2. Home

Blog

Volunteer Spotlight - Robert Gates

Robert retired from the State of Arizona, DES where his projects centered around empowering employees with disabilities. He applies his skill to his Phoenix Chapter volunteer work. His philosophy, "do what you can to contribute to others' lives in[1]stead of just increasing your own and corporate wealth. Do your best at the work you do and keep your attitudes aligned to support priorities at work. No one on their death bed wishes they spent more time at work. Keep the real priorities in focus." Bob leads by Christian example and has adopted the motto, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

So who is Robert Gates? He is a passionate FAA approved Powerplant and Airframe mechanic, who was influenced by Billy Mitchell who was a United States Army general who is regarded as the father of the United States Air Force. Mitchell served in France during World War I and, by the conflict's end, commanded all American air combat units in that country. Bob Gates currently maintains a 1943 B-25 bomber, which is a WWII veteran of 15 missions, for the Commemorative Air Force Airbase Arizona in Mesa, AZ. When on volunteer duty, he also flys on the aircraft as the flight crew chief. Bob is also a RVer who follows the temperature of below 85 and above 45, to locations around the country.

When asked what has been rewarding about your volunteer service, Bob stated. "Helping others prepare for the exam, paying back for those who invested in me to help me pass my PMP. Bob attended three study group sessions before testing for the PMP." His words of wisdom to new members or others considering volunteer work for the Chapter? Volunteering is one of the most fulfilling things you can do with your life. From a more self-serving standpoint, it takes the focus off of your own challenges in life and is the best way I know to reduce life's worries and cares. From a more social responsibility stand[1]point, you are making a significant difference in another’s life. Adding a PMP and/or maintaining a PMP through PDUs significantly contributes to that person’s financial security and increases their skillset and job fullfillment."

Bob Gates approach was new to the facilitators as well. He encourages the team of facilitators to utilize their own style and source materials to provide students of the CAPM/PMP a wide range of materials so they can help determine what style of learning will work best for the student, rather than the standard bootcamp model of reviewing the 35 hours of continuous education so the student can subbit met the application to sit for the exam. Bob states, "that he is the cheerleader and works with each facilitator to become successful at delivery." Gone is the bootcamp approach, each student is empowered to develop their study plan and to form an alternate study buddy group which meets on other days of the week.

If you get the chance to meet Bob at a study group session, get him to talk about airplanes, you will quickly engage in a spirited conversation.

President's Letter May 2021

Each nominee must meet the following qualifications:

  • Be a Chapter member in good standing at the time of the election
  • Receive at least three nominations
  • Agree to serve in the position for which he or she is nominated
  • Any Chapter member in good standing may nominate another member
  • A Chapter member may select him or herself as one of the three nominations
  • The President-Elect must have served six months as a PMI® Board member within the last two years before taking office.

It is a great honor to be nominated to serve on the board. Most people are selected because they have a passion for project management or have specific skills to contribute to the Chapter. There are pros and cons to serving on the board.  

The number of pros is numerous and will benefit you for a lifetime. The first is listing that position on your resume. Employers will give you credit for volunteering for a non-profit board. They will likely want to know more about your involvement, especially any knowledge or skills you acquired during your time on the board. You will also have many professional development opportunities presented by PMI and the Chapter on leadership and governance. You will also have the opportunity to expand your network, which can be very beneficial in other areas of your life. Finally, serving on the board will allow you to give back to the community and the profession and impact the next generation of project managers.

There are some cons. 

The pay is terrible. As a volunteer, there is no monetary compensation for your time. But time is all that the Chapter will ask of you. You will be required to attend all scheduled board meetings, which is one a month plus the additional time to fulfill your role's duties. A complete list of the job responsibilities for each board position is available here. Anyone considering running for a board position should also be familiar with the Articles of Incorporation and the Chapter Bylaws posted on the chapter website here.

If you're considering running for a position, then I encourage you to reach out to a sitting board member and ask them to chat about serving on the board. It's a great way to learn and possibly gather a nomination for yourself. 

If you're not sure a board position is correct for you at the moment, consider volunteering in a different capacity to learn more about the Chapter. We are always looking for volunteers, and you can apply here.

President's Letter April 2021

President’s Letter
April 2021

The chapter has fielded some inquiries as to when we may be holding in-person meetings. Last year, we decided, based on the information available we would not hold in-person meetings until at least the late third quarter of 2021. While we have made significant strides in safety and rolling out the vaccine, we are on track with the predictions made last year.

