Learnings from the PMI Virtual Experience Series 2021 pt 2

Project Management Institute June Virtual Experience Series event delivered 12+ hour broadcast (you choose when you can attend during the live broadcast or access via on-demand) while building a virtual bridge to a growing global community. Benefit from endless opportunities to broaden your perspective on project management and connect with a global community, all while earning PDUs towards your certification.

Building a Better Future
Tech entrepreneur Nora Bavey talks with TIME Magazine’s 2020 Kid of the Year Gitanjali Rao – a conversation on how they found their path to global innovation and what helped and challenged them along the way. Gitanjali is the author of the book Young Innovator’s Guide to STEM which guides students, educators, or teachers with a prescribed 5-step innovation process. In her sessions, she shares her own process of innovation that can be used by students all over the world. She is an experienced TED speaker and often presents in global and corporate forums on innovation and the importance of STEM.

If you would close your eyes prior to seeing her talking, you would definitely think she’s at least ten or twenty years older speaking about motivation, projects, multitasking, inspiration, making the world a little better, research, innovation, and the case for education.

In the second part of the conversation Gitanjali Rao sounds like she never sleeps, has seven lives in parallel, so many projects, workshops, and mentors are filling her agenda. Where her direct peers attend a high school, the teenager is into gene technology and enzymes. The youngster has some questions for investor, mother, and tech entrepreneur Nora Bavey as well.

Seven Mindsets of Modern Leadership to Become a Successful Disruptor
Mel Ross (CAPM, CEO, Adapt2Digital) sheds a light on the people framework, called The Dilyn Way, and seven mindsets that you as a change agent or leader can apply. Instead of a customer, she uses ‘audience’ the vast group of stakeholders that may use or be impacted by your solutions. Is there a sweet spot now for your digital transformation? Is it inevitable? Technical possibilities, humanity converge into smarter humans, the characteristics of Industry 5.0, where it’s about purpose and experience.

The four values of leadership in a digital age

people first – digital always
open by default
data mindful
being prepared – future proof yourself

Seven leadership principles:

digital
adaptive
connected
open
data-informed
future focus
audience focus

Ross refers to the 2016 observation of psychologist Carol Dweck that nobody has a growth mindset in everything all the time. Everyone is a mixture of fixed and growth mindsets. So, have a look at your fixed mindset triggers and understand when you’re falling into that mindset.

Seven leadership mindsets that with consideration of the situation they’re most effective:

digital native mindset
beginners mindset (a precursor for agile ways of working, experimental mindset)
networked mindset
authentic mindset
data mindful mindset to make more educated decisions.
prepared mindset
human-centered mindset

And yes, Mel’s presentation can be seen as a teaser for her own Digital Practitioner Certification Programme.

Brand You: Seven Ways to Effectively Communicate with Confidence and Impact in a Virtual Setting

Courtney Stanley (Brand You Coach, DAHLIA+Agency) quotes Dr. Albert Mehrabian‘s 7-38-55% Rule. Words only make 7% of our communications. The tone of voice and body language is way more important. Pay attention to your eye contact and surroundings. Know your frame: where’s your camera? Put a post-it with ‘look here’ just above or below the camera.

Understand the micro-expressions of your audience and be aware of yours. Be yourself plus a little bit more energy. Take steps to be comfortable with video chats. Dress to impress, record yourself speaking, start with informal video chats, and check your equipment (quality microphone, HD webcam, router). Courtney recommends: