The Everyday PM: Project Management Principles for Your Everyday Life

Spider-Man: No Way Home crushed it at the Box Office, making a whopping $609.9 million domestically through New Year's weekend and over $1 billion globally (The Hollywood Reporter, 2022). With a 94% Rotten Tomatoes rating, the film has quickly become something to be marveled at (no pun intended). While many are in awe of the film's many surprises, I find myself reveling in the subtle project management-related lessons scattered throughout the film. Let's take a look at the project management principles that Spider-Man: No Way Home can teach us.    Enjoyed this podcast episode? Want to continue the conversation?  Make sure to follow me on LinkedIn and visit TheEverydayPM.com for more content like this.   Subscribe: youtube.com/anncampea Listen: https://anchor.fm/theeverydaypm  ***   Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anncampea/ Worldwide Readiness Program Manager at Apple, Inc.  Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, consumer goods, tech, and healthcare industries.

One of my favorite questions to ask fellow project managers is "Did you plan to be a PM or did you stumble into it?" So, imagine my surprise when I heard the term Accidental PM for the first time. It just fits. Not only does Accidental PM perfectly capture how many of us "stumbled upon" the role, but it is also the title of author Ray W. Frohnhoefer's bestselling book, Accidental Project Manager: Zero to Hero in 7 Days. Ray wrote this book with the intent of helping project managers quickly learn the essential skills they need to start or refresh their careers.    He is also the author of Accidental Agile Project Manager: Zero to Hero in 7 Iterations, and Risk Assessment Framework: Successfully Navigating Uncertainty. Ray has provided organizations with key materials for project managers to learn and grow. With over 35 years of experience managing projects, programs, and portfolios in multiple industries, Ray utilizes his writing and teaching to train and mentor project management students from around the world via online and in-class courses. He works with educational institutions such as UC San Diego Extension and California Southern University. Recent corporate clients have included Breg, Cymer, San Diego County Water Authority, and the US Navy. His personal mission is to help individuals and organizations improve their practices of project, program, and portfolio management through many of his educational and consulting engagements which focus on accidental, new, and aspiring project managers.   Ray talks to us about his bestselling book, teachings, and much more on this week's installment of The Everyday PM Podcast.    Here's a sneak peek at what we cover:  - His inspiration for writing Accidental Project Manager   - How he came up with the title  - Ray's professional journey including if he himself is an accidental PM   - PROJECT as an acronym and how Ray thoughtfully structured the book to help project managers learn and retain the information    Enjoyed this conversation with Ray? Want to learn more about the essential skills needed to start or refresh your project management career? Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below! Make sure to follow Ray and me on LinkedIn for more.   Subscribe: youtube.com/anncampea   Listen: https://anchor.fm/theeverydaypm   Learn About Ray: https://rayfrohnhoefer.com/   Buy the Book: https://rayfrohnhoefer.com/books/    ***  Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn:   Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anncampea/Worldwide Readiness Program Manager at Apple, Inc. Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, consumer goods, tech, and healthcare industries.    Ray W. Frohnhoefer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rayf123/Author, Educator, Speaker, and Managing Partner of PPC Group, LLC. Author of Accidental Project Manager: Zero to Hero in 7 Days and project manager for over 30 years. Ray leads a dual career, with more than half of his more than 15 years as a trainer and educator spent designing and delivering project-oriented, experiential online courses based on 21st-century learning principles. In 2014, Ray founded PPC Group, LLC to offer publications, training, and consulting with a focus on aspiring, new, and accidental project managers.

