On Monday, October 17, 2022, at 9:00 am Perth (UTC +8), two Jamaican Project Managers started the journey of a trip around the world in 18 hours! This quest started with excitement, curiosity, and an eagerness to explore and learn more about the challenges, trends, and best practices in Project Management. The destination was none other than The PMO Leader 2nd Annual Conference. Two strangers came together for a common purpose, a love for Project Management. Coincidentally, they were the only two Jamaicans attending this conference. Mark Burnett, the Principal Consultant, Project Advisor and Founder at ECONO-ProjectEX, was a Host and Moderator. Zoya Salmon-Powell, the Principal Consultant at Global Projects Consultancy, LLC, was an attendee at this historic event. Mark’s mission was to impart knowledge and facilitate knowledge sharing based on the nature of his role in the event, and Zoya’s mission was centered around continuous learning and growth.
The PMO Leader Conference had an extensive lineup of talented speakers who presented on diverse topics relevant to the realities of the Project Management field. There were 40 sessions held over 18 hours across three regions- Asia-Pacific (APAC); Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA); and The Americas. This marathon-style knowledge fest imparted great lessons, insights, and tips from project management experts worldwide. The event boasted a diverse audience, with attendees from Jamaica, Nigeria, France, UAE, Vietnam, Columbia, the United States, El Salvador, Australia, and more. There were over 1100 registrants from a total of 80 different countries. It was an exciting two days with multiple opportunities to converse with other professionals to improve Delivery Teams and Project Management globally.
We were both fully engaged on this journey and actively involved in the summit, which covered information about our industry, specialty, and methodology. This event was particularly special to us because it “followed the sun” with speakers from nearly all continents and attendees from practically every time zone. We explored what project management and businesses should look like after the pandemic crisis and the challenges affecting existing and potential clients. We examined how to develop a certain adaptive mindset and provide tools to help build relationships and find the solutions to help teams elevate and counterbalance project management and business pain points. One of the great pleasures of these forums is that they are always high in the strength of humor! That is not necessarily what we think about conferences of this magnitude- and that is a source of great conversation all on its own.
We also discovered dynamic presenters who are humble, talented, and genuinely love to speak about project management and their areas of specialization. The conference allowed us to ponder whether the less frequently endorsed or emphasized strengths are the ones we should give rise to within ourselves to strengthen the quality of service we offer. It was great to network with fellow Project Managers who sought solutions to common problems and imparted wisdom as the sessions progressed. Mark, an ambassador and member of the organizing committee for the conference, expertly hosted and moderated three sessions with Ruth Pearce, Grace Ogbomo, and Paul Williams. Great conversation, as always! All 40 events were terrific. And just like that, 18 hours were over! We were grateful for the knowledge sharing, expert guidance, and opportunity to network. Thanks to the organizers, presenters, sponsors, volunteers, and all the attendees who joined in to showcase the value, strength, and dynamism of the project management community. It was a genuinely impactful conference that exceeded all expectations. We had a blast learning from the over 30 presenters covering many different topics. We hit on Volunteering. Technology Leadership, Agile Mindset, Strategy, Organizational Politics, Change Management, and much more. It was a success, and we loved it!
Around the world, there are small communities creating pockets of project management knowledge and interaction. These communities occasionally come together at conferences and industry events like this one. We often think of “Project Management” in “Management” terms while ignoring “Leadership and Business Strategy”. However, we understand that one is not more important than the other.
There is great value in volunteering and positioning yourself in the right places at the right time to network with like-minded individuals. Mark was eager to volunteer his time to help with the successful planning and execution of the event. Zoya was hungry for knowledge from experts in the field while networking with professionals worldwide. We met for the very first time at this conference, and our energies clicked! In this life, we meet different people for different reasons. For a moment, for a season, and lasting reasons in rare instances.
We encourage Project Management Professionals (and all professionals) to actively seek out conferences, workshops, courses, and other intellectually stimulating events to help them to hone their skills. Being a Project Manager requires keeping abreast of trends and best practices to effectively serve our organizations, clients, and other stakeholders. Never shy away from events like this. You never know what can come from attending just a one-day (or even an 18-hour marathon) event and how it can transform your life, mindset, and perspective. New levels become unlocked, your network pool grows, and opportunities abound. We cannot wait for the next PMO Leader conference. See you all next year; maybe we will see 24 hours instead of just 18. 😊
About the Author:
Mark Burnett empowers customer projects through an introspective climate that allows the teams to become the most powerful version of themselves. Hailing from Kingston, Jamaica, Mark believes that all projects should be given the proper respect, with prioritization and standardization are the key to successful project delivery. Mark is Principal Consultant and CEO of ECONO-ProjectEX. He is obsessed with business priorities and help you void the “PAINFUL” exercise of organizing and delivering complex projects with confidence. Having worked in immense high-pressure situations with Ericsson and other technology operators, Mark has been supported a range of large-scale infrastructure and enterprise-class projects.
Mark is an accredited Electronics Engineer and Agile Project Management Professional. His multicultural exposure has given him deep interests in: Business Transformation and Management Consulting. He has been an active Mentor with recognition of outstanding contributions to the community. Mark has guided teams to create meaningful solutions for PMOHackathonCovid-19, and imparted his knowledge to professionals at the University of the West Indies. He is also the Host and Organizer of The PMO Leader Digital Transformation Series. Each episode highlights topics for PM teams and Digital leaders to improve effectiveness. Moreover, the episodes are free for all to access to the recordings. Talk to me about running projects: mrkburnett@gmail.com
