Project Management Happy Hour

PM Happy Hour is the place for frank and honest discussion about real world issues in project management. We do it in a way that’s not too dry, though it may get a bit salty from time to time. Each episode, we will cover a problem faced in project management today, and share practical advice, real-life examples and the occasional project horror story. Not only that, but every podcast is also an online class! Our host is a PMI Registered Education Provider, who has structured each podcast as an easy-to-listen-to lesson. To get credit, go to our web site at PMHappyHour.com, purchase your class, take the test (based on the content from our podcast) and you get your PDU certificate instantly!

113 - Top Shelf Replay: Stage direction in the boardroom 11/20/2025

113 - Top Shelf Replay: Stage direction in the boardroom What happens when you drop a senior project manager into a room full of attorneys, tribal leaders, political operators, and massive personalities? In this Top Shelf Replay, Kate & Kim revisit one of the most beloved—and re-listened—episodes in PM Happy Hour history: “Stage Direction in the Boardroom” featuring master facilitator Sheila Morago. If you’ve ever wondered how elite leaders steer complicated, high-stakes conversations without losing their cool (or losing six months of work with one careless comment), this episode is your new playbook. Sheila shares the tools, tactics, and emotional intelligence behind managing senior stakeholders, building trust, engineering alignment, and yes…occasionally staging a fight to get everyone to “yes.” Get ready—this episode is full of real-world policy drama, tribal gaming insight, negotiation theater, and powerful lessons for any PM trying to move from “task master” to strategic leader. Great Quotes From the Episode “Never ask a question you don’t already know the answer to.” “These aren’t meetings—they’re Kabuki theater.” “Nothing brings people together like a common enemy.” “If you don’t let them vent early, they will vent later—and at the worst possible moment.” “Policy takes years. Tech takes a week.” What You’ll Learn (Key Outcomes) 1. How Senior Leaders Actually Negotiate Sheila breaks down what it takes to orchestrate alignment among executives, attorneys, policymakers, and stakeholders—none of whom work for you, all of whom report to someone powerful. 2. The Secret Skill That Makes PMs Into Leaders How listening (really listening) becomes your most strategic tool at the senior level. 3. Managing High-Stakes Meetings Without Losing Control Why should one person guide the conversation? How to posit their positions to draw out quiet or hesitant stakeholders. How to keep the emotional temperature safe but not silent. 4. The Power of the ‘Safe Zone’ Why must you create a space where stakeholders can speak unfiltered, off-record, and without fear of political consequences. 5. Relationship-Building: The Long Game Happy hours, lunches, hallway conversations—how the “work between the work” makes the boardroom possible. 6. The Art of the Staged Fight Why conflict must be visible. Why letting people “win” (feel like they won) is essential. Why is the real battle scripted before the meeting starts? 7. Using Common Ground—and Common Foes When “we all want the same thing” works. When “the real enemy is over there” works even better. 8. How to Lock Down Decisions So They Don’t Backslide Why immediate execution is key. How implementation momentum prevents second-guessing. 9. Lessons Kate & Kim Learned 8 Years Later Why parts of this episode hit harder after a decade of PM leadership. How letting emotions into the meeting leads to better outcomes. What PMs often overlook when they’re new to senior-level facilitation. If you want to level up from “planner of tasks” to leader of leaders, this replay is essential listening. Whether you're negotiating policy, driving enterprise transformation, or just trying to get two teams to agree on anything—Sheila’s battle-tested tools will help you steer the room, keep your cool, and bring people with you. ABOUT OUR GUEST, SHEILA MORAGO Sheila Morago is the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association. OIGA has 30 member tribes and numerous associate members. Oklahoma now ranks third in the United States in gaming revenue, with 118 casinos ranging from small fuel stops to full resort casinos. Prior to working for OIGA, Ms. Morago was Executive Director for the Arizona Indian Gaming Association. She has also served as the Director of Public Relations for the National Indian Gaming Association, based in Washington, D.C. Ms. Morago began her career in tribal gaming in 1994 when she was appointed Director of Marketing for the Gila River Casinos, where she built the marketing department for this multi-million dollar enterprise and opened two successful tribal casinos. Before joining AIGA, Ms. Morago was Vice President of National Relations for Initial Impressions based in Tempe, Arizona, where she was responsible for all political and public relations for tribal and non-tribal clients. In January 2006, she was named one of 25 people to watch by Global Gaming Business. She was named one of the “Great Women of Gaming” by Casino Enterprise Management in 2004, and inducted into the Indian Gaming Hall of Fame, presented by Indian Gaming Magazine, in 2012. And if you’re tired of carrying the emotional labor for your entire project team, come get some backup and community. Join us at: © Project Management Happy Hour /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/39105115