Coffee chats, water cooler talk, quick huddles... As project managers, we thrive on these happenstance meetings as an opportunity to information gather. While I recommend these types of syncs are not utilized for decision-making, we can leverage this time as a chance to discuss pressing matters in a much more comfortable setting.    We are back for the second installment of Project Management Coffee Chat with Greg Christensen, Vice President of ProjectHub.com, who reached out to me with some follow-up questions about project management. To truly mimic the constraints of a coffee chat, I once again set a timer for 20 minutes, since we all know coffee breaks should not take any longer than that! Here's a preview of the questions we cover in this week's episode of The Everyday PM Podcast:   - What are pre- and post-mortems?  - What are the top five post-mortem outcomes that we must always document?  - Are hidden stakeholders more common to specific sectors or project types?   - What are some common, yet preventable, blind spots in project management?   - When and why does it make sense to save a project versus scrapping it?   Do you have any questions you'd like to bring to the Project Management Coffee House? Feel free to reach out to me and we'll find time to take a break together.  Enjoyed this new-themed episode with Greg? Want to learn more about Greg's experience and how ProjectHub.com project management software can help eliminate complexity from your project? Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below! Make sure to follow Greg and me on LinkedIn for more.   *** Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn:   Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP https://www.linkedin.com/in/anncampea/ Worldwide Readiness Program Manager at Apple, Inc. | Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries.    Greg Christensen  https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-christensen-7b97648/ Vice President of ProjectHub.com | Greg Christensen is a CMMS expert, business consultant, and mentor with 2 build-outs resulting in successful exits. Nearly 2 decades in the CMMS space, extensive facilities, maintenance, and building management experience, lead to a focus on project management.“I have a passion for working with people delivering successful outcomes using a client-centric approach to problem-solving.  I find mentorship to be rewarding, in all of its various forms, and love building long-lasting relationships in constant pursuit of the elusive win-win."

Teal brings over twenty-five years of clinical, operational, business, and technical expertise in healthcare. She is a Registered Nurse (RN), a Six Sigma Green Belt, is Program and Portfolio Management Mastery certified, is Project Management Professional (PMP) certified. Teal has a Bachelor of Science and Nursing (BSN) degree, a Master of Computer Resources and Information Management degree, and is distinguished as a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). She obtained her teaching certificate from Colorado Technical University, where she translated her healthcare experience in the classroom as Adjunct Faculty instructing undergraduate and graduate-level students in healthcare, IT, and project management. Her former roles include Vice President of the corporate Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO) and Director of IT Project Management Office (PMO) for one of Colorado’s largest healthcare organizations. Utilizing that education/experience triad, she continues to lead multiple multi-million-dollar, high complexity, high visibility healthcare IT projects across the United States. Most of which are large-scale hospital construction projects where she excels at managing liaisons at the executive to unit coordinator levels. Teal is passionate about healthcare leadership and digital technology transformation. Teal's illustrious career is something to be proud of and admired by others. How exactly did she get to where she is today? Teal talks to us about crafting a career roadmap and much more on this week's installment of The Everyday PM Podcast. Here's a sneak peek at what we cover: How to craft your Career Roadmap? What considerations did you make before pursuing your certifications? What drove you to be an IT PM versus a non-tech PM? How to request or position yourself for the projects that will help you grow Advice on how to build your professional network Enjoyed this conversation with Teal? Want to learn more about building your own roadmap to a career in project management? Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below! Make sure to follow Teal and me on LinkedIn for more. Subscribe: youtube.com/anncampea Listen: https://anchor.fm/theeverydaypm *** Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn: Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP Worldwide Readiness Program Manager at Apple, Inc. Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, consumer goods, tech, and healthcare industries. Teal Heath, FACHE Principal at Equinox HIT Experienced Healthcare Executive / Vice President with 25+ years of clinical, operational, business, and technical expertise. Executive-level consultation, leadership, relationship building, visioning, and decision making. Strong working knowledge of healthcare IT and healthcare construction. Special affinity working in complex, highly metricized, geographically dispersed environments where regulatory / business acumen and ability to lead change is required.

