The Pitch for Program Management
To prepare for our future, program managers need to educate a generation of executives who didn’t grow up in a waterfall world on the benefits of our role. This is where the pitch for program management comes in.
Remote is Work: Tips on Setting Up Your Organization for Success
In this post, I’ll share some ideas for how you can structure remote work to set up your organization for success. TLDR; communication is critical.
The Case for Writing a User Manual
In a prior blog post on how to deal with a difficult sponsor, I mentioned that I had created a user manual. But, I did not explicitly address what a user manual is, why a user manual is beneficial, and how to create one. We’ll dive into these topics in this blog post.
Generation Next
The consequences of cultivating a culture of transparency are that, sometimes, the things that come out of your employees’ mouths are going to strike you as ridiculous at best or downright insolent at worst. If you truly wish to practice radical candor with your employees, then you’re a hypocrite if you dish it out but can’t take it.
How to Demystify the Promotion Process
You know you’re ready for a promotion. But, somehow you don’t have the title. Short of being the first one online in the morning and the last one offline at night, how do you demonstrate your value to the business? I’d recommend pursuing a few specific actions to help demystify the promotion process.
Leading through Crisis
When you become a manager, no one hands you a playbook telling you how to lead through a crisis. Like the rest of us, you just have to do it. Here are some principles that I adopted for my team and me this past year that have helped us navigate a challenging time.
Basic Tips for Considering Accessibility on Your Projects
I’ve supported projects focused on promoting programmatic and physical accessibility and have learned a tremendous amount in a short time about the unique needs of this population. I need to get smarter on this topic, but here are a few tips I’ve picked up that I try to incorporate on the projects I manage.
They Can be Taught: How to Cultivate Confidence
One of the most frustrating things for a manager is working with employees who can’t quite seem to live up to their potential. When staff are not performing as you expect, it usually has to do with confidence. Here are some guidelines for how to get your staff to open up to you, themselves, and others.
Emotions and Project Management
While we know caring about our jobs is a positive sign, it can be hard to remember this in the moment when a teammate’s behavior makes us want to pull out our hair. Here are some strategies to help you manage your emotions as a project manager.
The Project Manager Formerly Known as the Subject Matter Expert
In a previous post, I published my failure resume showcasing professional setbacks. One of the items listed was sticking too long with a gig I knew too well. When I made the decision to try something different, a colleague asked me to write a post about what project managers should consider when undertaking a new role.
The Art and Science of Meeting Facilitation
Meeting facilitation is an integral part of a project manager’s job. What does it mean to facilitate a meeting? How do you facilitate a meeting well? And, how can you improve your facilitation skills?
Back to the Future: Goal Setting by Personality Type
I’ve gotten a few requests for a post on how to set goals based on your personality type. It’s all well and good to read about how I set goals as a Type A extrovert—but what strategies can introverted and/or more laidback people pursue to help them accomplish their objectives?