PMI Belgium

National Congress 2017

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PMI Belgium National Congress 2017

“The Project Manager Compass”

Call for Speakers

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National Congress 2017

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Part I: T his year’s The me

Introduction Project Management Institute (PMI) is the world’s leading non-profit professional membership association

for the Project, Program and Portfolio Management profession. PMI serves practitioners and organizations

with standards that describe good practices, globally recognized credentials that certify project management

expertise, and resources for professional development, networking and community.

PMI Belgium Chapter is the local representation of PMI worldwide and has about 1000 members. Besides

holding regular events in different cities, PMI Belgium also holds a full-day annual congress, where prominent

speakers of national and international reputation are invited to share their experiences and recent

developments and future trends in the field of project management. This popular event is attended by over

200 PMI members, sponsoring organizations and other enthusiasts of the project management profession. -

This year’s annual event will be held on Friday, the 6th of October 2017 at De Montil in Affligem, Belgium,

with a new stimulating theme that is aimed at inspiring all the participants.

The Annual PMI Congress: Theme, Concept & Evolution The conventional congress landscape dotting the professional calendar with events filled with the traditional

content and structure is slowly giving way to new and innovative approach. PMI Belgium has been a front

runner in challenging the traditional format and giving to the project management professionals an event

that is not only professionally rewarding but also an invigorating experience filled with fun while delivering

on the core professional content.

In 2015, PMI Belgium took the first step to innovate by introducing the “Market Place” concept in the form

of the “PM Fair”. In 2016, the focus was turned to not just delivering value but to delight the customer as

well as to be a delighted project management professional by addressing the aspects related to the

personal well- being.

This year, the PM Fair 2017 continues in the path of “the delighted” by providing the project management

professionals a compass that guides them or navigates them towards being delighted and overall well-being

that ultimately leads to higher personal and as well as customer satisfaction.. The theme of the PM Fair

2017 therefore is aptly: “The Project Manager Compass” or in short “The PM Compass”, where the

congress w i l l provide the necessary inputs, tools, techniques, tips, networking, health and well-being

aspects etc., all bundled as a virtual compass that can steer their projects, teams and themselves to a

grand success.

The congress is aimed at delivering key values by providing ample opportunity for professional interaction,

networking and knowledge sharing in a relaxed environment. Special booths planned to be set up will

encourage active participation in specialized project management areas and roles. A central area will be

provided that will allow sponsors/authors to demonstrate their products or services to a targeted group of

professionals.

Building on the innovative ideas, the objective will be to deliver PM Fair-2017 as a congress that can easily be

called as THE Project Management event of the year! And everyone looks forward in anticipation even for

more the following year.

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The Theme: “The Project Manager Compass”

Compass is an instrument used for navigation and orientation that shows direction relative to the geographic

cardinal directions. PM Compass is a virtual instrument or collections of tools, techniques, tips, contacts and

guidelines used for navigation and orientation for projects and project managers that shows direction relative

to the dynamic environment in the modern PM world. The Project Manager Compass will guide the PMs even

in turbulent waters; when they feel the world around them is swirling with all the factors that can affect their

projects and themselves. The PM Fair will empower the project management professionals with the PM

Compass that will navigate them not only in the direction and path to successful projects but also to

successful careers in project management and over all wellbeing of the person with some specific relaxation

techniques.

The Project Manager Compass can be conceptually depicted as shown in the diagram below.

North

Leadership

Competence

• Change Management

• Art of influencing

South • Technical Project

Management

• Industry specific

knowledge

• Education &

Development

Center

Self-

Orientation &

Well-being

West

Real Life Project

Personal Performance

• Multiculturalism &

Diveristy

• Other behavioral skills

East • Strategic & Business

Management

• Evolution of PM’s Role

• Aligning Projects to

Organizational goals

• Managing Project Teams

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The PM Compass is based on the Project Manager Competence Development Framework of PMI and the PMI

Talent Triangle that focusses on Leadership, Strategic Business Management and Technical Project

Management.

The PM Compass adds a fourth dimension to this mix in the form of being able to develop and practice

these talents/skills while maintaining the well-being of the project management professionals as well as

the project teams. The various sessions, activities and interactions that are planned for in the PM Fair-2017

will enable the individual project management professionals to visualize the PM Compass very specific to

their talent mix and needs as a PM in managing projects as well as a work-family-life balance and wellbeing.

The aim of the PM Fair 2017 is to develop your Project Manager Compass resulting in a greater self-

knowledge, greater self-confidence, and improved effectiveness as a project manager while preserving

the wellbeing of the person and the team.