George Pitagorsky is a globally recognized project and process management thought leader who integrates mindfulness and process thinking into his work to improve individual and team performance. He assesses, consults, coaches, and teaches to enable optimal performance. He has spoken at global conferences and for companies such as Microsoft and Nokia. He has more than fifty years of experience in project, program, process, and product management as an entrepreneur, consultant to major corporations, and CIO for a multibillion-dollar organization. George has studied and practiced Yoga, Tai Chi, and meditation for over forty years while living and working in the material world. He teaches meditation techniques and “wisdom” thinking for use in all aspects of daily life. George publishes Breakthrough Newsletter and has authored four books, The Zen Approach to Project Management, Managing Conflict in Projects, Managing Expectations: A Mindful Approach to Achieving Optimal Performance, and How to be Happy Even When You Are Sad, Mad or Scared. According to Daniel Goleman, George’s book, The Zen Approach to Project Management, is “the Zen that's been missing in all too many of today's business books, and George Pitagorsky is the master we've needed.” It is also the first book I purchased as a project manager that truly resonated with me as I learn and grow as a project manager. The reason why it continues to resonate with me is that it couples the idea of emotional intelligence and working with different types of people with this idea that we can work from our center to balance expectations and performance. I amongst my peers have always been known to be calm under pressure and reasonable, which is why this book helped me tap further into this concept and really own it. Here's a sneak peek at what we cover: - George's journey to becoming a project manager - The synergy between yoga, Tai Chi, and meditation with project management - How mindful awareness and process thinking (a Zen approach) enhance performance by enabling resilience, stress management, effective communications, and more - Everyday meditation or practice you can use in your everyday lives Enjoyed this conversation with George? Want to learn more about taking a mindful and self-aware approach to project management? Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below! Make sure to follow George and me on LinkedIn for more. Subscribe: youtube.com/anncampea Listen: https://anchor.fm/theeverydaypm LINKS:  https://self-awareliving.com/ - Learn about George and his teachings! https://self-awareliving.com/books-written-by-george - Buy his books! Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn: Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP (https://www.linkedin.com/in/anncampea/) | Worldwide Readiness Program Manager at Apple, Inc. | Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries. George Pitagorsky (https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgepitagorsky/)| Coaching CIOs, CEOs, and Their Teams on Mindfully Impacting the Bottomline | Master facilitator, change agent, coach, meditation teacher, and consultant with more than 40 years of experience working with individuals interested in applying mindfulness and open-minded systems and process thinking in daily life. He is a proponent of Servant Leadership.

Going OFF SCRIPT doesn’t come naturally to most organizational leaders. We want to control the narrative, ensure ideal outcomes, script the conversations, manage the problems, predict the future, and win (negotiations, new business, market share, and more). But what if good leaders could become better leaders by doing the opposite — by letting go of the control, by going “off script” in their conversations and negotiations, by being present instead of rushing to the future, and by collaborating in authentic, empathetic ways?  If your organization is like most, the old way of communicating and managing isn’t working for you. Status quo is coming up short. It’s time to master the art of business improvisation (“improv”)!   Returning to the podcast is renowned speaker, bestselling business author, Accidental Accountant, leadership expert, and improv virtuoso Peter Margaritis to chat about his new book, Off Script: Mastering the Art of Business Improv. In what is his third book on effective workplace communication, Peter invites managers, directors, founders, vice presidents, and chief executives to redefine leadership and teamwork. And he teaches you the techniques he’s taught employees at world-class brands like White Castle Systems, Cardinal Health, Target, Oklahoma State University, and Marriott.  "Business improv is about letting go of your own agenda to listen intently — to be empathetic and open-minded in the present moment — so you can truly connect with colleagues and other stakeholders to generate optimal results."   In business and in life, we tend to respond to others with “No, because ...” or “Yes, but ...” These dismissive and controlling tendencies lead to impasses, arguments, and ultimately failures. But when we learn to respond to others with “Yes, and ...” — acknowledging what we’ve heard and building upon it — we arrive more quickly at agreement and at breakthrough solutions for challenging problems. “Yes, and ...” is one of several improv techniques you’ll learn from Peter Margaritis’s Off Script! — a book that will help you build bridges, generate good ideas, adapt to any situation, nurture teams, and keep your anxiety at bay.   Here's a sneak peek at what we cover: The importance of "preparation" in improv The case for "improv" in improving organizational cultures Practical advice based on real-life scenarios Making sure your virtual meetings and presentations don't suck  Enjoyed this conversation with Peter? Want to learn more about business improv? Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below! Make sure to follow Peter and I on LinkedIn for more.  Subscribe: youtube.com/anncampea  Listen: https://anchor.fm/theeverydaypm   LINKS:  https://petermargaritis.com/ - Learn about Peter! https://offscriptimprov.com/ - Buy the book!   *** Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn:  Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anncampea/Worldwide Readiness Program Manager at Apple, Inc. Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries.    Peter Margaritis, CSP, C.P.A. - https://www.linkedin.com/in/petermargaritis/Certified Virtual Presenter, Keynote Speaker, Improv Virtuoso, Author, Podcaster, Educator, and Humorist Peter is a licensed, non-practicing, CPA in Ohio. Peter has worked for companies such as Price Waterhouse, Victoria’s Secret Catalogue (not as a model), and Ohio Dominican University. Peter has earned the highest credential of a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) from the National Speakers Association.

