Blog Posts
Are You Able to Say “It’s Time to Bail”?
Many will tell you that the sign of a great leader is a positive attitude, regardless of what is thrown at them. I prefer to suggest that the sign of
What is a Sponsor Charter?
The relationship between the project sponsor and the project manager, or project leader, is extremely important and yet we spend so little time making sure we get it right. We
Give Permission to Share Bad News
My friend Scott sent me a link this week to a great article from Harvard Business Review entitled “Are You Really Listening?”. Please read it. https://hbr.org/2021/03/are-you-really-listening?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=hbr&utm_source=twitter&tpcc=orgsocial_edit At its core, it
6 Things You Can Do Today to Prepare for Leadership Tomorrow
Project management people make great leaders. Not overnight, but eventually. Maybe within the project management space, but more than likely, outside their current comfort zone and within a more operational,
Do You Know an Accidental Project Manager?
Barb works for a local financial services company. Her title is Manager, Operations and Support. I can tell you all about what she is but let’s focus on the critical
Are Your Projects “Healthy”?
I was reminded recently that it is time for my annual physical. At my age, this is a pretty important time of the year and sometimes a little stressful. None
What Does a Project Management Office Look Like?
Someone recently asked me about a one-day seminar on building a Project Management Office (PMO). I told them that there could be no greater waste of time than to get
Things Good Leaders Do – They Stay in Touch
(first published in August, 2016) My friend Roy Osing was describing great leaders in a Globe and Mail article a few years ago. He wrote, “Great leaders place a priority
Should You Ignore your Weaknesses and Leverage Your Strengths?
Our local newspaper here in Toronto carried an article recently by Harvey Schachter entitled “Ten Flawed Leadership Gems”. He was quoting from a blog by Dan McCarthy out of the
I Only Read the First Three Sentences!
First published May, 2016 We all read a lot of long documents: proposals, reports, stories etc. Or at least we are asked to read them. The truth is we often
What Is a Project Execution Culture?
Over the many years of my involvement in project management, I eventually learned that project success comes from more than just good people, processes and tools. Lately I’ve been very
Do You Have a Mentor?
I have a brother who was a senior lawyer and managing partner at a Canadian law firm. A few years before his retirement, he mentioned that he had a coach
Humility is One Attribute That No Leader Should Do Without
I woke up this week with an ego that I was not happy with. It was getting me into trouble, making me argumentative, putting special relationships at risk and generally
You Are Now in Charge of The Vaccine Distribution Program
Some people thought I was a little harsh on Agile last week in my post Agile is Not Replacing Waterfall. If you didn’t read it, I suggested that Agile was
Agile is Not Replacing Waterfall
I had a good friend challenge me this past week about Agile and why everyone is getting so excited. He thought that I would be able to explain and justify
Agility – The Key to Organizational Success
I took over as the Chair of the Board of Directors of a not-for-profit organization called Magic of Children in the Arts, about a year ago. We provide art classes
Leadership is About The Collective
After reading this article in the Globe and Mail this week, I was driven to post this video blog. “Leadership… is about the collective. It’s about hiring and maintaining the
When Was The Last Time You Wrote a Letter?
When was the last time you wrote a letter… to a friend, a fellow worker or an employee? Great leaders and great managers and good friends write letters – for
Persuasive People are Likeable People
I read a great article today from our National Newspaper in Canada, The Globe and Mail. It was entitled “Want to be more persuasive? Become more personable” by Merge Gupta-Sunderji.
You Have to Be Different to Stand Out In The Crowd
First published September, 2017 Many people, young and old, often wonder why they’re not getting the next promotion or that new job. My question back at them is always the
5 Tips for Great Virtual Presentations
Who would have thought that presenting virtually would become the new normal? The truth is that this is both a curse and an opportunity. For those who don’t like
4 Steps to Becoming More Resilient
(first published Aug 12, 2015) I recently heard a popular leader referred to as ‘tough as nails’. She is famous for being in difficult situations and finding a way out
RIP Bob Prentiss
Bob Prentiss passed away on September 14, 2020. He was a leader in the BA community, a speaker at many of our conferences, and a recent influencer in the area
What is the Most Important Role of a Project Manager?
Originally published February, 2017) That answer is easy. Produce great schedules! Don’t be too shocked please. This is not what I really think but that is what many people think
Are You Good at Delegating? You Should Be!
(First published on this Blog in May, 2015) Let’s start this discussion with a look at two young companies. Wedonotdelegateverywell Inc. was started by an entrepreneur who had an idea
Be the Best Version of Yourself
This interview was very special. Bob Prentiss tells us the of his critical life lessons and explains why talking about them now is so important.
Championship Communications
Skip Weisman is a professional speaker, author and consultant specializing in team communications. I sat down with him to pick his brain about the keys to great communicating. He reviews
The Science of Communicating
Communicating is a science and an art. Prepare, deliver well and follow-up
Project Managers Need to Think Beyond Their Projects
I was chatting with the senior project director at a large local organization recently and he made a very astute observation. When it comes time to find his next senior