MIS Defense
I had no idea that being an MIS panelist could be so fun. A lot of things change once you’re on the other side of the fence.
Dynamic. Unlike rehearsed speeches that we prepared a year or so ago, being a panelist is more free-flowing than water falling from the Pagsanjan Falls. You get to think more - anticipating the unknown and reacting to whatever the presenting group has said or written down in their report.
Creative. Since it is a project defense, panelists are ordered to attack. However, it’s not about attacks that will cripple the group and send them crying on the way out, its about attacks that will make the group and the project better in the long run. For example, Jonathan had me ask a question to the presenting groups that he got from Sir Gan and Sir Olpoc:
Who are you going to remove from your group [of five], so that the remaining four can still finish the project?
It might not mean much to you right now, but you can just imagine how red the people turned when they were asked the question during the presentation.
One of the presentors told me, “Sir, that’s such a mean question.”
Hehe. I am asking this not to point out the weakest link nor to incite insurrection, but because I want to know how else the group can improve in terms of the internal relationships. It’s not about what’s bad, it’s about what else can be improved.
Learning. I also learned a lot from the experience. My fellow panelists, hailing from different industries, gave business-relevant questions that outlined the fundamentals of project management. For most projects, most concerns are about making sure that the project meets its objectives while working within its constraints (time, quality or cost).
If ever another paneling opportunity comes up in the future, I’ll do anything to be in one again.