Everyday Project Management

by Michelle LaBrosse, PMP

“Take away my people, but leave my factories, and soon grass will grow on the factory floors. Take away my factories, but leave my people, and soon we will have a new and better factory.”

Andrew Carnegie

I found this interesting article at www.cato.org on why intellectuals hate capitalism. Basically it is the “wordsmith” intellectuals as opposed to the “numbersmith” intellectuals who dislike capitalism. The basic theory - wordsmith intellectuals disdain capitalism because while they do well in school, their skills are not as valued in a capitalistic society as they are in school.

But lets look at how much capitalists have helped the very folks who disdain them. One of my favorite capitalists - Andrew Carnegie. His major philanthropic activities were building massive libraries around the United States, and funding schools and universities. The bastions of the wordsmith’s domain. Without this incredibly successful capitalist, the wordsmiths would have less access to one of the most important tools of their trade - the library.

Just how does one become a very generous philanthropist? It does take time and intentions, but it also takes MONEY. And money is what capitalists obtain by creating value in society. So it seems extremely counter intuitive that wordsmith intellectuals would disdain the system that enabled them to become wordsmith intellectuals in the first place. This defies logic to me - but then I would be more on the side of the numbersmith intellectuals anyhow.

You don’t see people who run non-profits soliciting money for their efforts from folks who don’t make much money. You see them catering to the capitalists - the folks who have figured out how to create money. As Andrew Carnegie noted in the quote above, capitalists are going to capitalize on any situation. You can’t take away the spirit of a true capitalist no matter how hard you try. This is why I created a course to teach others how to capitalize on the recession. Just because the government and large companies (relatively socialistic organizations) want to put a sour face on changing economic conditions, doesn’t mean that needs to be the response of the capitalist.

Occasionally I find myself “going domestic.” Yesterday was one such day where I became fixated on making pumpkin bagels. Just what spurred this craving is beyond me. I was doing laps in the pool and it just popped into my mind - pumpkin bagels that sounds great. Now I have to put a caveat in here - I am in Alaska right now - so it’s not like I can saunter down to the corner bagel shop and pick them up. And I only ever found one location that made pumpkin bagels anyhow - a Noah’s bagel shop in Camarillo, CA near my graphics designer’s office. And another disclaimer, no I am not pregnant. My “baby” is heading off to college in the fall.

I scoured the internet and found some very interesting tips on making “NY” style bagels (which involves boiling potatoes and using the water). And I found a number of recipes or making pumpkin bagels using the bread machine (which I don’t have and had no way of getting on a Sunday in remote Alaska). But I did at least have a list of ingredients.

I made my way into town and after visiting the three grocery stores, managed to procure the necessary items. I was well into bagel making planning on the drive home when I saw a guy on the beach waving frantically. I sped past and about ten seconds later it dawned on me - this is out in the middle of no where - I better turn around to help him out. THANK GOD. I saw the most amazing wild life scene of my entire life. YES, my entire life. He was waving me in to share with me something so totally incredible that he needed to share it with another human being to make it even more real.

There was a large pod of killer whales - about 20 of them chasing a school of porpoises. All of them were jumping out of the water. It was a very large marine mammal water ballet show. It rivaled anything the Belllagio could ever put on. It was just he and I watching the most incredible aquatics show on the planet. We watched in awe for a half hour - when they calmed down, I went home to get my camera. Here is the picture - but they were not jumping anymore.

I was sharing this story later with my Dad and he said - and you saw all of this in Nevada? No Dad, I’m in Alaska. Given that I change locales more often than my teenagers change their hairstyle, Dad is forgiven for not keeping up with where I am. But at least now I know why he occasionally forwards those odd emails related to your mental state as you age. Yes I have seen zebra like creatures in Nevada - come to think of it - it was on a Sunday and it was related to swimming as well. Maybe I need to start reading those emails he is forwarding.

