The Everyday PM: Project Management Principles for Your Everyday Life

Kevin Torf is an information-systems executive with a career spanning more than 40 years. He specializes in large-scale IT strategic plans, project design, procurement and implementation. Over his career, Kevin has orchestrated the design and implementation of numerous complex IT infrastructure deployments across the globe, including some of the world’s largest communication network systems. He is a strong advocate of professional development.   In this week's episode of The Everyday PM Podcast, Kevin and I "get the job done" by discussing the practical advice and real-world anecdotes that are included in his book, Getting the Job Done: Practical Advice and Real-World Anecdotes to Manage Successful P.R.O.J.E.C.T.S. Today’s workplace has evolved, yet the strategies to empower employees and teams are still maturing. Getting the Job Done provides a straightforward framework to inspire teams and keep them accountable for ultimate success. There is no singular method to being a better project manager. Instead, there are always multiple ways to look at a given problem and it is important to consider each of your team member’s different perspectives. By applying and practicing the tips in this book, your team can get the job done on time without having to sacrifice quality.    The 100 educational, factual, and relatable project management tips compiled in this book will guide you to keep your team engaged, responsible, and transparent. With T2 Group’s philosophy—the leading technology consulting practice providing innovative solutions to businesses for over thirty years—outlined by their letter-by-letter framework P.R.O.J.E.C.T.S.   Through the compact analysis of each block, followed by clear bite-sized pointers, concluding with T2’s case studies, you and your team can discover and create a new culture that can be used in both life and business. Elevate your team and organization’s capabilities and discover how projects can turn from great undertakings to successful collaborations.   The book is available now. You can purchase the book here on Amazon or everywhere books are sold!   Enjoyed the conversation with Kevin? Want to learn more about getting the job done? Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below!   ***  Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn:   Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP  Worldwide Readiness Program Manager, Apple, Inc. Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries.    Kevin Torf  Author | Entrepreneur | Executive Kevin Torf is an information-systems executive with a career spanning more than 40 years. He specializes in large-scale IT strategic plans, project design, procurement and implementation. He is the co-founder and managing partner of T2 Group and the developer of the company’s hybrid-Agile methodology.

Bob is the co-founder and director of Intelligent Disobedience Leadership and founder of Mindavation. Specializing in advanced leadership techniques, strategic program and portfolio management and establishing Project Management Offices on three continents, Bob has worked with inexperienced to advanced business leaders from more than 15 countries, with a wide variety of industry backgrounds and has delivered keynote addresses to conferences and chapter meetings around the world. With more than 30 years of I/T, project management and business analysis experience, 18 of those years with the IBM Corporation, I am honored to welcome Bob onto The Everyday PM Podcast to share his wisdom with our community.   Not only is Bob a certified Project Management Professional by PMI, he also holds university degrees in Operations Research and Mathematics and is the author of Intelligent Disobedience: The Difference Between Good and Great Leaders, which was released in March 2018 by Routledge (Oxford). He is a LinkedIn Learning instructor, with nearly 20 courses on the platform, covering project management, advanced leadership and outsourcing management. In our conversation, we dig into Bob's professional journey, his passion for teaching, and insight into what differentiates between a good and great leader. What is Intelligent Disobedience Leadership? According to Bob, author of Intelligent Disobedience: The Difference between Good and Great Leaders, it's knowing when and how to break, bend or invent new rules to get better outcomes. Obeying all of the rules rarely generates breakthrough business performance because it does not generate new approaches. Breaking the rules randomly does not work either. Intelligent disobedience values improved business performance over compliance with the rules, when conditions permit. This book promotes enhanced performance by promoting a higher form of ethics. Intelligent disobedience seeks to surface hidden truth and to produce actions that are of higher integrity to yield superior results. The book guides the reader to evaluate their work environment, current business results, and risk, to determine if, when, and how acting with intelligent disobedience can enhance their business outcomes and their career. You can purchase the book here on Amazon or read more about the concept of Intelligent Disobedience here: http://intelligentdisobedience.com/ Enjoyed the conversation with Bob? Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below! **** Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn: Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP | Worldwide Readiness Program Manager, Apple, Inc. | Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries. Robert L. (Bob) McGannon, PMP, GWCPM | Director - Intelligent Disobedience Leadership / LinkedIn Learning Author / Supporter of Curated Culture / Keynote Speaker / Coach | Bob is a certified Project Management Professional by PMI, was a certified Executive Project Manager with IBM, a Certified Project Management Coach for the Boeing Corporation, and is currently an Honorary Adjunct Professor at Bond University.