Brendon Baker established the Valuable Change Co. with one central mission in mind: to Help Change Leaders Drive Real Value, but on his way found his secondary mission: Fight Unnecessary Complexity. Where change isn’t about delivering on-time or on-budget, but rather actually getting what you’re looking for out of it. Brendon knew from the very beginning of his career that he didn’t want to do the same thing day in and day out. After an accelerated schooling due to various ‘gifted and talented’ school programs, and a short stint in event management, Brendon found his initial calling - in Project Management. Earning his (metaphorical) stripes and scars on projects large and small across various sized organizations, Brendon then shifted into change consulting. In retrospect, Brendon has worn almost every different hat and performed almost every role that exists in the world of changing organizations. Through all this, there were three recurring themes: First, Brendon had a knack for seeing through the complexity to find the simple, and doing so had huge benefit for the change he was working with. Second, Brendon was able to make complex concepts - accessible. And not just personally, but was able to help others repeatedly do the same. And third, that broad, diverse experience meant that Brendon was able to help his clients connect together all of the essential elements needed for truly successful change. It’s these themes that were at play as Brendon wrote his books (to date) - Valuable Change, and Creating High Value PMOs. Both of which were number 1 New Releases across multiple categories, with Valuable Change hitting bestseller status. And it’s those themes that Brendon brings to his clients everyday as part of the Valuable Change Co. Here's a preview of what we chat about in this week's episode of The Everyday PM Podcast: What are the top mistakes PMOs are making? What is the secret behind every great PMO? How can an organization avoid PMO stagnation? Enjoyed this conversation with Brendon? Want to learn more about creating high value PMOs and implementing valuable change? Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below! Make sure to follow Brendon and I on LinkedIn for more. Subscribe: youtube.com/anncampea Valuable LINKS: www.valuablechange.com www.brendonbaker.com.au linkedin.com/in/brendon-baker-valuablechange/ *** Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn: Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP Worldwide Readiness Program Manager at Apple, Inc. Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries.

What does it mean to be a project leader? Project Leadership means going above and beyond our duties as a project manager by infusing leadership principles into how we manage our projects, like authenticity and transparency. PMI's definition of project leadership: "The knowledge, skills, and behaviors needed to guide, motivate, and direct a team, to help an organization achieve its business goals."   Allison Ong, Executive Director-CTP Transition Plan & Patient Placement Services at Loma Linda University Medical Center, joins me to discuss Project Leadership. Allison started her career as a Clinical Nurse, but truly found her passion in leading projects. Not only does Allison teach a course on project leadership, but she just completed leading the Campus Transformation megaproject at Loma Linda University Health, which you may recall hearing about on The Everyday PM Podcast episode on Megaprojects.    Here's a preview of what we chat about in this week's episode of The Everyday PM Podcast:  The difference between project management and project leadership  How to lead a mega project through uncertainty?  How to keep leadership engaged and focused?  Good and bad personality traits of project managers   Enjoyed this conversation with Allison? Want to learn more about Allison's journey and how you can transform from project manager to project leader? Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below! Make sure to follow Allison and I on LinkedIn for more.   Subscribe: youtube.com/anncampea   Listen: https://anchor.fm/theeverydaypm    Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn:   Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP  Worldwide Readiness Program Manager at Apple, Inc. Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries.    Allison Ong  Executive Director-CTP Transition Plan & Patient Placement Services at Loma Linda University Medical Center Clinical nurse and experienced project leader.

