About Me

My name is Anastazja Michalak.

On June 1st, 2014, I turned my life around by 180 degrees...

New Country

The Atos recruitment team from Bydgoszcz (Poland) discovered my LinkedIn profile and offered the position of a 1st Line Support Engineer. With no prior IT experience but possessing strong communication skills and fluency in both English and German, I successfully navigated through multiple interview stages. Given a one-month window to relocate to Poland, I embraced this challenge and accepted the offer.

New Career

My first year as a first-line support engineer in an international company and a new country proved to be highly productive and filled with achievements. I volunteered at PMI (Project Management Institute), completed postgraduate studies in Advanced Project and Program Management, earned my first IT certifications, enhanced my proficiency in the Polish language, successfully completed the ''Licence to Lead'' leadership program at Atos, and secured a new role as an IT Project Lead at Alcatel-Lucent company.

New Life

Beginning a life from scratch is never easy. I left my home, family and friends in Ukraine and came to Poland to start from zero. I had no one in Poland; everything and everybody were new. This became a powerful life experience that has guided me since then. I was fortunate to meet extraordinary people who welcomed me into their lives. Their friendship and support played a crucial role in me building a new life in a new country.

About my career and experience
in Project Management

Becoming professional in project management is not a single big step, but rather a combination of many small and deliberate steps. Below you will gain a perspective on the experiences I have accumulated. This journey is ongoing.

My journey in project management kicked off with the management of infrastructure projects at Alcatel-Lucent (Nokia), where I led remote hardware installation projects within the telecommunication sector.  Later on, at IBM, I took leadership over the Cloud infrastructure  transition & transformation projects.

Motivated by a growing interest in agile methodologies, I chose to transition to software companies to acquire hands-on experience in Scrum, Kanban, and Scaled Agile. This strategic decision empowered me to refine my skills in managing software development projects, leading agile teams, and growing technical expertise. 

As my experience grew, I learned how to establish a project management framework from scratch, build effective processes, and tailor them to fit the unique requirements of each project. I defined communication strategies, outlined approaches to managing scope, time, and quality, engaged stakeholders, fostered team collaboration, and identified the essential tools and processes necessary for smooth project delivery.

In certain roles, I actively participated in the pre-sale process, providing me with invaluable insights into estimating and pricing IT projects. This involved defining the initial scope, timelines, and resource requirements. This experience gave me a broader perspective on the art of selling IT projects to customers. This firsthand experience deepened my understanding of project initiation and reinforced my commitment to ensuring the success of each project, particularly after realizing the considerable effort involved in securing each new project.

Some of my roles extended beyond project management and included people management responsibilities. I recruited IT professionals and project managers,  helped people grow in their careers and skills, determined salaries, planned promotions, and supported their professional growth. 

Overseeing several projects simultaneously became second nature to me. I had an amazing opportunity to take on responsibilities as a program and portfolio manager, overseeing multiple accounts with various projects, facilitating account development, and establishing structures to ensure smooth delivery. This gave a good perspective on scaling.

My experience extended to procurement, contract management, and negotiations. Handling challenging conversations with clients became an important aspect of my job, offering continuous learning experiences that proved valuable both professionally and personally. Budget management became one of the key skills, that helped in understanding the approach to pricing projects, controlling project profitability and ROI.

Finally, one of the most valuable aspects of my experience was witnessing project management, agile delivery, program and account management in real-life scenarios. This exposure highlighted the tangible differences between theory and practice, providing me with a realistic perspective on management

A few facts about me:​

  • I speak Ukrainian, English, Polish, German and Russian.
  • I have a cat - exotic shorthair.
  • I can play piano.
  • I love traveling.
  • I am a strong supporter of investment in personal growth and education.
  • I love books. I have collected more books than I have a physical capacity to read.
  • Planning is my second nature. At work and in personal life.
  • Communication is my super power.

My Mission

I'm here to help you become an exceptional Project Management Professional

Since 2014, I’ve been tirelessly building my career in Project Management, gaining hands-on experience and practical knowledge. In my early days, I faced challenges, learned from mistakes, and steadily developed my skills. I wished for guidance, but mentorship was scarce. This situation resonates with many aspiring project managers dealing with questions like: How do I start? How do I enter the field of project management? Which certifications are valuable? How do I manage projects effectively and lead my teams? How do I grow in my career?

My Mission is to help you find answers. I aim to guide both experienced and emerging project managers in defining their career paths, striving for excellence, and becoming indispensable experts. Together, we can cultivate a new generation of project managers ready to thrive in an industry that demands exceptional proficiency

Bridge the gap between theory and practice

As a dedicated practitioner, my greatest strength lies in my ability to apply project management principles and best practices in real-life projects. I am committed to standing by your side, offering valuable practical knowledge and solutions. No more fire-fighting, no more burnout, no more missed deadlines, no more red projects, no more continuous stress. Instead, expect established processes, motivated teams, customer trust, engaged stakeholders, continuous planning, mitigated risks, controlled budgets, quality and scope, and a trusted advisor in Agile, Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, LESS, and Project Management.

My Vision

My Values

Ownership

Leadership is always about ownership. It is about finding a way to make things work, rather than finding external excuses.

Professionalism

Professionalism is not a job, it is a mindset. Always remember that the world is not changed by opinions but by your own personal example. 

Communication

Effective communication is the key to success in any professional field. This skill – is the most important skill. 

My Value Offer

Mentorship

“The best investment you can make, is an investment in yourself… The more you learn, the more you’ll earn”.

Warren Buffet

I act as a trusted advisor in your project management career. Whether you need insights for transitioning into IT and project management, assistance with organizing processes for a challenging project, guidance for starting a new project, or general advice, I’m here for you as your mentor and coach. Let’s collaborate to meet your specific requirements and achieve success together.

Consulting

“My greatest strengths as a consultant is to be ignorant and ask a few questions.” 

Peter Drucker

I provide comprehensive expertise to implement industry-leading project management practices, ensuring long-term benefits for your organization. From establishing effective processes to fostering high-performing teams, my goal is to make a lasting impact on your company and customer success. Expect enhanced structure, improved efficiency, cost savings, increased revenue, well-established client relationships, reduced attrition, and heightened satisfaction. 

Education

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.

Nelson Mandela

As an educator, I have developed and delivered a series of project management courses to a diverse cohort of students. By sharing my knowledge and expertise, I have empowered individuals to embark on successful project management careers and enhance the effectiveness of their ongoing projects. Recognizing the value of knowledge, I strive to be a linchpin in any organization by equipping others with the skills necessary to make a significant impact.

Interested?

Contact Me
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