Michelle LaBrosse Blogs

The Project Management Professionals at Cheetah Learning (http://www.cheetahlearning.com/) have chosen “Reduce Workplace Conflict” as their theme for the month of December. As part of that effort, the company is offering a free Worry-O-Meter download that helps businesses calculate an employee’s risk tolerance.

In the fall of 1988 Bobby McFerrin’s mega-mellow “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” became the first a cappella song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Its lyrics included the phrase: “In every life we have some trouble. When you worry, you make it double.”

To help avoid that “double trouble,” Cheetah Learning, Project Management Institute’s 2008 Provider of the Year, is offering a free Worry-O-Meter download that helps businesses calculate an employee’s risk tolerance, and, in so doing, create an environment where it’s less likely that conflict can take root and flourish.

The Worry-O-Meter is being made available as part of Cheetah’s December goal to “Reduce Workplace Conflict.” It can be accessed and downloaded by filling out the form on the company’s home page at http://www.cheetahlearning.com/.

First-time visitors who sign up can also access Daily Tips, Tools and Deals, which include these valuable free items: PMP Exam Prep SmartStart Guide, PMP Practice Exam, the 2 PDU Skills Assessment Course and Getting Started with PM Guide.

Michelle LaBrosse, CEO and founder of Cheetah Learning, says the Worry-O-Meter is a great tool to gauge the risk tolerance of project team members.

“For some people, uncertain times trigger a sense of impending doom rather than a sense of incredible excitement,” LaBrosse said.

Cheetah’s Worry-O-Meter helps businesses identify issues of concern, determine the probability they might occur, assess the impact if they did occur and (most importantly) create a countermeasure – to either prevent the issue from taking place, or determine what could be done if it happens.

“People have different levels of risk they can tolerate on projects based on their experience, the importance they place on the outcome of the project, and their personality,” LaBrosse explained. “Find out your project team members risk tolerance levels to better understand how and why they perceive risks facing your project.”

To help businesses tackle obstacles like worry, risk and conflict, LaBrosse writes a monthly column titled the “Know How Network“. She also shares tips and thoughts at Twitter.com/MichelleCheetah.

For more information about Cheetah Learning and its various training offerings, call toll free in the U.S. at (888) 659-2013. Outside the U.S., call (602) 220-1263. To sign up for a variety of free tips and tools, use the online form on the Cheetah home page at http://www.CheetahLearning.com.

ABOUT: Cheetah Learning is a Project Management Institute Registered Education Provider and is International Association of Continuing Education and Training Certified. Cheetah was awarded the Project Management Institute Professional Development Provider of the Year for 2008 for the significant contribution it made to the field of project management with its accelerated approach to teaching and doing project management.

As part of their December theme to “Reduce Workplace Conflict,” the Project Management Professionals atCheetah Learning (http://www.cheetahlearning.com/) are offering “Conflict Resolution Tips,” a free download, just one of many that Cheetah routinely makes available to help make business professionals more productive.

As Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra once observed, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll wind up somewhere else.”

Berra’s comment aptly summarizes why some projects fail: “The first mistake teams make that causes numerous arguments as a project progresses is not coming to agreement about their basic objectives.”

That sentence is the opening statement on “Conflict Resolution Tips,” a free download offered by the Project Management Professionals at Cheetah Learning as part of their December theme to “Reduce Workplace Conflict.”

For access to the “Conflict Resolution Tips” download, as well as a variety of other Daily Tips, Tools and Deals, fill out the form on the Cheetah home page at http://www.cheetahlearning.com/.

Resolving conflict is just one facet of what helps produce the speed and efficiency of “The Cheetah Way,” Project Management done correctly. That means one of the first steps in avoiding situations where people’s emotions explode is to “Kick off a project the right way from the beginning.”

“Watching fireworks light up the sky awakens the wonder in us all,” explains Michelle LaBrosse, CEO and founder of Cheetah Learning, “(but) when fireworks light up a conference room and team members are ready to explode, it can be the true test of your Project Management and leadership skills.”

To help businesses tackle obstacles like conflict on an ongoing basis, LaBrosse writes a monthly column titled the “Know How Network“. She also shares tips and thoughts at Twitter.com/MichelleCheetah.

Among the Cheetah tips regarding conflict resolution:

“What you focus on is what you get.”

“What gets measured gets done.”

