The discussions go back and forth... should I certify or not? You know what I'm talking about... project management professional (PMP) certification. The PMP is, of course, the showcase certification offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and is considered the defacto certification for project managers who are serious about their trade. There are other project management certifications out there being offered and some overlap the PMP certification body of knowledge or build on it, but it all comes back to the PMP when you're talking about certification, hiring requirements and project management aspirations. It all starts with the PMP.  
Is PMP certification a career goal of yours? Is it a requirement from your employer to get certified by “x” date or else? Do you think it is necessary for your PM career advancement? Are you being offered a bonus or promotion for getting certified? Or perhaps you are searching for a new PM gig and you think it will help you land a lucrative PM role or contract. Whatever the potential reasoning...will it help? Yes. Will it make you a better project manager? Yes. Is it absolutely necessary and would I only hire certified project managers. No. I know too many extremely successful project managers who aren't certified. That said, this article is about my four arguments supporting my thoughts that you should probably run out and get certified very soon if you aren't already certified. And to do that, you need to document or obtain training, have the right amount experience, and have cash ready to make this happen.


Certification shows professional dedication. Gaining or obtaining shows that you are dedicated to your profession and in it for the long haul. PMP certification isn't easy and it isn't inexpensive. There is the training process, the experience that must be obtained first, and the actual test itself. There is a requirement to have a specific amount of training and experience accrued before sitting for the exam, but there are also many organizations out there that offer the necessary hours of training in the form of “bootcamps” to get you ready for the exam just prior to taking it – thus fulfilling the training hours requirement just before the exam as well as preparing you for the exam itself. Some even come with a guarantee – meaning that if you don't pass then you can keep retaking it at no extra charge until you do pass. That's no small matter as the training can range anywhere from $80 to $3,000. Be sure to do the research and know what is going to work for you because you can also do it online or in a classroom. Don't waste time and effort going the wrong route for your needs and particular training niche an preferences,


Certification will strengthen the PMO or PM infrastructure. I usually vote experience over certification and I still do. But most things being equal – meaning you haven't filled your PM infrastructure with poorly performing project managers or ones with experiences... but mostly bad experiences – then I do believe that PMP certification will strengthen the PMO overall. Creating a like-minded methodology and communication track among your project managers will be easier – especially if the Project Management Institute (PMI) project leadership practices are what your organization subscribes to. Adoption of the methodology for new hires and on-boarding resources in mid-project will be easier and cause less customer frustration and project disruption when most or all of the project managers are like-certified.


Certification creates a common bond among the project managers. A close-knit team of project managers will work better together, share knowledge and lessons learned easier, and be able to step in and assist quicker and more seamlessly with like minded direction and principles rather than their “own way of doing things.” Don't get me wrong, the successful project manager who brings real world experience to the table and can direct and give advice and make spot on decisions is going to be great for the PMO and for your important projects, but certification is going to create the cohesiveness and collaboration and common language that just experience can't replicate.


Certification will help career advancement and aspirations. Finally, there is little doubt that project management professional certification is good for the project manager looking to move up or move on (or move in) to a new project management position. Where most PM postings said “required” on the certification notation just 2-3 short years ago, they now mostly just say “preferred.” I appreciate that because I considered that a fairly lazy HR hiring strategy and the potential to often not get the absolute best individual for the position. But whether it's required or preferred, having the PMP certification next to your name is going to give you an instant advantage with many hiring managers and organizations and may keep your resume in the “to be considered” stack rather than being sent immediately into the circular file on the floor next to the HR reps desk.


Summary / call for input


The bottom line is this – there is not necessity to run out and get your PMP certification. Unless, of course, it becomes a requirement for continued employment wherever you are working or you need it in order to secure the job you want. However, getting certified is likely going to be good for your career, good for the organization, good for your project management office or project management infrastructure and good for the communication and collaboration between the project managers you are hiring and working with. Is requiring it a lazy HR practice? It may be, but it's going to be required or preferred in 99% of all project management positions going forward so jump on board sooner rather than later because it does require some money, time and hard work on your part. Certification doesn't happen overnight – though it can happen in as little as a week if you pick the right place to help you get there and it may also be guaranteed... which is pretty comforting.


Readers – what are your thoughts on certification? Do you feel it is necessary? Why? Please share your thoughts and discuss.

