Project Management, initiative, leadership

More and more often I hear that one can only earn respect and power only if one can use the NO word as needed. NO is the most fearest word - it is said to close doors, to shut down opportunities, to bring sadness into one's heart, to make both parties suffer from the consequences of a NO. BUT... it's also a differentiator, in a world where people are more and more discussing about leadership and how to manage expectations, and how to achieve more with less. NO means making the right choices, in the right moment. I find it really difficult to use, and I've found one great resource to give me power to use it. I've learned that the NO can also be POSITIVE, and it's really surprising when you hear about this at first. How can a NO be positive??? Yet, if you say it correctly, if your NO is for the specific situation, and not to a whole relation, if you deny only the possibility of that opportunity, but you stay true to your ideals, to what you value most, and k...

I've got a lot of friends asking me about how to get certified. Each time, I had to remember how many hours of experience one had to have, and how many hours of learning, and then which where the links that were most useful for me, as well as all the books and software I have ever used. In terms of specific requirements for getting certified, the best resource will always be pmi.org, with a direct link to the requirements: PMI site - Obtaining the Credential . The site lists a credential overview, and then there (currently) 5 handbooks for the 5 available certifications. There is also a page with how to prepare for the exam, from an administrative point of view. If you are new to project management, then you will have to go with the CAPM certification. Then, the rest of certifications are for more and more experienced PMs. I only know well about the PMP certification, as it's the one I've got. First step is to ensure that you meet the elgibility requirements. At the t...

Women in IT is one of the hottest topics - it's actually been for a while, and it continues to be. Working in the IT industry all my life, it's really interesting to see how the idea of Women in IT progressed. Well, I never felt that people make a difference whether it's about a man or a woman who applied for the job. Yes, the hopes that the candidate is a good one are lower for a woman: but then in the recruitment interview you have to pay even more attention to what the candidates know, but can or cannot demonstrate on the spot. In the past, you had to search a little bit more in-depth with a woman, as they were more shy, more introvert, and less keen to show off. But in the last few years, I have noticed that the women have made a great progress and started to impose themselves as important values in a company. In the interviews they are more bold, a lot more self-confident than some men even, and show not only a good level of knowledge, but also a stronger will to e...