Overview:

There are many ways to improve your professional knowledge and skills. One way is to increase your knowledge by reading current and relevant project management books. We've created book clubs that are designed to be small discussion groups led by a facilitator.

It's an informal group meeting for a Saturday morning where one person serves as the facilitator to guide and promote discussion. It is an excellent way to meet other chapter members and open a dialogue regarding trends and challenges experienced by those in project management roles.

And, earn PDUs!

Current Book:

Gene Kranz was present at the creation of America's manned space program and was a key player in it for three decades. As a flight director in NASA's Mission Control, Kranz witnessed firsthand the making of history. He participated in the space program from the early days of the Mercury program to the last Apollo mission, and beyond. He endured the disastrous first years when rockets blew up and the United States seemed to fall further behind the Soviet Union in the space race. He helped to launch Alan Shepard and John Glenn, then assumed the flight director's role in the Gemini program, which he guided to fruition. With his teammates, he accepted the challenge to carry out President John F. Kennedy's commitment to land a man on the Moon before the end of the 1960s. Kranz was flight director for both Apollo 11, the mission in which Neil Armstrong fulfilled President Kennedy's pledge, and Apollo 13. He headed the Tiger Team that had to figure out how to bring the three Apollo 13 astronauts safely back to Earth. (In the film Apollo 13, Kranz was played by the actor Ed Harris, who earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance.)

In Failure Is Not an Option, Gene Kranz recounts these thrilling historic events and offers new information about the famous flights. What appeared as nearly flawless missions to the Moon were, in fact, a series of hair-raising near misses. When the space technology failed, as it sometimes did, the controllers' only recourse was to rely on their skills and those of their teammates. Kranz takes us inside Mission Control and introduces us to some of the whiz kids -- still in their twenties, only a few years out of college -- who had to figure it all out as they went along, creating a great and daring enterprise. He reveals behind-the-scenes details to demonstrate the leadership, discipline, trust, and teamwork that made the space program a success.

Finally, Kranz reflects on what has happened to the space program and offers his own bold suggestions about what we ought to be doing in space now.
This is a fascinating firsthand account written by a veteran mission controller of one of America's greatest achievements.

Location:

la Madeleine French Bakery & Café

Cost:

There is no cost to attend this event. Attendees will be responsible for acquiring the book.

Agenda:

The facilitator will open the session and handle the meeting logistics. The group will rate and discuss the selected book.

Other book club business includes:

• Select the meeting facilitator for the next book (volunteer requested)
• Request a volunteer to write a review for the current book to be posted on the chapter website

Want to learn more? See the Book Club webpage.

PDUs:

You can earn PDUs by simply reading the book. Under the new CCRS guidelines, reading is its own category ("Education - Read"). You can earn up to four (4) PDUs for reading the book selection. You will also earn two (2) "Informal Learning" PDUs for attending the meeting. One volunteer will earn an additional "Giving Back - Volunteering" PDU for writing a book review or (2) PDUs for facilitating the meeting.

The alignment to the Talent Triangle will vary based on the book selection. Please note that "Giving Back" PDUs has a maximum allowed per certification cycle.
Please note: Category limitations may apply.

Questions:

If you have questions, please send an e-mail to the book club manager.