What’s in a name? 

That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

Shakespeare had it right. And today, we have changed our name from Edwards Project Solutions to Edwards Performance Solutions. Does this mean we don’t do project management anymore? No. We have a deep history built on project management expertise, but we wanted to demonstrate that we do more than just project management. Thinking about this, I caught myself wondering “What’s really in a name?”

As kids, most of us prepared for a performance of one sort or another. Whether a concert, a game, a play – most of us spent hours practicing for that next big event. As a kid, I had piano lessons, and once a week, I would walk to the teacher’s house after school for my lesson. Books in hand, I’d trudge home, where I’d be forced to practice for what seemed hours each afternoon, though I’m sure it was only about 30 minutes. One afternoon, after years of fruitless practicing making only minimal progress and during a particularly painful execution of The Sting, my teacher put her hands over mine and gently said, “You’ve gone as far as you can go. There is nothing more I can do for you.”

So, I’m not a musician. In fact, I’m a car guy. To me, the word “performance” usually meant something out of the ordinary, something special. Whether the muscle cars of my youth, European sport cars, or the wide variety of specialty vehicles available today – there was a difference between an ordinary vehicle and a performance car. Whether regarding a vehicle or an event, the word “performance” means something extra, something special – something worthy of notice. Whether pianos or Porsches, what does this have to do with our name?

Consider what goes into preparing for a performance. An individual needs passion to inspire extra effort. Passion motivates a person to do extraordinary things. Passion fuels a willingness to practice basic skills and seek ever-higher levels of proficiency to advance her or his capabilities and achieve increasingly challenging heights. Passion drives a person to persevere through challenges and obstacles to keep reaching higher, further, and deeper.

Pianos and Porsches are tools passionate people use to accomplish their performance goals, whether at a concert hall or screaming around the track. I’m privileged to lead a team of passionate PMPs helping smart people do great things at CMS. Passionate people at Edwards use tools along with years of practice, proficiency, and perseverance to help our clients achieve the extraordinary. And, something else about performance. Once achieved, it fuels the passionate to reach ever-increasing heights.

AUTHOR: BILL CLINE (FRM. SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER)

Bill Cline is a Senior Program Manager with 30+ of experience in federal government, business, legal, and technology endeavors, in the healthcare, legal, financial services, and insurance industries. Bill He applies skills in leadership, listening, planning, problem-solving, research, and communication to ensure client and stakeholder satisfaction.

1 Comment

Comments are closed.