Expert insights. Personalized for you.
I remember when the H1N1 outbreak was happening in 2009. I was traveling frequently all over the U.S. As H1N1 picked up steam and more people contracted it, we were asked to temporarily limit or cancel travel all together. Getting on a plane posed a risk. MORE
“Do you commit to commit? Do you commit to getting it done?” ” I didn’t understand the COO’s question. I just told him I would get his request completed. Sure, I had a lot going on, but could try to squeeze this in. MORE
Let’s face it, we all know that person, or people, who it seems do nothing but complain. Beautiful, sunny day and they say it’s too hot. Cool fall morning and it’s too cold. The coffee is not the perfect temperature! Why do you have to drive so fast!? Do you have to drive so slow!? Why are those kids so loud!? It never ends. In the working world, we have them too. In project management, they’re everywhere! Stakeholders, team members, vendors, functional managers! MORE
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Have you ever heard a child give good news? It can be almost comical. They’re really excited. They trip over words. Lots of hand motions. Smiles galore. This is the best day ever! Conversely, have you heard them give bad news? They first try to hide it from you. MORE
I friend of mine, who is also a project manager, has a knack for taking the most boring topic and turning it into an interesting story. Want to be riveted by the importance of Python programming in the mid-90’s? Get ready for a 20 minute history lesson plus some predictions for the future. MORE
Let’s say you’re well-qualified in your technical skills—be it Java, programming languages, infrastructure, networks or system administration. MORE
Recently, I have seen a more online posts asking questions about what project management tool(s) a company should buy: What tool does everyone recommend? My company would like a project management tool? What should we get? I’d like your opinion on a project management tool that is cloud-based and easy to use. PM tool recommendations please! Within 24 hours, there are a number of responses. They range from asking for more information, to recommendations, to sales pitches. MORE
This is blog post #101. I didn’t have much of a goal when I started blogging. The idea of sharing ideas, frustrations, losses and wins seemed like a good idea. In many ways, it’s been therapeutic! MORE
Let me start by saying that I’m not an advocate of conflict. I’m especially not a fan of conflict that turns personal or even physical. MORE
I have one kiddo that still believes in the magic of Santa Claus. His little friends and our neighbors are also young enough to believe jolly ol’ St. Nick will be dashing through the snow and the skies on his annual trip around the globe next week. MORE
I enjoy being part of project management panel discussions. Just when you think you’ve heard it all, someone asks a question or talks about a situation that blows your mind! In a recent panel discussion, one such comment came up. MORE
Now, I’m not ripping on everyone at Boeing. I’ve met and worked with folks from Boeing in my career and they are good people. Some employees, though, made some poor communication decisions regarding the 737 Max that have now gone public. MORE
“I know we’ve never met and you don’t know me, but I need help and am looking for mentoring. Would you be willing to mentor me on project management? I want to get better and my company is allowing me time to learn.” ” Sure!! I was truly humbled being asked. MORE
All projects—especially large, complex projects—need clear priorities. Easier said than done. You can count on technical projects, no matter how well-planned, to involve change orders, re-prioritization and the regular appearance of surprises. It’s just the natural order of things. But still. MORE
Time to put on the party hat, fill your glass with bubbly and toast in the new year! Welcome 2020! A new year, and decade, is upon us. Every year I make it a practice to look back and note the accomplishments, failures and lessons from the past 12 months. 2019 was one for the books! MORE
“We need Todd on this project. He’s critical!” ” “What’s Todd’s role? What other roles do we need? Does Todd have the tools he needs?” ” “I don’t know, but Todd needs to be on this. He’s on all projects.” MORE
In my last post, I talked about “ Project Get Fit ” that may or may not be on your 2020 resolution list. You set goals, you make a plan, and you execute. Sounds simple, right? MORE
Almost daily, there are questions posted in various project management groups asking for information about the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. How do I obtain it? Is it worth it? Will it make me a better project manager? Will my job pay me more once I get certified? MORE
It was somewhere between mile 21 and 22. I’d felt it coming and was trying to prepare myself. My legs went from feeling OK to jelly. My body started to hurt in ways I’d never experienced. This marathon had to end. I wanted to be done. MORE
Tis the season for being thankful; the time of year when we take a step back and appreciate that which is around us. From family, to friends, to career, it’s time to take stock of what we’re thankful for. I’ve been in project management for over 20 years. MORE
