So there is no “I” in team.  We’ve heard that dozens of times before.  Yet, if I really strip things back to where I have the most control, “I” stand alone.  Others may benefit from my leadership, my direction or my coaching.  They may resent my methods, reject my teaching or completely ignore me.  My company, my projects and my legacy (such as it is) are all transient things in the end.  And it’s not to say “Me first” in some selfish or childish way … but if I focus on who I am, I believe I will go a lot further.

Teamwork is important, so don’t hear what I’m not saying.  Even my friend who runs marathons has a support network of family and other runners who gets him through those events.  Solo trips around the world (the late Amelia Earhart excepted) are hardly solo events.  There are sometimes armies of people who are watching every turn and ready to react if something goes awry.  We always get more accomplished as a result of collaboration, but I see some risk in neglecting myself as an individual and I’m afraid it could negatively impact my projects.  And the only one who can address that risk is … well … me.

The better project managers I’ve encountered are well-rounded individuals.  They have focused enough on self-enrichment that they bring a broad base of experience to the table.  Often, when it comes time to make a decision, they have to “rely on their gut feeling” and that can only be successful when experience has been a good teacher.  Experience, by the way, is a very individual thing.  Over time, it’s what makes a good leader great and a great leader memorable.  Neglecting the process of learning and improving is definitely adding an unnecessary risk to your own career and practice.  That risk will always carry over into your projects.

And while I’m not a fitness geek, it also is to my benefit to take care of my own health.  Granted, my wife and daughters may provide some motivating influence on that front, but as with self-enrichment, my health is up to me.  I have to own it and maintain it because it doesn’t take a trained physician to see the results of neglect.  No matter how much you document your project work, it will always be more difficult for somebody else to pick up and run if you suddenly find yourself “out of commission” for a while due to poor health.

Neglecting whatever spiritual aspect you subscribe to is another aspect of risk that ultimately plays into your project success.  It isn’t enough to nourish the mind and maintain the body.  I must find my center repeatedly so I can focus on what is most important to me.  You’ve seen the one-dimensional managers and they almost always make you scratch your head and wonder how they made it that far.  My projects will always find trouble in some way, shape or form.  I need to have a calmness as a leader that comes from my ability to take a deep breath, know who I am and enter into whatever chaos is calling without it threatening to “wreck my life”.  At the end of the day, it’s just a job and I would do well to remember that.

Mind, body and spirit … seems like we’ve heard all that before, right?  Well it’s true and it is definitely up to me to find and keep the balance.  My projects will run better and I’ll avoid many unbridled risks that tend to run amok, both in my life and work.  Focus on “I” first as a leader and you’ll find the team will benefit.

Bio:

Mark Moore has held multiple professional positions in IT and business for nearly 
three decades serving organizations both small and large, public and private.  With over half that time as a project manager, he has successfully managed major initiatives
spanning multiple years with a cost of over $3 Million and teams of over 250 people.  He has been a Project Management Professional since 2002, served as President of the PMI Western Michigan Chapter, and presented at multiple NCPMI Annual Events.  Mark holds a Masters of Education degree from Colorado State University with a concentration in Adult Education and Training.  He is an experienced writer, speaker and presenter on project management and team building topics.  Mark is the Principal Consultant for Broken Arrow Associates, LTD.  He and his family live in a rural area outside of Raleigh, North Carolina.  To contact Mark for opportunities or questions, send an e-mail to info@baa-ltd.com.