Author: Mafalda Amaro

Dear PMI Switzerland Community,

We are thrilled to share with you the incredible success of our recent social impact initiative, held in collaboration with Bevel World, where we provided project management training to a group of 35 displaced professionals from Ukraine. The event took place on the 24th and 25th of June, and it was an inspiring demonstration of how our collective efforts can make a lasting social impact.

At PMI Switzerland, we believe in the power of our project management community to create positive change. Partnering with Bevel World, an organization committed to social transformation, allowed us to amplify our impact and reach a broader audience. Their expertise in working with displaced individuals created a synergistic partnership that amplified the social outcomes we aim to achieve.

Our team of PMI volunteers shared their project management expertise, guiding participants through modules on project management principles, methodologies, and best practices. Additionally, we emphasized the power skills development, enabling the participants to enhance their communication, collaborative leadership, problem-solving, and strategic thinking.

While we celebrate the achievements of this event, we also recognize the need to continue our efforts to create lasting social impact. We firmly believe that every individual, regardless of their background or circumstances, should have access to opportunities that enable their personal and professional growth.

We invite our community to join our Social Impact & Youth team, as your involvement can make a tangible difference in the lives of those in need.

To learn more and get involved, visit our website or contact our team directly. Together, let's continue leveraging project management for positive social change.

Join us in celebrating this initiative!

Become a Volunteer

Author: Eric Jelenje, PMP

Retrospective on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging: Helping Enhance Sustainability and Competitiveness in Uncertain Times

Over the past three editions of the Newsletter, we have been talking about all things Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB), and their relevance to modern day organizational and project management.

As a continuation, I was privileged to facilitate an evening of conversation around DEI  and its benefits to organizations needing to thrive amidst immense volatility and uncertainty.

Kickstarting proceedings, Adi Muslic, VP for Sponsors and Partners, provided a background to the event’s organization process and a brief overview of the keynote presentation.

The next highlight, a 3-minute monologue on the power of DEI in the work, was an ideal preamble, reinforcing its relevance in the face of talent shortages and societal upheaval in the project economy. The conversation subsequently shifted to the DEI strategy formulation process, referencing  the USA for Africa project as a case study.

Equally as engaging were the exchanges and debates between participants. One such was around balancing data protection legislative compliance with the need for comprehensive data to support decision-making and strategy formulation. 

Others thoughts shared were around organizations displaying “superficial” commitments to DEI, how meaningful action is important and how embracing DEI should not be forceful but organic.

My shared takeaways? 

Context is important. DEI strategy should reflect the uniqueness of circumstances.

Perfection is unrealistic. Every step forward is progress. 

Embrace and balance the use of quantitative and qualitative data.

Concluding the discussions, Adi talked of the Chapter’s ongoing and pipeline initiatives, upcoming events and the Chapter volunteer experience. 

Participants were then treated to a networking apéro in what was the perfect ending to a wonderful evening of networking and conversations.

Interested in attending a future PMI event? Then access the events listing page on the Chapter website and register for the event of your choice.

Author: Joanna Lubowiecka

I am delighted to share with you the key highlights and insights gained from our recent event Collaboration Simplified: Practical Tools to Power Your Projects driven by Stefano Mastrogiacomo in Zurich.

The focus of the event was to improve collaboration and enhance team effectiveness. The event offered practical tips to strengthen teamwork and foster a collaborative culture.

The fundamental aspect we explored was collaboration within teams. By understanding each team member's responsibilities and ensuring a smooth workflow, teams can achieve goals more efficiently.

Simple yet effective collaboration, both within and across teams, proved to be a crucial component for project success. Stefano placed a strong emphasis on creating a supportive work environment that encourages open communication, trust, and respect. When team members feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to freely share ideas, cooperate on projects, and contribute their unique skills and expertise. By fostering a culture of collaboration, teams can unlock their full potential and achieve better results. 

At the event, we had the chance to experiment with a tool provided by the speaker. The purpose was to showcase a practical and effective approach to improving collaboration within a team. Stefano guided us through his approach using the tool, which showed innovative ways to streamline communication, project management, and knowledge sharing. We discovered how we can facilitate seamless collaboration, enabling team members to work together more efficiently regardless of time and location.

Another crucial lesson we learned is the significance of project mission alignment in driving collaboration and team success.

We emphasized the importance of clearly communicating the project's mission and ensuring that each team member understands his or her role in achieving it.

