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Learning vs. Delivering: Why a Long-Term View Makes All the Difference in Project Teams
Steve Jobs was asked “what’s the most important thing that you learnt at Apple”. He paused. For 18 seconds. He thought deeply about what...
Nov 15, 20244 min read
The Mistake That Changed My Career—and Why Future PMs Deserve the Same Opportunity
I still remember the biggest mistake I ever made on a project, 25 years later it still guides me every day. That’s the value of a really...
Nov 14, 20243 min read
On a Collision Course: How Multiple Top Priorities Sabotage Success
It’s not uncommon for an organisation to have multiple number one priorities. It’s also not uncommon for the organisations that do have...
Nov 13, 20243 min read
Enough Fluff: Why Business Cases Need a Hard Look at Reality
While the economy is undoubtedly in a tough spot right now, it looks like lots of organisations are taking the time preparing business...
Nov 12, 20244 min read
Stop the Shortcut Culture: Why One-Page ‘Guides’ Are Failing Us All
The world, and particularly the world of social media, is littered with one page guides. I use the word “littered” deliberately, because...
Nov 11, 20243 min read
If RACI isn't your cup of coffee, try a MOCHA
It’s a go-to staple for Project Managers. The “let’s get clarity on who’s doing what” tool. Of course, that’s important for projects. But...
Nov 8, 20242 min read
Rethinking the PMO: Lessons from Self-Managed Firms
I’ve been doing a lot of reading recently about self-managed firms - firms where employees are empowered to make decisions and solve...
Nov 6, 20243 min read
From Handoff to High Performance: How Project Managers Thrive on In-Flight Projects
In my career, about half the projects I’ve been involved in have already been in flight when I’ve been asked to get involved. 50% of the...
Nov 5, 20243 min read
When Stakeholders Overstep: A Framework to Find Your Ground
We’ve all seen it, that stakeholder that causes more trouble than they’re worth. I’ve had a few in my time. From the one who would just...
Nov 4, 20243 min read
The Art of Sponsorship: Balancing Vision, Support, and Governance
As Project Managers, we have the opportunity to be trained in good practice, in principles, in behaviours that will improve the chances...
Nov 1, 20243 min read
5 Key Elements of a Successful Project Kickoff Meeting
Project kickoff meetings don’t get as much attention on them in the literature as they should. They’re not a process that we practice...
Oct 31, 20244 min read
From Bottleneck to Breakthrough: Empowering Teams with Decision Authority
I remember seeing a statistic once: a decision is needed on a project for every $1,000 of spend. That means a $1 million project will...
Oct 30, 20242 min read
You Know Your Project Is In Trouble When...
It must be getting close to summer. I cleaned the BBQ on Sunday and had the first BBQ of the year. You know summer is on the way when the...
Oct 30, 20241 min read
The Harsh Truth: AI Won’t Make Your Projects More Productive (Yet)
A contrarian view perhaps, but I like to challenge, provoke thought, and make people think differently. Given that PMI has just made its...
Oct 25, 20243 min read
Standing Out in a Crowded Job Market: CV Tips You Need Right Now
Let’s not beat around the bush—it’s tough out there. There are jobs available, and my LinkedIn feed is peppered daily with people “happy...
Oct 24, 20243 min read
10 Lessons in Project Management: What I’d Tell My Younger Self
You know the old adage that you need to do something for 10,000 hours to become really good at it? That’s about seven years as a...
Oct 24, 20243 min read
Tough Projects, Tougher Project Managers: Why You're Needed
I mentor people who are new to project management, and one of the common realisations I witness is how quickly they realise that this...
Oct 22, 20242 min read
Starting Strong: My Top 3 Tools for Any New Project
I’m building all my knowledge and experience into a set of templates and processes to help people run projects better. I thought I’d...
Oct 21, 20243 min read
The Expensive Wine Effect. Functional MRI Scans, Deception, And Lessons For Your Project
In 2008, researchers used functional MRI to scan participants while they tasted wines that were deceptively labeled. When the price of...
Oct 18, 20244 min read
Why the PMIs new definition of project success is wrong
Many people have been debating the definition for a successful project for decades. If we want the holy grail of a definition, one would...
Oct 18, 20242 min read
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