Blog

Volunteer Spotlight - Kyle Johnson

24 September 2021

Kyle joined the chapter in 2014 and has been a volunteer since 2017. He is part of the team that has integrated and developed our technology tools so that we can focus more of our volunteer time on getting things done rather than on the mundane administrative operational tasks.

A little bit about Kyle, did you know that he was a police officer and deputy. His proudest moment was when his mom pinned on his badge. The people who know him describe him as a person with good intentions which makes sense since he has served his community.

Kyle identifies himself as an engineer and a gear head on his Mustang convertible so basically, he likes to fix things and make it work. He thrives and is driven due to his family, his motivator. Kyle's greatest joy is taking his wife and grandkids on a car ride enjoying nature and letting time stand still. His advice to others, "keep things simple, or at least make complex things simple for others. It makes more of an impact than most people think it will." Continue to try new adventure, Kyle embraces being a grandfather and playing with the kids while teaching new things, like caring for the environment so the planet remains beautiful. "Educating youth makes me feel good - it is a connection to the new generation to get kids interested in cars and while making memories and it’s a cool thing to share." Kyle worries about the younger education quality. Everyone needs to focus on being educated and about their impact your personal world to make things better.

As an engineer he identifies with is analytical side and grew up with the arts. Kyle's heroes is his parents who taught him to mix technology and creativity, he was given the technical edge and found a way to merge technology and art. His other hero, Kyle's wife who is a teacher forming young minds so youth have a strong foundation to grow.

Kyle's personal motto is a quote borrowed from Teddy Roosevelt, “do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” It is a message he would like to pass on to prospective volunteers, there are plenty of opportunities with work to be done and feels it is important to help the chapter since it is volunteer led. It is important and fate led me to be a member of the technology team.

Kyle feels fortunate and likes his journey. "I am happy with my journey and am right where i want to be. I feel blessed."

President's Letter September 2021

19 September 2021

President's Corner

It’s September, and I am looking forward to cooling temperatures coming soon. The chapter has been busy the last two months. We recently concluded our latest Board Election in August. The special election for the By-Laws ends on September 21st. We will be introducing our new board members for the 2022 year at our All-Member Meeting on October 27th. We will also review our results to date for 2021.

There are a lot of significant events coming up in the next couple of months. The chapter has partnered with the ASU PM Network for “Level UP” at the 2021 ASU PM Summit. The ASU PM Summit is a half-day event with four tracks. There is an opportunity to earn up to 16 PDU’s via recorded webinars. However, you need to register in advance as registration will be closed after the event concludes on September 29th.

Our last study group of the year starts on October 9th. So if you know anyone working on their PMP, make sure you recommend the study group.

The chapter is holding its annual Arizona Project Management Week from October 25th through the 29th. We have an event each day that week. View and Register for those events here.

In November, we are partnering and sponsoring the Arizona Agile Conference. The conference is a two-day event with a great lineup of speakers. Early Bird Registration is open now. If you miss it, we will have a discount code for members for standard registration. You can check out the link to the conference on our website here.

President's Corner August 2021

14 August 2021

President's Corner

The Board of Director’s Election opened on August 1st. If you haven’t had the opportunity to vote, please check your inbox for an email from PMI Phoenix Chapter Nominations And Election Committee <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>. The election closes soon, so make sure your vote is counted and cast your ballot.

In addition to the Board of Directors election, we will be holding a special election in September for a By-Laws Revision. Please weigh in on that as well. This revision changes the board's structure and gives the board more agility to react to the changing needs of the chapter. The ballot will be sent out on September 6th. You can read more about the change and review the new by-laws at this link on the chapter website.

Looking ahead to the next few months, we have some significant events planned. We are staying virtual for the time being as expected covid surge has coincided with the return to school. We will continue to conduct risk assessments as it relates to holding live events on a month-by-month basis. If you haven’t been vaccinated and are eligible, I encourage you to get the vaccine. That is the quickest way back to normalcy for everyone.

We have a great list of upcoming events:

8/18 – Webinar: Effective Communication: At The Office Or Working From Home

8/21 – PMI Chapter Xchange - Design Thinking in Project Management

8/24 – Project Masters - Toastmasters

8/27 – Breakfast Meeting - How to network and build your business or career when you can’t leave home

We also have a special event with the ASU PM Summit on 9/29. The chapter has partnered with ASU PM Network and the VPMMA for the virtual summit, and you will have the opportunity to earn 16 PDU’s throughout the event. The event is virtual, and all the speakers will be recorded, and those recordings will be available post-event. The event is free so sign up at this link today to attend.

All this information is distributed in our weekly newsletter. If you don't get our newsletter currently and would like to sign up for it you can do so on the chapter website's front page.

If you have any questions or have suggestions for chapter value enhancement, please contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Thank you for your membership.

Sincerely and Respectfully,

Shane Cretacci, PMP

Chapter President

PMI Phoenix Chapter

3 Steps to Helping People Embrace Change

21 July 2021

Articles

Jun 28th 2021 PMI Insights

Navigating the dynamics of change can be a challenge for accounting firms. Employees may become anxious or resistant or even actively oppose new processes and technologies. Yet change is not optional. In CPA firms today, remaining stagnant is a recipe for extinction.

