The Last Month

Today, I realized it has been almost a month since I reached out with my weekly blog, a discipline that I have maintained for nearly 120 weeks.

But last month was unusual. I had a medical emergency at home. It took all my focus and energy. It is not behind me yet, but its severity is less now, and I have slowly started to marshal my strength.

I give myself credit for a few things during this period. I did the best I could in the situation. I arranged resources and the attention needed. I made decisions that seemed hard at that time. When required, I thought on my feet and took my family's counsel and help to stay sane and grounded. By the grace of God, things are getting better.

I could not keep my professional commitments during this period. I am deeply grateful to my clients who accommodated and supported me during this difficult time.??

I am also thankful to my team and the LinkedIn automation features that allowed me to keep showing up to add value to my online community.

There is another community that I am immensely indebted to - the volunteer community of PMI North India Chapter. As a part of the Chapter Board, I steer the volunteer engagement initiatives. Last week, the Chapter successfully hosted its largest event, the #PMSAC2024 (Project Management South Asia Conference, 2024). If you attended it, I am sure the experience would have touched and wowed you on many fronts -

• The range and relevance of topics
• The quality and excellence of the speakers
• The engagement and value-added in the breakout areas
• Networking opportunities with members from the South Asia Region, PMI global leaders, industry leaders, and speakers.

#PMSAC24 was a mammoth event made possible by the effective leadership of PMI, Chapter leaders, and innumerable volunteers.??

Remember, my job is to bring volunteers together and orchestrate their energy and efforts. But I was away dealing with a personal crisis! So what happened?

My team, colleagues, and leaders filled in for me in my absence. Everyone did more than their fair share. They did their job and mine, making a beautiful and successful event possible.

So what worked -

1. I have an excellent team that was willing to go above and beyond.
2. We have a culture of supporting each other in the Chapter.
3. The Chapter leaders ensured detailed planning and clear instructions for everyone on the D-Day.
4. A mechanism was in place to raise alarms, seek help, and handle exceptions.

I look back with fondness and pride at what was accomplished by #PMINIC last week.

Again, I want to express my deep gratitude to everyone who rallied around me. My family, my clients, the PurposeLadder team, the #PMINIC volunteering team, the Chapter Board, and all volunteers. I am blessed to have you all in my life.

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