I realize when we work in an organization that assigns projects to project managers we often don’t have much choice in taking the assignments or turning them down. We can say no to a new project, but if our senior management – who obviously knows what’s on our plates at any given time – thinks we have the bandwidth to take on more work, then we should take on more work, right? What kind of a poor project manager would we look like if we said no to more work? Our PMO director must know that we can handle it. And if we show concern over having too much on our plate, does that make us look lazy, weak, or uncooperative? Maybe not, but most of us think that it is probably the case.


So, if we feel overwhelmed with our current workload only to find more work being thrust upon us what should we do? Take it? Probably not, because it can be a recipe for failure. The only thing worse than looking lazy, weak, or uncooperative (as mentioned above), would be to end up as a complete failure having all of our projects go south as we become even more overloaded, overwhelmed, and under-supported. What can we do? Say no? Maybe, but we need to be strategic. Here are four potential actions or responses we can provide when we are concerned with our current project load and feel that more work will lead to failure…


Discuss the priority of the project with your supervisor. First, discuss the project’s priority level with your supervisor. The new project may be hot and one you want to take on due to its importance and visibility (and career implications). Or you may find out that it is a much lower priority than some of your current projects and, therefore, this discussion may empower you to take it to the next level and compare it against your current workload in order to show your supervisor that it’s not a good idea for you to take this new one on right now.


Review your current workload and issues with your supervisor. After you have learned more about the current project – and if you find out this new project isn’t more desirable or of more importance than your current projects – you may be ready to state your case for saying no to the new work. Go through each of your projects with your supervisor – the current progress on each one, outstanding issues and trouble points and what the customer’s current satisfaction level is on each project. The idea is to establish the fact with your supervisor that what you are doing is already a full load and it’s all important…they should probably look for leadership for this new project elsewhere.


Ask if others may have more immediate bandwidth available. Another approach would be to discuss your workload with your supervisor in comparison to other project managers in the organization. Not to point out slackers…not at all. But to hopefully establish the fact that others may have more room on their plate than you do at the moment.


Go to executive management. Finally, if you feel strongly enough about the situation and it’s potential detrimental affect on either your current projects or this new project, then you may have no choice but to go higher up the food chain. Especially if you are still being forced to take on this new project and you are absolutely dead on certain that taking it on will have far reaching negative affects. You must do this realizing that it could be have significant repercussions – both in saying no to an assignment and going over your supervisor’s head to do it. But sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Use your best professional judgement.




Summary


Sometimes we can say no without really saying no. By showing your senior management how hard you are working (believe me, they may not be aware) and how many issues you are currently working on or through or under (again, they are likely not aware), you can help them come to the obvious conclusion that you may not have the time to take on a new project right now. Or they may leave your discussion thinking you’re a wimp and there’s nothing you can do about that – obviously they just don’t get it and that’s a risk you may have to take. It’s up to you, but no action on your part means you definitely take it on and risk failure on one or more of your current – and very important - projects.


How would you handle situations like this? Have you ever been in this position? What did you do? Please share your thoughts and experiences.

When you’re thinking project management practices, what comes to mind? Are these things you do when the CEO is watching? Things you do if you’re part of a project management office (PMO)? Things you only do if you’re running a $1+ million engagement?


I hope not…but sadly it is an easy trap to fit in to. When you’re running a two-month, $10,000 project, you have to admit that it’s hard to get into the details of applying best practices to your project...especially if you have four or five other projects happening at the same time. Let’s say, you’re running a large JD Edwards ERP solution implementation with significant executive management buy-in and oversight at the same time you’re leading an effort to upgrade the website of an internal business unit in your organization. Which one gets the most attention? Which one might fall through the cracks? Yes, the popular thought would be to apply best practices to the large project and do as little as possible for the internal customer, right?
​

Tired of hauling bags upon bags of trash to the curb every week? Becoming familiar with ways to reduce waste in your home can help your family save money as well as make a positive impact on the environment.

Why It’s Beneficial to Reduce Waste at Home

Let’s be honest: taking out the trash probably isn’t your favorite chore — and when you’re creating needless waste, it can make trash day even more undesirable. But waste reduction at home doesn’t just make trash day less of a hassle: it also trains you to become a more mindful consumer, which can result in serious dollars saved.

Before you start your waste minimization journey, it’s a good idea to take stock of how many bags of trash you throw out in a typical week, and make a mental note about the kinds of things that are going into your trash can. Do you have lots of food waste? Toss tons of plastic cups? Forget about things until they’re expired? Whatever your bad trash habits are, vowing to create less waste will make you hyper-aware of the products — and thus, money — you’re throwing away, and give you helpful insight into how you can buy less and save more.

