So this is it
Four and a half years ago, Drew McLellan approached me about a "new blogging opportunity" which would be bringing together some of the best business bloggers in Des Moines under one roof. It was going to be called Iowabiz.com and we'd each contribute 2-3 posts a month under our area of expertise.
I have to say, it's been a blast sharing my insights and thoughts about project management with you over this time. We've covered the appropriate ways to turn an idea into a real project, prioritize it, plan it out, write status reports about it, audit it, recover it, and close it out. We've talked about the human nature of projects, how some people will report a task as 100% complete when it's not, how to play office politics, what to do when restarting a dormant project. I've used holidays, family vacations, current events, politics, and movies to drive home my points.
But there's one last thing I need to cover: walking away.
I'm a strong proponent of "fit" between a project manager and a project. I've fired myself before on projects when I've realized I was not the best person to move a project forward. I've also removed myself when I saw I had take a project (or team) as far as I could, and it was time for fresh leadership. And I've said "no" to projects where I knew I could not add value or just would not enjoy the project.
Sometimes, you have to walk away from a project, to say no, to turn it down. Such is the way it is for my relationship with Iowabiz. Do I have more to say on the topic of project management? Oh yes, and you'll still see my insights pop up on my blog. Have I appreciated our conversation over the past few years? Tremendously! But now it's time for me to say "yes" to some new adventures in my life, and in order to do that, I feel compelled to say "no" to others; Iowabiz is one of those "others" to which I'll bid a fond farewell. (Stay tuned for the announcement about my replacement; I'm confident the topic of project management is going to soar to new heights, and I'm excited to pass the baton.)
I wanted to thank you all who have read these posts month after month. Some have commented; others have just read; occasionally, I receive an email or a comment on Facebook or Twitter. But I know you're out there. And I've appreciated you. Carpe Factum, my friends... in Iowa business... and in life.