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In response to Joy Gumz quote ‘Operations keep the lights on, strategy provides a light at the end of the tunnel, but project management is the train engine that moves the organisation forward.’ I find this quote very interesting as it shows that project management is the engine to any plan. Tom Connolly showed us how project management can lead to a very successful career. Project management is a great way to see if a person can fulfil a task.

Tom began his session by introducing us to himself and his very successful career. I was blown away by the number of things that Tom has taken part in his professional career. It was truly motivational for me as a student to want to succeed like him in the future. All his success relates to project management. Project management takes a person to be organised and show great leadership skills. Tom explained that he must check up on other people in his companies and make sure they are doing their job. This shows great patience to be able to take the time to look after other people.

I enjoyed Tom’s presentation as he involved the class in fun games like guessing how long the River Shannon is. This allowed us to work as a team and estimate using different methods.

In response to Joshua’s Entry I agree that I found Tom’s talk fruitful and insightful. It was very different to anything I heard before and it was refreshing to listen to.

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During our session Mr. Connolly broke down the barriers to understanding project management and what it entails. It's an often elusive term used to describe many different jobs in almost every industry. He helped narrow the scope through examples from his own working life as well as sharing with us the definition offered by project management organisations. Exercises that we're introduced allowed the group to explore different avenues of going about project managing, some of which appeared to be innate to us all. This was very revealing as I often thought that some people were born leaders and some followers. Now however I see that there is the ability to be both in us all. I find the quote somewhat relatable but a little vague. What I gained from Friday was that project management is a course of action taken by a group or individual with an outcome in mind. Tom helped greatly in exploring the different approaches we can take to achieving the goal.
Taking Dylan's view of how the first exercise unfolded I believe he is correct in stating a project manager would have been helpful in achieving the desired outcome as opposed to the result we came to. The tendency to go against our better judgment and inner voices to conform to the group is telling and something worth further exploration

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After attending Tom Connolly's lecture on Friday which explored the art of project management. I feel like I have a new understanding on how project management works, how it is very useful skill to possess and how important it is in the work place and in life. During Tom Connolly's presentation I learned how its important to work in groups which was show when we did an exercise which required us to split in to groups of five and try and estimate the distance of the river Shannon and the Amazon river, I realized if i was to do this task alone I would not have come close to the actual answer but when I was working in a group our estimate was fairly accurate. Another piece of information that I acquired from attending Tom Connolly's class was that it is good to ask questions so that you can completely understand what needs to be done.

As for Joy Gumz quote on how project management is the engine in the train and is the only thing that will make sure that the project moves along and gets finished, I totally agree with his point as I believe nothing can be done without project management which is what I witnessed in Tom Connolly's class on Friday. I also agree with Joy Gumz's comparisons with how operations keeps the light on and how strategy is the light at the end of the tunnel, and Joy Gumz's quote shows that these are relevant but not as important.

In response to Josh's point which he states that the two most important characteristics in a good project manager is being a hero and saint. as I also believe in this statement as I think they are necessary qualities to possess.

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I completely agree with Joy Gumz' quote about project management and how it is the most important aspect in striving to complete a goal. After attending Tom Connolly's lecture on Friday I can truly understand the need for project management after he shared some personal stories and we engaged in multiple exercises.
In the first exercise, when Tom requested the class group lined up in alphabetical order, everyone got up and started shuffling about with asking or determining any of the specific guidelines Tom wanted. This highlighted both the project manager's and the other team-members responsibilty to communicate the task correctly, to ensure that the task is carried out efficiently.
In the second exercise my team and I were given the task of estimating the length of the amazon river. The purpose of this exercise was to determine what method of information determination each group would use. It also promoted communication within groups as members had to cooperate in order to estimate the most reasonable possible answer.
I found the session very rewarding because, as Tom said, at one point in our lives all of us will be taking up the role of a project manager in one form or another, and It was very important to get an idea of the roles and responsibilities I must adopt in this position.
In response to Salome's enrty, I agree that it is a neccessity for the project manager to deliver concise and clear orders to his/her team. If not, then the whole ordeal turns into a mess, just like the first exercise we partook in on Friday

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Certainly I feel that Joy Gumz quote is true and I must agree with it on the basis that Tom Connolly highlighted in Friday's session the importance of project management. Without it, it becomes very difficult to achieve the goals set out within the project,thus complete it.