“I want to get in shape, so I got a gym membership. What should I do?” ” I thought about what she was asking for a second. Many questions started popping into my head. MORE
If you drive or ridden in the passenger seat of a vehicle and looked at the side mirror, you may have noticed the little sticker that says “OBJECTS IN THE MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR.” ” When changing lanes, we check them (most of the time anyway). MORE
I’ve read a couple stats saying up to half of U.S. workers will seek new jobs in 2020. Are you one of them, too? In changing companies, you’ll meet new people and interact with different personalities. MORE
As project and program managers, we frequently face adversity. It can come from the team, management, stakeholders, and outside the company. It’s everywhere! Because you’re also leading one of the company’s initiatives, you need to be triumphant despite those adversities that are thrown in your path. It’s our job to take issues in stride and move forward. I was reminded this week of a huge white board a former co-worker had outside her cube. MORE
Competition is all around. Your business is competing for clients and market share. We compete against co-workers to be on a new team or get a promotion. Pro sports teams compete to be the best in their divisions. We may even encourage our kids to compete hard and win. Everything seems to be a competition. Even in the most collaborative of environments, some competition is prevalent. But what about your project? Sure, you negotiated with all types of managers to get the right people. MORE
“Every project manager in your PMO must become expert level in each process group and knowledge area to be successful.” ” That’s interesting, I thought. I replied back on the professional message board that though I agree every PM needs to understand and show competence in each process group, I don’t agree with the concept of being “expert level.” MORE
I’m running in a 50+ mile race in September. It will be the hardest thing, both physically and mentally, I have ever done. Race start is at 5:15AM and on average takes over 12 hours to complete. There is 25,000 feet of elevation change and a number of rivers to cross and mud to trudge through. When I tell friends I’m doing this, they say it sounds miserable. When I research posts about the race, I hear past participants talk about the misery they were in. MORE
Technology will continue to evolve and take repetitive tasks away from humans. This was highlighted on a call with a sales person recently. They were demoing a finance software. Every question was met with: It does that automatically. You don’t have to do a thing. The system does it for you. No, trending analysis is done and delivered to you daily. Our embedded AI will tell you what’s needed. With a couple clicks of a button, the platform did everything we needed and then some. MORE
I looked across the table at this guy as we ate breakfast at a little cafe. He drove me bat-s**t crazy sometimes. He constantly argued, never wanted help to do anything, told me multiple times a day I was wrong, talked loud and at times wouldn’t listen to a thing I said. But, I also loved this guy with all my heart. He’s my 9 year old son. Since he was 5, he has wanted to go to Paris. MORE
One of the joys (or maybe lack thereof) of traveling is the wide array of conversations you overhear at airports and in airplanes. Given we’re a captive audience in an airport Starbucks line or sitting middle seat on a three hour flight, the conversations within earshot are plentiful and sometimes, very colorful. As I crammed into the isle seat of the CRJ, preparing for a quick 38 minute flight home, I got to overhear one such conversation. MORE
Dear Elizabeth: I work in a technical team as a project manager. We do a lot of projects that are innovative (for us), and my development colleagues always seem reluctant when it comes to project planning. They won’t give me timescales that will help me plan. MORE
That’s right, we’re not supposed to talk about death, even when talking about projects! But let’s be honest, some projects are destined to fail. Some are destined never to even start. So why is it then, when we have an initiative “coming off the rails” or the market suddenly shifts, there seems to be a push to keep a project alive? Instead of charging the paddles and clearing the area, we should be talking about how to move it to the next life. MORE
A peer of mine (who wishes to remain anonymous) has been a Scrum Master for a number of years and previously worked at a company that valued organizational agility and agile methods. Unfortunately, her role ended but was able to find another position with a company that has been wanting to be “agile” for some time. This company likes the thought of Scrum, but putting it into practice has been hindered by slow adapting managers, stakeholders and a few team members. MORE
Bridge the Gap Consulting
MARCH 13, 2020
“We need Todd on this project. He’s critical!” ” “What’s Todd’s role? What other roles do we need? Does Todd have the tools he needs?” ” “I don’t know, but Todd needs to be on this. He’s on all projects.”