When everyone shares a common purpose and feels a sense of ownership, collaboration becomes more purposeful and focused, resulting in higher levels of engagement and motivation.

Identifying and addressing collaboration blockers and enablers was another key aspect of our discussions. We examined common obstacles that hinder collaboration, such as communication gaps, lack of trust, and resistance to change.

Through interactive sessions, we shared effective approaches to overcome these challenges and create an environment conducive to collaboration. By proactively addressing these blockers, teams can foster a culture of trust, open communication, and cooperation. Showcased real-life examples brought practical insights to understand the topic even better.

We are excited to implement these learnings within our own teams and witness the positive impact they will have on our projects.

Together, let's continue to build a culture of collaboration, where every team member's contribution is valued, and our collective achievements soar to new heights.

Interviewer: Martin Härri, PMP^®, PMI-SP^®, PMI-ACP^®, Director Corporate Relationships PMI Switzerland Chapter

The PMI Swiss Corporate Networking Group (SCNG) is quite a unique organization within PMI, as very few chapters have a formal network which unites not project professionals, but company representatives. The SCNG was created back in 2010 and is bringing together representatives of over 20 organizations based in Switzerland to share best practices and experiences about project management topics of relevance to their companies. More about the PMI SCNG can be found here.

We are publishing portraits of the SCNG members in the newsletter, with a focus on the points that matter most to PMI members. We hope you will enjoy this new series of articles, and we are looking forward to your feedback.

Company: SUNRISE

SCNG member since: July 2011

Interview Partner: Luca Gambini,

Senior Director Business Delivery Partner

“Luca, can you tell us a few words about yourself, and how you got into your current position?”

After graduating with a degree in Business Administration, I joined management consultancy Accenture and worked in various roles on large-scale IT and digital transformations for many different telco companies around the world. In 2014, I moved to Zürich to join Sunrise as Senior Director, leading the Business Delivery Partner department in CIO.

On top of that, I am also a guest Lecturer and speaker holding seminars on Business Organization, Information Systems, Digital Skills, Digital Transformation and Innovation Management in several Swiss, French and Italian universities.

“What kind of projects does Sunrise have?”

At Sunrise we pursue many different types of projects. For example, we work on commercial projects focused on launching new products in the space of mobile, fixnet and entertainment. To this end, we also partner with external players if needed. Alongside this, we launch digital initiatives aimed at improving the customer’s experience at all digital touchpoints. And of course, there are also internal projects to advance the operational efficiency of the company and the experience of our employees.

“How do you govern projects at Sunrise?”

We give our people a framework within which they have great freedom. The framework, which is defined by specific processes and guidelines, serves to ensure that projects are delivered on time, on budget and in high quality. At the same time, we give our project managers the opportunity to run the projects as autonomously as possible and offer them support and coaching along the way.

“Which methodology do you apply when implementing projects?”

In our field, we apply the PMI methodology for big and complex IT implementations, tailoring it to the needs of Sunrise. For initiatives that require fast time to market and/or experimentation, we use agile methodologies.

In general, I believe that every company has a cultural background that shapes the way people work. Methods can set the right guardrails and help create a common framework, but at the end it’s how people use them that makes the difference. 

“In the area of project management, what are the main strengths of Sunrise in your opinion?”

On every project, we work very closely with both the business and the technology unit, which over the years has forged a team of very experienced project managers who are able to cover all the different parts of an initiative: from the technical aspects to the process and people ones. We all work together to achieve success for Sunrise.

“Where do you see the challenges/opportunities and trends for project managers at Sunrise in the coming years?”

For sure Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially Generative AI, will be an important technology that project managers will have to integrate into their work in the coming years. I can only quote what ChatGPT replied when I asked about it: “AI can contribute to project management in several ways, such as automating repetitive and mundane tasks, analyzing big data to provide insights, and facilitating communication and collaboration among team members.” Importantly, in this context, while AI can enhance project management processes, it will complement rather than replace the role of project managers.

“Why should talented project managers and officers work for Sunrise?”

At Sunrise, talented project managers have the opportunity to work in a very dynamic industry where the success of their projects can have a tangible impact on the lives of our customers. Think, for example, of the launch of the 5G mobile network or the first companion device powered by a Sunrise eSIM. And they work in a very diverse and safe environment. This is what makes working here so enjoyable for me, every day.