1. Two of my favorite activities!
LUNCH AND LEARN
Two of my favorite activities! by
Kathy Schwalbe
PMI-MN
Oct. 12, 2017

2. Building a successful career using a variety of project management skills
Summary of my career path
Examples of project management skills that help in building a career and balancing it with your personal life

3. I didn’t talk until I was 3!

4. I was often bored in school

5. When I was 16, I told my parents I wanted to go to college
When I was 16, I told my parents I wanted to go to college. My dad said, “What do you want to go to college for? You’ll just get married like your sister did!”
Avon, MN 1982

6. But I decided I was just as smart as other kids, and my dad’s “motivation” strategy worked!
Notre Dame, 1981
Notre Dame, 1981
University of Minnesota
Ph.D. 1996

7. Personal experiences motivate people
First dental visit
Sports
School games
Remembering my Uncle Pete’s advice
Taking advantage of opportunities
Helping others who needed more confidence and knowledge

8. The Air Force helped me a lot, financially and in gaining leadership experience and confidence.
Basic training, 1979
Hanscom AFB, 1983

9. Leadership examples Learning to delegate
Boss’s boss’s reaction to inappropriate comments
Seeing that boss’s boss screaming at people
Experimenting with different styles
Being yourself

10. After the Air Force
We had two children before my husband got out of graduate school – off to St Louis
McDonnel Aircraft Company (now part of Boeing) was the place to be
Practiced more skills in communications, technology, and teamwork
Shocked to be on the “lay off list” after several rounds of layoffs

11. Communications skills
Being “astute”
Developing empathy
Practicing speaking skills
Being noticed for good writing skills

12. After Boeing
Took a risk and became an independent consultant at an oil company
Spent more money and got more projects done in 9 months than the previous 10 years!
Developed more skills in leadership, negotiating, stakeholder engagement, technology, mentoring, and entrepreneurship
Was also yelled at by my boss for the first time!

13. Move to academia
I always told my students I could afford to go into teaching after being an independent consultant!
Envied the lifestyle, learned pretty quickly how to focus on student learning and knowledge transfer versus just teaching, discovered my knack for writing
Taught at Augsburg College for 24 years (adjunct at the U of MN for 7 years)
Wrote my first book in 1999, now working on the ninth edition of IT Project Management; self- published the sixth edition of An Introduction to Project Management in Sep 2017; working on second edition of Healthcare Project Management
Retired from teaching to have more time for writing and my personal life; found my passion and purpose

14. I never imagined I’d end up being a teacher or a writer/publisher.
Last PM class at Augsburg, May 2015

15. So, What Words of Wisdom Can I Share With You?
Take advantage of opportunities
Necessity is the mother of invention; reason I started writing books!
Don’t be afraid to take risks; it’s never too late to try something new

16. Learn From Others, and Keep Learning
My Ph.D. program included a course called Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
What part of learning is really in a teacher’s control?
Structure of the course
Clarity of presentation
I continue to learn by taking Master Classes, reading a lot, and connecting with others

17. Life is precious; take time to enjoy it!

18. Questions? Feel free to contact me at schwalbe@augsburg.edu
(pmtexts.com)