In this Edition

Letter From the CMO
Feature Article: Aligning Strategy and Execution
Events: User Conference
On-demand Webinar
Blog Posts: Do Successful Project Managers Guarantee Successful Projects?
The Facebook Imperative that Cannot Be Stopped
Optimizing Defense and Offense in a Recession

Letter From the CMO

@task has strongly embraced social media tools -- LinkedIn, FaceBook, Twitter and blogging -- to engage the entire @task, and extended PPM, community. The @task Blog (blogs.attask.com) has become so popular its content is now being syndicated to hundreds of thousands of project management professionals through Gantthead, IT World, IT Toolbox, PC World and PM Hut. Contributors regularly include @task CEO Scott Johnson, CTO Nate Bowler, VP of Professional Services Jackie Golden, and other members of the @task team. The @task Blog following has grown dramatically due to topical and thought-provoking project management content.

We recognize that social tools -- like The @task Blog -- provide a powerful platform to engage the entire community, invite dialogue, and promote immediate, community-wide recognition for contributors who offer open discussion and helpful ideas. Visit us today at blogs.attask.com and become part of the @task conversation!

Sincerely,
Kevin Hayden
Chief Marketing Officer

Feature Article

Aligning Strategy and Execution: A Better Way to Get Work Done

Depending on your organization, validating that the work being done aligns with business and financial goals is easier said than done, particularly if your organization doesn't naturally think strategically (which some don't). However, in today's economy it's critical. The right work management software can certainly help. The right project management tools allow executives to see down into what's being done by the workforce and confirm that it aligns with their strategy and vision. What's more, the workforce can see and understand just what the vision is… Read the complete article here

Events

Annual @task User Conference – Receive 10 PDUs for Attending

The @task User Conference is less than a month away! This highly interactive event will include 27 breakout sessions, an Olympic Gold Medalist keynote speaker, and a PMI Project of the Year Recipient. @task users from around the world will gather in Salt Lake City, May 11-13, 2010, to address key issues confronting organizations looking to align strategic objectives with project processes and increase efficiencies and ROI in their organizations. Make sure you're one of them.

NEWS: Attendees to the User Conference will receive 10 PDU credits:

• 10.00 PMP®/PgMP®
• 10.00 PMI-SP®
• 10.00 PMI-RMP®

Preliminary Agenda
Register for the Conference

On-demand Webinar: Resource Management Best Practices: 6 Ways to Effectively Manage Demand, Capacity, and Time

Because budgets are still tight and resources are still thin, learning how to effectively manage existing resources is more critical than ever. Knowing how to prioritize demands and understand capacity ensures getting the most important things done within the time frame expected.

With Margo Visitacion of Forrester Research and Amy Dowis of Allconnect
Watch it now

Blog Posts

Do Successful Project Managers Guarantee Successful Projects?

Now considered one of the greatest military figures in history, General George S. Patton never suffered a major defeat in World War II. Credited with introducing armored warfare into the U.S. Army, Patton proved to be one of the most outstanding front-line commanders of the war. "Does a successful project manager = a successful project?" I believe it can. I agree that there is much more to a successful work management approach than establishing milestones and assigning resources. Part of what made the Third Army successful in battle was the leadership of "Old Blood and Guts." Read five leadership skills shared by successful project managers

The Facebook Imperative that Cannot Be Stopped

In a recent guest post on TechCrunch, Salesforce.com's Marc Benioff addresses the "…ruckus across the blogosphere…" created by an earlier post titled, The Facebook Imperative. "Energized" by what he sees as the next generation of collaboration software, he continues, "There are an overwhelming number of you who agree that it's time to transform the business conversation the same way Facebook has changed the consumer conversation." Does that apply to project management software and the way project teams collaborate? I believe it does. However, I think it's less about the particular medium and more about what it is within the medium that fosters the dialog. Read the complete blog post here

Optimizing Defense and Offense in a Recession

In tough times, which is better - cutting headcount, halting expansion, or neither? I recently read an HBR (Harvard Business Review) article titled 'Roaring out of a Recession.' Every CEO's delight would be to exit a recession comparatively stronger than his competition and well poised to gain additional market share. This article focused on companies that have historically been able to pull this off and what key factors are responsible for their post-recession success. Read the complete blog post here