Bridge the Gap Consulting
FEBRUARY 24, 2020
It was somewhere between mile 21 and 22. I’d felt it coming and was trying to prepare myself. My legs went from feeling OK to jelly. My body started to hurt in ways I’d never experienced. This marathon had to end. I wanted to be done.
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Bridge the Gap Consulting
JANUARY 11, 2020
In my last post, I talked about “ Project Get Fit ” that may or may not be on your 2020 resolution list. You set goals, you make a plan, and you execute. Sounds simple, right?
Bridge the Gap Consulting
JANUARY 5, 2020
“I want to get in shape, so I got a gym membership. What should I do?” ” I thought about what she was asking for a second. Many questions started popping into my head.
Speaker: Nick Noreña, Innovation Coach and Advisor, Kromatic
In this webinar, Nick Noreña will walk through an Innovation Ecosystem Model that he and his team at Kromatic have developed to help investors, heads of product, teachers, and executives understand how they can best support innovation in their own ecosystem. He'll also go over metrics we can use to measure the health of our ecosystems as we build more resources for innovators.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
FEBRUARY 8, 2020
“Do you commit to commit? Do you commit to getting it done?” ” I didn’t understand the COO’s question. I just told him I would get his request completed. Sure, I had a lot going on, but could try to squeeze this in.
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Bridge the Gap Consulting
JANUARY 19, 2020
This is blog post #101. I didn’t have much of a goal when I started blogging. The idea of sharing ideas, frustrations, losses and wins seemed like a good idea. In many ways, it’s been therapeutic!
Bridge the Gap Consulting
JANUARY 15, 2020
Now, I’m not ripping on everyone at Boeing. I’ve met and worked with folks from Boeing in my career and they are good people. Some employees, though, made some poor communication decisions regarding the 737 Max that have now gone public.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
NOVEMBER 17, 2019
I friend of mine, who is also a project manager, has a knack for taking the most boring topic and turning it into an interesting story. Want to be riveted by the importance of Python programming in the mid-90’s? Get ready for a 20 minute history lesson plus some predictions for the future.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
OCTOBER 27, 2019
I enjoy being part of project management panel discussions. Just when you think you’ve heard it all, someone asks a question or talks about a situation that blows your mind! In a recent panel discussion, one such comment came up.
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How can project planning that stretches over months or years remain relevant and account for new ad-hoc activities that arrive every day?
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Bridge the Gap Consulting
DECEMBER 9, 2019
If you drive or ridden in the passenger seat of a vehicle and looked at the side mirror, you may have noticed the little sticker that says “OBJECTS IN THE MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR.” ” When changing lanes, we check them (most of the time anyway).
Bridge the Gap Consulting
NOVEMBER 24, 2019
Tis the season for being thankful; the time of year when we take a step back and appreciate that which is around us. From family, to friends, to career, it’s time to take stock of what we’re thankful for. I’ve been in project management for over 20 years.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
NOVEMBER 10, 2019
Recently, I have seen a more online posts asking questions about what project management tool(s) a company should buy: What tool does everyone recommend? My company would like a project management tool? What should we get? I’d like your opinion on a project management tool that is cloud-based and easy to use. PM tool recommendations please! Within 24 hours, there are a number of responses. They range from asking for more information, to recommendations, to sales pitches.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
JULY 24, 2019
I’m running in a 50+ mile race in September. It will be the hardest thing, both physically and mentally, I have ever done. Race start is at 5:15AM and on average takes over 12 hours to complete. There is 25,000 feet of elevation change and a number of rivers to cross and mud to trudge through. When I tell friends I’m doing this, they say it sounds miserable. When I research posts about the race, I hear past participants talk about the misery they were in.