Easy Ways to Reduce Waste at Home

If you’re a newcomer to waste reduction, you might assume it’s something that will require a huge overhaul of your daily life. Luckily, reducing your household waste is actually easier than you might imagine. Here are some ideas for how you can reduce waste at home without totally disrupting your lifestyle.

Ditch Plastic Bags

Do you have a seemingly endless supply of plastic shopping bags stuffed away in a cabinet somewhere? Instead of continuing to accumulate pointless plastic bags, reduce waste by making a habit of taking a few reusable tote bags with you on your grocery runs.

Recycle Whenever Possible

Instead of tossing everything into one waste bin, start separating recyclable items from your regular trash. Invest in a second trash can and line it with Glad® Recycling Tall Kitchen Drawstring Bags — just be sure to check your local city or community guidelines to see how your recyclables need to be bagged and thrown out. You can even post a list of recyclable items (such as plastic bottles, aluminum cans and newspapers) above your recycling bin so everyone in your household can easily reference it.

Cut Back on Disposable Items

It might be tempting to buy disposable or single-use items for the sake of convenience, but they create tons of needless waste. Kick the habit of buying single-use things and invest in products with a longer lifespan in order to reduce waste.

As you get ready to start the decluttering process, it helps to have a system in place that you can use as you clean and reorganize. One super simple, straightforward option is the “Four-Box Method” — using four boxes or storage bins, you can streamline your decluttering job. Here’s a breakdown of how just four boxes can make tackling a cluttered room a breeze.

Box 1: Trash

The first box will be your designated trash dump. Any items you want to get rid of that aren’t worth donating or selling go here. Pro tip: to save yourself a step, go ahead and use Glad® ForceFlex Plus Advanced Protection Bags instead of a box so you can take your trash straight to the curb after cleaning up. And don’t forget to recycle items whenever possible! Check out Glad’s guide to what can and cannot be recycled to learn more.

Box 2: Give Away/Sell

Next, designate a box for items that are still in OK condition, but that your household could do without — like old books or toys, for example. Whether you want to give these things away to family/friends, donate them to charity, or sell them in a yard sale to make a little extra money is totally up to you.

Box 3: Storage

This box is for things that you can’t or don’t want to get rid of, but that you aren’t in need of on a day-to-day basis (think things like seasonal decorations). It’s also a good idea to make an inventory of items that you’re putting in storage as you go — that way, you won’t be left wondering what exactly is taking up space in your garage or attic down the line.

Box 4: Put Away

Lastly, have a box ready to place any items that need to be kept in your house, but relocated to their proper place. If you want to get really organized, you can have a few smaller boxes — one each for places like your bathroom, kitchen, or bedrooms — and sort misplaced items into their “homes” to save yourself the hassle later. 

Want one last decluttering pro tip? If you have the need for it, you can add a fifth box to this method: one for items that can be repaired/replaced rather than tossed out or donated, like a watch that needs a new battery. 

Making the decision to declutter your home can feel like a huge step in and of itself, but actually getting started is a much larger obstacle. Particularly if you have a big decluttering job ahead of you, knowing where to begin the process can be overwhelming — which is why coming up with a decluttering game plan is so essential.
​
Before you dive in, figure out what your decluttering goal is. Do you merely want to get rid of visible mess, or do you want to create entirely new household organizational systems to use going forward? Knowing what your end goal is can help you prioritize tasks and figure out your next steps.

Another trick to kickstart your decluttering? Start with what you feel is the easiest room first. For example, if you know you need to do an overhaul of your entire wardrobe, don’t tackle your bedroom and closet first. If you begin with a simpler decluttering job — say, cleaning out and reorganizing your spice rack — it can empower and motivate you to tackle bigger decluttering projects.

I think we are all guilty at times of hanging on to things we don't need just because they make us feel comfortable. Or because we've always done it that way. Or because we see others do it that way. Most of us collect things. Most of us try to multi-task – usually with decreased or no success. And... we often think these collections or hobbies or hands on memories make us happy. Sound familiar? Welcome to the club.


My wife is very organized. And while she's never really been a collector, she's been an even greater inspiration to me over the past few years to really declutter my life and make me happier, more productive and less stressed along the way. How? Well, are you ready for some advice? Jump aboard...