It took me a couple hours to “process” all my ingredients and finish the pumpkin bagels. Here is the recipe. I like to make my bagels small. I was reading in this month’s Consumer Reports issue that the number one thing that thin people do to stay thin is to control the portion size of what they eat. I figured making the bagels smaller will help me do that too. So keep this in mind if you try out this recipe - you can make your own bagels whatever size you want to. The cooking time appears to be about the same because it matters more about the plumpness of the bagel than the width.

Pumpkin Bagel Recipe (NO BREAD MACHINE) Ingredients:

2 peeled potatoes cut into quarters.
About 2 quarts of water (enough to cover the potatoes)
one package of fast rising yeast.
4 tbs brown sugar, honey, or agave nectar.
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour (may need more).
1 cup pumpkin puree.
2 tbs pumpkin butter (if you don’t have this put at least 1 tbs of oil).
1 tbs of pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
Glaze (don’t mix this in with the bagel ingredients)
1 egg white
1 tbs honey or agave nectar

Boil the potatoes in the water until they are soft and the water is cloudy. Remove the potatoes. Let the water cool to about 100 degrees (too hot and it will kill the yeast). Mix about 3/4 cup of the 100 degree water with the yeast and the 4 tbs of sugar. Save the remaining water. Wait until the yeast gets bubbly (this is called “proofing” the yeast). If after 5 minutes the mixture does not bubble, you have bad yeast. Get some new yeast and start again. Mix the remaining ingredients into the proofed yeast. If the mixture is sticky, keep adding flour until it is not sticky and somewhat elastic. If you are using a big mixer, you are essentially kneading the dough. If you are not, you knead the dough by hand continuing to add white flour until the dough is elastic and not sticky.

Let the dough rise until about double in size. To create a nice warm, moist environment for the dough to rise, I boil a small pan of water and put that and the dough (loosely covered) in an oven that is NOT turned on. With the fast rising yeast, it takes about an hour for the dough to double in size.

Pull the dough out, and shape it into bagels of whatever size you’d like. I made mine about three inches across. I made about 20 mini bagels with this amount of dough. Put the bagels on a cookie sheet covered in corn meal to prevent sticking. Let rise again for about a half hour.

Boil the potato water again - adding more water to get more water to fill the pot. Drop the bagels into the boiling water - only put as many bagels into the pot as can fit on the surface. Boil on each side for 30 seconds. Take out and put on cookie sheet - lightly brush each one on top with the egg white and honey glaze.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees (AFTER YOU REMOVE THE RISING BAGEL DOUGH). Cook the bagels for 15 minutes or until top is a bit hard.

About six years ago I started working out in the water - quite by accident. I was building a corporate retreat center in Haines, Alaska. The first summer there, we did not have running water. I was taking showers at a local campground until I found the pool in town and discovered the water aerobics class. GREAT I thought - I can do two things simultaneously - get clean AND workout. I LOVED IT. I made some great friends there too.

Working out in the water has become my thing. I travel a lot so it’s easy to bring my bathing suit with me everywhere. I created my own 45 minute cardio and strength training workout. It’s helped me out a lot - with flexibility, strength, and stamina. I just started playing tennis again after 7 years and my game is a lot better than when I stopped playing (just how that happened, I have no idea - I attribute it to water aerobics). It helps my golf game too with the arm and back strength training I do.

Some folks on twitter wanted to see my water workout regime so here it is. If you need clarification, post a comment.

I realize some people are feeling a chill breeze blowing through their ideas of prosperity right now.   But really it’s just a matter of perspective.   Lets look at history, and one person in particular - Orison Swett Marden.   Marden lived from 1850 - 1924.  He was orphaned at 7 years old and had to work as a houseboy to survive early in life.  He managed to graduate from Harvard Medical School and went on to a life that had it’s trials and triumphs.  

He published a scad of books on personal success and believed that our thoughts influenced our lives and our life circumstances. He said, “We make the world we live in and shape our own environment.”  ”The golden opportunity you are seeking is in yourself. It is not in your environment; it is not in luck or chance, or the help of others; it is in yourself alone.”

