The past year was a milestone in project management for the socialbee team. In close cooperation with the “Social Responsibility Program” of the PMI Germany Chapter e. V., especially with the volunteer Marcus Andrä, the team was able to gain valuable knowledge and skills that have taken the work in projects to a higher level. Miriam van Laak, manager at socialbee, expressed her sincere thanks for the support and mentoring, which enabled her team to grow both professionally and personally.

The support was kicked off with 1:1 mentoring by Jörg Glunde (Vice President Members and responsible for the Social Responsibility Program in the Chapter), Dr. Werner Waldner (Head of Social Responsibility Program in the South Region) and Marcus Andrä (Volunteer in the Social Responsibility Program). A series of individual and group sessions covered key project management topics that are crucial to the success of any project. In the group coaching sessions conducted by Marcus, the “Role of the Project Manager”, “Self-Organization & Best Practices”, “Facilitating Meetings Efficiently” and “Decision Making & Risk Assessment” were among the topics covered in depth.

A key focus was on the role of project managers. “We worked intensively on our role as project managers and were able to significantly improve our understanding and practical skills,” explains Ms. van Laak. Reflecting on and examining their own role helped the team to approach project management in a more targeted and efficient way.

The topics of “Decision-making and risk assessment” were also dealt with in depth. The aim was to make well-founded decisions and correctly assess risks, supported by appropriate templates and criteria. Skills that are essential for the successful management of projects.

Marcus also supported the socialbee team in structuring and optimizing processes. “Thanks to the clear structure and well thought-out processes, we were able to significantly improve the way we work,” continues Ms. van Laak. This increased efficiency not only brought benefits for the team, but also made a significant contribution to further increasing and sustainably ensuring customer satisfaction at socialbee.

Marcus, who has been working as a volunteer in the Social Responsibility department since April 2017, sums up: “It was a great pleasure to support the socialbee team! The mentoring has also provided me with exciting insights, especially on the topics of self-reflection, communication and coaching as well as the perspectives and ideas of the socialbee team.”

“Thank you, Marcus, for taking on and carrying out this project. You have shown social responsibility!” With these words, Jörg Glunde (VP Members) praised his outstanding commitment and the impressive results.

The experience report once again underlines the importance of committed volunteers who not only contribute their professional expertise, but also take on responsibility and pass on their knowledge.