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This eBook describes the process of managing the project budget and its associated costs.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
OCTOBER 3, 2019
Competition is all around. Your business is competing for clients and market share. We compete against co-workers to be on a new team or get a promotion. Pro sports teams compete to be the best in their divisions. We may even encourage our kids to compete hard and win. Everything seems to be a competition. Even in the most collaborative of environments, some competition is prevalent. But what about your project? Sure, you negotiated with all types of managers to get the right people.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
AUGUST 5, 2019
Technology will continue to evolve and take repetitive tasks away from humans. This was highlighted on a call with a sales person recently. They were demoing a finance software. Every question was met with: It does that automatically. You don’t have to do a thing. The system does it for you. No, trending analysis is done and delivered to you daily. Our embedded AI will tell you what’s needed. With a couple clicks of a button, the platform did everything we needed and then some.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
JULY 13, 2019
A peer of mine (who wishes to remain anonymous) has been a Scrum Master for a number of years and previously worked at a company that valued organizational agility and agile methods. Unfortunately, her role ended but was able to find another position with a company that has been wanting to be “agile” for some time. This company likes the thought of Scrum, but putting it into practice has been hindered by slow adapting managers, stakeholders and a few team members.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
OCTOBER 13, 2019
“Every project manager in your PMO must become expert level in each process group and knowledge area to be successful.” ” That’s interesting, I thought. I replied back on the professional message board that though I agree every PM needs to understand and show competence in each process group, I don’t agree with the concept of being “expert level.”
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These FREE most popular templates will help you perform your role more efficiently.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
FEBRUARY 16, 2020
Let me start by saying that I’m not an advocate of conflict. I’m especially not a fan of conflict that turns personal or even physical.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
JANUARY 31, 2020
I’ve read a couple stats saying up to half of U.S. workers will seek new jobs in 2020. Are you one of them, too? In changing companies, you’ll meet new people and interact with different personalities.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
MARCH 2, 2020
I remember when the H1N1 outbreak was happening in 2009. I was traveling frequently all over the U.S. As H1N1 picked up steam and more people contracted it, we were asked to temporarily limit or cancel travel all together. Getting on a plane posed a risk.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
JANUARY 23, 2020
“I know we’ve never met and you don’t know me, but I need help and am looking for mentoring. Would you be willing to mentor me on project management? I want to get better and my company is allowing me time to learn.” ” Sure!! I was truly humbled being asked.
Speaker: Marina Foglietta-Tereo, Head of UX Research, AXA Insurance
People often think of UX research as a tactical approach to improve the usability or visual appeal of a digital product. While good research will certainly validate an existing design, using it for validation alone would be like using your iPhone solely to tell time! Join Marina Foglietta-Tereo, Head of UX Research at AXA Insurance, as she explores the unrecognized organizational, cultural, and strategic benefits of an in-house, central and mature UXR team.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
DECEMBER 15, 2019
Almost daily, there are questions posted in various project management groups asking for information about the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. How do I obtain it? Is it worth it? Will it make me a better project manager? Will my job pay me more once I get certified?
Bridge the Gap Consulting
DECEMBER 4, 2019
Have you ever heard a child give good news? It can be almost comical. They’re really excited. They trip over words. Lots of hand motions. Smiles galore. This is the best day ever! Conversely, have you heard them give bad news? They first try to hide it from you.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
DECEMBER 26, 2019
Time to put on the party hat, fill your glass with bubbly and toast in the new year! Welcome 2020! A new year, and decade, is upon us. Every year I make it a practice to look back and note the accomplishments, failures and lessons from the past 12 months. 2019 was one for the books!
Bridge the Gap Consulting
SEPTEMBER 19, 2019
I normally wear a size 12 shoe. For this occasion, however, I was talked into a size 13. The sales person told me to go bigger because of what I was doing. As I looked down at those size 13’s, I could feel my ankles had swollen and my toes were now starting to bang against the front.
