Benefit Realisation Management Webinar

Gerald Bradley author of Gower’s Benefit Realisation Management recently conducted a webinar for The International Institute of Business Analysis titled – Benefit Realisation Management: A Practical Guide to Achieving Benefits Through Change. You can take a look at this webinar and other expert offerings from the IIBA at their website.

The Focused Organization: expert author talks – plus free case study chapter

Antonio Nieto Rodriguez is author of The Focused Organization published by Gower,  and an expert in strategy execution and project management. He currently works with BNP Paribas as Head of Transversal Portfolio Management. Previously he was Head of Post Merger Integration at Fortis Bank, and Global Lead Practitioner for the Project and Portfolio Management practice at PriceWaterhouseCoopers. He is a visiting professor to the MBA courses at Solvay, and Nyenrode Business Schools where he teaches strategy execution and program management; a founder member of the PMI European Corporate Council; and an active speaker and presenter on strategy execution and project portfolio management. Here is his speaker schedule for May/June:

22 May 2012 - ’The Focused Organization at Solvay Business School – Brussels.

13 June 2012 – PMI London Chapter meeting (Thomson Reuters) – London.

19 June 2012 – Gartner  PPM & IT Governance Summit – London, UK 

26 June 2012 – European PMO Symposium 2012 – Berlin

A free case study chapter can be downloaded at: www.gowerpublishing.com/focusedorganization

Lean & Light PMO SIG Spring Conference April 26th 2012

The APM PMO Special Interest Group will be meeting for their Lean & Light PMO SIG Spring Conference  on April 26th in Coventry, UK.

The Conference introduction to the Lean PMO is from PMOSIG Chairman, Chris Walters with: Is my PMO doing too much – and how can we balance how lean we become before the risks become unmanageable?

Pop-Up PMOs from Sion Jones takes a look at what is needed when programmes and projects need a PMO ASAP.

Quick Wins from Peter Taylor – The Lazy Nimble PMO Manager – takes a look at what are quick wins in relation to PMOs.

The fourth session looks at agile and agile PMO from Peter Measey.

Finally they will focus on behavioural skills and look at Strategies for Creating Rapport Quickly from Dr Peter Parkes.

Throughout the day there will be opportunities to network and connect with other PMO professionals. The conference will also include the Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Peter Taylor is author of Leading Successful PMOs published by Gower.

PMI Global Congress EMEA 2012: Sustainability in Project Management

Gower Author Professor A.J.Gilbert Silvius (Sustainability in Project Management), will be joining a panel of presenters at the PMI Global Congress EMEA in Marseille 7-9 May 2012.

Titled ‘Sustainability in Project Management: The Future is Now’ the research working session on Sunday 6 May 8.30–16.00, will focus on current global issues and initiatives surrounding sustainability in all aspects of project management.

The panel of presenters will include both practitioners and researchers, including members of PMI’s Academic Member Advisory Group and other subject matter experts in the field. Other topics on the agenda include:

• Summary of current research on sustainable projects
• Considering the environmental impact and implications of projects
• Integrating sustainability initiatives as key components of project management life cycle
• What project managers and organisations can do better in terms of sustainable/green initiatives
• Sustainability initiatives in project management moving forward/for the future

This programme provides researchers, academics and advanced practitioners the opportunity to exchange ideas on new research and its application.

Sustainability in Project Management will be published in May 2012 by Gower.

Michel Thiry at PM National Conference in Ireland

The PM National Conference will take place in Ireland on April 19th 2012.

Gower author Michel Thiry will be presenting in Track 1 on Re-dimensioning the Project Management Space and in Track 2 on Program Management Practice in a Business Context.

Michel Thiry is author of Program Management published by Gower part of the Fundamentals of Project Management Series Edited by Professor Darren Dalcher.

Talking Project Politics: Interview with Nita Martin

Politics. Every project has politics. In a Girl’s Guide to Project Management, Elizabeth Harrin has interviewed Gower author Nita Martin, Managing Director of Pure Indigo. Nita’s book, Project Politics: A Systematic Approach to Managing Complex Relationships, deals with that difficult subject of projects and politics.

PM students hit the books:

The Project Management Centre for Excellence at the University of Maryland has recently begun a partnership with PM World Today to launch a new book review program. PM graduate students have been asked to review a number of books from 11 different publishers with 8 books currently underway. In addition, doctoral candidate David Choy, has interviewed the first reviewer; Michael O’Connor, and created a podcast which has kicked off with a candid discussion about Gower author Michael Cavanagh’s new book Second Order Project Management.

Does an author’s blog sell books?

We are indebted to David West whose blogging activity and subsequent reseach offer some tangible data to answer this question. David seems convinced that the answer is ‘yes’ and there are also sustantial tangential benefits: “And the really big thing to notice is the effect that learning to add pages as well as posts and make links really does fire things up. Learn how to use WordPress or whatever blogging platform you are using. It does help!” To which, I’d add a comment from Wharton’s Professor Jerry Wind in an article about the future of advertising: “Even with no clicks, online display advertisements can generate a substantial lift in site visitation, search queries and boost both online and offline sales.” I think there is reasonable evidence to suggest that visibility – whether in terms of adverts, blogs or other online media – drives the old advertising process that leads to sales: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.

David West is author of Project Sponsorship: An Essential Guide for Those Sponsoring Projects Within Their Organizations.

Effectively Managing Stress in the Workplace 6-7 March

Gower author Sharon De Mascia will be speaking on Effectively Managing Stress in the Workplace at the Health & Safety: Changing Perceptions  Exhibition and Conference in Manchester 6-7 March. It is organised by IOSH the Chartered body for health and safety professionals. Sharon De Mascia is a Chartered Business Psychologist and an HR/HRD professional. She is Prince2 qualified and has 20 years experience of delivering change management and other organisational initiatives across both public and private sectors. She is the author of Project Psychology: Using Psychological Models and Techniques to Create a Successful Project.

Gower Author in Global IT Illuminaries 24hr virtual event:

Gower author Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez is one of the speakers who has recorded a podcast for ca technologies’ Global IT Illuminaries ’12, a virtual event featuring IT innovators. Nieto-Rodriguez who is Professor of Project Management at the Solvay Business School and Head of Portfolio Management at BNP Paribas Fortis, is speaking on Selling Project Portfolio Management to the C-Suite. This 24hr virtual event is on 29th February – for further information and to register click here.

Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez is author of the forthcoming Gower title:  The Focused Organization: How Concentrating on a Few Key Initiatives Can Dramatically Improve Strategy Execution.