It has long been known that the key to the development of any individual or organization is Change. Although often associated with fear, uncertainty and high risk, usually becomes a new beginning and a step forward.
We, PM Experts, also had to make the decision to make changes. We knew that we wanted to develop, provide the highest quality products and services, and also find a place that would be a center of new energy driving us to act in new realities. We decided to spread our sails and sail to Łódź.
Would PM Experts decide to open a sales office here if it weren’t for the pandemic? It is difficult to find an answer to this question today. However, if I think about it more, I can say that it is the best possible choice. Firstly – location in the center of Poland, guaranteeing quick access to customers. Second: the team. This is where the vast majority of people who create the company come from. Many months of remote work made each of them dream that we could finally start spending time together. The decision to look for a premises in Łódź was almost obvious from the very beginning.
What is also attractive about this city is its history. The “Promised Land” still tempts many investors with both Polish and foreign capital. It was here that trade flourished almost 200 years ago, and the largest factory fortunes began to arise in place of the industrial settlement. Some of them, although in a different form and time, still present their craftsmanship and arouse the appetite of companies to locate their businesses here and fulfill the “American dream”.
This is where my adventure begins, in which I had to face quite a challenge – moving the current office to a new place. So I took on the role project manager since moving.
For the project to be completed within the stipulated time with project team we have prepared a plan and work division structure. Thanks to this, it was possible to plan what activity was to be performed on a given day and who was to be responsible for it. So, as the project manager, I distributed the tasks to my colleagues and went to Warsaw myself.
In this case, you can say that not only did I become a PM, but I also took on the role of Sherlock Holmes. I wouldn’t be lying if I said that everyone did project manager he should also have the features of a good detective – for the project to be carried out effectively, inquisitiveness, the ability to combine facts and often intuition are required. It was no different in this case.
Imagine my reaction after entering a familiar place after almost 1.5 years. Not only did I have to take stock of items and separate company items from those that belonged to the owner of the premises rented by the company, but I also felt almost like I was in a time capsule, recognizing familiar items and places that brought back memories.
Despite the fact that I was really emotional, I had to keep my mind clear and start sorting things out. Thanks to the training “Project Management in Organizations” I remembered that I had to include everyone in my plans stakeholders – The management board, friends, the owner of the premises or a company dealing with the practical aspect of moving. In my opinion, I managed to complete this task without any reservations.
Moreover, I experienced firsthand what it is like manage change. And I mean not so much the entire project, but the situations that were not taken into account during it risk planning. I’m sure many of you have experienced changes in plans at the last minute. So no one will be surprised by the fact that this also happened in this case. The team’s arrival date changed within an hour, and it finally turned out that the move would take place a day later. There was nothing left for me to do but mentally assume a lotus flower pose and, without wasting any time, return to our clients.
The next day I had the support of a friend who was eager to help. In the morning, gentlemen from the moving company also showed up. Thanks to this, I could devote myself to coordinating the work on refreshing the premises. I must admit that this was definitely the theme of the day team management. Delegating tasks, their monitoring and control requires quite a lot of logistics. At the same time, several people worked to make the entire process run as smoothly as possible. Thanks to the competences acquired during our training, we managed to transport all the items most important for further functioning without any problems.
When I look at the whole project now, it seems to me that it was extremely easy. However, anyone who has had the opportunity to encounter a similar situation will understand how false this impression is. The moving process requires, above all, good action plan. Thanks to it, each project will increase its chances of being successful – as it happened in our case. From now on, we are in a new space where working will be a pleasure and where we will be able to work towards mutual successes.
