định cuối tuần ở lại HN nhưng cuối cùng lại xách balo bay về SG 1 tẹo. sáng nay đi uống cafe với ba má ở Hi-End Sương Nguyệt Ánh, lite :-)

hôm qua tự dưng nhớ ra, đúng 6 tháng đi làm, 5/1 - 5/6

tối qua ra sân bay ngồi rảnh rỗi viết cái note ghi 1 số thứ học được 6 tháng vừa rồi, hồi lâu đã đọc rải rác 1 số cái trong này, nhưng cảm giác đã trải qua và nghiệm ra là nó đúng rồi ghi lại thì vẫn hay, tuy là nghiệm ra rồi nhưng không phải lúc nào cũng làm được :P

How to make it as a good PM ? (ThongNH)

Key things

•(Dare to) engage (and leverage) people

Understand your project

Understand your CPS

•Manage expectation

•Being nice/not nice with people

•Sell yourself

•Handle stress


(Dare to) engage (and leverage) people

•Dare to engage (if not, “teamwork” just means you)

–Don’t feel that you’re annoying them (even if you are), if you find it reasonable

–Don’t feel bad because your others projects sux, this project is the most important thing

–Show them benefits, and occasionally re-enforce their responsibility

–Engage with reasonable lead time

–Leverage big boss if possible (reasonably also)

•Leverage people

Say THANKS

–And recognize their efforts with their boss


Understand your project

No need to understand 100% in term of technical

•Need to understand at least 80-90% in term of process

•How does it fit in the “big picture”

–Distributor view: How it fits in their daily process ?

–Company view: How it co-exists with other in-progress projects ?

–Your view: What can you learn ?

•Learn where it sux at, but

–Need to crazily believe in its benefits as well

You can’t deliver something you don’t feel confident in


Overview the CPS, not just see it

•Understand the overview first

–Which “big things” we’re gonna do ? Why ? You must be able to visualize your project

–Then break-down to detailed tasks in CPS

•If you’re thrown into face a CPS

–Again, don’t just die die follow it

–Step back, overview

–See if it misses any “big things” ? E.g. based on your local insights. Question !

CPS is not fixed ! Continually revise it based on time and quality (and sometimes cost, if it’s not fixed too).


Manage expectation

•Say what your project won’t be able to deliver outright, don’t over-promise. (moderate-promise à over-deliver)

Balance between all the stakeholders

–Your department isn’t always great

–Your biggest customer is powerful, but no need to follow them all the times

–When somebody make noise, understand it first and judge next steps, no matter who makes the noise

•Know when NOT to manage people expectation (means temporarily ignore them). You can’t satisfy all


Work with people

•Know when to say thanks (even for things you think are trivial)

•Know when to praise people (esp. when working with distributors) and also complain at the same time (“vừa đấm vừa xoa” lol)

•Keep your temper, but lose it on the right (and supposed to be rare) times


Sell yourself. You have what ?!

•Sell what you achieved. Do it with enough confidence and important audience

–Easier to engage people next time

–More big (and tough) projects for you, more chances to grow à benefit your personal exp and career

•Build your unique selling points (1-2 is enough already)

•Networking

–With people that have different things

–Be humor (60%), wholehearted (70%) and not wholehearted (30%) (yes, you’re not a monk)


How to handle stress ?

•You live to work, not the other way around

•Your projects are sux, then what ? As long as you try your best

–Think ‘bout what you’ve learned (usually for sux projects you tend to learn more if you really look into it)

–Think ‘bout how to avoid it in the future

•Keep doing your damn hobby (good or bad)

•Seek help if needed. Don’t keep it with you forever