These advices were carefully practice listening to myself, as a Project Manager when managing people in projects. I’d like to share with you some best practices for attacking worry as a project manager:
- First: It was to note and study with meticulous attention every comment I made, so that I might become fully conscious of the amazing number of doleful and negative remarks I was constantly uttering. I suggest you: “never talk without listening, appraising, dissecting your remarks”. You are not going to enjoy this for it will be a ruthless self-revelation and not pleasant one, but it will be a primary step. Listen with your ears and your whole mind to the depressing stuff you are articulating all day”.
- Second: I was to start being absolutely honest so that when I heard myself making a negative statement I was to ask myself: “Now look, do I honestly believe what I am saying or am I actually mouthing negativisms that I do not really believe at all? If I want the Mets to win, why do not I start believing they are going to win and say so? And skip the infantile practice of betting against them on the stupid assumption that it can help them to win by an absurd reverse procedure”.
- Third: I was to adopt the practice of saying exactly the opposite of what I usually said, and I was to note how much better the new utterances sounded. He might regard himself as a hypocrite in so doing, but hypocrisy would be nothing new. Actually, had I not been saying what I did not mean for a long time? As I continued in this new procedure, it would grow ever more exciting to hear words and ideas full of life and hope and expectancy coming from my mouth instead of the old defeatist remarks- I would soon discover that something really exciting was happening to me, namely an upsurge of dynamic enthusiasm. As I worked on this advice I would realize the value of the honest, analytical listening, new-style talking element in my process of personal change.
- Fourth: I was to keep track of everything that happened as I worked in my new procedure, carefully noting and computing even the smallest results. If I had been, for instance, in that habit of saying glumly: “Things are not going to go well today”, now I was to note that things were much better, as they usually are. I was to admit honestly that I had in fact expected them to go well, but now I was no longer lying to myself concerning my expectations. I was not afraid any longer to expect the best.
- Fifth: I was to practice putting a 10 on every person and every action each day. This is one of the most exciting of all personal development practices. Naturally I was not blind to the realities, but I always tried first to emphasize the best connotation, for I believe that such practice actually helps stimulate a good outcome. This best connotation resulted in passion for people, for business, and for other interests, and greatly added to the joy of life, and it certainly helped out worry from my mind. In fact, I have not worried since I began practicing this passion-producing technique”.
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY but TOMORROW WILL BE BETTER!
Alfonso Bucero, MSc, PMP, PMI-RMP, PfMP, PMI Fellow
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