The year is almost over. After numerous events that I have handled here are three project management lessons that I learned from hindsight.

Plan is not important, Planning is

I read this in one of the project management books that I devoured this year. The more I think about it the more it is alive in my daily encounters.

It only means that if you plan that is a good practice but be prepared to change your plan because the landscape of the project changes. Therefore, planning or re-planning is a must in order to answer the needs of the time.

Less Emotions, More Intelligence

In handling projects you cannot be too emotional. Being emotional because of the many demands a project gives you makes you prone to poor decision making.

It is best to master your emotions. This is hard to do but this is a must. The more you control your emotions that better you are finding rational and sound solutions to a problem.

I have been placed this year in some nerve wrecking situations. I almost cracked. Thankfully, my mind is stronger. This is the reason why I love events as a project. You are given an opportunity to wrestle with yourself and come out victorious.

This learning is the same as GRACE UNDER PRESSURE.

Forward Thinking - Solutions is important than problems

Every time a project presents problems and my staff reports to me about the problems I always say what are your solutions to the problem? This is forward thinking. You cannot do anything about the past. The only thing you can work on is the present. The present are the solutions to close the problem.

I never wallow on the pit of problems. I always swim along the problems and try to reach the shore. Better yet I look for a speedboat and drive over the problems.

If your brain is trained to be like this you can achieve a lot.

This is what I learned and molded me for this year 2012 in events management and project management. This too can help you be a better person in the many endeavors you wanted to embark next year.