Message from the Chair

Well the first quarter is in the bag and it is onward, upward and into the second quarter. One of the things I like to do, at least once a quarter, is take some time to reflect on the successes and challenges that have been faced. I actually carve out time in my schedule to conduct a little Situation Appraisal (a systematic process for planning concern resolution by establishing clear priorities that was developed by the founders of my company.) Based on answering some key questions, which I borrowed from Keith Ferrazzi, the founder of FerrazziGreenlight (and the author of the networking-focused, must-read book, Never Eat Alone), I can begin to establish clear priorities.

The questions are:

• What are the results I'm getting in the different areas of my life?
• What mistakes am I making frequently?
• What do I need to stop?
• What extra energy/money/time do I have to invest?
• Where would that investment create the best returns?

I consider this process a mental "Spring Cleaning" which is why this subject is so appropriate for this time of year (in the Northern Hemisphere, of course.) I started doing this because I found that I was taking on more and more and accomplishing less and less, to my satisfaction at least.

I actively survey the environment around me. In your own case, look for a situation for which you have full or partial responsibility, or which directly impacts you. Seek to generate information from all sources by asking open questions. State the concerns that are raised briefly. Be sure to also list concerns without extensive development, i.e., don't try to wordsmith everything - you can clarify concerns later. Once you have a full set of concerns identified you need to separate and clarify them so that they are actionable. Remember to be specific. From that point you can set priority and plan action.

This process is very scalable. It is something (with different question sets) that I strive to do with project teams with which I am working, with clients with whom I am engaged, and with friends who may need a little assistance in working on the "right stuff" and who ask for support.

As I reflect on this process, I am drawn time and again to what I believe is the most critical question: "What do I need to stop?" It is in the asking, answering and acting on the results from that question that I gain the sharpest focus. This one question is at the heart of strategic thinking. When working with clients, it is rare that we are faced with a situation in which there are few alternatives. More often than not the situation will be awash in alternatives. It is in the stripping away of the excess, this extra baggage, that we can begin to restore the core of our purpose. The same is true in client projects. Developing a shared understanding about what is not in scope can actually be liberating for both the consultant and the client.

The key driver for effective strategy formulation is not rooted in what we WILL DO, but rather requires us to clearly and emphatically define what we WILL NOT DO. This driver is also at the heart of what helps us be more successful, too. Once you become practiced at stopping actions that are not adding value, the next step is to recognize what could less-valuable actions from the outset and learn to say, "no."
This is one approach to keeping focus - what is yours?

Best regards,


Andrew "Drew" Marshall
Chair, Consulting SIG
chair@pmiconsultingsig.org

Lara Chabina-Crowe, PMP Vice President Marketing

Also in 2007, after Lara and her husband welcomed their first child, Lara's knack for recognizing an area of need was heightened. She started Milk Shop Mama (www.milkshopmama.com) which provides functional and fashionable products tailored for modern-day mothers.

Prior to launching her three companies, Lara was Project Manager for Star Alliance Services, Gmbh - a global airline alliance made up of 15 airlines based in Frankfurt, Germany. At Star Alliance, she was responsible for developing the first global convention product, implementing national and global marketing initiatives, and spearheading the development of a social program for the Star Alliance employees.

Lara has also worked as the Trade Marketing Manager, Market Development with Air New Zealand based in Auckland, New Zealand. There she worked with the local tourism industry to create inbound tourism products. Before her time at Air New Zealand, Lara was the Sales and Marketing Manager with a destination management company based in New York, USA which representing convention facilities and Convention bureaus in Australia, Austria, Spain and England.

Lara was certified by the Project Management Institute (PMI) in Frankfurt, Germany as a project management professional (PMP) in 2003 and has been an active member of the PMI South Florida Chapter since 2004 serving on the board as Vice President - Administration from 2004 to 2006. Lara is a consulting lecturer for the Nova Southeastern University H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship. In addition, Lara is an active member of Women in Aviation.

Lara holds a Bachelors of Liberal Arts and Science in International Business from San Diego State University. She currently resides in Boca Raton, Florida, USA.

"I am very thrilled to be provided this opportunity to be part of the CSIG Board," Crowe said. "I am looking forward to working with the board to continue to provide value to our membership. My focus for my term will be to increase the visibility of the CSIG and continue to improve the value provided to our membership. I welcome any feedback, suggestions or input our membership may have at marketing@pmiconsultingsig.org."

Checkout Job Postings on CSIG Web Site