This morning I received my 2nd Dose at State Farm Stadium. If you haven’t been and are medically eligible, I encourage you to get vaccinated.

Vaccinations started on Dec 17th in Maricopa County, and since that date, we have administered 1.5 million adults in Maricopa County. That is 40% of the eligible adults that can receive the vaccine. Out of that, 975,000 have received their second dose or the 1st dose of a one-dose series. As a state, the numbers are not as good. 1.74 million people have been vaccinated to date, making up 24% of the population of Arizona. We still have a long way to go. We will continue to monitor the progress of the pandemic in the county and state.

Putting on in-person events also takes a lot of volunteers. Our programs team will need to add volunteers to put on events once we can. If we could meet in person tomorrow, we would not have enough volunteers to make that happen. If you feel strongly about in-person events, then please volunteer and help the chapter conduct those events. If you would like to volunteer, you can complete a volunteer application here.

For information on vaccination, ADHS offers a bilingual COVID-19 Vaccine Navigation Help Desk at 844.542.8011 for those needing extra assistance with registration and answers to questions. You can also visit their website at podvaccine.azdhs.gov.

Shane Cretacci
President 
PMI Phoenix Chapter

Member Spotlight -Rafael Rios, New 2021 PMP

My name is Rafael "Tito" Vanderbilt Rios, and I didn't know that what I had been doing for the first four years of my career was agile project management, or that it could be something that I could use to differentiate myself in industry. 
 
I have been an entrepreneur and people mover since I was 18: 
I founded and grew my fraternity in college from 15 to 55 in a year when I was 19, I founded a business in the IoT tech space, developed a full beta, and was beaten to market by Monsanto when I was 20 years old, I cofounded what was almost the most disruptive company in academic publishing and proof tracing in the blockchain space when I was 21, and led automation teams to do away with outdated processes in a corporate setting when I was 23. Somewhere in there, I earned my Bachelors of Science in Economics with a focus on Data Management and Analytics from Santa Clara University. 
 
Through all of this, I was slowly honing my abilities in project management, software development and integration, stakeholder management and engagement, on-demand creativity, and how to deal wholeheartedly with great successes, and equally great failures. Through all of this, I had no idea I was turning myself into a PM. 
 
I learned about project management formally for the first time this past Fall, when I took Advanced Project Management with my now mentor, Dr. Steve Cho (inventor of the microgyroscope - he'd want me to put that in here). It was then that I realized that I actually already knew the majority of the material covered in the course, but was more introduced into the formalized processes and procedures outlined in the PMBOK. Dr. Cho had specifically geared the class towards taking the PMP, and our final exam was a past PMP. He encouraged me immediately to begin studying seriously, as he believed I could pass it. 
 
I used one book, the 10th Edition PMP Study Guide, by Kim Heldman, PMP, and read it cover to cover in the month before the exam, taking all the practice exams included with the book. The book is written for the 2021 exam, and emphasizes the variability in questions asked, as well as the focus on moving the project forward. I was scoring between 70% and 78% on the practice exams, which wasn't enough for me to be fully comfortable going into the exam on March 3. As it turns out, the full length practice exams in the study guide are significantly harder than the exam itself, which I passed on the first try with Above Target scores in all knowledge areas with an hour left in the exam period.
 
My advice for taking the exam is four-fold: 
    1. Effective studying requires discipline and categorical thinking; trying to remember things sequentially here as opposed to in terms of their situational applications will make it impossible to apply the knowledge quickly enough to finish in time.
    2. If you have the opportunity to actively apply what you're studying to an existing or theoretical project, you will better solidify the practice outside of just the concept, making the concept easier to recall. 
    3. The primary goal in every one of the questions in the 2021 PMP is moving the project forward. Many of the options are viable in each question, but which is going to immediately create momentum in the project?
    4. The 2021 PMP is adaptive based on performance on knowledge area questions; if you're continually succeeding in an area, the questions will get more difficult, and vice-versa. Maintaining momentum is critical. 
 
As I finish out my Master's of Science in Innovation and Venture Development, I'm actively seeking positions in technical project management and innovation-focused roles. If there are hard problems to be solved, I'll be the first one into the fray. 
 
