, ask other people for feedback. Nobody can see his/her back, you need to ask other people about you,
2. VISION draws on your history: Vision grows from a leader's past and the history of the people around hm. That was the case for Disney. But it's time for all leaders.
3. VISION meets other's needs: True vision is far reaching.
4. VISION helps you gather resources: The greater the vision, the more winners it has the potential to attract.
Where does vision come from? To find the vision that is indispensable to leadership you have to become a good listener. You must listen to several voices.
- The inner voice: Do you know your life's mission as a project manager?
- The unhappy voice: Discontent with the status quo is a great catalyst for vision.
- The successful voice: Nobody can accomplish great things alone. To fulfill a big vision, you need a good team. But you also need advice from someone who is ahead of you in the leadership journey. If you want to lead others to greatness, find a mentor. Ask yourself if you have an advisor who can help you sharpen your vision.
- The higher voice: Although it is true that your vision must come from within, you shouldn't let it be confined by your limited capabilities.
So, if you as a project manager want to improve your vision, I suggest you to do the following:
1. Measure yourself: If you have previously thought about your vision for your project management career and articulated it, measure how well you are carrying it out. Talk to several key people, such as your spouse, a close colleague, and key team members, asking them to state what they think your vision is. If they can articulate it, then you are probably living it.
2. Write it down: If you have thought about your vision but never put it in writing, take the time to do it today. Writing clarifies your thinking. Once you have written it, evaluate wether it is worthy of your life's best. And then pursue it with all you have got.
3. Do a gut check: If you have not done a lot of work on vision, please spend the next several weeks or
months thinking about it.Consider what really impacts you at a gut level.
4. What makes you cry?
To be alone, not being able to delegate, not having money for hiring new people and grow
as a company.
5. What makes you dream?
My business,my enthusiam,my results or my future.
6. What gives you energy?
Writing, speaking and consulting on my field of expertise (project management).Leading teams and making things happened. Motivating and encouraging people.
Work on your vision and build up your professional career. That's working for me. Without a clear vision you will not be able to achieve great things as a professional project manager.