So how can you help your team embrace change?

Understand That Change Is a Process, Not an Event
Firmwide change doesn't happen simply because you made an announcement, invited people to a training session or scheduled a go-live date.

According to the Project Management Institute, when people experience change, they move through a three-step process:
Current state. What they currently know and do, including processes, tools, behaviors, technologies, organizational structures and roles. All of these elements might not be working great, but they're familiar and comfortable.

Transition state. This can be an emotionally charged time, and people may feel fear, anxiety and even anger. Productivity declines as people learn new processes, technologies and behaviors.

Future state. At this point, people achieve a new way of performing their work.Think about this the next time you undergo a process improvement and technology initiative in your firm and address how you will bridge the gap between the current state (where you are) and the future state (where you want to be).

Listen to People and Get Their Input
People feel more excited about change if they have a say in it.

According to Gallup, only three in 10 U.S. employees strongly agree that their opinions count at work, and organizational change is one area in particular where people feel left out.

Your people are a goldmine of information. Ask for feedback frequently, listen to what they have to say, and take action based on their input. People tend to be more open to change when they've participated in the decision-making process.
Connect Change to Individual Goals
Getting buy-in for change requires an answer to the question "Why?" When you answer this question, people are better prepared to fight their natural instinct to resist change.

What individual goals do the changes you're making help people work toward? Will new processes improve efficiency, reduce overtime during busy season and provide better work/life balance? Will new technologies and automation create people's capacity to work on higher-level work and help them level up in their careers?

In a TED talk, organizational change expert Jim Hemerling explains that people usually think positively about personal transformation and are more driven to accomplish personal goals. Instead of focusing on the firm's bottom line, show them how meeting the firm's goals will help them achieve their personal and professional goals. This will put more energy behind the initiative.

Firm leaders have a responsibility to lead others through change. Employ these three steps, and you'll enjoy more emotional buy-in and cooperation for the changes you want and need to make in your firm.

Academic Outreach

19 July 2021

Volunteer Spotlight

Be a part of PMI Phoenix's educational future!

The Academic Outreach team is looking for more volunteers to join our team. The goal of Academic Outreach is to work with educational opportunities with our schools and learning institutions to provide our expertise and to assist with their needs. Academic Outreach is assisting our youth and collegiate audiences through three main areas:

Collegiate

PMI is looking to provide collegiate students with opportunities to see how PMI Phoenix can be a part of their future and what benefits that can obtain. However, more than that, our goal is to enable "social good" and provide such opportunities to collegiate members. As such, we are looking for a "Collegiate Faculty Advisor" who is part of the chapter but also has experience in the collegiate arena. This person will help guide students and a PMI Phoenix student committee as we expand our membership reach.

Future City Competition

PMI has a long-standing history with the regional Future City competition. The pandemic required changes in the past years as schools and teams learned how to work virtually to design and model a city on the moon. Our PMI "Future City Managers" are needed to help judge and provide feedback to the junior high students on their project management deliverables. Three (3) such volunteers are needed; there are three main times during the end of the year/beginning of next year when your services would be needed. This is an opportunity to make a difference in these students and their deliverables.

Academic Services

Within the Academic Outreach area, we need to be able to communicate and coordinate PMI and PMI Educational Foundation (PMIEF) products and services to teachers. There are several services already provided by PMI and PMIEF and in many instances, our educators may not know be aware of what already exists. However, we can't rest on the laurels of PMIEF; there are many additional items that we can develop and provide to educators to give them even more tools. Within this subteam, there is the need for two positions: Manager of Academic Content and Manager of Academic Operations. These two people will have the opportunity to build out a "catalog" and additional products/services needed by our educators.

We would love to have you be part of the team! Please do contact Steve Poessnecker (602-524-8329 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) if you have any questions about these positions and to volunteer your time and expertise!

President's Letter July 2021

17 July 2021

President's Corner

It's mid-July, and the monsoon has arrived in the Valley, bringing change in our typical weather pattern.

The chapter is also looking forward to changing in the next election. In addition to new board members, we are proposing a change to the chapter by-laws.

This proposed by-law change affects the board structure explicitly. The proposed by-laws will change our current rigid 12-person board structure with defined roles to a more flexible 7 to 11 board members with no specific role assigned. The board will determine each board member's responsibilities based on their skill set and bandwidth for the job. The new by-laws allow the board to adapt quickly to the changing needs of the chapter.

Keep an eye out for your Ballot, which will is emailed to members on August 1st.

We have had an intentionally quiet July with pandemic restrictions lifted the Suns in the playoffs and many members taking a long overdue vacation. Many members (and Volunteers) travel in July, and we have noted that from the activity of the past few years. We have many significant events coming up in the next few months. Notably, we are partnering with ASU for their ASU PM Summit put on by the ASU PM Network. It has been a great collaboration so far, and we are looking forward to the event.

Randy Black, the immediate past chair on the PMI Board of Directors, will be the closing keynote speaker. I hope you can attend this virtual event that is free for our members.

Additionally, we are partnering with Agile Arizona again this year with their event that will be offered in November. There will be an announcement soon on dates, so keep a lookout for that addition to the calendar.