THE CAKE
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Luis Dávila, PMP.
The Cake
Successful projects with purpose
www.luisdavila.org
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First English Edition (2015)
Valencia, Venezuela
All rights reserved
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To you God
To you Jesus Christ
To you Holy Spirit
To you son, my biggest blessing
To you father, my continuous support
To you mother, my best literary guide
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Contents
Introduction ................................................................. 9
Doing things right… ................................................. 17
I BEGINNING ........................................................... 29
For who? ................................................................... 31
When? ...........................................................................
Where?..........................................................................
Why? .............................................................................
What for? ......................................................................
What to do? ..................................................................
II Planning .....................................................................
How to do it? ................................................................
III PERFORMANCE ....................................................
Doing what’s necessary? ............................................
IV FOLLOW UP ...........................................................
How are we doing? ......................................................
V CLOSING ..................................................................
Did you like it? ..............................................................
Reaching excellence ...................................................
References ...................................................................
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Introduction
From the beginning of time man has
performed, using his hands, different
actions that lead to our current evolution.
Despite the technological advances the
human being is still responsible for the
activities that influence individual and
collective wellbeing, day to day.
His spirituality has driven him to trust on
the
divine
wisdom
to
achieve
unimaginable results. God taught us in His
words that all we do with our hands we
must do well, He wishes for us to aim
towards
excellence
in
each
activity
because of that, He has given wisdom to
the
experts
to
generate
scientific
knowledge with exceptional inputs, taking
thoughts and making them a reality.
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It is time to learn from that wisdom and
apply it in our daily life as part of our
purpose.
Any
idea
goes
through
beginning,
planification, execution, follow up, and
closing processes to be able to turn it into
a reality. To focus on outstanding results is
not an exclusive desire of our time, there
is evidence in ancient time of how the
Egyptians built their pyramids oriented
towards excellence and in modern time, to
mention an example, the Olympic Games
are organized through proper practice.
Our daily lives don’t have any reason to
stay isolated from that knowledge, we can
get
to
implement
recommendations
the
to
benefits in each activity.
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organizational
obtain
the
best
The desire to write this book was born
once I understood a purpose to fulfill
before God, one day I meditated when I
realized I had two ways to live.
The first was related to the professional
excellence
the
companies
were
demanding of me, the interest to reach it
to gain a raise, grow in the job or simply
make my boss happy.
The second contrasted my way of
seeing the world, when getting off work my
life was performing without making an
effort on doing my daily activities with
excellence, incredible, I wasn’t giving the
best of me when leaving the company,
and God showed me, when reading His
word, that this behavior doesn’t please
Him.
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With this opportunity my wish is to offer
an input of the confirmed knowledge of the
directions of companies, and at the same
time, to relate it to the spirituality of the
purpose of our lives from the teachings of
Rick Warren, in his book A life with
purpose.
Applying his recommendations I began
my voluntary way to receive Christ in my
heart, believe me, these five aspects bless
your life: love God, love your neighbor,
grow like Jesus, serve other believers and
give testimony to reach new souls. My
best
input
is
oriented
towards
its
fulfillment. As my professional experience
was
passing
by
in
national
and
international companies, I was blessed to
be able to learn the proper practices for
project directions.
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The Project Management Institute (PMI)
represents the major influence in my
knowledge of the subject by means of its
book
Project
Management
Body
of
Knowledge (PMBoK) , although this base
of discernment has been completed with
years of scientific practice and spiritual
vision.
Applying proper practices in my daily life
I can give testimony once I optimize time
and cost of the activities, achieve the
desired results and satisfy the people that
enjoy it. Without taking into account your
profession,
studies,
age,
nationality,
this
work
transmitting
an
advanced
gender
focuses
or
on
knowledge,
softening it through a story to share with
you the essence of what you can apply
everyday.
