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Sustainability from a Project Management Perspective

July 7, 2010 | Author: PM Hut | Filed under: Miscellaneous

Sustainability from a Project Management Perspective
By Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, Founder, Cheetah Learning

Sustainability is one of the “buzz words” du jour. You can’t pick up an article or turn on the news without hearing it. So, I got to thinking about what sustainability means on an individual level – not from a purely ecological perspective but from a humanistic perspective.

Ecologically, sustainability is about biological systems remaining diverse and productive over time. For human beings, it is about the potential for long-term maintenance of our own well-being. While I know that without a planet, our own well-being as humans is a moot point, I still want to focus on things we can do to promote our sustainability as individuals.

When you think of your own sustainability as an individual, you bump into our old friend, Maslow, who gave us the hierarchy of needs. As you may remember, in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, once physiological, safety, love and belonging, and esteem are satisfied, then the very top of the pyramid is self-actualization.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Self-actualization is our growth, self-awareness, and understanding of who we are. It’s our ability to continue to strive and reach for that which gives us the greatest joy. Let’s look at this through the Project Management lens and see how self-actualization can make a team or an organization more sustainable.

So, what’s the big deal about self-actualized people? They are:

  • Realistic. These are the people on the team who are confident, self-assured, and have a clear perception of reality.

  • Accepting. They accept themselves and others and are not looking to lay blame.

  • Problem Solvers. They can focus on problems beyond themselves. Knowing who you are is empowering because it frees up all that energy to look at the bigger issues outside of yourself.

  • Autonomous. They are self-starters who can get the job done and bounce back in the face of adversity.

  • In the present. These are the people who know how to appreciate all that is good in life, see the blue sky on a rainy day, and truly live in the moment.

  • Capable of peak performance. Because they can see the possibilities, they can achieve the highest levels of performance at whatever they pursue.

Sounds like the kind of people you want on your team, right? Mastering Project Management is one of the ways you can sustain peak performance and get the people on your team to work at the highest level. When people are better at managing and completing projects, they then create the habit of sustainable peak performance. Doing the best job becomes the norm, not the exception.

So, how can you become more self-actualized and help your teammates to do the same? Here are five ways to get you on the path to your own sustainability.

Five Ways to Become More Personally Sustainable

  • Throw yourself into something with complete passion, and let your mind become absorbed and focused.
  • Choose growth daily. Whenever you have the possibility to learn something new or experience something you haven’t tried, go for it!
  • Don’t censor your true self. Say what you think and feel out loud.
  • Take responsibility for everything you do and say. Ownership of your own actions and thoughts is powerful for clearing your mind and making way for progress and innovation.
  • Learn what you are good at, and focus on your strengths. People spend too much time working on their weaknesses instead of reaching toward where they excel.

About the Know How Network and Cheetah Learning

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 is the founder and Chief Cheetah of Cheetah Learning. An international expert on accelerated learning and Project Management, she has grown Cheetah Learning into the market leader for Project Management training and professional development. In 2006, The Project Management Institute, www.pmi.org, selected Michelle as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the World, and only one of two women selected from the training and education industry. Michelle is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner & President Management program for entrepreneurs, and is the author of Cheetah Project Management and Cheetah Negotiations. Cheetah Learning is a virtual company and has 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 7th, 2010 and is filed under Miscellaneous. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

1 person has left a comment

Interesting to note that only personal traits are presented in this brief article.
I wondering about other factors such as:
- environment: Does the project respond to recurring needs, or does it end with the resolution of the presenting problem?
- staffing: Are there others, besides those involved in project start-up who will, sooner or later, take up positions of responsibility?
- stakeholders: There are key players who should be engaged fully in discussions of sustainability.

Bartx wrote on July 12, 2010 - 9:01 am | Visit Link

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