We plan to have five tracks in the congress (presentations – master classes – workshops). We have the

following topics that might guide the potential speaker/presenter in providing his abstract:

• Track 1 “Center”

o Self-orientation

o Well-being

o Work-Life balance

• Track 2 “North”:

o Leadership skills

o Change management – how to cope with organizational, environmental or project/program changes

o Art of influencing without authority

• Track 3 “East”:

o PM’s growing strategic role

o How to create more value and achieve the company’s goals

o Value Stream Managers

o Project management office

o Agile projects & teams

o Managing virtual teams

o Team building and motivation

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• Track 4 “South”:

o Project management education and development

o Critical/analytical thinking

o Technical skills

o Business intelligence

o how to actively develop your management skills and increase your return on investment

• Track 5 “West”:

o Real life projects (specific business case examples)

o Sharing of practical experience

o Multiculturalism and Diversity

The Project Manager Compass

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The Program contentThe Program contentThe Program contentThe Program content____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Three different sub-themes based on trends in the project management field are proposed to the speakers.

However the speakers are welcome to propose new or different ideas that are aligned to the theme of the

event.

A. The Sub-Themes

Technical Skills: Topics focused on knowledge, skills and behaviors for the specific domains of Project Management,

Program Management and Portfolio Management.

• Topic 1 - New emerging methodologies

Having applied waterfall and agile for some time now, new hybrid methodologies are entering the

scene. By getting the best of both worlds, Structured Agile, Design thinking, etc., are gaining

momentum. Under which circumstances are these new methodologies effective? Are there any case

studies available?

• Topic 2: The Role of Analytics

We do not always take time to define KPI’s or keep proper baselines at the beginning of the project.

With this topic, we want to show that with a few low cost, low effort measurements, we can get a

firm grip on the project. Building on these basics, what is the next level? What is the role of PMO in

this context? How do you define KPIs for different methodologies?

• Topic 3: Benefits delivery 2.0

Since it is the benefits delivered by projects and programs that delight customers, a closer look at

tools and techniques to achieve benefits delivery is more than relevant. With the role of the Project

Manager expanding with Strategic and Business skills, is the role of the Program Manager and the

Portfolio Manager shifting? Is delivering benefits part of the role of the Project Manager and if yes,

how could it be done?

Leadership Skills: Topics with the focus on knowledge, skills and behaviors specific for leadership oriented, cross cutting

skills that help an organization achieve its goals.

• Topic 4: Functioning in virtual teams

The new way of working and globalization is continuing to drive the trend of working in virtual teams.

How do you keep motivation high where face-to-face contact is limited or non-existent? How can

you assess and evaluate a team member half way around the globe? How do you organize a virtual

team with maximum impact?

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• Topic 5- Multiculturalism

In this hyper-connected world, it is more than likely that you are working on multidisciplinary

projects. Having diverse teams with different culture, skills and talents can lead to excellent project,

program and portfolio delivery, but what is the science behind it in order to optimize the effect? Are

specific tools and techniques required? What are the do’s and don’ts?

o How to work effectively with multicultural teams

o What are the advantages and challenges of working with diverse multi-cultural teams

o How important is diversity in the current business world

• Topic 6 - Handling crises

Working in a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) world means that there is

more possibility for the occurrence of risks which could jeopardize your initiative or push it to its

limits. Whether you are managing a portfolio, a program or a project, handling a troubled initiative

takes skill to steer it back on course. What skills and techniques are required here? What

communication techniques are to be used? What type of leadership is the most effective? Do all the

techniques apply to project, program and portfolio management universally?

• Topic 7 – Woman in power

Women and power: an ambiguous relationship

In spite of having higher academic degrees, women continue to be underrepresented as the head of

organizations or in higher leadership roles. If they encounter real obstacles in a still very masculine

world, they may also have to overcome their own inhibitions.

What is it that is required for women to reach their full potential? What skills or techniques would

help women to establish themselves as powerful leaders?

Business Strategic Skills: Topics related to knowledge of and expertise in the industry or organization that enhances performance

and delivery of business outcomes.

• Topic 8 - Should Project, Program and Portfolio Managers be entrepreneurial?

With entrepreneurship and startup thinking gaining traction, this trend is entering the arena, but

maybe it is not enough. The entrepreneurial spirit could lead to “exceeding expectations”, but it

could also be regarded as scope creep. Where do you draw the line? How can entrepreneurship be

included in project, program and portfolio management?

• Topic 9 - Portfolio management in a VUCA business world

The world is in a VUCA state and for business it is not an easy task to manage the portfolio. How does

one apply the portfolio mantra: “Doing the right projects”? What does right mean? What are

currently the best practices to handle change in strategy and responses to unknown risks?

