Page 57 - Straight Talk On Project Management IV

What he discovered was that sharing knowledge, combining his many years of experience in the
hotel and hospitality industry, and his leadership skills, with his new colleagues’ digital expertise and
fluency, would benefit the company as a whole.

“Opening a pipeline of organizational wisdom is the trade agreement of our times,” he once said.
“That’s the new sharing economy—sharing wisdom across generations.”
“Mutual mentorship is the future.”

The Biggest Missed Mutual Mentorship Opportunity

In IT Project Management there is another mutual mentorship opportunity that is often overlooked.
We sort of touched on it earlier – it’s PMaaS.

When you use Project Management as a Service resources you are adding fresh eyes, different
perspectives and a whole back catalogue of unique experiences to your team. Why wouldn’t you see
this as a great learning opportunity? Sadly, few do!

What happens in most organisations is this: the PMaaS talent arrives; they do the job they were
hired for; they leave.

All that extra experience departs untapped with the talent. What an opportunity missed!
What happens in GREAT organisations is this: the PMaaS talent arrives; they do the job they were
hired for; AND all the while in-house talent becomes a knowledge sponge for new ideas, different
approaches, fresh ways of thinking.

It’s interesting to note that the PMaaS talent themselves are more than likely always doing this. It’s
part of their DNA to be inquisitive about alternative methods because adding them to their skillset
increases their value. When you hire PMaaS resources it is worth remembering that you are not just
hiring in a pair of hands to help deliver a project, you are buying the accumulated knowledge of
everywhere they have EVER worked.

Again, why would you not want to learn from this!

In conclusion, we have never had such great access to knowledge about IT Project Management, the
internet is teeming with it! But Project Management remains an inherently human pursuit, it’s the
fingerprints on a project that bring it to life way more than the code! The most fulfilling way to learn
is to share, to interact and, yes, to steal great ideas from each other!

So, look around your office, think about the members of your project team, observe the temporary
guy contracted in from your Project Management as a Service partner. What great insight are you
going to pinch from them today?

Sources:

https://ecorner.stanford.edu/event/may-15-2019-etl-with-chip-conley/