Tom began the session by telling us about his life cycle to date and this was important in order to get our attention with his impressive accomplishments. More importantly at the start he asked every person present in the class why we were doing this particular course. Consequently, he got many different answers but this highlighted just how within a group there can be so many different motivations even within the same course. That is why it is essential to have a project manager. To have someone who can bring all individuals with different factors that drive them together but yet can motivate them to achieve the goals of a certain project. Essentially by grouping everyone together there is a strong force to push the organisation forward as similarly stated by Gumz.

Furthermore, the lack of management in our first exercise to line in alphabetical order was apparent. The end result would have without question been achieved in a more impressive fashion had there been a project manager pulling the strings. Instead we were hesitant to ask questions and completed the task by guessing more than anything as it later turned out Tom wanted us to line out alphabetically with our surnames.

In response to Salome's entry, in every project it is vital that every project needs a project manager who is a strong communicator otherwise the success of the project can be hindered. I feel communication from a project manager can only aid the projects result.

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After the Friday session with Tom I can confidently say that I left the room knowing a lot more then when I went in

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After attending Tom Connolly’s class last Friday, I think that Joy Gumz quote on project management is a true description of project management. Tom said the project manager is in charge of the company or business and try make sure it runs smoothly and efficiently. I thought this related well with Joy quote when she says “… but project management is the train engine that moves the organization forward”.
I found Tom’s class very interesting last Friday. Tom started the class off by introducing himself. This made his presentation more interesting and helped us see what areas he has worked in before with project management. He also got us to participate in some exercises. These made the class more interactive and helped us understand some of the concepts he was explaining to us throughout the class. One exercise was when we were asked to stand in alphabetical order. None of us asked questions we all just tried our best to complete the task. Afterwards Tom made us aware of this and we realized that we didn’t know where to start the line or if we were use our first or surnames. Tom also helped me have a better understanding to what project management is. Before his class I wasn’t to sure of all the roles and career opportunities of being a project manager.

In response to Karl when he says “… good project management by a good leader is one of the most important aspects of running any successful business.”. I would agree the leader of the project management is very important and runs the business smoothly and efficiently.

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I thought Friday's session with Tom Connolly to be an important one, as he explained to us how important project managers can be. Joy Gumz's quote about how project management is like the engine of a train is an apt comparison. Tom Connolly showed us how important project managers can be when he gave us the task of lining up in a line alphabetically. However, he did not tell us to line up by first name or last name and he did not tell us where to line up. We then lined up by first name in the middle of the room, but it turned out to we were supposed to line up by surname. I was showed first hand how important project managers can be in this scenario as a project manager would've made sure we did all the tasks correctly, in this case line up via surname.

I was also impressed by Tom Connolly's experience and expertise in the field of project manager. When he was working for Apple, it was his job to go over to the U.S and convince Apple to make it's products in Cork. If he succeed in doing this, he then had to show the workers in Cork how to manufacture the products and also manage the project. I was impressed to hear that he was part of the first team to manufacture a Macintosh outside of California.

Finally, we were given another task to estimate the size of a river. We were split in the groups of five, which allowed us to communicate easily within the group. We were each given a say in how to answer the question, and eventually, we came to an estimate we all agreed on. I think this task highlighted the importance of communication and teamwork. In order to get an answer, we as a group had to come to a consensus answer. It was important that we reached an agreement so that we could come to an answer.

I agree with Salome's point that every successful project needs a manager who is willing and able to communicate with all those involved in the project. If the project manager does not communicate effectively with all those involved in the project, it would be very difficult for the project to be successful, as in a group setting communication is vital

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I found Friday's session with Tom Connolly very helpful. I found Tom Connolly very pleasant and his list of accomplishments is very impressive. The manner in which he spoke to us was very open and encouraging.

