Grit

We all love a self-help book and confessed bibliophile Eileen pulls out one from her library shelves and shares the highlights.

Eileen discusses the book Grit by Angela Duckworth, focusing on how the concepts of passion and perseverance (grit) relate to personal and professional development, particularly for PMO professionals. Key points include:

1. Concept of Grit: Eileen explains how Angela Duckworth defines grit as a combination of passion and perseverance towards long-term goals. It involves resilience but goes beyond that, requiring sustained effort and intention over time.
2. Growth Mindset: Eileen highlights the importance of a growth mindset, where perseverance and hard work can lead to development, regardless of initial talent levels. She emphasizes that effort and resilience can create new neural pathways, leading to growth.
3. Deliberate Practice: The concept of deliberate practice is about focused effort, setting specific goals, and continuously improving through intentional, targeted work rather than sheer volume.
4. PMO Relevance: Eileen ties the ideas from the book to PMO work, emphasizing that success in a PMO requires grit, focus on aligned goals, and continuous reflection on practice. She notes that the concepts of growth mindset and deliberate practice can be applied to PMO visions and services.
5. Mental Health Benefits: Lastly, she mentions that individuals who develop grit tend to have better mental health and happiness, as they feel a sense of achievement and progress in their work.

Eileen concludes that the book offers valuable insights for PMO professionals aiming to improve their personal effectiveness and organisational impact.