“Differing expectations are the root cause of all conflict.”

“When you move from interactions riddled with conflict, you can move towards becoming a high performing team.”

For more information about Cheetah Learning and its various training offerings, call toll free in the U.S. at (888) 659-2013. Outside the U.S., call (602) 220-1263. To sign up for a variety of free tips and tools, use the online form on the Cheetah home page at http://www.cheetahlearning.com/.

ABOUT:
Cheetah Learning is a Project Management Institute Registered Education Provider and is International Association of Continuing Education and Training Certified. Cheetah was awarded the Project Management Institute Professional Development Provider of the Year for 2008 for the significant contribution it made to the field of project management with its accelerated approach to teaching and doing project management.

Download Cheetah’s FREE PM Career Start-up Guide

If surveys taken on a regular basis over the past 30 years hold true, business owners and the managers who serve them spent between 25 and 40 percent of their time in 2011 resolving conflicts – and they can expect that trend to continue in 2012.

That means multiple billions of dollars in lost revenue – from missed days and distractions, to decreased motivation and burnout, not to mention litigation or even sabotage when things end up going wrong.

But not everyone agrees it has to be like that, particularly team members at Cheetah Learning (http://www.CheetahLearning.com), known as “The Leaders In Accelerated Project Management Training.” They believe that Project Management done correctly (“The Cheetah Way”) helps significantly reduce conflict.

Among their key points:

• Kick off a project the right way from the beginning.
• Set up a charter so that team members start off on the same page.
• Develop relationships that prevent destructive conflict from derailing the project.
• Define conflicts that could impact performance.

Those and other points can be found in the book “Cheetah Project Management, The Fastest Way to Reach Your Goals,” published by MAKLAF Press, ISBN-10: 0-9761749-5-2.

“The first step in conflict resolution is to establish the ground rules that deal with conflict up front, setting the stage to move quickly through conflict when it occurs,” says Michelle LaBrosse, CEO and founder of Cheetah, Project Management Institute’s 2008 Provider of the Year.

“When conflict does occur, it takes only one calm person to prevent it from escalating and to move toward a quick resolution,” she adds. “If done routinely when problems are still small, this method prevents any conflict from developing into a more destructive problem.”

To bring attention to the issue and help resolve the problem, the Cheetah team has made “Reduce Workplace Conflict” the company’s theme for December. Additional information can be found at Blog.CheetahLearning.com, which includes Daily Tips, Tools and Deals “to transform conflict from destructive experiences to growth experiences.”

“Conflict can be an opportunity to learn good habits that will enable teams to obtain long-term sustainable peak performance,” Cheetah’s CEO said.

To help businesses on an ongoing basis, LaBrosse addresses issues like conflict in a monthly column titled the “Know How Network” as well as in a quarterly magazine that can be found at http://www.cheetahphast.com. She also shares tips and thoughts at twitter.com/michellecheetah.

For more information about Cheetah Learning and its various training offerings, call toll free in the U.S. at (888) 659-2013. Those outside the U.S. can call (602) 220-1263. To sign up for a variety of free tips and tools, use the online form on the Cheetah home page at http://www.CheetahLearning.com.

ABOUT: Cheetah Learning is a Project Management Institute (PMI) Registered Education Provider and is International Association of Continuing Education and Training (IACET) Certified. Cheetah was awarded the Project Management Institute Professional Development Provider of the Year for 2008 for the significant contribution it made to the field of project management with its accelerated approach to teaching and doing project management.

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As a project team, it is important to develop the guidelines on how you are going to hold meetings. This greatly increases the productiveness of those meetings and reduces conflict.

http://www.icontact-archive.com/zvi55WNmFZrxs5wh5c8smENPAsdi-Snm?w=2

Yesterday, we asked Project Managers to give us their thoughts on the benefits of obtaining their PMP® certification. The feedback was so motivational and inspiring that we had to share. See the story that won our PMP Story Contest below, and check out all the stories submitted about how PMP certification helped people reach their goals faster than ever on our Cheetah Blog.

