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PROUDLY PRESENTS
Rino Nadeau
Resident of Canada and 3-DNET® VIP member
Email contact : exec@exec.org
INTERVIEW WITH 3-DNET® Interview in French
Listen to sample sound "bites" from the interview:
Question 1 : Tell me about yourself
I would define myself as a very positive and dynamic person, full of energy and always ready to help people at all times. Having been all my life in different sports, it is very important to be in a healthy mind and body in order to be efficient and effective at everything that I do. Also, as a natural leader, I have been lucky to attract very good friends and people around me with whom we can share our ambitions, feelings and mutual experiences.
On the employment side, I have a participation type of leadership, where its encouraged in working together as a team at all times, to achieve established objectives.Question 2 : What can you offer to your next employer ?
For the last 22 years as an IT Consultant and especially for the last 12 years, my main objective was to be on top of technology at all times as an experienced Project Manager, by doing projects as an IT Architect. Also, major roles were played in overseas projects in Morocco and France. I can say now, that I am a very versatile person able to adapt quickly to all situations and challenges.
Today, I am an accomplished Senior Project Manager, especially with the latest role that was played as a PMO (Project Management Officer) for Hydro Quebec’s Project Office.
With all these experiences and expertise, it is now time for my next challenge with what will be offered by my next employer; having full confidence that success is the only result.Question 3 : What are your strengths ?
My strengths (Management and Technology). Management is my ability to bring people together, in an organized manner, enabling them to develop their full potential within the framework of a project in order to accomplish these desired objectives.
Technology being an experienced IT Architect and Integrator able to assess the right technology balance according to the client’s requirements.
I always see myself as a boat captain, in which we sail together in the same direction having the same goals, knowing that each person as an important role to play and in working together, we will accomplish these goals.Question 4 : What are your accomplishments ?
The first one was the start-up of an IT Consultant Office in Morocco and at the same time, rebuilding the Bank’s IT applications, for the Head Office and all its branches. Also, having to manage the constraints of culture, resources and different management styles, helped to contribute, in quickly adapting to any situation, by finding innovative and simple solutions, to each new challenge.
The second recent accomplishment was designing an integrated end-to-end B2B architecture with different ISP/ASP providers. That integrated banking solution along with multi-domain project teams, was also successfully implemented.Question 5 : What are your limitations ?
Because I am a sensitive person, it is important for me to be accepted and respected. The first thing that is important is developing a good working relationship with my employer and project resources. As a Consultant, it is always my policy to give added value to everything that is done. It makes me feel good and management appreciates it.
Question 6 : How much are you worth ?
Having been an IT Consultant for 22 years, I was often offered a good balance between the proposed role and responsibilities and my money’s worth. For me, my next employer will get more than is money’s worth.
Question 7 : What are your ambitions for the future ?
For the future, as a Program Manager or Senior Project Manager, my objective would be to manage multiple projects internationally. I am looking forward for this new challenge and experience that will help me to grow professionally and hopefully contribute to the company’s financial growth.
Question 8 : How long would it take you start contributing to the firm?
Right away. As an experienced Consultant, it is common knowledge to be productive from the start by getting prepared beforehand, in order to be productive and to bring added value, based on the accumulated experience and expertise.
Question 9: What is your management style?
My management style is participative in working together as a team at all times (for ex: exchanging ideas and solutions). All for one and one for all is my motto. Also, as a dynamic and positive person, it automatically brings a lot of energy to the working environment. It is important for me, that everything is organized in a structured manner and that everyone knows what he/she as to do. The result is people are empowered in doing their jobs.
Question 10: Why do you think you have a good potential to be a manager?
Because of all the projects success realized over the years and with the good comments that were received by both my employers and staff. For the past 12 years, different management roles were played for different clients in Canada and abroad. All these responsibilities gave me a broad range of project management experiences and confidence. That surely contributes in making me a good manager.
>Question 11: What would you look for hiring people? Why do you think you have a good potential to be a manager?
As an experienced Project Manager and having hired a lot of people, I am always looking for people to be: qualified, open minded, positive, able to adapt quickly, team worker, flexible, productive, able to listen and communicate effectively and passionate in what they do.