Junk is junk. Yes, it may seem true and it may actually be true in some cases that
“one man's junk is another man's treasure” or “I may need that some day.” I'm here to tell you that, while you may need that “thing” some day, it's not likely and, if you really do, then you can re-buy it. So, if you have a “junk drawer” (and most of us do or did or grew up with one so we think that is just the way it has to be), it's time to let it go. Whatever is in there has probably been in there for 5-10 years, right? And you still haven't needed it. So toss it... or better yet toss the whole drawer's collection and use that drawer for something – anything – way more useful. Growing up it was the last drawer on the right before the refrigerator in my parent's kitchen and was always in similar locations in our kitchen with my wife till she said “no more.” I haven't missed a single item and neither will you. Toss it... you'll feel better when you repurpose that drawer for something far more productive... trust me.


You really can't take it with you. Collections are interesting to look at, but it's time to let it go. I had dozens of signed posters and collectible memorabilia from my favorite rock group. But most things were just taking up space in the garage waiting for what... I don't know. My wife challenged me and I did it... basically got rid of nearly everything I had collected over a 20 year period. I made a few hundred dollars selling some of it, made some fellow collector friends happy by gifting some of it to them, and actually threw the other 98% away. I realized that all I really wanted was the music – and I have that and continue to collect it free and space free digitally through acquired live recordings. That's the history and interest for me. And my garage is much emptier for it, I don't miss any of it, and I enjoy the few things I did keep and the hundreds of live recordings that take up zero space... daily. No regrets.


The one year rule. Have you used it, worn it, looked at it, played with it, or even touched it in the last year? If not, why is it still taking up space in your closet, garage or house? My closet was full of clothes I didn't wear but thought I might wear “sometime.” Here's some advice... if you haven't worn it by now, you never will. Worse, we sometimes keep clothes we hope to fit into better next year. Ha. If that happens and we lose the 10 pounds or 50 pounds, then we can reward ourselves. For now, reward yourself with the good sense to realize you'll probably never wear it or use it or touch it. Trust the one year rule... toss it or donate it. I did... and now I wear everything in my closet.


Why are you really hoarding it? Furniture, broken electronics you plan to fix. Hmmm.... do you really have the time? And with furniture... do you need it? If not, then give it away, sell it, or toss it. Surfaces have to be dusted. We sold an armoire and two night stands that were great, looked great, but we didn't need them and they were a dusting nightmare. Now our master bedroom looks and feels more spacious and dusting our house because we've shed those and other similar items is a breeze and takes only minutes daily to keep looking great and guest ready at all times. We missed the night stands for a couple of weeks... then we never looked back.


Don't worry, be happy. I have found that ridding my life and home of things around me that I was keeping for no real good reason has made me more relaxed and productive. I spend less time looking for things, I put things in their proper place rather than just “setting them somewhere” and I have more time because there is less to clean. I still put things where I shouldn't out of pure laziness, but I do it far less and my life, wife and marriage is happier because of it. Plus, I'm teaching my 6 small children much better habits because I'm living it, not just talking about it. Seriously, toss it or sell it or give it away. But if you don't need it daily or weekly or monthly, then do you really need it? Get rid of it. You won't regret it.


Summary / call for action


Decluttering and letting go is very hard for most of us and nearly impossible for some. I realize that. But I challenge you to toss something – one thing – from each room in your house tomorrow and see how it makes you feel. Lighter? Fresher? More productive? I've thrown out or donated hundreds of things in the past 2-3 years and only regretted a couple of items... and then that regret disappeared quickly. It's a good, freeing feeling.


Thoughts? Can you take the challenge? Have you decluttered yourself and you life? What tips would you add? And if you were thinking of doing this or feel stressed, then I hope this read has helped you. Ask me questions... I'm happy to help. Contact me for any advice or support you might need.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were reporting to a PMO director and you wonder what value this person brings to the table? You romanticize about how much more productive you would be if you didn’t have to jump through his hoops. Better yet, you consider how much better off you – and all the other PMs - would be if you were running the show. Or at least if you got to handpick his successor. Am I striking a chord here? Of course I am.


I’m going to state what I think a good PMO director needs to bring to the table. I’m hoping on the couple of occasions so far where I’ve run the show that I did bring these things to the table. At least I know I tried. And I will say that sometimes the organizational chemistry and process flow doesn’t always allow for the utopia that I’m going to describe. But getting somewhere close would be nice.


