PPP 439 | The Win-Win of Volunteering: How Giving Back Benefits Your Career, with Yasmina Khelifi and Mayte Mata Sivera

Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Yasmina Khelifi and Mayte Mata Sivera, co-authors of The Volunteering Journey to Project Leadership.. Ever feel like you don't have time to volunteer? Yasmina and Mayte share compelling reasons why giving back ends up being a win-win for you and those you are serving. Through personal anecdotes, Yasmina and Mayte illustrate how volunteering can open doors and provide meaningful experiences, such as transitioning from managers to leaders and collaborating on impactful projects like their book. They also offer practical advice on starting small in volunteering, choosing opportunities that bring joy, and leveraging LinkedIn for networking. Want to give back but feel like you don't have time or know where to start? This episode is for you! Sound Bites "Volunteering benefits both you and those you serve." "Start small and evaluate your expectations." "Find something that brings you joy." "There's a great need for the skill sets that project managers and frontline leaders have. We agree that it's important to do, yet in many ways, we're among the busiest of people." "Having this opportunity to experiment with different people helped me to try different styles, to try to find myself as a leader." "I had bad marks in school. I thought you had to be gifted. But thanks to volunteering, I gained confidence. And now I try different things." Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:36 Start Of Interview 01:49 Personal Journeys To Project Management 04:28 The Power Of Volunteering: First Experiences 06:10 Developing Leadership Skills Through Volunteering 14:28 Building Relationships And Networking 18:15 Learning Agility And Personal Development 20:18 Overcoming Design Barriers Through Volunteering 22:00 The Importance Of Starting Small In Volunteering 23:08 Finding Joy In Volunteering 24:13 Memorable Volunteering Experiences 27:18 End Of Interview 27:47 Andy Comments After The Interview 31:08 Outtakes Learn More You can listen to my previous discussion with Yasmina in episode 361. You can connect with Yasmina on LinkedIn here. And connect with Mayte on LinkedIn here. AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed our e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills Topics: Volunteering, Leadership, Project Management, Personal Growth, Networking, Community Service, Professional Development, Learning Agility, Relationships, Mentorship. The following music was used for this episode: Music: Summer Morning Full Version by MusicLFiles License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Tropical Vibe by Winnie the Moog License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license