Here is a list of the books he penned:

Pushing to the Front or, Success Under Difficulties. 1894.

How to Succeed or, Stepping-Stones to Fame and Fortune. 1896.

Architects of Fate or, Steps to Success and Power. 1897.

The Secret of Achievement. 1898.

Cheerfulness as a Life Power. 1899.

Character 1899.

The Hour of Opportunity. 1900.

An Iron Will. 1901.

Every Man a King 1906

Do It to a Finish 1909.

Eclectic School Readings: Stories from Life, A Book for Young People.

The Man You Long to Be article printed in Nautilus January 1918

Ambition. 1919.

Prosperity - How to Attract It. 1922.

Thank you to Mike Litman for introducing me to the work of Orisson Swett Marden

I made it back to the lower 48 (Connecticut specifically) for Thanksgiving, actually arriving 15 minutes ahead of schedule by the most optimistic estimate. When things go that well, it is easy to say, “what is meant to be happens easily.” By that measurement, Connecticut for Thanksgiving is meant to be for me.

We were able to do travel plan A - that was leaving our little town in Alaska by air taxi instead of ferry. It was raining, foggy, and windy, yet the little plane still flew. It took us 21 hours - we left Haines, Alaska at 9:30 AM AST and arrived in Connecticut at 9:30 AM EST. According to mapquest, the drive would have been 3874 miles and taken 66 hours 29 minutes. The distance from England to the US East Coast is around 3700 miles. It took the 102 Pilgrims about 60 days to travel here from England in 1620.

After we got to CT, my oldest daughter called to tell me that more people are killed by moose and small airplane crashes in Alaska every year than by bears. Weird how I never heard that one before, but no matter, we survived that (and many other) small plane rides in Alaska, as have many other people.

While traveling here for the Pilgrims, they were going from a civilization where they understood the cultural traditions, to one that was more bound by the rhythms of nature. I just did the opposite. And found myself having to re-aquaint myself with my east coast “attire” to look like I belong in Connecticut. (I find it far easier if I at least make some attempts to fit in). And I have to wait until I get here to really get into the schwing of things with the clothes. I had put on my east coast travel attire, but sitting in a Starbucks in Connecticut yesterday, I felt like a person out of place in two worlds. I was certainly not dressed for Alaska, and just looked weird for Connecticut. It totally makes sense why the RNC thought that Sarah Palin coming out of Alaska needed a new “look” to the tune of $150k. The rest of the country just does not get the fashion trends of Alaska (or is it that we in Alaska have a lot more other things that are more important to focus on - like not breaking your neck on the ice skating rink outside the Mountain Market).

The Pilgrims faced much more daunting issues about “fitting” in - it was a very matter of their survival to befriend the natives. While Alaska sports a very casual demeanor, an everyone is welcome attitude, and it appears easy to fit in, it does take a little effort. Dan Fine’s book - Not Really an Alaskan Mountain Man shares just how challenging it can be to survive in modern day Alaska. In retrospect, it is probably more important for my overall survival that I “fit in” better there than here. Both places take some adjustment - I call it getting the cultural bends. Only happens when you change cultures really fast.

In Paul Scheen’s Book - Photo Reading, he points out that our subconscious brain takes in 2000 times more information than our conscious brain is aware of. If you don’t believe this, start photographing your day to day life. Then study those pictures a couple hours after you take them. When I first noticed this phenomena, I was at the Houston Rodeo. It the first show we went to with our Belgium Blue Cattle. I was taking pictures of the cattle and wasn’t even aware there were three cattleman in the row behind our stall - not until I looked at the pictures later. I was literally only focusing on our cows.

Lets fast forward to today. Look at what the mass media chooses to focus on - the mismanagement of companies that need to be bailed out, disasters, the basic depravity of the human condition. But lets look at some different facts. According to The Wealth Report, the amount of millionaire households has doubled in the past ten years.