Speaker: Vivek Bedi, Product Expert and Keynote Speaker
Every company is (soon to be) a technology company. Undergoing digital transformation is the key to succeeding in this digital era - but the process isn’t all innovation and shiny new tech. Join Vivek Bedi, a product expert with 18 years of experience across Fortune 100 companies and startups alike, as he shares his expertise on how to strike the right transformation balance and change your product mindset.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
NOVEMBER 3, 2019
Let’s face it, we all know that person, or people, who it seems do nothing but complain. Beautiful, sunny day and they say it’s too hot. Cool fall morning and it’s too cold. The coffee is not the perfect temperature! Why do you have to drive so fast!? Do you have to drive so slow!? Why are those kids so loud!? It never ends. In the working world, we have them too. In project management, they’re everywhere! Stakeholders, team members, vendors, functional managers!
Bridge the Gap Consulting
SEPTEMBER 27, 2019
As project and program managers, we frequently face adversity. It can come from the team, management, stakeholders, and outside the company. It’s everywhere! Because you’re also leading one of the company’s initiatives, you need to be triumphant despite those adversities that are thrown in your path. It’s our job to take issues in stride and move forward. I was reminded this week of a huge white board a former co-worker had outside her cube.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
SEPTEMBER 1, 2019
One of the joys (or maybe lack thereof) of traveling is the wide array of conversations you overhear at airports and in airplanes. Given we’re a captive audience in an airport Starbucks line or sitting middle seat on a three hour flight, the conversations within earshot are plentiful and sometimes, very colorful. As I crammed into the isle seat of the CRJ, preparing for a quick 38 minute flight home, I got to overhear one such conversation.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
AUGUST 21, 2019
I looked across the table at this guy as we ate breakfast at a little cafe. He drove me bat-s**t crazy sometimes. He constantly argued, never wanted help to do anything, told me multiple times a day I was wrong, talked loud and at times wouldn’t listen to a thing I said. But, I also loved this guy with all my heart. He’s my 9 year old son. Since he was 5, he has wanted to go to Paris.
Speaker: Peter Taylor, Speaker/Author, The Lazy Project Manager
Businesses everywhere are trying to “get business agile”—but it’s not easy to adapt to becoming this adaptive. How can conventional organizations succeed in this transformation? In this webinar, Peter Taylor will walk through the change process step by step, and look at a tried and tested transformation roadmap: benefits are outlined, solutions to common challenges offered, and tried and tested methods and tools provided. It will be a guide towards a decentralized and management style that offers more successful decision making through collaboration.
Bridge the Gap Consulting
JUNE 10, 2019
That’s right, we’re not supposed to talk about death, even when talking about projects! But let’s be honest, some projects are destined to fail. Some are destined never to even start. So why is it then, when we have an initiative “coming off the rails” or the market suddenly shifts, there seems to be a push to keep a project alive? Instead of charging the paddles and clearing the area, we should be talking about how to move it to the next life.
LiquidPlanner
AUGUST 14, 2018
Let’s say you’re well-qualified in your technical skills—be it Java, programming languages, infrastructure, networks or system administration.
LiquidPlanner
OCTOBER 11, 2018
All projects—especially large, complex projects—need clear priorities. Easier said than done. You can count on technical projects, no matter how well-planned, to involve change orders, re-prioritization and the regular appearance of surprises. It’s just the natural order of things. But still.
LiquidPlanner
NOVEMBER 1, 2018
Dear Elizabeth: I work in a technical team as a project manager. We do a lot of projects that are innovative (for us), and my development colleagues always seem reluctant when it comes to project planning. They won’t give me timescales that will help me plan.
Speaker: Steven Haines, Founder and CEO, Sequent Learning Networks
Product professionals use phrases like "voice of the customer," and "user experience" so often that it can be easy to lose sight of their actual meanings. How can we, as product professionals, learn to keep customers and users at the heart of our work? Join Steven Haines, globally recognized thought leader and author, as he guides us through a memorable journey demonstrating how you can walk a mile in their customer's shoes. He'll explore how, by developing true empathy for your users, you can ensure you're creating the features and products they actually want.
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