Coffee chats, water cooler talk, quick huddles... As project managers, we thrive on these happenstance meetings as an opportunity to information gather. While I recommend these types of syncs are not utilized for decision-making, we can leverage this time as a chance to discuss pressing matters in a much more comfortable setting. When Greg Christensen, Vice President of ProjectHub.com reached out to me with some questions about project management, I suggested a virtual coffee chat (sans coffee because I don't actually drink it). To truly mimic the constraints of a coffee chat, I set a timer for 20 minutes, since we all know coffee breaks should not take any longer than that! Here's a preview of the questions we cover in this week's episode of The Everyday PM Podcast: What are the basic principles one should incorporate when establishing a project? What are the top five risk factors when it comes to projects in general? What are the biggest problems you see or have seen when it comes to the daily project management process? How does technology come into play to mitigate/solve these problems? Can you share your approach to planning and building out a podcast episode? Do you have a favorite project management philosophy/style you can describe? Do you have any questions you'd like to bring to the Project Management Coffee House? Feel free to reach out to me and we'll find time to take a break together. Enjoyed this new themed episode with Greg? Want to learn more about Greg's experience and how ProjectHub.com project management software can help eliminate complexity from your project? Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below! Make sure to follow Greg and I on LinkedIn for more. *** Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn: Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP Worldwide Readiness Program Manager at Apple, Inc. Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries. Greg Christensen Vice President of ProjectHub.com Greg Christensen is a CMMS expert, business consultant, and mentor with 2 build outs resulting in successful exits. Nearly 2 decades in the CMMS space, extensive facilities, maintenance, and building management experience, lead to a focus on project management. “I have a passion for working with people delivering successful outcomes using a client-centric approach to problem solving. I find mentorship to be rewarding, in all of its various forms, and love building long-lasting relationships in constant pursuit of the elusive win-win."

Dakota White is a results-oriented Project Manager with experience in higher education and healthcare business operations, with a track record of consulting with executives to influence business decisions and optimize organizational effectiveness. She is best known for successfully managing cross-functional relationships and streamlining business processes. Amidst the pandemic, Dakota took on her first "megaproject," the campus transformation at Loma Linda University Health located in Loma Linda, California. The medical center operates some of the largest clinical programs in the United States in areas such as neonatal care and outpatient surgery, and is recognized as the international leader in infant heart transplantation and proton treatments for cancer. In this week's episode of The Everyday PM Podcast, Dakota and I chat about what a megaproject is and how she kept her sanity and focus working on a project of this magnitude. According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), the following attributes are associated with a megaproject: large-scale; complex; cost more than 1 billion US Dollars; take many years to build; involve multiple public and private stakeholders; are transformational; and impact millions of people. Executing a megaproject can be highly risky. The risk of executing a megaproject amidst a pandemic is astronomical. Dakota White shares her experience in leading a megaproject, how she was able to coordinate the project amongst a team of project managers and stay grounded amidst the uncertainty. Enjoyed the conversation with Dakota? Want to learn more about mega projects and what it takes to execute one successfully? Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below! Reference: Project Management Institute (2014). What you should know about megaprojects | PMI academic summary. Retrieved from https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/research/research-summaries/flyvbjerg_megaprojects.pdf. *** Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn: Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP Worldwide Readiness Program Manager at Apple, Inc. Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries. Dakota White, MBA Project Manager - Campus Transformation at Loma Linda University Health Results-oriented Project Manager with experience in higher education and healthcare business operations, with a track record of consulting with executives to influence business decisions and optimize organizational effectiveness.