What Kayaking Teaches Me About Project Management
Natasha Kasimtseva, MS, PMP, CSM
PMO Thought Leader. Strategist. Speaker. Educator. Over 300,000 learners worldwide.
Do you like metaphors and comparisons? I really DO! Sometimes, when I do things that are unrelated, I find intricate ways that they all tie together.
I like kayaking, and as I was on the lake the other day, I started thinking about how some of the things we do naturally when interacting with elements translate into what we do at work.
Go on a little adventure with me to see what kayaking might teach us about project management!
- When kayaking or going into the open water, it’s good to have a float plan that tells you where you are starting from, where you are going and how you will get there. Sound familiar? As project managers, we know that having a plan always helps - it helps to keep focused, to plan out our resources, and set expectations.
- Wear A Life Jacket. No matter how skilled you are there are always risks involved. Managing risk proactively is a wise practice that keeps our project afloat and healthy. Having contingency plans around risks will give you a degree of confidence, similar to what a life jacket would do when you are on water.
- Use Your Water Voice. Sound carries across the water, so when talking with other members of your group, be mindful of that. In the project management world, this translates into communication and stakeholder management. Being mindful of how the change of our project will impact your stakeholders and knowing when, how and what to communicate (and with what voice) helps create understanding and rally teams around a common goal.
What activities that you do help you better relate to your professional journey? Please leave a comment below, jump in on the conversation! And subscribe & share for more Friday notes from #Your Project Doctor!
If you want to brush up on project planning, risk management, project communication and stakeholder management, I curated a list of #LinkedIn Learning courses -- you can access them for free using the links below:
Project Planning Overview by Bonnie Biafore
Project Management Foundations: Risk by Bob McGannon
Project Management Communication by Doug Rose
My course - Managing Project Stakeholders
CFA, PMP, MSc
3 年Great post. I love the float plan idea. Before you commit to milestones, vendors, mitigation strategies, communication plans etc have some idea of where you are going and if the river is moving in the right direction.
Sr. Design Engineer | Steel Melting Shop | Steel Degassing Process | Hydraulic System
3 年That's amazing. Great post Natasha!
VP Memberships PMI Chapter Mexico - Continuous Improvement Manager - Black Belt Six Sigma- PMP? ACP? - Agile Coach
3 年Muchas gracias por la metáfora Natasha Kasimtseva, MS, PMP, CSM, me pareció excelente como para iniciar una referencia con un equipo de trabajo! ?? ??
Change Management keynote speaker, commentator, thought leader and consultant. Innovation, Leadership, Sales, Future Ready and Change Ready. I am a Gadget Girl. All Views Are My Own.
3 年Natasha Kasimtseva, MS, PMP, CSM , I was wondering how you were going to connect the 2, great analogy
Great post Natasha! It goes without saying that not following your recommendations could mean your project will be all wet!