The quote from Joy Gumz applies to our session with Tom very clearly. I feel that "but project management is the train engine that moves the organisation forward", applies very specifically to what Tom was speaking about. During the session multiple times Tom made it clear that project management was very important, that many people and the end product of a project really depends on the project manager. Any successful project needs a manager who is willing to communicate with all members of the group and the sponsor as well as outside sources. During the session I also began thinking about how my current actions and inputs will impact my future, everything that I do now is going to affect my self in 5-10 years.

The task that Tom gave us at the beginning of the session, I feel, showed very clearly why a project manager is needed. The class was asked to organize themselves alphabetically. All together we got up and decided that Tom most likely meant by first name basis and to line up in the middle of the room. Not one of us asked any questions to Tom as to how he wanted the task done and as a result we ended up carrying out the task incorrectly. Had we had a project manager in the situation, they would have asked the necessary questions and would have organised us and communicated what needed to be done by each person. Overall I feel the session was extremely beneficial to all of us and I definitely took a lot from it.

In response to Ben's statement, "I believe that good project management is the single most important aspect to any project as poor management can ultimately be the deciding factor behind the success or failure of any project." This is extremely accurate as most of the communication and decision-making is depending on the project manager. It is their job to ensure everything that needs to be done is being done and that it is all done to a high standard and on time.

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After reflecting the quote by Joy Gumz, "Operations keeps the lights on, strategy provides a light at the end of the tunnel, but project management is the train engine that moves the organization forward" and last Friday's class with Tom Connolly, I feel that good project management  by a great leader is the one of the most important aspects of running any successful business. Project management ensures that all members of the team are working together and effectively.

Firstly Tom told the class about himself and his accomplished background. Tom Connolly is an incredibly experienced project manager and has worked in some of the biggest companies in the world such as Apple and he was even part of the team who built the first Macintosh  outside of California which is an incredible achievement in itself.

At the beginning of the class, Tom gave us an exercise where the class had to organize themselves in alphabetical order, but no members of the class stood up and decided to organize things. As a result, no questions were asked and the task was done incorrectly as the members of the group assumed that the task was to be completed by first names and not last names. This, as a result, highlighted to the class that it is essential to ask questions if you are not certain of the answer.

Later in the class, another exercise was given to the class but this time we were divided into smaller groups where I feel that the members felt more comfortable communicating with one another. Each member expressed their opinion and as a result we were able to give our best estimate from the opinions of the members. We worked together to come up with what we thought was an accurate guess. Our approach to the two exercises were completely different as we learned from our mistakes and took Tom's advice on board.

I agree with Josh's point that the two most important characteristics of a good project manager is being a hero and a saint. All good project managers must step up and take charge but they also must be patient with all members and help them through the task.

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I agree with Joy Gumz's quote in relation to project management. I believe that good project management is the single most important aspect to any project as poor management can ultimately be the deciding factor behind the success or failure of any project. It ensures that objectives are clear and focused as well as establishing orderly process - that the correct people for the job are in place to do the right things at the right time. Upon introducing himself the the group I found Tom Connolly's personal profile rather intriguing after discovering aspects of his life such as his involvement with Apple during the eighties and so on. We were asked to align ourselves in alphabetical order and were given no further instruction as to the manner in which this task was to be carried out. There was little communication between us as a group and as a result the task turned out a bit messy. We were also asked to engage in an exercise in estimation, a skill which is quite important to project management. We were asked to guess the length of the River Shannon and unknowns to ourselves we were actually applying recognised estimation techniques in our attempts. Overall I found the session with Tom to be quite thought-provoking as his interactive style of lecturing made me really engage with the lecture content. In response to Jacqueline's entry I would agree that project management cannot take place effectively without the project manager holding the respect of their subordinates.

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The quote from Joy Gumz can relate to our session with Tom Connolly last Friday, very easily. "Strategy provides a light at the end of the tunnel" is a great line from this quote. Tom spoke about the importance of strategy to project management during our class and how its a key feature in getting objectives done quickly and organised.

Tom is a very accomplished individual who is an expert in his field. It was a pleasure to listen to his experiences and his journey through life. One that stood out is how he was part of the team that created the first ever macintosh computer in California.