112 - Burnout: when a 500k job isn't worth it, with Norlander Wilson 11/11/2025

112 - Burnout: when a 500k job isn't worth it, with Norlander Wilson Kate didn’t plan to measure their burnout by the number of bags of pink-and-purple Mother’s animal cookies consumed at their desk…but here we are. Kim’s clue was a rotating cycle of stomach aches and “maybe these aren’t panic attacks but the room is definitely spinning.” And our guest, Norlander Wilson, talks about showing up to work without showering or brushing her teeth for days because she literally couldn’t. This one is about burnout at work — not the “I need a weekend off” kind, but the kind that rewires your nervous system and convinces you you’re the problem. About our guest: Norlander Wilson is an experimental psychologist and an orbit disruptor by calling. She is the founder and CEO of Becoma, an operational strategy firm that helps leaders, creatives, and organizations move from survival mode into clearer systems and healthier energy. Through her work, Norlander blends psychology, strategy, and system design to challenge the patterns that keep people stuck and to create ways of working that don’t require self-sacrifice. She's also the host of the podcast “She Don’t Work Like That, No More,” where she unpacks wounded leadership patterns and reimagines what it means to build, lead, and live without breaking yourself in the process. The theme today: burnout at work, and how project managers — the people everyone counts on — get trapped in it. Norlander doesn’t sugarcoat it: “Burnout is a collective conversation, especially in an organization.” She calls out how burnout starts at the top. If leadership pushes 100 hours, teams assume they should push 150. If leaders are exhausted, their teams are exhausted. Burnout isn’t a personal failing; it’s a system failure — and PMs often absorb the blast radius. Kate opens up about their 2024 breakdown: crying daily, losing appetite except for cookies, medical leave, and the creeping belief that if they just tried harder, they could fix everything. Kim shares his own burnout and the helpless feeling of watching teammates slide into it — seeing that “day-five-I-haven’t-showered look” on Zoom and wanting to save them. And then there’s the half-million-dollar moment. Kate negotiated nearly $500,000/year in compensation and turned it down because walking into the building made them feel sick. Not metaphorically — physically. “I’m not getting on that wheel unless I want to.” Norlander validates it: “If it’s profound burnout and everything triggers you at that job, yes, it’s time to leave.” She gives language PMs desperately need: Capacity check-ins, not productivity interrogations Systems that hold boundaries so you don’t have to Stop parenting grown adults at work — “You are not an emotional container.” Let people fail so they learn the consequence, not you Kim connects it to the “mouse on the wheel” experiment — the difference between choosing to run and being forced to run. The stress chemicals — literally — are not the same. Norlander’s tools for burnout prevention and burnout recovery: Audit your systems quarterly Build boundaries into SOPs Protect scheduled joy like you protect deadlines Delegate to the system, not your nervous system Kate shares how protecting Tuesday riding lessons became non-negotiable. Not because horseback riding is magic (although…it kind of is), but because no one else will protect your time but you. Norlander’s toast at the end is the line we’re all putting on sticky notes: “When you do find your boundary… don’t compromise it for anyone.” If burnout at work is starting to feel familiar — if you’re living on cookies, caffeine, and dread — pull up a chair. You’re not lazy. You’re not failing. The system is failing you. And if you’re tired of carrying the emotional labor for your entire project team, come get some backup and community. Join us at: © Project Management Happy Hour /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/38945375

111 - Top Shelf Replay: How do you start a hard conversation? 10/29/2025

111 - Top Shelf Replay: How do you start a hard conversation? Ever freeze up in a tough project conversation? Or worse—blow it up? In this episode of Project Management Happy Hour, Kim and Kate revisit their all-time favorite: Crucial Conversations by the team at VitalSmarts (now Crucial Learning). This book completely changed how they lead, negotiate, and manage conflict. Learn how to spot when a conversation turns “crucial,” stay in dialogue instead of defensiveness, and use “don’t-do statements” and “start with heart” to navigate conflict like a pro. We’re not sponsored—just obsessed. If you lead projects or people, this book will change your life. 🍸 Pull up a stool at the bar—here’s what we’re talking about this round: 🍸 Every project manager has been there: a stakeholder meltdown, a team standoff, or that one sponsor meeting where your pulse hits 200. The question is—what do you do when the conversation turns crucial? In this PM Happy Hour throwback, Kate and Kim revisit one of their most popular and enduring episodes—based on the book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by the VitalSmarts team (now Crucial Learning). They aren’t paid to say this—but this book changed their lives and careers. Seventeen years after Kate’s colleague first handed her this book, they still call it “the single most important leadership book for project managers.” Forget the PMBOK—start here if you want to build trust, executive presence, and influence. You’ll learn how to: Recognize when a conversation becomes crucial: differing opinions, high stakes, and strong emotions. Avoid the “fool’s choice”—the false belief that you must choose between honesty and peace. Create a shared pool of meaning, so everyone’s ideas and emotions contribute to better decisions. Use “Start With Heart” to keep your cool and focus on what you really want—for yourself, others, and the relationship. Apply “Don’t-Do Statements” to set boundaries, de-escalate tension, and build empathy. From team conflicts to sponsor negotiations, this episode gives you practical, human ways to talk about hard things—and actually make things better. Kim and Kate share real-world examples from project meetings, resource battles, and even personal life to show how dialogue beats defensiveness every time. And they’re not just quoting theory. Crucial Conversations is built on decades of behavioral research and communication psychology—and it’s as relevant today as ever. Whether you manage projects, programs, or entire teams, mastering these techniques can level up your leadership, reduce drama, and get you promoted faster. 📚 Get the Book: Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler Available anywhere books are sold (we’re not sponsored—we just love it). JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Want even more? Join us at to get PDUsfor episodes, downloadable templates, access to our PM community, and 1:1 time with Kim and Kate. /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/38805310