We've all had that feeling after completing a big milestone - a sense of loss, sadness, and even depression. As project managers, we invest so much of ourselves in completing our projects that when it's over, it's not uncommon for post-project blues to settle in. Our days that were filled with planning, execution, and team collaboration are once again free of the multitude of meetings and interactions that consumed every minute of every day. We're often told to leave our feelings at the door when we enter the workplace, but post-project blues is a very real feeling that may be remedied best through interaction with colleagues to plan for "what's next."    In our everyday lives, the most known manifestation of this feeling is postpartum depression. According to Mayo Clinic, "the birth of a baby can trigger a jumble of powerful emotions, from excitement and joy to fear and anxiety. But it can also result in something you might not expect — depression" (Mayo Clinic, n.d.). Most new moms experience postpartum "baby blues" after childbirth, which commonly include mood swings, crying spells, anxiety and difficulty sleeping. Baby blues typically begin within the first two to three days after delivery, and may last for up to two weeks. But some new moms experience a more severe, long-lasting form of depression known as postpartum depression.    In this week's podcast, Christina and I discuss this very real topic of Post-Project Blues and give our thoughts on knowing how to identify when you are going through this depression type and coping mechanisms we have used to manage it. Have you ever experienced post-project blues? If so, what are some tips and techniques you utilized to manage your feelings? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!   ***  Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn:  Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP | Worldwide Readiness Program Manager, Apple, Inc. | Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries.    Christina Olivarria, MSPM, PMP, HACP, LBBP | Project Manager/Communications Manager, Yellow Brick Consulting, Inc. | A well-organized, task-orientated project manager, who takes initiative in delivering the highest quality services to both peers and clients alike.

Since 1996, PMI has set the standard of terminology and guidelines for the project management profession. It's been four years since the Project Management Institute (PMI) published the The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) Guide – Sixth Edition. Deemed as one of the most thorough and detailed editions of them all, the Sixth Edition was rigid, outlining the project lifecycle complete with all of the EEFs (Enterprise Environmental Factors) and OPAs (Organizational Process Assets) that fed into and out of each process group. Project managers would be tested on this and much more to be deemed certified project management professionals.   However, in the last four years, the project management industry has seen tremendous growth. According to PMI, the profession's labor force is expected to expand by 33% globally through 2027, creating approximately 22 million jobs worldwide. We have also seen the emergence of hybrid project approaches that capture both agile and waterfall methodologies. With the demand for project managers growing faster than the demand for workers in other occupations over the next 10 years, it is by no surprise that PMI deemed it time to release The PMBOK® Guide – Seventh Edition to capture this rapid change.   In this week's podcast, Christina, Brian and I breakdown The PMBOK® Guide – Seventh Edition and give our thoughts on the changes. To see a quick rundown of what's changed in the Seventh Edition, check out my video on 7 Facts about The PMBOK® Seventh Edition. For our in-depth video review and to see whether or not we agreed with the changes, tune in to our newest episode of The Everyday PM (video edition) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PdM-tpHDfw   Have you had a chance to review The PMBOK® Guide – Seventh Edition? If so, what are your thoughts on the changes? Don't forget - if you're a PMI member, you have access to the digital copy of the The PMBOK® Guide – Seventh Edition as part of your membership. Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!   *** More About Our Hosts:   Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP | Worldwide Readiness Program Manager, Apple, Inc. | Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries.    Christina Olivarria, MSPM, PMP, HACP, LBBP | Project Manager/Communications Manager, Yellow Brick Consulting, Inc. | A well-organized, task-orientated project manager, who takes initiative in delivering the highest quality services to both peers and clients alike.    Brian Summons, Senior Project Manager | MSPM | PMP | CSM | CSPO | Iraq Combat Veteran | Senior Project Manager, CHOC Children's Senior-Level Project Leader, Combat Veteran, and USC ✌🏾 Alumnus who has a passion for leading impactful technology projects. A seasoned leader, and polished communicator with the required experience to ensure project success.

