I just got back Thursday night from my appearance at the AtTask Work Managment Summit 2011 (WorkOut2011).  I had an amazing time. I had an opportunity to be on a panel and be part of one of the Keynotes (YouTube videos are coming).  But, the post about the AtTask conference is still to come.  Until then, I’m happy to announce that my talk has been accepted at the Great Lakes Software Excellence Conference (GLSEC).  I will be presenting my talk Breaking the Law of Bureaucracy, April 16.For the last few years, I’ve been advising a Federal PMO. I know, old news.  But, something has been eating away at me that I just couldn’t put a finger on.  It’s the amazing level of tolerated bureaucracy. See, in the Federal Government, I think the Law of Bureaucracy can be stronger than the Law of Gravity!  Sometimes (not always) people don’t care what the primary goals of the project are.  They put their own goals ahead of the project.  As an example of egoism, they impede progress or the delivery of value, while furthering their own agendas.

I feel life has to be more than just opportunities to complain about things.  It’s a series of opportunities to help people and make thing better than how you’ve found them.  So, I started work on an article for PM Network magazine, with a proposal of ways to break this Law. As part of the process, I started to package my idea in a presentable “talk” format.  So, before I left for Salt Lake City, I submitted my proposal.

I actually was unsure how it would be received.  But, while I was at WorkOut 2011, I saw Donna Fitzerald of Garter unknowingly mentioned details of my talk as part of her presentation (Embracing Agile Leadership: Making Better, Faster, Cheaper a Reality).  That’s justification enough for me, to believe I was on the right track.

So, though finishing my zombie book is still at the top of my list, I’m really looking forward to standing in front of a room and giving this talk.

3 for the price of 1!

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Related posts:

1. Speaking at AgileDC 2011
2. My GLSEC Talk on Slideshare
3. 2011 Resolutions WIP
4. The Iron Law of Bureaucracy versus ICAgile
5. GLSEC Retrospective