Obtaining my PMP caused my marketability to sky rocket. For several years prior to obtaining my PMP, I
supported projects as a Documentation Specialist or a Project Coordinator. Although I started to pursue my bachelor’s degree, I decided to postpone that goal as my various employers were not offering any type of tuition reimbursement. During an assignment where I was a project coordinator, a Senior Management Executive counseled me on my career aspirations and strongly suggested that I consider obtaining my PMP. My years of project support enabled me to qualify for the exam. I obtained a position with a company that offered tuition reimbursement and also offered reimbursement of certifications. There was one catch… the company’s product was insurance and the language in the employee handbook did not take into account that the market offered certifications for more than just insurance agents. Because of that “loophole”, I was able to fight for the right to take the Cheetah PMP course and exam – at the company’s expense. Immediately after I became certified, the human resources department amended the handbook and included the stipulation that reimbursement for certifications and licensure was limited to the insurance industry and specifically excluded project management.

After earning my PMP, I was able to secure a Vendor Relations Manager position that increased my salary to $105,000 per year.
My salary ranged from $30,000 to $42,000 per year. After earning my PMP, I was able to secure a Vendor Relations Manager position that increased my salary to $105,000 per year. Due to the economy, my salary has dropped to as low as $63,500. After transitioning from the automotive industry to the healthcare industry, my salary is once again, a six-figure income. Maintaining my PMP and continuing to learn various project management and SDLC methodologies established by various companies has been extremely valuable to me. The foundation that PMBOK offers, equips a flexible project manager to adapt to the various methodologies and processes across industries. The only downside that most people find in this industry is that most positions are contract and do not offer the stability that is assumed with a permanent position. Having had the opportunity to fill this role as a contractor and as a permanent employee has been quite an experience for me. The stability that I thought I had with the permanent position was non-existent when the company decided to downsize its workforce by 24,600 employees (most of which were Project Managers). I was able to quickly adjust to the role of contractor again because of my previous experience.

The one piece of advice that I would offer to anyone interested in obtaining their PMP is very simple. Go for it. If you don’t go after what you want, you won’t get it. It certainly won’t be easy, if it were, everyone would have those 3 important letters behind their name. If you feel that you know how to effectively manage projects, you owe it to yourself to command the respect and the income that comes along with mastering that skill set.

As a certified Project Manager, the security of the position depends largely on the approved funding of the project and the skills and abilities brought to the project by the Project Manager. The longest amount of time off between assignments for me has been three months. The toughest time for me was when the automotive economy hit its lowest point in Michigan. With the headquarters for each of the three major automotive manufacturers located in Michigan, the need for project managers is very great when funds are available for development and enhancement work to information systems. Conversely, when the economy is suffering, typically, information technology is the first budget item that is cut.

As a result of my experience in various industries, I am now able to quickly reject any inquiries from recruiters that are not able to support the salary expectations that come with the level of experience that I am able to bring to a company. There are many positions that I do not qualify for simply because I do not possess a college degree. But many times, the door remains open because of my PMP and my background. Having my PMP is invaluable.

A few years ago, my husband planted several apple, pear and peach trees on a sloped, sunny spot alongside our garden in the backyard.  We’d dream of the day when we could pick our own fresh fruit right from the tree – for free!  The first year, we got nothing, nada, zilch – Did we do something wrong? Were these dud trees or something?  Perhaps they were too young to bear fruit?

The next year, the trees grew larger and we started to get tiny little red pears on one of them.  They were so cute! A few days later, due to the dry weather, the tree snapped in half and all the little pears fell and never made it to ripeness.  The following year, a herd of deer (or something!) had a field day and devoured pretty much all of our fruit and most of our garden for that matter while we were on vacation – tomatoes and everything  – GONE!

So this year, we were not even going to get our hopes up – we pretty much gave up and were content with looking at our pretty, bare trees, feeding the wildlife, without tasting the fruit ourselves. Until one summer day in early August, there they were!  Beautiful, yellow, red and orange colored  (albeit smaller than store bought) PEACHES!!!  Finally!!!

We picked a dozen or so and they were DEE-VINE!  I’ve only picked and eaten apples and pears from PYO picking orchards before – the taste and juiciness of our peaches were amazing!  The natural fruit enzymes of the peaches popped in my mouth they were so fresh and alive.  We decided to make a peach cobbler, found a recipe online and tweaked some ingredients to make it a little healthier.   Our first, fresh Peach Cobbler was, to quote Rachael Ray, DEE-LISH!

Our fruit tree experience reminded me of the benefits of eating seasonally, locally and from your back yard (if possible).  The taste, cost, nutritional value and personal satisfaction of that peach cobbler couldn’t be bought anywhere!  It took some patience, yes (a few years!), but it was so worth it!

