Our Projects Are Our Journey and Our Life

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It is a pleasure and honour to host a guest post by a friend, colleague and 3Q Leadership™ Champion whose expertise in project management/leadership, corporate agility are reflected in a body of work in Canada and France that has changed the lives and improved organizational cultures.  While the current statistics/information on the importance of happiness to workplace productivity and the bleak rates of employee disengagement are well-known; I do not think that we spend enough time reflecting on the fact that “our projects are our journey and our life”.  It is far to easy to forge on, work on overdrive or autopilot; but in so doing we negate the importance of our work as it relates to the imprint of our projects on our lives and the lives of others.

 

Our Projects Are Our Journey and Our Life By Claude Emond

“I believe we were born to be happy and that all the projects we realize together in our collective journey can AND MUST contribute to a greater happiness for all of us.”

Our projects are our journey and our life

 All projects carry the same complexity and issues as any individual or collective endeavor in our lives. Our projects are our journey, and our life.This is a compass we bought recently for our 5-year-old granddaughter Stéphanie. We will save it until she is ready to go out on her own. The inscription is the most important piece of advice we can share to guide her on the many projects that will come and go the rest of her life.   

Projects, be they business or personal matters, all follow the same patterns. We often have to deal with:

  • Different values, organizational and “silo” cultures, even in simple situations, like eating out at a Chinatown restaurant or meeting your daughter’s teenage friends.

  • “Spontaneous team members” who realize at the last-minute that they have to contribute, despite their own concerns and other priorities.

  • Team members who are not accustomed to working together.

  • Communication and incentive plans that fail to ensure everyone is aligned toward the same global objective.

Any successful journey is only possible if everyone on the team is aligned and shares a common vision, not only about the destination but also the itinerary. Not easy to do with a total stranger met momentarily. But consider that this common vision already exists; the individual desires to better his/her current conditions and live more happily. It is just expressed in many different ways, based on the specific culture, life experience and expectations of each person.

You cannot separate the project itinerary from its destination and anticipated results. To achieve project goals, all team members must be aligned to see not only the same destination but also to embark on the same collective journey. If the journey is lived as a great rewarding experience, an occasion to grow and be happier, the destination will be perceived as very satisfying; if it is not, then the destination cannot be savored to its full extent.

What happens when you switch the words “journey” and “project”?  I invite you to watch this Louis Vuitton video promotion because our projects are our journey and our life! https://youtu.be/hzp_gshdwsM 

Projects are important change-inducing journeys, occasions to grow and better one’s life. They are the fabric of our life, our journey, our destination. They are the means to living a better, happier life, the final outcome expected by every team member you will encounter along the many projects that nourish your own life and your own pursuit of happiness.  I believe that, through all our projects, we can change the world to be a better place for all of usOur projects are our journey and our life.

 

Author Bio:  Claude Emond, P.Eng, MBA

Claude EmondAn internationally known subject matter expert on organizational agility and sustainable growth, Claude Emond is inventor of Changeboxing™ and the co-Founder of Quali-Scope Enterprises, Inc., specializing in helping organizations achieve higher organizational agility and performance through coaching, consulting and training services in project management and change management. Claude is also part of a core group of top consultants who are 3Q Global Leadership™ Champions.  Learn more about the champions and Mr. Emond’s outstanding work on our forthcoming new website!

Contact Info:  www.claudeemond.com  Twitter: @claudeemond    
Linked In  Facebook

 

More on Leading YOUR Best Project and Life?  YOU Betcha!
Refocus, Repurpose, Repower
Ten Ways to Build Happiness (and Productivity)
Building an Agile Self and Team
Teambuilding toolkit for Disruptive Times
Leading and Succeeding in Disruptive Times
The Secret to Personal Development and Growth
What Does Leadership Really Mean?
The Soul of Leadership-The Heartbeat of Sustainability

 

Anything else?  YES.  Our new website and blog  with expanded collaborators, programs and services for individuals, organizations and emerging leaders debuts soon. Stay Tuned!

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Just Coach It -The 3Q Edge™ (IQ-EQ-SQ)
3Q Leadership Blog™ 52,000 social media followers and growing Programs, Services and Keynotes for a Better, Stronger Tomorrow
irene@justcoachit.com  Twitter @justcoachit Tel: (1) 416-671-4726   


2 replies
  1. Heather Ashton PMP
    Heather Ashton PMP says:

    Excellent suggestion, transpose “projects” for “journey” to pinpoint our greater purpose. Let’s better our lives than the lives of those around us to inspire greater results. – Heather Ashton PMP

    Reply
    • Irene Becker
      Irene Becker says:

      Thank you so much for your insightful comments, Heather. Claude Emond’s work and focus on a purpose that is greater and most important to our individual and collective growth and survival is terrific.

      Best, Irene

      Reply

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