I Think, Therefore I Plan: Mastering the Methods and Meditations of Project Management

Maybe you took the PMP(R) or are studying for it and are still bewildered? What is this thing called project management that I have to do and WHY is it worth it? This is a philosophical question and in general, people in the field don't really answer it. Is it worthwhile to discuss the philosophy of project management? Absolutely! Then why are there so few, if any, books out there that discuss this topic in detail? The problem is that in modern project management, the approach taken to articulating its discipline, practices and theoretical framework has been dominated from the methodological perspective. In other words, the only question really asked is the "how" (or which method to use) of project management, which has caused the field to be narrowly focused on how to use methods, processes and tools, and not enough on the deep philosophical thinking, acquisition of tacit knowledge and development of emotional intelligence (EQ) skills that are critical for successfully utilizing those methods in an efficient and effective manner. Therefore, I will argue that you need to master not only the"how" (methods) of managing projects, but the "why" (meditations) as well. And by meditation, I'm not referring to the popular notion of sitting with legs crossed, palms turned upward, eyes closed and chanting positive thoughts, but as the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines as a means "to engage in contemplation or reflection: focus one's thoughts on something so as to understand it deeply." In other words, it's a form of conscious meditative mindfulness that will allow you to act decisively and effectively AND to understand deeply, the reasoning for that action. This book will discuss how the methods and meditation practices work hand in hand to allow one to obtain mastery in project management. This book fulfills this need like no other in the industry!

About the Author :
I was a one-time aspiring PhD student in philosophy who became disillusioned with the whole tenure process and decided to do something else. I somehow became an owner of several franchise businesses (which included an Arco AM/PM gas station, mail and shipping center, etc.) while also teaching myself to program software during my free time and selling it on the side. I found a way to leverage these skills to transition back into the workforce initially as a software developer. This included a short stint in a start-up cutting code for an artificial intelligence call center system, to working for a boutique consulting company developing web applications for Fortune 100 companies. A major shift in my career occurred, when I discovered the field of project management that seemed to integrate and reconcile technical knowledge, emotional intelligence and business management skills into a perfect marriage. I have never looked back. Since 2007, I have been involved in the field of project management initially as corporate employee and now as an independent consultant, trainer, coach, educator and author which includes being an instructor at four universities and colleges, writer for several industry publications and event speaker. My core competencies are to advise, educate and provide insights for your organization, department or teams to better manage people and projects, act as a catalyst for change, and to push new boundaries. In addition, my entrepreneurial pursuits have never left me, which provides me a position uniquely suited to driving and delivering business value to my clients and customers. My first published book is titled -I Think, Therefore I Plan: Mastering the methods and meditations of project management-, a book that makes you philosophize on the -how- (methods) AND the -why- (meditations) of managing projects in work and life... This book fulfills this need like no other in the industry!