Because, you always look in others the qualities that you already have, and hopefully with those qualities present in each hired person, the chances of succeeding in a project is that much better combined with good leadership and common sense.
Question 12: As a manager, have you ever had to fire someone?
Yes of course. The first time, I felt uncomfortable because of all the implications. When you fire someone, it is not easy, but sometimes it is better to fire somebody, knowing that you are helping the project and helping that person in assessing is own career.
Question 13: What do you see as the most difficult task of being a manager?
On projects, staffing the right balance of people (internal & external), in order to fill the vacant role and responsibilities. Also, keeping all these resources motivated and productive from the beginning to the end of the projects, to me is the most difficult task.
Question 14: Describe what you feel is the best work environment?
To me, the best working environment is when people are empowered at being in the right place according to their experience and potential, loving what they do, being appreciated along with good communication and mutual respect.
Question 15: Looking back how do you describe your past employer?
Through my career as an IT Consultant, I had the opportunity to play different roles at Hydro Quebec. My last experience was a mandate to work as PMO (Project Management Officer) in which over 20 project managers at a time were supervised. It was a wonderful experience having the chance to meet again, a lot of people from past experiences.
Also, I wanted to contribute to the maturity of the Project Office in which was developed the Risk Management processes and tools that consisted in identifying and managing the project risks.
One last objective achieved with the Project Office was to complete my toolbox of Project Management Best Practices helping me to improve myself as Senior Project Manager.
Question 16: What have you done to increase productivity, performance, efficiency, etc..?
As a PMO Officer, my responsibilities were to manage the initiation, execution, control and closing processes of an average of 20 projects at a time. As such, it was important with each project manager to ensure, that the project was on scope, within cost, time, quality and manageable risks.
With each meeting session, together we looked for ways to improve productivity, performance and efficiency using the Project Office status report (ex: performance and variation indicators) that could be used in helping to create an action plan to correct the situation, if necessary.
Question 17: Whether you are a "computer wizard", how do you respond to the financial side of your responsibilities?
As Manager, one of the project’s objectives is to ensure that each project is within the planned costs. It is my responsibility, along with the staff, to effectively manage costs through regular project status meetings and recommend the corrective actions to these variances, if need be.
Also, having played different executive roles with different Consulting firms as an IT development director, internal projects were initiated and implemented because I felt this entrepreneurship urge to make a contribution, to the well being of this company. It is felt that I have a role to play in helping it to grow financially. It was always my ambition to start my own. So when I work for an employer, it is like it was my own.
Question 18: How many people have you supervised in your recent job?
As was said earlier, as a PMO Officer, I supervised over 20 Project Managers at Hydro Quebec. Previously, as a Senior Project Manager, over 40 people were managed for the implementation of an end-to-end integrated B2B project at Visa Desjardins in Montreal.
Question 19: What do you like more, working with figures or words?
In project management, it is important to master both. Figures in preparing the project plan (for ex: scope, estimated efforts, overall costs) and words in preparing a presentation in order to sell the project plan to my boss.
Question 20: How do you think that your subordinates receive you?
In general, my subordinates respect me. They have my full respect. It works both ways. Also, when a project is finished and we get together to celebrate, everyone is happy for what has been accomplished and also in having worked together as a team.
Question 21: What do you think of your previous boss?
In the beginning, I found that my boss had a military style with sometimes a tough way of talking to us and other colleagues. But after a while, I started to understand who he was. He was the person who implemented the Project Office from scratch and he made the reputation of having the best one in the Province of Quebec. So, he is a proud person with a lot of discipline and it takes a lot of that to have an effective Project Office.
I learned to respect him and we developed together a great relationship. With that mutual respect, he gave me the opportunity to prove myself with success on high visibility projects.
Question 22: Describe a situation in which your work was criticized?
In 1990, I was sent overseas for a contract in Morocco with the responsibility of starting an IT Consulting office and rebuilding the applications of the bank’s Head Office and Branches. It was an enormous task in a country that I didn’t always understand the culture and politics. It think a great job was done but was sometimes criticized, simply because the communication channel was not clear enough and not well understood by all stakeholders.