What do Star Wars and project management have in common? You may think very little. However, if you talk to Dr. Joshua Montgomery, you'll find that these two topics are truly synergistic like C-3PO and R2-D2. In this week's episode of The Everyday PM Podcast, I welcome Dr. Joshua Montgomery, Associate Professor of Computer Science at Southern State Community College, to teach us just how Star Wars droids are changing the way that students are taught project-based learning.    Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging, and complex question, problem, or challenge (PBLWorks, n.d.). In one of Dr. Montgomery's classes, students demonstrate their knowledge and skills by creating a product, or in the case of Dr. Montgomery's class perhaps a droid, to present to an audience. Students can spend weeks, if not months, building a droid (or other project of their choice). This involves planning and executing the project using a project plan that the student has created. Ensuring the proper budget is available and resources acquired. All the while, ensuring milestones are met to have a project to present by the end of the semester (or however long it may take). Through this experience, students develop deep content knowledge as well as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication skills. Project based learning unleashes a contagious, creative energy among students and teachers alike.    Why is project based learning impactful? Have you taken a course that utilized project based learning? Want to know more about Dr. Montgomery's course or cool droids? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!   Reference:  PBLWorks (n.d.). What is PBL? (Online post: https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl)   ***  Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn:  Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP  | Worldwide Readiness Program Manager, Apple, Inc. | Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries.    Dr. Joshua Montgomery  | Associate Professor of Computer Science at Southern State Community College | Associate Professor of Computer Science at Southern State Community, eSports Director, Division Coordinator, Faculty Senate President, R2-D2 & BB-8 Droid Builder, Inventor, TEDxDayton Speaker, Father, Husband and Lifelong Learner.    More ways to follow Dr. Montgomery:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmontgomery45123/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/montgomery45123 TedTalk: https://youtu.be/q-UAwTMERBg

Welcome to Episode 28 of The Everyday PM podcast where we get to know more about Ann Campea, Founder of The Everyday PM. On the Podcast's one-year anniversary, we celebrate The Everyday PM's Founder, her professional journey, mentors who have supported her along the way, and why The Everyday PM means so much to her! Big shout out to Brian Summons for your continued support of this community and for stepping in to be such a great host! If you enjoy The Everyday PM content, let us know. Are there topics that you want to hear about? People you want to hear from? This community is built by me for you, so drop me a line and let me know your thoughts. *** Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn: Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP Worldwide Readiness Program Manager, Apple, Inc. Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries. Brian Summons, Senior Project Manager | MSPM | PMP | CSM | CSPO | Iraq Combat Veteran Senior Project Manager, CHOC Children's Senior-Level Project Leader, Combat Veteran, and USC ✌🏾Alumnus who has a passion for leading impactful technology projects. A seasoned leader, and polished communicator with the required experience to ensure project success.

Welcome to episode 27 of The Everyday PM Podcast where I welcome guest host, Ryan Myers, Operations Manager/Senior Project Manager, Haven Agency to talk about the importance of planning. The planning phase follows the first phase of a project, concept and initiation, and is one, if not THE most critical to project success. When planning for a project, a project manager in collaboration with the project team, are responsible for documenting project plans, defining the project deliverables and requirements, and creating the project schedule. This phase also involves creating a roadmap to help navigate your team through the execution, performance and control, and closure phases of the project. Not only does the roadmap serve as a blueprint for the team to execute against, it also helps you manage time, cost, quality, changes, risk, stakeholders and other project-related information. Why is it then that when project timelines get squeezed that planning is the first phase that stakeholders look at to shave time? Perhaps there is a misconception that planning can be done quickly or that the sooner the team can start executing, the faster we'll see results. However, by cutting time from planning, you are doing more harm than good. The risks that could have been flagged by the team during planning via a pre-mortem exercise will likely creep up later in the project, costing the team more time to mitigate than if the proper amount of time were given upfront for the team to come up with a preventative plan. This is just one of many examples that Ryan and I discuss in this week's podcast, which also includes insights on tools and techniques that you can utilize to to successfully plan for the most critical phase of your project - planning. What do you think about project planning? Is it critical to project success or could you do without it? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below! *** Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn: Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP Worldwide Readiness Program Manager, Apple, Inc. Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries. Ryan Myers Operations Manager/Senior Project Manager, Haven Agency Experienced Operations and Senior Project Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the internet industry.