For additional exam questions, Tito has agreed to be contacted at l: (707) 738-9996 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Volunteer Spotlight - Abhijit Ganguly

His journey started when he attended a chapter evening meeting in 2016 and asked a volunteer, how can I could get involved? His goal was the thought of increasing his network. The volunteer guided him through the volunteer application process and he became a volunteer. Abhijit has been serving the Volunteer Management team since day 1.

How does the volunteer application process work? Once a volunteer submits an application, their credentials are validated and they are assessed for the best fit and connected with the teams of their choice and in some cases they are helped in choosing a team based on the applicant's interest and skills. The placement team interviews them and conveys the tasks that are most in need at the time. If the role is of interest to the applicant they are onboarded. Once onboarded they receive access to the Chapter tools needed to complete their duties and an email address which they use to conduct correspondence for Chapter business.

Abhijit Ganguly is most passionate about learning and adapting to stay relevant until the last day. His inspiration is doing the right thing and helping others in need. He is an honest and amiable person, one whom I have had the pleasure of being acquainted with for many years at American Express and the Chapter. Abhijit loves international travel and hopes to sky dive one day. His proudest moment, his son has his pick of military academies and settled on the Naval Academy. A proud Dad moment and its no surprise that he was a role model in paying humanity forward, even when no one is watching. You will see him in the community as he often supports veteran events and childhood cancer.

What has been rewarding about your volunteer service? Abhijit Ganguly shared, "I have an oppor-tunity to help volunteers onboard and set a connection with the Phoenix Chapter. I have made some great friends, increased my professional network, opportunity to learn from other PMPs, earned PDUs to manage my three PMI credentials and access to PMI Global Leadership forum. I feel I have developed and sharpened skills like leadership, collaboration and team-building." What would you say to new members or others considering volunteer work for the Chapter? Abhijit conveyed, "knowledge shared is knowledge gained, volunteering for the chapter is a great way to share and learn from fellow Project Managers. You not only get the required PDUs but have access to great resources like morning breakfast sessions, evening sessions, opportunity to build professional networking. There are various groups in the chapter to volunteer for catering to individual preferences."

Risk Doctor Briefing

The benefits of using an external risk consultant should include the following:

· They bring guaranteed expertise

· They can draw on proven solutions from other engagements

· Cross-fertilisation is possible, with the consultant bringing ideas from other industries

· They can offer creativity, innovation, and fresh thinking

· There’s no “start-up” time, the consultant is ready to work on day one, without training

· Consultants offer access to leading-edge thinking and practice

· Consultants should be familiar with all current tools and techniques

· They are able to perform specialist techniques, such as risk simulation

· Using a consultant allows hands-on training for own staff by shadowing or observing

· You can turn on and turn off the consultancy resource when required

· Using consultants allows cost-effective use of limited resources or funding

· You only need to use consultants for specific tasks with clear scope

· There are no overhead costs for your organisation

 

There are however a number of risks to consider when using an external risk consultant, including:

· The consultant may not understand your business or the specific risk challenge

· They may lack specific knowledge of your project or organisation or industry sector

· They may offer a “one-size-fits-all” solution, not tailored to your need

· Prerequisite information may not be in place to support the engagement

· You may need to share confidential information to get them started

· You need to manage knowledge transfer to own staff in order to avoid becoming dependent

· The initial engagement may reveal a need for further assistance from the consultant

· They may be more expensive than you expect, especially if follow-on work is needed

· They may not leave a solution that can be operated by your staff or organisation

· The consultant may use tools or techniques that you don’t have available after they leave

· Your underlying processes may be deficient, prejudicing results

· Consultants may poach your own staff or tempt them away

· Your proprietary information may be at risk

· The reality may not match the offer (many consultants over-promise and under-deliver)

· Senior risk consultant staff may sell the work but then junior staff may be used to deliver it

· The consultant may not be available when you need or want them

 

In addition to performing a benefit-risk analysis, the following criteria might be useful when selecting a risk consultant:

· Proven track record of successful delivery in similar situations

· Recognised and relevant risk qualifications

· Extensive client base in similar sector or industry or project types

· Good reputation

· Personal recommendation

· Demonstrable expertise

· Availability when required

· Affordable within budget

 

If you can find external risk consultants who meet all the selection criteria, and who offer all the benefits with none of the risks, you should engage them immediately!! 

To provide feedback on this Briefing Note, or for more details on how to develop effective risk management, contact the Risk Doctor (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), or visit the Risk Doctor website (www.risk-doctor.com).