Oh, and before I share the Peach Cobbler recipe, let me share a little bit more of our peach story.  We decided to let the other 30 or so peaches that remained on the trees ripen and grow a little larger, so we left them alone for a few days.  Can you take a guess at what happened?

We came home from a weekend away and found that we were robbed again!! The herd of deer (or whatever “it” was/”they” were), sauntered in the backyard and ate them all – not one peach was left for us to enjoy!  (On the bright side, at least they left the tomatoes this time.)  The lesson learned was that you have to strike while the iron’s hot and harvest as soon as nature’s bounty is ready — or someone (or something) else will!

Here’s an easy Peach Cobbler recipe from Whole Foods.  I use most recipes as a template – feel free to substitute ingredients to suit your taste and dietary preferences:

Ingredients

6 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches (we had about 8 cups of peaches)
1 3/4 cups flour (we used Gluten Free)
6 tablespoons sugar (we used about 4 T of Xylitol/Birch bark natural sweetener)
2 teaspoons almond extract (we used 1 t vanilla)
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
10 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces and chilled, divided (we used 5T)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup half-and-half (we used almond milk)

Method

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup of the flour, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, almond extract and lemon zest and juice. Pile mixture into a 10-inch baking dish or pie plate, then dot with 2 tablespoons of the butter; set aside.

In another bowl, combine remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tablespoons of the remaining sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a pastry cutter, two knives or your fingers, work butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add half-and-half and lightly toss together until a soft dough forms. Drop dough by the tablespoon onto peaches until surface is almost covered. Lightly pat down dough to evenly distribute over the top, but leave spaces for the peaches to show through. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until top is golden and peaches are bubbling.

Nutrition

Per serving (221g-wt.): 330 calories (120 from fat), 13g total fat, 8g saturated fat, 4g protein, 50g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 31g sugar), 40mg cholesterol, 290mg sodium

Enjoy!

About the Author:  Evelyn DeDominicis is a certified Holistic Health Coach and Workplace Wellness Consultant whose intention is to guide individuals and organizations on their journey to living in optimal, sustainable health and life balance.  She offers 1:1 coaching, group coaching, cooking classes and wellness consulting to individuals and organizations.  Evelyn recently joined the Cheetah family to launch Cheetah Wellness – a unique wellness education and behavior change approach using Cheetah’s Accelerated Learning and Project Management techniques.  You can learn more about Evelyn at www.evelynwellness.com and more about Cheetah at www.cheetahlearning.com.

I rounded the corner into the driveway at the end of my usual 4.5 mile run. The three cars were parked in their prescribed positions. The two cats perched in their ordinary look out spots awaiting my return and their evening meal. But one thing was very different. The gate of the Toyota was open and its contents announced the achievement of an important milestone.

Inside the trunk of the car were well organized and neatly stacked plastic containers filled with the essentials an eighteen year old needed to start a new phase of their life. Clothes, books, personal care items, small fridge and athletic equipment, you know the basics. It was the pair of boldly displayed bright blue Nikes that triggered the flashback and a moment to remember.

It was 1997 and a hot July 4^th morning. Her big brown eyes were adorned with long lashes and always smiling. Two pig tails swept her blonde streaked hair to the top of her head and bopped with each step she took. Sporting shorts to just below her knees and a white imprinted t-shirt almost as long, she ran her first official road race. The race distance was about 100 yards, perfect length for a four year old. She gave it her all and walked away a winner.

It was also the day of my first official road race. Mine was longer though, two miles. I was able to complete the entire distance, mostly walking. Needless to say, I didn’t place in my age group, but I too walked away a winner because in the weeks that preceded this milestone, I had taken action to begin to improve my health and focus on becoming a positive role model for my daughter. It would be the first of many road races for both of us during the next 14 years.

Although I suspected my role modeling of healthy actions and choices would impact both of my girls, it wasn’t until several years later when they began to make their own sports and activity choices, the significance of the role modeling became evident. Healthy snacks preferred to junk food, after school clubs, involvement in sports and community activities chosen over hours of endless TV.

When I jogged around the corner on Tuesday and saw the car in the driveway packed with all her gear ready for the 750 mile road trip that would begin her college adventure, her imminent departure became a reality. But even as the lump in my throat grew and I swallowed hard to fight back the tears, I knew she was well prepared for the journey and ready to face new challenges. 