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I invite you to join us in this adventure,
let your imagination wild and enjoy the
fictional experience of my son and his
grandfather as chef contestants on a
television show. The spirituality of the boy
and the scientific mind of my father gives
us
a
combination
that
couples
the
recognition of divine wisdom and the
proven evolution of knowledge.
To do things right we need to answer
these ten questions: for who? when?
where? why? for what? what to do? how to
do it? are we doing what’s necessary?
how are we doing? and, did you like it?
Nevertheless,
the
leap
towards
perfection is based on supporting the
Almighty and trusting. Believe me, the
answer is God, any question is irrelevant.
Worry less and talk to Him more.
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Where the human intelligence and force
of will end, its supernatural greatness
begins to activate, to help us achieve our
goals.
Learning constantly and fulfilling the
purpose,
we
will
achieve
successful
results every day.
Without further adieu, take control of
your life and tune into your wish of doing
things better every time until you reach
excellence.
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Doing things right…
The kid smiled, his public clapped and
the cameras focused on that innocent face
while the show host announced him as the
winner. His grandfather cried of happiness
remembering his grandson’s effort when
making the cake the judges tasted.
Enjoying the ovation and appreciating
the satisfaction of my father, it lead me to
want to see them together in some
initiative.
At that moment I remembered how
determined, at his young age, my son was
when competing as a mini-chef in the most
prestigious
culinary program
America.
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in Latin
One night as we were cooking the
phone rang. When I heard congratulations
I began to worry, the little one’s dream had
come true.
He improved as the show evolved, his
simpleness had conquered the audience,
his
desserts
were exquisite and he
advanced week after week.
His only motivation was that Christmas
Eve, to give that birthday cake to his allpowerful friend that was always with him.
Everyone was talking about the show,
many people watched it regularly and the
chapter’s final propaganda presented a
spotless jury, they wouldn’t contemplate,
despite his five years of age they would
still
demand
just
as
professional chef.
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much
as
any
In each interview he would laugh
reminiscing about the food he had made
throughout the show, his optimism and
abilities reflected on the camera.
That night when Luis classified to finals
I felt the need to get involved, up to that
moment I limited myself to watch him
enjoy the competition and I began to guide
him to make things better, it was his
biggest challenge, the public demanded it.
I needed to support him as a father,
teach him as a teacher and ask from him
as a trainer, that cake was the most
important project in his life.
Good management practices were my
best knowledge, the sincere legacy I
hoped to give him.
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Initially I managed to convince him to
ask permission to the birthday boy to cook
for him. Kneeling by the side of his bed, he
closed his eyes and asked his almighty
friend about the cake.
Once he opened his eyes, he told me
the ingredients he needed and asked me
to accompany him as he prayed giving
thanks, in a whisper, for all the knowledge,
abilities and opportunities that God had
given him.
The little chef blew me away with his
analysis and questions while I explained to
him what he had to keep in mind, to be
successful from his effort and to have
courage. He listened, closed his eyes,
murmured
and
always
summarized
something smiling, he assimilated the
concepts by adapting them to his age.
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It’s very unlikely I’ll ever forget the trip to
the last episode. On the plane, he insisted
on expressing to his grandpa that they
need to pray more and worry less, he
questioned how adults worry about little
things, in a paused voice he said:
―To do things right we need to ask ten
questions: for who? when? where? why?
for what? what to do? how to do it? doing
what’s necessary? how are we doing? and
did you like it?
Once we got to the TV station he was
famous, the promotion of the contest had
shown the little chef playing, eating,
studying. On the interviews he reflected
shyness in his smile but confidence and
motivation in his words.
Next, we met with the producers to
confirm the demands of the last episode.
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They explained to us that the size of the
cake was essential, the timing had to be
exact because of the high cost of TV, and
once the jury has tasted the cake they
should fall in love with the quality of the
dessert.
We
got
to
the
hotel
with
great
enthusiasm, we sat on the bed to eat ice
cream and began to answer the first
questions of the boy.
