“You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream…”  C.S. Lewis

A constant theme in my work life has been to redefine myself every 4 years or so.  I’m not sure why it happens, but it’s always worked out well.  Maybe it’s why I like project management and consulting.  This work is about redefining things.

Last week I started a new job.  I’m not an independent consultant anymore.  Now, I’m an employee of the State of Washington.  Again.  I spent the first 20 years of my career in the public sector serving in the Air Force and working for Washington State.  Those were good years, but I wanted to see more of the working world.  I wanted to know if people in the private sector worked smarter, harder, or more productively.  After 18 years being part of private companies and owning one, it’s apparent to me that people are the same everywhere.  Everyone is willing to work hard for something and others that they believe in.

My new role is to help people who manage the state’s finances and employees to better visualize the future of their business and systems; and to make decisions about the projects consistent with that vision.  I’m really excited about this new role.  I get to work with people to help them understand their needs, their ideas for a better future, and then find what can go right on the projects that will get them there.  I get to contribute my project management experience to help big important projects succeed.   I’ve done this work without owning the result for a long time.  Now, I’m part of the organization and share responsibility for the results with a lot of smart dedicated people.

I’ve talked with several independent consultant friends about the change.  They all acknowledge that being on your own is empowering and satisfying.  I enjoyed it.  They mostly nod their heads knowingly when I say it will nice to be part of something bigger than me, again.

I’m hoping the best part of the change is that my job requires me to apply my best ideas and practices to fulfill its purpose.  I’m hoping that I will get better at looking for opportunities, imagining perfect outcomes, considering how the journey will make the organization and its people stronger, balancing project management and consulting, and realizing benefits needed from the hard work invested.  It’s time to walk the talk as more than an advisor and consulting project manager.  It’s time to do it every day to make a difference for my organization and the people we serve.

I will continue to share lessons learned mixed in with my regular observations about life, project management, and consulting.  This blog has helped me a lot.  I hope it’s helping you, too.

Thanks for reading.

Copyright  2013 Glenn Briskin and “The Other Side of Risk.”