Google Spent $2M Learning This: Safe Teams Outperform Smart Teams
The $2 Million Question That Changed Everything In 2012, Google launched one of the most comprehensive team effectiveness studies in corporate history. They called it Project Aristotle, named after the philosopher's observation that "the whole is greater than the sum...
Why Your Best Project Managers Are Talking About Feelings
The Meeting That Changed Our Trajectory In nearly 30 years of corporate project management, I've facilitated hundreds of executive sessions. But one particular quarterly review stands out. Our CEO paused mid-presentation, looked around the conference room, and said...
This Isn’t Going Well — How Do We Pivot?
Pivot, pivot, pivot! — Ross Geller. The one with the cop (ep. 16, season 5). If you’ve ever done, well, anything in life, you know that things rarely go according to plan. Even the most seasoned PMs have faced unexpected issues during a project. What sets them apart...
Getting sideswiped
Have you ever diligently worked toward a change or something new for months and thought to yourself, ‘I am killing it’? You've tested, you've trained, and you've clearly communicated. Overall, you've checked all the boxes. Right before it's time to release your...
Keeping Distracted and Super Busy Team Members Engaged
In an ideal world, we’d wake up every day feeling energized and ready to conquer the day’s challenges. Our to-do list would consist of fulfilling, impactful tasks that hit organizational targets and allow us to grow as individuals. But in practice, the items on our...
Who are your stakeholders?
"These are the people in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood ." -Bob and the Muppets. I grew up watching Sesame Street. I loved the segment that explained careers and the muppets, and usually Bob would sing a catchy song...
Effective Ways To Use Surveys in the Project Lifecycle
I like to think of projects as a living, breathing, and evolving process — not one set in stone. For some, this viewpoint is scary. It means that at any given point, you may find a key piece of information that transforms your project. But for others, this perspective...
How to manage your team’s holiday break
Every year, as we leave Halloween behind, employees start fantasizing about eggnog and gingerbread cookies. They dream of chilly mornings by the fire and perfectly sweet hot cocoa. You know what they don’t dream of? A frantic manager or client checking in on the...
Employee engagement tips for remote teams
Are you team WFH or do you prefer the structure of the traditional office? Regardless of personal preference, I’m sure you’ll appreciate that there are benefits to both alternatives. On one hand, you have increased flexibility, lower costs, and shorter commutes. On...