Please Sell Your Work.

My earnest request to all my colleagues … Please Sell Your Work … to your peers and your friends and colleagues in your organization and outside.

Ok, let me explain.

Last weekend, on a sunny Saturday morning, I gave a small speech on ‘Project Governance’ in PMI Pune chapter monthly seminar. I was surprised to see 60+ project managers there on the weekend, on their own time and dime, to participate in this event. My talk was well received; and there were quite a few who wanted to chat with me after the seminar.

The talks quickly gravitated from generic project governance to their own projects and their experiences. And I noticed that most talked very loosely about their work (to say the least). Many talked about ‘external factors’ as the main reason why their project is likely to head south. I nodded my head; made some general comments; shook hands … used the opportunity to network and left that place.

I then thought about this ‘after the seminar’ talk; and realized that this is not a one-off discussion. More often than not, we crib about the work we are doing. (And I am no exception … I too have talked many a times with my friends about ‘problems’ in the company that I worked for)

I am now connecting this to my earlier blog; ‘I need another job’. There, I had promised to write about ‘How to find a new job, and not just a new company’.

    While I do not have any mantra for it and the topic is vast, I thought of scribbling down my thoughts in multiple blogs, rather than write a one single longish (boring) blog. This one is the first …

    And, my view on this (negative talk about the projects) is simple: DON'T

1. You must like the work you are doing … to the level where you would appear to be ‘selling’ it to others even during the casual talks. 
2. If 1 is not true, still find out which part of the work you like the best and sell that (and if possible think how you can change the bits that you don’t like)
3. If 1 is not true and 2 is not possible (I won’t get into the reasons), look for right articulation of the issues. But avoid sounding negative. Sounding negative, does not help … not you for sure (I know … I am asking you to fake it).
4. If 1 is not true, 2 is not possible and 3 you have tried and are tired of it now … hang on for my next blog on this topic (you really need a change).

In a nutshell, when we talk negatively about our work, we inadvertently send a ‘message’ about ourselves. May be we are finger pointing … instead of looking in the mirror. If you are amongst the lucky ones (who love what they are doing and are passionate about it), that’s great. But even if you are not, think and talk and act positive … I am sure it will lead to a positive change.

So long …