#1 – Manage the PMO, not a bunch of projects


The PMO director really needs to be a leader of people, not projects. I’m so tired of seeing PM’s who are spending most of their time leading the big projects also acting in the role of PMO director. It’s just not right. The PMO director needs to establish processes, identify training needs, knock down barriers, make connections, and fight for the PMO’s presence in the organization. He needs to be putting the proper tools in the hands of the PMs like reusable templates, the proper planning documents and an easy to use project management tool like Dooster or some similar tool that makes project collaboration easy. It’s how the viability of the PM processes is maintained. You can’t rely on the CEO to suddenly think what you’re doing matters. Not when so many projects fail or have major issues. No, someone must be championing the organization. That’s the director. If he’s leading five projects of his own, he can’t do that. No one can.


#2 – Know your organization


The PMO director must know the organization. He must know how get information, favors, resources, and support. Unless it’s a startup situation, it’s very difficult to bring in an outsider as the director and have them be immediately useful. It’s better to bring outsiders in as PMs and promote a good leader to this role.


#3 – Care about the PM’s, not the politics


The PMO director must be ready to fight for the project managers in the PMO like the PMs fight for their customers. I’m sorry, but if I’m being pulled two ways – one way by senior management and one way by the customer – it’s usually going to be the customer’s concerns that I react to first. Likewise, the PMO director should be more concerned about his organization and fighting for it rather than playing a lot of politically games for senior management – unless that is in the best interests of the PMO itself. So many PMOs fail, they need a strong leader fighting to keep it viable.


#4 – Communicate well


Above all else – just like with any project manager – the PMO director must be a great communicator. Company policies, processes, planning, etc. must all come from this individual. And he must be a good listener because there are lots of project issues that arise that PMs need help with. Their success must be his utmost concern.


Conclusion


So, can I fire my PMO director? Well, sort of. If the needs of the project managers are not being met and if the PMO is faltering because of a lack of organized, efficient, and effective leadership, then waiting will only mean projects will fail. Customers will be lost. The company bottom line will take a huge hit. And so will careers. Staying quiet is not in anyone’s best interest. If it’s a common feeling (and not just your own grudge) that the PMO leadership is ineffective, it must be taken up the chain of command. And yes, then you can fire your PMO director. It would be your duty to do so.

Everyone does digital marketing. With more instruments to work with, businesses of different sizes are relying on digital marketing tools to reach their intended customers. The field is immensely crowded, but there are still a lot of opportunities to cut through the noise and be successful.
The real challenge is refining your digital marketing efforts to ensure success. While there are a lot of solutions you can now use to amplify the impact of your digital marketing campaigns, automation is certainly the way forward. We have just the tips and tricks to get you started with digital marketing automation in this article.

Synchronize Different Platforms

Automating digital marketing efforts requires the use of an integrated set of tools and instruments. You cannot treat different parts of the marketing campaign as a separate thing, especially not if you want to amplify the impact of the campaign exponentially.

Fortunately, you now have tools like PieSync making integrating multiple platforms easy. You don’t have to manually synchronize data across multiple platforms and can instead use PieSync to automate this process.
The Pipedrive Google Contacts (G Suite) Sync Guideline shows just how easy it is to integrate the two platforms. You can automatically add contacts from Google Contacts to Pipedrive (and vice versa) without worrying about duplicates and other common issues.

Simplify Workflows

With the different platforms integrated and synchronized, you can start optimizing your digital marketing workflows gradually. The process starts with eliminating tasks that are repetitive and time consuming by immediately automating them using scripts and other tools.

This will reduce the time needed to complete one campaign cycle substantially. Once the process is completed, you will have streamlined workflows capable of scaling up your digital marketing impact by a substantial margin.

Keeping it simple is what you need to do. A lot of marketers overcomplicate marketing automation, but this isn’t necessary. For instance, triggering the delivery of a reminder email when a dropped cart is detected is as easy to do as setting up a few parameters and actions.

Watch Out for Traps

It is also worth noting that there are some obstacles to avoid when automating your marketing efforts. Some tasks, such as interacting with the customers on social media, are best kept personalized, so automation isn’t always the best solution for the situation.

The same is true with emails. While you can automate the personalization of your email marketing content, there are limits to how far you can push the boundaries. There will be times when you want to address the customers individually or create personalized content without automating parts of the process.

Last but not least, you want to avoid the trap of automating everything without sufficient reviews. Automation is a process, not a one-time thing. You want to refine how you automate different parts of your marketing campaign to produce the greatest impact.
​
Keep these tips and tricks in mind and you will find automation to be the way forward. You can expand the reach of your marketing campaigns without investing more time, money, and resources into the campaigns with the help of automation. ​