Blog Posts
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
Empathetic Leadership
The Globe and Mail published a great opinion piece today, July 8, 2020, entitled ‘Changed, changing and will change: adapting to our new and ever-evolving world of work’. I was
To Lead or Manage
I had a chance to sit down with an old friend recently, to talk about lessons learned in the project management business. Lou Breithaupt is a PMP with 25 years experience
Persistence – The Key to Success
I have a friend who has been very successful in her life. Education, experience, connections and the right place at the right time. She will tell you that all of
Project Managers Need to Step Up and Step Out
How can project managers be more successful in their careers? By stepping up in their role and doing more than just ‘build it on time and on budget’ and by
Three Steps to Managing a Crisis Like This One
Bruce Harbinson is a Regional Chair with TEC Canada. TEC offers a peer advisory board for CEO’s and business owners with one-to-one coaching, expert speakers, fast-paced learning and global networking.
Are You a Micro-Manager?
Last published in this blog November, 2017 I am sure that if I posed this question to a group of 100 managers and leaders, barely a few will put their
Now is the Time to Find Your Coach
Well, actually it was time to find your coach a long time ago. But that’s alright. There’s still time. They figured out many moons ago that professional athletes needed coaches.
Do You Have a Sense of Humour (Humor)?
(Originally published April 2014 but always worth a re-read) Let’s start by getting over the spelling thing. For my readers south of the border, read ‘humor’. Everyone else, read with
Protect, Survive and Prepare
I launched ProjectTalks Virtual this past week. I must say, running a conference virtually is not easy. We certainly ran into our fair share of technical issues – but learned
Compassion Wins – Every Project Team Needs a Whale
This post was originally published in October, 2016. With the current COVID-19 pandemic affecting all of us world-wide and the much closer-to-home mass killing in Nova Scotia, it was time
Culture Drives Strategy at Medtronic
“Culture drives strategy” says my podcast guest, Michael O’Connor. Michael is the Director of Strategy and Project Management at Medtronic out of the Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area. Metronic is a
Be Aware of Your Personal Limitations
I originally wrote this April, 2018. I think it deserves another read during this global pandemic as we all adjust to a very different way of living and working. I
This is a Black Swan! – Podcast
Do Black Swans exist? Yup, in real life and as a metaphor for events that come to us as a complete surprise. Google the words ‘Black Swan’ and you will
Communicating Like a Leader Today Calls for a Different Approach
Communicating like a leader is critical today more than ever. But do we need to rethink HOW we communicate? Maybe the email blast to all of our customers or staff
Now is the Time to Think Strategically – in Sprints
At the time of writing, our world is in a state of crisis – with the Covid-19 virus taking control. For many of us, times like these pose immense obstacles
Drastic Times Call for Kinder Measures
“Two things stand like stone. Kindness in another’s trouble, Courage in your own.” Adam Lindsay Gordon These beautiful words are inscribed over the fireplace in the building my Great Grandfather
When was the last time you said, “Why are we still doing this?”
Leaders at all levels, these days, are dealing with rapid change and uncertain times. This has brought a new reality to our planning and the execution of our plans. More
A Good Leader Has Three Plans
(first published in April, 2014 – three months into my blogging journey!) Good leaders don’t need just one plan – they need three! A organizational strategic plan A professional strategic
Do You Have a Plan B?
If I suggested to you that your current plan was going to fail somewhere down the road, would you be ready? The optimist would say ‘I don’t need a Plan
Leadership is Earned – Not Awarded
Respect, trust and loyalty are earned over time. We have heard this many times before. And then in walks the new boss and within the first few months it becomes
Does Your Organization’s Culture Support Successful Strategy Execution?
My friend Mona Mitchell and I published our book called “The 7 Elements of Strategy Execution” back in 2018. In the process, we interviewed a number of senior executives and
Good Decision-Making – Part 2
In my last posting, we explored the business of decision-making. Great leaders know how to make decisions logically and in a timely manner. In post #1, I suggested that good