A Message from the President, Rusty Richards
May 22, 2010
My first memory of attending a PMI Silver Spring chapter meeting is from sometime in 2002, in the back room of a little restaurant in a strip mall up in Olney, MD. There were about fifteen people at the meeting. Although a number of individuals were named as Board members, only one of them, as I recall – the founding President, Bobby Blevins – was present at that and subsequent meetings. The chapter had no website, a small mailing list (fewer than a couple hundred individuals), no place to meet on a regular basis, no consistent schedule of meetings or speakers, and no chapter newsletter.
Since that first meeting, our Board of Directors has grown from one active member to more than ten individuals actively engaged in various roles; our chapter now has a well-developed and functional website; we have a mailing list in excess of 2000 individuals, with newsletters sent out at least twice a month; our chapter has almost tripled in size; we have an established place to meet and we hold meetings every month; we’ve established a protocol for identifying and selecting top-flight speakers for the chapter, and mapped out procedures for effective operation of monthly chapter meetings; we’ve sponsored a number of PMP Prep courses organized and presented by chapter members; and we’ve taken on challenging regional events, such as the Region 5 Leadership Conference in January, 2009, and the October 21, 2009 event with Freeman Hrabowski and Carl Pritchard.
From the very start, it’s been a team effort. Many individuals have played key roles in our chapter’s growth and consolidation, from the current and former members of the Board, to individuals who hold no title but who serve selflessly and of their own free will. Over time we’ve put in place a valuable program with key players playing a multitude of roles.
At its heart, what we have accomplished in this chapter over the last eight years is to establish a strong and stable foundation, one on which we can build for the future. The question, then, is this: where do we go from here? I would suggest the following ideas as fundamental to our continued growth as a chapter:
Continue to foster a spirit of trust, compassion, stability and purpose within our chapter:
- Trust that is infused with honesty, integrity, and respect;
- Compassion which demonstrates an authentic interest in, and response to, the needs of those around us;
- Stability in the moment, which maintains a solid foundation, helping members to know what to expect by way of activities, programs and opportunities in the chapter; and
- A strong sense of purpose, giving us guidance and setting our direction for the future.
Strengthen the fiscal stability of our chapter:
- Although we have healthy reserves in the bank, they will not last long if we do not establish a means to generate revenue for the chapter. Monthly meetings typically show a net loss in revenue, and participation in twice-yearly leadership conferences (Global and Regional) is costly, not to mention the cost of other chapter operations, such as hosting the website.
- Two possible sources of revenue under consideration are event sponsorships and professional development events. A third possible source of revenue is through advertisements on the website.
Build a strong program of professional development:
- In addition to building revenue for the chapter, a program of professional development will provide a channel for strengthening knowledge and skills, and contribute to membership growth and retention.
- Events under consideration are revenue-sharing programs with Carl Pritchard, Lee Lambert and Steve Edwards; and a partnership arrangement with PMI Baltimore through their PMP Prep Course.
Build strategic partnerships with other chapters, professional associations, and universities:
- Given the constrained geographic area of the Silver Spring Chapter (zip codes beginning with 209xx), strategic partnerships are essential not only for us to survive, but also to thrive as a chapter.
- The October 21st event featuring Freeman Hrabowski and Carl Pritchard, co-hosted by the Silver Spring and Baltimore Chapters of PMI was a signature event, which greatly enhanced the reputation of our chapter within the larger project management community.
- The October 21st event led to a cooperative initiative with UMBC and PMI Baltimore, which will provide CAPM training for undergraduate students, mentoring, special presentations and help with internships. A similar program is under discussion with PMI Southern Maryland at the University of Maryland College Park, which may involve establishing a student chapter at the school.
- We are currently co-sponsoring the M2D2 luncheons with PMIWDC, and will be extending that partnership through an expanded network of meetings in the coming months at various locales in Washington, DC (possibly under the aegis of the M2D2 arrangement).
Establish a corporate outreach program to commercial, government and educational/research sectors in the area:
- Possible target sectors include mass media & communications, biomedical research, higher education/academia, aerospace programs, infrastructure development, and emergency preparedness.
- The goal of the outreach program will be to establish mentoring, internship and training programs, build awareness of the value of project management in these sectors, identify speakers, and locate alternate venues for programs.
Build deeper and more extensive volunteer participation among chapter members:
- We are currently considering development of a roadmap for volunteer growth, which will allow individuals to find roles that fit their talents, interests and availability while contributing to the overall strategic direction of the chapter.
- The emphasis of this initiative will be to enable volunteers to shape their own work by giving them control over decisions and programs, in a way that will keep them energized and engaged in the effort. Further encouragement will be provided through timely and appropriate recognition for volunteer efforts.
- Greater involvement of our members in volunteer roles will allow our chapter to grow in depth – not just in numbers – through increased participation of its members, and will address concerns about Board succession, by providing a means for individuals eventually to move into appropriate positions on the Board as their skills, knowledge and commitment increase.
Establish a well-defined structure for Board transition:
- Closely related to the issue of Board succession is the issue of Board transition, whereby knowledge, skills, protocols, procedures, and networks of key relationships are passed on to incoming Board members.
- With the current structure of elections, effective Board transition is all but impossible. If elections are moved to August or September, outgoing Board members will be able to introduce incoming Board members to the roles and responsibilities of the different positions, and they will be able to prepare the membership at large for the transition.
Build a collaborative, intentional and strategically-focused approach to identifying and selecting speakers for monthly meetings and programs for professional development:
- We've established a good rhythm of lining up speakers at least six months in advance at all times. At this point, we're in a position to start building a roster of speakers which reflects the strategic focus of our chapter. A similar approach could be taken in identifying and selecting professional development programs.
More than just sustaining a solid, stable foundation, we’re building upon it by setting our sights on the future, and by ensuring that there will be a place of service for all members, where needs will be met and where integrity is a hallmark of everything we do. It is my goal that we will all grow in our efforts to establish a strong foundation of trust and mutual respect, compassion in our service to one another, stability in our organization, and a clear sense of purpose. Doing so will enable us to leave a deep and lasting legacy, both on our profession and on the lives of those around us.
Sincerely,
Russell M. Richards, Ph.D., PMP
President, PMI Silver Spring Chapter
May 22, 2010