Let’s look at this chart. This was created in 2004 - so from 1994 to 2004, the number of millionaires doubled. Six of those years we had a democratic as the president of the US. For some reason the folks I know in the finance sector always seem to feel they will be better off when there is a republican president. Is this really true or is it just what they are choosing to focus on?

If you start to find yourself getting excessively down about life, check out Rob Brezsny’s *PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA: How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings* - for sale at http://tinyurl.com/qaj62. (I am not getting any royalty compensation from this endorsement - I just think he presents a much different way of viewing the world).

So now if I want to see things differently, I change what it is I am choosing to focus on. It truly is all just a matter of perspective.

I’ve been lugging 25+ pounds on my back for close to 20 years now. I started “wearing” my babies, and then just migrated to “wearing” my business. So I just don’t get what all the hula ballo is about with motrin ad dissing on mom’s wearing their babies being twittered about #motrinmoms. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmykFKjNpdY.

I wore my babies for quite a while - the youngest one until she was about 5. It was just far easier and when I went for walks, there was no need to carry weights to get a more intense workout. Their Dad, an avid hiker, would wear the older one and trot up Mt. Si - a very steep climb just outside of Seattle. And he did this up until she was about 50 pounds. Neither one of us ever suffered any pain or damage from doing this - it just made us more fit and stronger.

It just seemed natural to “wear” my business in a backpack as well. For a very short period of time, I carried my laptop in a sophisticated looking shoulder bag. I tried a case on wheels, but it was just too much of an appendage. I always go back to just fitting everything I need to run my company into my backpack. A year or so ago, CNNMoney.com thought it was an interesting enough idea to feature me in their magazine - http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/20/smbusiness/business_backpack.fsb/index.htm.

For the most part, I still use the backpack. I had to take a break from it for several months earlier this year because of a shoulder injury. I did NOT get this carrying the back pack - I got it using one of those Chuckit things with the dogs and then aggravated it by carrying a six gallon gas container to my boat. But after much physical therapy in the pool, I am VERY happy to be able to go back to “wearing” my business in my backpack.

One of my books currently in the publishing process (done writing it) - Business in a Backpack - how I run my 100 person multi-national company (Cheetah Learning) completely out of this backpack, is coming out spring 2009.

Being in the field of “accelerating” learning, I hear this question quite often. Accelerated Learning is just making it faster and easier to learn and master new skills. Learning has four basic components:

Awareness - people first become aware of what it is they don’t know. Just becoming aware of not knowing something isn’t enough to drive desire to learn more though. When combined with “purpose” - that is a reason to learn more, then people develop the desire to learn more about the topic.

Knowledge - this is where people accumulate facts about the specific topic. Knowledge of a subject is exhibited by the ability to recall facts and to synthesize the information in the area sufficiently to answer test questions on the subject, and to communicate about the subject.

Skill - this is where people can use what they know to accomplish a specific task.

Mastery - this is where people can achieve consistent results with their skills. Mastery is where power and success come with learning new material.

So Accelerated Learning in the way I’ve developed courses for Cheetah Learning means getting people to a level of mastery in the subject area very quickly.

I first became aware of the concept of Accelerated Learning in the early 90’s. By 2000, I had developed mastery in creating accelerated learning curricula. In 1998 I was a research scientist and started testing out some ideas on how to teach people project management in a way that they would develop mastery in doing the fundamentals of project management in one day. This means that they would be able to leave the class and the next day be able to achieve consistent results with their new project management skills. This became the basis of the Cheetah Project Management technique.

There are three fundamental components of creating accelerated learning courses so that people are able to master new skills faster:

1. Put the mind in a peak performing state.

2. Engage multiple forms of intelligence.

3. Set up the experience so that it makes it easy to recall and retain the new knowledge and become proficient in the new skills.

If you’d like to learn more, I discuss the topic of how we create our accelerated learning curricula on the radio show Power Learning co-hosted with Scot Nichols, the Executive Director of the Center for Advanced Learning Concepts.