• Topic 10 - Innovation

Creativity and Innovation are buzz words in today’s business. Apart from the projects and programs

where the goal is to innovate, is there a place for unplanned innovation and creativity?

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Well-being: We all know that a healthy mind dwells in a healthy body. With this in mind, we want to include topics

related to the well-being of individuals that would lead to higher “productivity”.

• Topic 11 - Burn-out prevention

The job of project, program and portfolio manager ranks as one of the highest in stress levels. This

should not come as a surprise since the job comes with a lot of responsibility and high uncertainty.

What tools and techniques are out there to prevent project, program and portfolio managers falling

off the edge? What methods of detection and prevention are available?

• Topic 12 - Productivity hacks

More with less! Sounds familiar? The speed of business increases year on year, but the workweek

stays the same. Time management, Energy management, are all under the spotlight. What are today’s

hacks to getting things done? Under which circumstances are they effective?

• Topic 13 - Work-life balance

What price do the Project, Program and Portfolio Managers pay for their career? Do successful

project, program and portfolio managers need to work 60 hours per week or is there another way?

What is work-life balance and how should the topic be approached? Is there a choice to be made or

is it possible to align the concepts of a balanced work life?

B. The Workshops/Master classes

We are interested to have workshops/master classes related to the topics in the sub-themes below:

• Topic 1 - New emerging methodologies

• Topic 2 - The Role of Analytics

• Topic 3 - Benefits delivery 2.0

• Topic 4 - Functioning in virtual teams

• Topic 5 - Multiculturalism & Diversity

• Topic 6 - Handling crises

• Topic 7 – Woman in power

• Topic 8 - Should Project, Program and Portfolio Managers be entrepreneurial?

• Topic 9 - Portfolio management in a VUCA business world

• Topic 10 - Innovation

• Topic 11 - Burn-out prevention

• Topic 12 - Productivity hacks

• Topic 13 - Work-life balance

In addition to the above topics, we are open to workshops/master classes related to the following topics:

Change management, Communication, Mentoring, Business games, Off-the-beaten track such as sports

initiations, mentoring, yoga, special workshops with role playing etc.

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PartPartPartPart II:II:II:II: CallCallCallCall forforforfor SpeakersSpeakersSpeakersSpeakers

This is a call to be a speaker at the prestigious PMI Belgium Annual National Congress, PM Fair-2017.

Speakers are an important part of PM Fair Team and the quality and relevance of the presentations are crucial

for success of the event. Knowing that you are presenting at THE Project Management event of Belgium, the

onus lies on your shoulders to deliver the most fitting sessions, keynote or workshop/special activity.

The call is for: (Please, see proposed Program Layout in Annexure A)

- 2 Keynote speakers

- 2 Master classes

- 4 Workshops

- 12 Classic sessions

There is no remuneration foreseen for the speakers as they are considered to be volunteers. However,

travel and accommodation expenses could be discussed on a case by case basis.

Each speaker should prepare his or her submission to include the following (see attached form):

1. Speaker’s name, telephone number, e-mail address and picture.

2. Proposed topic or subject, including how it connects to the PM Fair.

3. Role preference (Classic speaker, Keynote, Master Class, specialist for a booth, various roles).

4. Speaker’s profile (75 -100 words).

5. Presentation abstract (100 – 125 words).

6. Learning goals summary i.e. what do you want the audience to learn from your presentation.

7. Speaker experience.

8. Any special requirements for your presentation.

9. A short video of less than 2 minutes introducing the speaker and the topic. This video will be used in

the promotional campaign for the congress. A link to an online video of a given speech on the topic is

also allowed.

Please submit the form either in a Word or PDF format to the mailbox: christine.l.dassy@gmail.com

Submission deadline: 9th June 2017

Notification to selected speakers: Starting from 22nd June 2017

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Speaker Selection process ______________________

The selection process consists of the following steps:

1. Submit your request to be a speaker by sending in your abstract and other details before the due

date.

2. The abstracts, materials submitted in alignment with the PM Fair theme and relevance to the

profession, the feasibility of proposed activity, experience of the speaker etc. will be reviewed and

a list of selected speakers for the event will be decided.

3. Selected speakers will receive a confirmation letter with more specific information and deadline

for the submission of their full draft presentation.

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Annexure A:

Program Lay-out Draft program of the day is given in the table below. Once the speakers are selected and confirmed the final

program will be released.

Please note that we will begin the morning and the afternoon with keynote sessions. Some presentations or

workshop may be repeated in the afternoon.