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Project Management – Gary R. Heerkens

This is a very easy book to read that gives you 24 concise lessons for becoming a successful Project Manager. It assumes the reader has some knowledge of project management and is relatively simplistic in its approach.

Nevertheless it is a worthwhile remind of the sort of things you should watch out for as a project manager, and applies equally to a business owner or other stakeholders.

A couple of good steps are “Transfer your lessons learnt” – If you do not structure your information so that others can actually apply the lessons you’ve learned, your organisation hasn’t really benefited.

And “Consider post project issues” – What happens after the project is often more important than the project.

Overall a simple book that I will use with those who fringe project management within agóge.

ISBN 978-0-07-148652-1 : Hardback : 99 pages

The Warrior – Francine Rivers

This is a fictional story based on the life of Caleb. Caleb is one of those names that you can glance over the in Old Testament amongst such huge names as Moses and Joshua.

Imagine being one of two men who thought they could enter the Promised Land. Then getting told to wait 40 years until you actually enter it because of the disobedience of the many.

It is a well written story and I think gives some great insights to how the people would have thought at the time.  I have often found it almost unbelievable that God rescued the people from Egypt and mere days later they want to return. This story handles some of those personal battles, similar to the battles we face today, really well.

This is the first of Francine’s books that I have read. I will definitively read more in the future.

Pookmail.com

This is quite handy. Either had to provide your email addy to a website to register software or download a document. If you are like me and are keen to avoid spam you will really reluctant to do this.

Pookmail.com is the answer.

Go to the website. Use an email address like billybob@pookmail.com and your email will be displayed (to all who enter this address) for 24 hrs.

Just enough time to click the confirmation link or whatever. After 24 hours the address is deleted.

Costs nothing. Give it ago.

Taking Initiative

Initiative

You probably hear this word quite often in statements like “oh that person doesn’t show any initiative”. Often I find the term is used in relation to how a person thinks, but the word actually means to “initiate action”.

Dictionary.com describes it like this
–noun
1. an introductory act or step; leading action: to take the initiative in making friends.
2. readiness and ability in initiating action; enterprise: to lack initiative.
3. one's personal, responsible decision: to act on one's own initiative.

The more I think about it the more it makes sense. In most cases it is not that people do not know what to do, or what to try. They normally at least have an idea.

They just have no desire to take action. Or just do nothing.

They don't act!

So Take Action.

Today.

Show initiative.

Alpha aviation is put into liquidation

Hamilton based Alpha Aviation has been put into liquidation this week by it’s Australian Parent (Inventis). They produce the aircraft in which I did most of my flight training and sat my PPL exam.

It is disappointing as it leaves the aircraft that the Aero Club and CTC brought effectively unsupported.

Another blow to the Hamilton Airport and Government as well.

I would love to have a look at their books. They are reported to sell aircraft at around $250,000 (which is cheap) and are producing around 10 per year. 2,500,000 million is turnover is not much to support 70 staff and pay for the costs of production. It is has 20 aircraft, has orders for 16 with a further 14 options. The parent company announcement to the ASX is worth a read.

It proves the saying correct “The best way to make a small fortune in aviation … is to start with a huge one.”

Great Leaders

Love, desire, motivation, inspiration, and passion are in the final analysis the greatest differences between good leaders and great leaders.

- The Extraordinary Leader pg 136

Sir Edmund Hillary

Sir Ed was a hero of mine and I don’t use that word lightly.

Obviously because he climbed Everest and was an amazing adventurer, and fiercely competitive.

Of course it was because of the work he did in Nepal, building schools, hospitals and medical centres.

But what made him a hero the most to me was his typical bloke authenticity. He had some really dark patches in his life and admitted them. He was open about how he lacked self confidence in his earlier years.

And finally he was a reminder that we can achieve our goals with a intense determination, team work, a bit of cunning and hard work.

Sir Ed is a man I have never met, but greatly admire. I shed a tear when I heard of his passing.

He will be missed by his family, country and the people he helped.

He was a true hero.

An Adventurer

Authentic.