Tom gave us a task of sorting the class out alphabetically and nobody asked him any details of whether it was first name or last name or where to start. It therefore turned out a bit of a mess and took us a while. The second task were to guess the distance of the river Shannon. Guessing  and predicting is also an important part of what Tom was speaking about. Without the help of computers or any form of technology we had to try and figure out another way of measuring the river.

I agree with Joshua's statement that the two most important characteristics of a project manager are hero and saint. It is important to remember that even though they may get all the praise for a project that goes well. They must also take the blame when the team does wrong. There are both sides to a project manager.

Overall I enjoyed our session with Tom Connolly last Friday. It was very insightful and I learned a lot from the class.

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Upon reflection of the session on Friday 26th October with Tom Connolly where the theme centred around Project Management, I found it to be a very fruitful exercise. Tom opened the session with a few very interesting facts about himself, Instantly I was drawn into his lecture as I was amazed by his credentials. He was a very accomplished professional in his field and being honest I was in awe of some of the things that he had done. He was part of the team that created the first Macintosh computer outside of California, that is quite something and probably something for the history books.
Obviously, he hadn’t spent the whole session talking about himself and I found what he was telling us about project management was very insightful. He gave us the four main characteristics of a project manager and the two which stood out for me were: Hero & Saint. I think that everyone would agree that the leader will take a larger share of the praise if a project succeeds or exceeds expectations and I think that is why many try to be the leader of a certain projects, they want the praise even if they are not fit for the position. I think that’s the reason why we see the emergence of the greatest leaders from the most successful projects, e.g. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates. The other trait is also key, a leader cannot burst with frustration for every mistake that is made by his inferiors/employees/teammates. He must have patience and be able to encourage and forgive no matter how grave the error. I think the two of these traits can also be likened to what Joy Gumz said “...but Project Management is the train engine that moves the organisation forward”. Both of these traits are what would keep a person driven and motivated to finish what they have started and in the most efficient way possible. I found this section of the session very interesting and I have taken a lot away for my own development from it.
Concluding I think what was very clever by Tom was that he made it very simple, accessible and easy to learn. He spoke in a very friendly way and a way in which he did not make the thought of becoming a project manager so daunting. Overall, I was very glad that I was there to bask in the expertise that Tom shared with us on Friday.

With response to Colin's view on project management I would agree totally. "without this key piece the ship may stray off course, be late or begin its task at all" I think this is also key to a project as the people involved may get distracted and go off track without the guidance of project manager and the project may be compromised.

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It is very evident that Joy Gumz quote can be applied to our Project Management class explored with Tom Connolly last Friday.

Joy mentions that the "Operations keep the lights on". I believe that this can be referred to the cooperation of staff in the organization, as last Friday , if none of us participated or were not motivated in the given task such as sorting ourselves alphabetically, the task would not have been achievable or in this case the lights would have been "Off"

He also mentions that "Strategy provides a light at the end of the tunnel". This can be seen in practice last Friday when as a group, we had to decide, where to sort ourselves out but also who to begin with. If as group we couldn't decide where to go or who to start with, we wouldn't have a solid foundation of where to begin or rather have a light at the end of the tunnel.

As important as "Strategy" and "Operations" are, if we didn't have the idea of project management on hand, the main goal of the group, sorting ourselves out alphabetically, then our group as a whole would not have been able to move forward. We would be left pondering how to tackle the given task, unaware as to how important the finer details can be.

I agree with Colin's view that the idea of project management does act as the "enterprise factor", and how it determines, how fast "It reaches that end".

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In your Critical Friends Circle (CFC) discuss Joy Gumz’’s consideration of ‘project management’ in the context of the session on ‘Project Management’ explored with Tom Connolly on Friday 26 th October

Ensure that you post at least once AND respond to at least one post of one of your friends

This Circle Friends Circle Entry closes at 5pm on Weds 31 st Oct, 2018.

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I found Tom Connoly's talk very inspiring, I had never considered the importance of project management and I think now I must reconsider. I agree with this quote as without project management there would be little organization and it would be difficult for the business to succeed. Project management is neccersary for every type of business and I think it is underestimated in the world of competitive fields, I would like to look more into this and learn more about project management.

I liked Karl's reflection as I also found the exercises quite interesting as I find that I learn better when involved and they were very effective in proving a point.