Welcome to the 4PM Podcast
In this first episode of the 4PM podcast, we will cover four topics to introduce our new podcast and other relevant information. The podcast is part of the UrukPM Outreach Trio, including our YouTube Channel, Blog Site, and the 4PM Podcast. In addition to the Outreach Trio, we have many books and ebooks. Further, we also have Expert Talks, which is in Arabic.
The first episode is in four parts:
Part 1: Houston’s Legacy
Part 2: Traveling through time to Uruk
Part 3: Who am I?
Part 4: What is the 4PM Podcast?
Synchronizing the Podcast with the Blog
Our intent is that every Wednesday, we will release a new podcast episode, and then, on Thursday of the same week, we will release a related blog article. The intent is not to publish a transcript. Instead, we will post a summary of the episode, primarily to share any graphical content that would aid in understanding the audio message. In some situations, we might even have a relevant video.
Currently, we titled our podcast as The 4PM Podcast. However, our YouTube Channel and Blog Site carry the title “Applied Project Management”. What do you think, should we unify the title? If yes, what would be your suggestion?
Houston’s Legacy
We are based in Houston, Texas, United States of America. Houston is our home. Subsequently, an introduction to this diverse city is necessary. Houston is well-known for a few things, including what I like to refer to as EMS. EMS refers to the three main sectors that Houston is famous for. These are Energy, Medical, and Space. Would Houston become a hub for technology, competing with Austin or Silicon Valley? Well, maybe not soon, but tech is an emerging sector in Houston, and it is one of the reasons we are here!
Traveling through time to Uruk
Do you believe in time travel?
Well, we can imagine traveling back to Mesopotamia and the Sumerian civilization. Do not worry; it was only a few thousand years ago.
Why travel to the land of Sumer?
According to Professor Samuel Noah Kramer, who is known as a Sumerologist. He wrote about History Begins at Sumer and mentioned 39 firsts. These are 39 things established in Sumer, but we continue to use them today. For example, a system of justice, formal education, and the first love songs are among the 39 firsts of history.
The Uruk Connection
Uruk is famous for the Epic of Gilgamesh, among many other innovations. Uruk was the most important city of that time and the birthplace of numerous inventions. It was a city in Sumer, and my late partner, Neville Goedhals, picked up the name for our innovative Uruk Platform, which later became the brand we use today, Uruk Project Management.
Who am I?
Nicknames: The Ice Man, Santa Claus, The PM Coach, and most recently, the Uruk Coach.
I’m Mounir Ajam, a Lebanese immigrant who was once a refugee. I am a husband, a father of two Aggies, a globe traveler, and an inquisitive individual. I have lived and worked in many countries and traveled to many more.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering (University of Houston), I worked in the field for a while before going back to school and obtaining a master’s degree in the same field from the University of California Berkeley. Since 1990, I have focused on engineering and construction management.
I am a project management learner, advisor, and consultant. I have worked on project in various industries, in different roles and on projects of different sizes and complexities (up to megaprojects (more than US$1 billion). An author who has published five print books and 17 ebooks, with more to come. I am the innovator of the Uruk Platform and the founder of Uruk Project Management.
What is the 4PM Podcast?
It is time to share some thoughts about the 4PM podcast.
In this context, 4PM is not about time, although we plan to publish new episodes at 4 pm.
The 4PM in our podcast name means project, program, product, and portfolio management.
Subsequently, our focus is on the broader sense of project management, which includes the 4PM along with other relevant topics, such as OPM (Organizational Project Management) and PMO (Project Management Office).
The ultimate objective is “Integrations to deliver value.” However, to achieve value, we need to transform the project management state of practice.
Closing remarks
We are excited to start this podcasting journey, mainly as we synchronize our work through the Outreach Trio. We are anxious to hear your feedback, questions, suggestions, critique, or debate. Please like, follow, share, and, most importantly, engage with us as we create this community and promote the strategic value of project management.
The Uruk Coach, Mounir
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