A lot was learned from that experience and I improved this communication weakness. Today, communicating is part of my strengths.
Question 23: If I spoke with your boss what he would say about your greatest strength and weaknesses?
He would say that my strengths are: hard worker, leader, dynamic with a lot of energy, positive, organized and at ease in communicating with others both verbally and in writing. He would also say that working with me is a lot of fun, that my work is taken seriously and that I do not take myself seriously.
My weakness would be that patience is not always present when things don't go the way that is anticipated.
Question 24: How can you handle life under pressure and with tough deadlines?
Handling pressure and tough deadlines are some of my strengths. Lets take a project for example that has a deliverable that has to be finished earlier than planned. I get into an organizational mode and everything that has to be done is planned in detail. Everyone is explained the situation and understands that the stakes are high and that we have to take the proper steps (overtime, weekends, etc.) in order to be sure that the date and quality is respected. It’s a team effort.
InIn my personal life it is the same. To me handling pressure and deadlines takes a lot of planning and organization along with a good deal of confidence that you will succeed. It is funny that when under pressure, how many good ideas come out very quickly. Overall, I am more effective under pressure.
Question 25: What do you think you do better: staff work or line work?
I have played both roles successfully knowing that staff work involves counseling. You have to use a lot of leadership, good judgment and good communication to sell your ideas in an organized manner to your boss. You don’t have any staff working for you.
Line work involves managing your resources in helping them to attain their professional objectives and for them to contribute to the company’s professional objectives. Line work for me is more fulfilling. I like the dynamics of working together as a team and feeling responsible as a manager. It makes me feel proud of myself.
Question 26: In your current position, what problem have you identified that was previously overlooked?
With my last mandate at Hydro Quebec as PMO (Project Management Officer), Risk Management was not a priority. I proposed to my boss if he could make it an internal project. He agreed. A colleague and myself worked on improving the Risk questionnaire tool by using best practice examples used on today’s market. At the initiation process of a new project, Risk analysis was initiated with each Project Manager, to see if there were important risks to be identified and eliminated, if possible. Otherwise, a mitigation measure would be used to control the risk.
When this mandate was completed, risk management was an integrated part of the project management processes in helping to contribute to the success of any project.
Question 27: If you had a choice of job and a company what would you choose?
To me, people are the most important element combined with good working conditions and a good working environment. If the chemistry is there and happy with the negotiated conditions, then I will choose this company any time.
Question 28:Do you have any objection to take a psychological test?
No objection at all. It would surely be a good experience.
Question 29: Do you consider yourself as a creative person?
Yes, very much so. I have a lot of imagination and always looking for new ways of doing things easier and in a simpler fashion. To me time is important let’s use it intelligently.
Question 30: How do you describe your personality?
Very positive and dynamic with a lot of energy and always trying to use it effectively. I smile a lot and like to enjoy myself both on and off the job. Being an athletic type of person, I am always motivated in doing a lot of sports. Routine is kept to a minimum. To me a healthy mind and a healthy body are both very important to be effective and happy in life.
Question 31: What is your outside reading you do?
Everyday on the Internet, I read the international news to keep up to date, to what is going on in this world. Also, I always have 2 to 3 books that are being read at different intervals, with subjects such as: “Project management”, “How to live fully each moment” and “spirituality”. I am a member of the PMI network magazine in which there is a lot of interesting project management subjects to read and integrate.
Question 32: What are some of your outside activities?
I like to travel abroad and discover new cultures and people. Also, Trekking in the mountains where the challenge, the view and the feeling of liberty are worth the sweat. As an adventurer type, exploring new horizons is always motivating. Finally, I enjoy sports such as: Tennis, cycling, jogging, skiing and golf, tennis being my favorite.
Question 33: Are you continuing your education?
In project management, we have to be continually on top of things. I am presently studying to become a PMP (Project Management Professional) with the Project Management Institute. This is my objective to be certified by the end of October 2002.
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