I had an amazing experience yesterday. For the first time, I applied my corporate skills in a professional way outside the corporate world. Or that is to say, I had my first PMPM consulting session. I’ve long been an informal consultant for some of my friends (who know better than to call when they need sympathy, but do call when they need advice on implementing projects or reaching goals). And of course I do this sort of thing all the time at work.
But this is the first time I’ve had this opportunity to help someone directly in a more formal way. It’s actually really exciting. I’ve accumulated tons of tools over the years, but only a small subset are the best ones for any particular situation. Having been at my job for a shockingly long amount of time (four years, but that’s like ages in my industry) there are lots of things I don’t get to use. But this is a new situation and different tools are suggested. In addition, while I always view my job as helping people (the people on my teams, my boss and grand-boss — who are both awesome) I’m still really, in the end, helping a corporation. It’s refreshing to help an actual person meet their goals.
The best part is that the person has set themselves a wonderful goal — to do the work they are called to do. And they let me help them, how cool is that? But here’s the especially synchronous part, by helping someone else do the work they are called to do, I get a chance to do the work I’m called to do.
I’ve been going through a lull here at CircleThrice… not a posting lull (at least not much of one) but a business lull. I like helping people, and I know my readings do that (or at least that’s what people tell me). But it’s incomplete. I can warn or suggest, but a reading doesn’t help people reach or do. That’s the wonderful thing about project management — in all it’s myriad forms. It helps people do things. Helps them change their environment in accordance with their wills. And how is that not magic?