The little chef had a clear view of his
target and focusing on it we created a
series of steps to reach it.
The key was in performing everything
we were coming up with, he couldn’t forget
anything or take too long, he needed to
accomplish
the
plan
change.
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and
solve
any
On the big day, after the director’s “one,
two and three” the broadcast started, the
stage was filled, silence was complete, the
audience’s eyes were on the boy, the
watchers felt they were cooking with him.
With
his
usual
enthusiasm,
the
protagonist, standing in front of his table,
looked up at the ceiling, murmured, smiled
and began to carry out each of the
activities.
Once he finished, my heart began to
pound, I was sure he was carrying out the
plan, I felt happy for him, his questions
and answers were truly working.
Just when my hopes were through the
roof the cameras focused on my son’s
hand, he had hit himself with a tool and his
eyes were teary.
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No one could help him, someone’s entry
to the kitchen would mean the failure of
the show.
Those seconds felt like forever, my
impotence as a father increased to see the
stress he was undergoing, that situation
was out of my hands. His grandfather who
was by my side, began to cry, held my
arm, he felt that blow in his heart.
The TV focused on the boy’s closed
eyes with his face towards the floor and
tears falling. The clock’s tick-tock rumbled
in my head when I heard our chef say:
―Thank you, I will.
He raised his head to clearly see the
roof, wiped his
face and gave the
audience his best smile.
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The concentration to finish the cake’s
preparation
was
amazing,
the
microphones tried to get what he was
murmuring but one couldn’t understand
and he just looked at the camera and
walked towards the oven.
The cake was cooking, the hosts of the
show joked around with Luis during the
final countdown, they showed scenes of
his latest victories. The jury pointed out his
growth as a chef, and above all as a
person.
At the beginning of the contest he did
things to have fun and now he was
focusing on doing them right.
Once the moment came we were all
waiting for him to arrive, he checked how
his project was going.
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From my location, behind the cameras,
his happy face moved me as I saw its
reflection on the oven’s glass.
The hosts asked him if he wanted to
open it to check on his dessert to which he
answered that it wasn’t necessary as it
was turning out perfectly.
Once the final commercial ended, my
son brought out the cake, the stage was
filled with a sweet and delicious aroma.
On TV he was shown playing with
photographers and talking to the audience
as he waited for it to cool down.
He returned to his table, he decorated it
with that calm stare the cameras and jury
talked about.
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He looked at me, winked, and began to
walk with the result of his efforts while the
public cheered, three! two! one!
Like this, he handed it over to the
judges for the taste, after profuse praise
he was asked for the piece he was holding
and wouldn’t let go.
As I watched him trying not to give that
last piece away, I understood the special
meaning it had to him, I felt privileged and
thankful to God for letting me taste the
delicious cake my little chef made for
Jesus, His only son.
Before I finished eating my piece, the
jury and hosts called me and my father to
accompany him in closing the show.
Holding the chef in my arms, I started to
enjoy the tranquility of going back to
everyday life.
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What we learned in this experience
would be useful and we should share it.
Surprisingly, the cameras focused on
our faces while the hosts gave my son a
new challenge, they asked:
―Do you accept the challenge of going
to
France
to
show
your
maximum
potential?
We hugged, the three of us spoke very
low so as to not let the microphones hear
it, and finally our little boy invited the
viewers to discover the answer, letting
them know that this was the first step in
our trip of knowledge because there was
still a long way to reach excellence.
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I BEGINNING
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For who?
We got ready to land in France after
several hours of flight. The boy, excited
about his new challenge, hugs us filling us
with enthusiasm. It was his first time in
Europe, he had been learning some
phrases
in
French
and
he
enjoyed
practicing them.
Once we got off the plane, we were
received by the owner of the channel and
the director of the contest, their faces
reflected the authority and respect of the
team that was accompanying us.
While they showed us Paris, they and
their collaborators started to explain to us
the details of the show...
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You can buy the complete book:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UCFXUNW
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