Welcome to episode 26 of The Everyday PM Podcast where I spotlight Sanaz Sadeghian, MSc., PMP, PMI-SP, PSM I, the youngest person in Iran with a Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification and a professional in project management. Sanaz came to America from Iran in 2019, a country where preference is given to men over women in project management field jobs. Not only is Sanaz the youngest person in Iran to obtain a PMP® certification, she is also a proponent of higher education and continuous learning. Sanaz was in search of opportunity and made the move to America to pursue a Masters degree in project management from Boston University. Her list of accomplishments continues, graduating with a top GPA from Boston University in May 2020 and current President of the Project Management Club at her alma mater. Many people dream of coming to America for its diverse job market, especially when it comes to project management. With no promises of securing a job in project management, Sanaz knew it was the right move to make to open doors to more opportunities than what was presented to her back at home. However, her journey was not easy. She moved in the middle of the pandemic when all of her friends back home could not find a job. The question Sanaz receives frequently (every week!) on LinkedIn from other internationals is "how did [she] I find a job as an international here on a Visa and in the middle of covid?" For those who find yourself in a similar situation, Sanaz has a lot to share on this experience. I can't imagine how stressful it must have been to find a job in the US as an international whilst your ability to remain in the country is solely dependent on finding a job and an employer to sponsor you. You can find Sanaz today in a Project Manager role for Waters Corporation. She is involved in large scale multi-disciplinary projects. What do you think of Sanaz's journey? Do you share a similar experience or need guidance on how to navigate the work Visa process? Reach out to Sanaz to chat more about her personal and professional experiences. Leave your thoughts in the comments section below! **** Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn: Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP Worldwide Readiness Program Manager, Apple, Inc. Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries. Sanaz Sadeghian, MSc., PMP, PMI-SP, PSM I Project Manager at Waters Corporation Young project management professional with more than 5 years experience in project planning and scheduling. Works with Agile as well as Waterfall teams to generate an effective time and cost hybrid Master plan for large scale multi-disciplinary projects.

Welcome to episode 25 of The Everyday PM Podcast where I spotlight Donna Gregorio, published author of The Successful Project Manager: Practical Guidance from Lessons Learned. Donna Gregorio, a veteran of corporate IT project management, published author, college grad school instructor, and well-respected conference speaker. Donna’s own journey to excellence has been fueled with a passion for empowering students and experts. Today she manages the PM/BA department in IT and guides her teams through a high-stress, constant change, and fast-paced environment that is now commonplace. Donna shows each audience how to reconnect with tools in addressing challenges, what matters most, so they can achieve positive results. Having presented in front of classrooms of 20-50 and conference presentations of 50-100+, Donna demonstrates style, grace, comfort, and is able to explain complex technical issues in an interesting way. She helps organizations disrupt “change as usual” through a practical and repeatable framework, transforming their culture from surviving change to growing through change. Donna earned certifications in PMP, PMP-Agile, CBAP, ITIL and Agile Scrum Master/Product Owner. She holds a BS in Computer Science and Math from Tufts University and an MS in Computer Engineering from Northeastern University. The Successful Project Manager provides practical guidance from hard-earned lessons learned. For the last 30+ years, Gregorio has been focused on driving IT projects to success and teaching graduate students how to manage projects. When teaching students, their interest piques when they hear stories and the techniques applied in moving activities from project rescue to preventing project mishaps. What do you think of Donna's journey? Do you share a similar experience? Purchase the book on Amazon! Definitely reach out to Donna to chat more about her personal and professional experiences. Leave your thoughts in the comments section below! **** Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn: Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP Worldwide Readiness Program Manager, Apple, Inc. Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries. Donna Gregorio Author, IT Dept Head, Professor, Project Manager, Business Analyst A veteran of corporate IT project management, published author, college grad school instructor, and well-respected conference speaker.

Welcome to episode 24 of The Everyday PM Podcast where I spotlight Mr. Brian Summons, MPSM, PMP, CSM, CSPO, Iraq combat veteran to Senior IT project manager. I remember clapping my hands after Brian spoke up in our virtual class about how gaining a project management certification does not guarantee your success as a project manager. He went on to outline the many attributes that make for a successful and effective project manager, like high emotional intelligence and concise communication skills. This moment is when I knew we had a connection, which is why we have kept a close relationship even after the program was over. For this reason, and many more that I've come to learn about Brian, I have chosen to spotlight him in this week's podcast. Mr. Brian Summons is an Iraq combat veteran, having served in the military for 8 years. Following this experience, Brian made many strategic moves to progress himself from military to civilian life, including learning from mentors about project management. Ultimately, he found himself working in both non-tech and tech PM roles. Listen in on Brian's journey from Iraq combat veteran to Senior IT project manager for CHOC (Children's Hospital of Orange County). What do you think of Brian's journey? Do you share a similar experience? Definitely reach out to Brian to chat more about his personal and professional experiences because he is just that awesome. Leave your thoughts in the comments section below! **** Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn: Ann Campea, MSPM, MPH, PMP Worldwide Readiness Program Manager, Apple, Inc. Program/Project management professional with 10 years of experience in product development, physical retail launches, health care, and tech industries. Brian Summons, Senior Project Manager | MSPM | PMP | CSM | CSPO | Iraq Combat Veteran Senior Project Manager, CHOC Children's Senior-Level Project Leader, Combat Veteran, and USC ✌🏾 Alumnus who has a passion for leading impactful technology projects. A seasoned leader, and polished communicator with the required experience to ensure project success.