About the Author: Jill Hart, Project Management Professional (PMP) and owner of Brain Logic, LLC helps companies integrate the voice of the customer into their design products, technology and processes.  When she’s not focused on her business or family, she enjoys running, biking, blogging, teaching and cooking.

Meet Hugh G. Cranium – Watch the YouTube Video Here

And get 10% off our Accelerated Project Management Master’s Certificate Program or our Accelerated Project Management Master’s Certificate Program for PMP®’s when you register using promo code HughGCranium by July 31st*.

How much difference can a warm cup of coffee make in your day? If you are a habitual coffee drinker, you know the positive effect coffee can have- the aroma of it in the morning, the gurgling of the coffee maker as it slowly and patiently prepares a pot of the dark and alluring liquid, the pure joy that courses through you when you take that first satisfying sip. Ok, as you perhaps can tell, I love my cup of joe in the morning.

Imagine now that you are far from home- far from the familiar, without your family or your usual friends for support. How much would a cup of coffee mean to you then?

Cheetah Learning found out last week when we committed a day to Support Our Troops through donating funds to Green Beans Coffee, a company that is dedicated to supporting the troops of the United States military by providing coffee, tea, and other beverages in an inviting environment so that soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines can have some time to relax and feel at home.

While we at Cheetah Learning knew that our contribution to Green Beans Coffee would be put to good use, we didn’t quite understand the impact that it would have on soldiers until we started to receive thank you notes back from folks who had received our cup of coffee along with a note of gratitude from us.

I am going to share some of those quotes here in hopes that if you are reading this, you will know just how powerful a cup of coffee can be.

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“To the Patriots at Cheetah Learning, Thank you so much for your support. You and your employees are an example of what makes Americia such a unique place. I will enjoy my cup of coffee and think of all of you. Despite the 120 degree temperatures in Baghdad, nothing beats a great cup of coffe in the morning. Thanks for your support…”

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“Thank you so much for your generosity. I have been overwhelmed by the support of the American citizens who donate to this. Something as small as a cup of coffee and a kind letter is a HUGE morale booster when you are miles away from home, family, and friends. Your gift is truely appreciated…”

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“Good Friends at Cheetah Learning — Thank you so very much for your kind thoughts and support. An occasional Green Beans coffee or latte in the morning is a true comfort treat that reminds me of home and the morning Starbucks run on the way to work 🙂 (except here there are no sky scrapers and a lot of desert) The Soldiers here appreciate your support more than you know. Thank you again…”

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“…I don’t know if I am elated because of your gratitude or because you thought of my career beyond the military. I am a proud citizen Soldier-reservist and I am always looking to expand my horizons. I will definitely look into Cheetah Learning and share this information with my fellow Soldiers. Thanks for remembering us and letting us know that folks other than our families care about us…”

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“…My sincere thanks for your thoughts and Cup of Joe – little things out here make a big difference and the occasional decent cup of coffee goes a long way. I’m actually a submarine Commander in a land centric appointment (good broadening I’m told) normally specializing in project management with my last major project as Project Manager for the Refit of HMS Victorious. I’m always looking to update my PM skills so will look into what course you have on offer. Once again, many thanks and all the best…”

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“Cheetah Learning, Thank you so very much for this sweet gesture! I am a true coffee fanatic and I look forward to my cup of coffee every day. Your support means so much to us over here and it is for people like ya’ll that we serve. Thank you again so much…”

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“Cheetah Learning: Thank you for your generosity and your thoughtfulness…. My home and family are back in Nebraska and I plan to be back there around the beginning of November. There are not many luxuries here but one thing that I look forward to a couple times a week is going to the Green Bean and having a good cup of coffee. Next time I’m there I’ll be thinking of your generous gift while I’m enjoying my “Cup of Joe”. Blessings…”

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“…Thank you for being supportive to us Troops, it means alot! And yes, the Cup of Joe is definitely a warm reminder of home; so it too is greatly appreciated! It really helps us to continue our days away from home knowing that other people are in support of what we do…Thank you again for being supportive to us..This Soldier is truly honored to serve for our wonderful Country. May you and your family be blessed… Truly…”

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Find out how you too can donate a cup of coffee and brighten someone’s day at Green Beans Coffee.

Thanks For Reading,

Kristen