Success is an individual and personal journey. Throughout my career, I have questioned myself many times about whether I had met the definition of success that I set for myself when I was younger. The way we measure success in society is often skewed by societal norms and grandiose aspirations of wealth and power. To me, success has always been defined as reaching ‘the bar’ that I set for myself—one that is constantly raised or evolves over time. Just as Matthew McConaughey said during his Oscar winning speech: “Who’s my hero? It’s me in 10 years”. Striving to become a desired future version of yourself is the definition of success.

 

What I have learned over the years is that your career and personal path become apparent only as you walk it. You may have a sense of direction—sometimes clear, sometimes not—but each step teaches a lesson that forces us to evaluate who we are and how confidently and resiliently we navigate that path.

Like many others before and after me, my journey in Canada is an immigrant tale—similar to many, yet uniquely my own. I was fortunate to come to this country with the greatest wealth my parents instilled in me: a high-quality education and an unbreakable work ethic. I arrived in Canada with those assets, along with the unwavering support of my wife (a born-and-raised Winnipegger) and her invaluable support network. Starting a career in Manitoba as an engineer with little experience and no Canadian workplace exposure on my resume was a challenge I was not fully prepared for. It required me to evaluate my options, including pursuing additional education or settling for a role that was not fully aligned with my qualifications and working my way up. I chose the latter. I knew that no matter the employer or position, I could prove myself to be more valuable than the job description suggested. And so I did. I jumped from entry-level job to entry-level job, always applying for the next best opportunity, until I accidentally landed in a field where I thrived, worked with incredible people, and leveraged my engineering and business management background—Project Management.

To me, Project Management is as much an art as it is a management science. Over my 20-year career leading projects—mainly in technology, business processes, organizational change, and even construction—I have learned countless lessons (and made many mistakes). These experiences have taught me invaluable lessons that no book or classroom could provide: the art of building trust-based relationships, the subtle yet impactful power of effective communication, and the vision and stamina to motivate and align people toward a common goal.

As I have evolved from junior to seasoned project manager, from employee to consultant, and from individual contributor to leader and mentor, I want to share some key lessons I have learned along the way.

 

Lessons from My Journey

• Unleash Your Talent! You Are More Than Your Job Title: Growing up in Mexico City—a metropolis of over 20 million people—you quickly learn that you are replaceable. Behind you stands an army of hundreds or thousands of people competing for your job, willing to do it faster, better, and cheaper. This instilled in me the drive to always strive for the next step, seize every opportunity to improve, and prove my worth. I believe this ability exists in all of us. 
• My advice: unleash it! Yes, this will require facing uncomfortable emotions, including imposter syndrome. You can overcome this by pushing the boundaries of your job title, demonstrating your added value, and showcasing your potential for more responsibilities. Take on additional projects, ask to shadow your leader, and put yourself in rooms where you are not the smartest person—learn from those around you.
• It Takes a Village – Never Walk the Road Alone: PMI Manitoba became a family to me. Without getting involved in this community and dedicating time and effort as a volunteer, board member, and chapter president, I would not be where I am today. My current role, past opportunities, client contacts, hiring referrals, and consulting engagements have all stemmed from the invaluable connections I built in this community of like-minded, motivated individuals. My suggestion is to get engaged—not with the mindset of what you can take but how you can contribute. The latter naturally leads to the former.
• Know and Serve Your Client: Understanding your client or customer is crucial, whether you are a consultant, contractor, or company employee. We all serve someone—even CEOs. Prioritizing the client and acting as a ‘servant leader’ builds long-term trust. This includes having open and honest conversations about issues, risks, and their root causes. Integrity is key—always do what you say you will do, and follow through on your commitments.

“Trust is hard-earned and easily lost; it takes only one broken promise to undo years of relationship-building.”

• The Endless Pursuit of Perfecting Communication: Leading teams and projects to success is fundamentally about communication. Whether managing executive expectations, negotiating scope and resources, communicating goals, motivating a team, or collaborating on action plans, communication is the key trait any project leader must master. As an engineer, I was trained to communicate in short, concise facts. However, managing large initiatives required me to refine my skills—adjusting my style to different situations, effectively handling conflict, and crafting narratives to convey a message with clarity and impact.

• The Most Underappreciated Leadership Traits: I have always been the ‘quiet one’—observant, introverted, and preferring action over talk. At times, I questioned whether I could be an effective leader. Over time, I realized that two often-overlooked traits—humility and authenticity—can be just as powerful as other leadership qualities. People want to be led by someone who is understanding, empathetic, and values trust and relationships over hierarchy. An authentic leader takes pride in their strengths and weaknesses and leads with sincerity—nothing more, nothing less.
• Navigating Uncertainty and Adapting to Constant Change: If there is one skill a project manager must master, it is comfort with ambiguity, uncertainty, and change. Every project is a journey into the unknown. Charting a path forward amid uncertainty triggers emotions like anxiety, fear, and frustration. Effective leadership in these situations requires calmness, a methodical approach, and strong self-awareness—qualities that develop with experience and a deep understanding of project dynamics.

Begin Your Personal Journey to Success

Through my years at PMI and in the industry, I have had the privilege of sharing my

experiences with others in the project management community. I have seen individuals transform their careers and carve their unique paths to success. These stories should be celebrated and shared to inspire those who follow.

To those just beginning their journey, my advice is to persist with determination and patience while maintaining adaptability. The perfect job does not come easily or immediately—you must be prepared for setbacks. The first step is setting a clear goal and mapping out alternative paths to get there. Like many others, my journey was not a straight line. I had to reassess and pivot at various points. Flexibility is crucial, but always fall back on your key attributes and strengths. Leverage those strengths and showcase them at every opportunity.

Take action and start your journey to success today:

• Unleash your talent without fear or hesitation.
• Build a strong support network.
• Understand who you work for and build trust.
• Continuously improve your communication skills.
• Leverage your unique leadership style.
• Get comfortable with uncertainty, ambiguity, and change.

Juan’s Profile

Juan is a dynamic and award-winning project leader and consultant with over 20 years of experience in portfolio, program, and project management across the public and private sectors. He has proven success in managing complex, large-scale enterprise projects, including business transformation and technology implementations. As the Director of IT Advisory Services at Informanix Technology Group, Juan serves as a trusted advisor to C-suite clients, aligning program outcomes with strategy, obtaining organizational buy-in, and setting teams up for project success. Recognized for his leadership, problem-solving skills, and communication expertise, Juan excels at building high-performing teams that drive business results.

Juan holds a B.Sc. in Industrial & Systems Engineering. He is a certified PMP® and a registered P.Eng. practicing engineer. He has earned multiple industry certifications, including PRINCE2®, ITIL®, MSP®, Prosci Change Management, Wicked Problem Solving, Disciplined Agile Scrum Master (DASM), Organizational Transformation Foundation (OTF), and Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt.

Juan is the Past-President of the Project Management Institute Manitoba Chapter, having served as President from 2022 to 2024 and in various board roles for nearly a decade.

Juan lives in Winnipeg with his wife Pam (a professional talent acquisition consultant), his 14-year-old son Mateo (an avid hockey player and sport enthusiast) and 14-year-old daughter Bella (a passionate dancer, singer and actor). Juan’s passions outside work include traveling, working out, playing soccer and hockey, and volunteering for hockey association and community club events.

Connect with Juan on LinkedIn.