110 - Are you defining project success wrong? Most PM’s do! With PMI’s Dave Garrett 10/15/2025

110 - Are you defining project success wrong? Most PM’s do! With PMI’s Dave Garrett Are you defining project success the wrong way? Most project managers are — at least according to PMI’s Dave Garrett. Project Management Happy Hour hosts Kim Essendrup and Kate Anderson sit down with Dave — Senior Advisor at the Project Management Institute (PMI) and co-founder of ProjectManagement.com — for a frank and real conversation about PMI’s new definition of project success to talk about how realistic it is, and what it means for the future of our profession. For decades, project success was judged by the “iron triangle” — scope, schedule, and budget. But PMI has officially redefined it: “A successful project is one that delivers value worth the effort and expense.” Dave explains how this updated definition shifts the focus from checking boxes to delivering outcomes that truly matter — and how every PM can start measuring success through value creation instead of rigid constraints. The discussion digs into PMI’s new M.O.R.E. framework — a practical mindset for modern project leaders: M – Manage Perceptions: Build trust and alignment with stakeholders. O – Own Success: Don’t just deliver; ensure the value lands. R – Relentlessly Reassess: Constantly re-evaluate priorities and adapt to change. E – Expand Perspective: See the bigger picture across business strategy, customers, and society. Dave also shares lessons from his early startup days building Gantthead.com, the dot-com crash, and how those lessons apply in today’s AI-driven project world. You’ll hear how the rise of automation is making project management more human, pushing PMs to lead through empathy, influence, and strategic insight rather than process checklists. If you’ve ever struggled with the question, “Was my project really a success?” this episode will give you a fresh, empowering way to answer it. Key Takeaways PMI’s official definition of project success now centers on value, not just time, cost, and scope. The M.O.R.E. mindset helps PMs evolve beyond administrators into strategic leaders. AI will augment, not replace, project managers — freeing them to focus on human connection and business impact. “Success” is contextual: a delayed project that delivers exceptional value can still be a win. Guest Links Learn more about PMI’s Project Success initiative: Connect with Dave Garrett on Explore PMI’s AI resources: Want even more? Join us at to get PDU certificates for episodes, downloadable templates, access to our PM community, and 1:1 time with Kim and Kate. /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/38581385

109 - Top Shelf Replay: The Wolf - how to take over broken projects 09/30/2025

108 - Why Risk Management? Future You Will Thank You 09/16/2025

107 - Top Shelf Replay: The Closer - Avoiding Project Acceptance Exception 09/02/2025

106 - Finish Strong: Why the End of Your Project Matters Most 08/26/2025

105 - Top Shelf Replay: How to Deal with Stupid Executive Asks 07/22/2025

104 - The one meeting that will make or break your project 07/02/2025

103 - Lessons not Learned: State of Maine HR System Project Debacle 06/04/2025

103 - Lessons not Learned: State of Maine HR System Project Debacle Think your project’s on fire? 🔥 Come hear how Maine tried to swap a 30‑year‑old COBOL HR/payroll system for something cloud‑friendly … and wound up with six years, two vendors, and ± $35 M spent—with no live system to show for it. (Psst—Love this kind of real‑world PM talk? Join our member community for templates, monthly problem‑solving Happy Hours with us, and coaching: PMHappyHour.com/membership.) 👋 Your Hosts Kim Essendrup – PM coach, speaker, project‑failure super‑fan Kate Anderson – coffee‑powered realist & co‑host of Project Management Happy Hour What We Cover Why Maine’s 2016 “$15 M, 2‑year” vision looked reasonable on paper Vendor #1: Infor hired for $13.5 M … then fired after two years with nothing working Vendor #2: Workday lands a $15 M deal—hope (briefly) restored 2019–2020 red flags: missing staff, test cycles where 50 % of paychecks were wrong, “rosy” status decks Feb 2021: Maine’s 30‑day ultimatum & $22.16 M demand letter to Workday (spoiler: lawyers ensue) Project culture bombs: 400 % team turnover, a toxic manager, and a “rescue PM” married to the sponsor Independent audit slide‑deck gold: zero items “ready for go‑live,” chaotic configs, no data owner Accenture steps in (another $10.9 M) while employees still depend on the 1980s mainframe 5 Brutal Lessons You Can Use Tomorrow 1) Write it down or write a check – fuzzy requirements = infinite rework. 2) Freeze configs, then test – moving targets make every cycle worthless. 3) Own the data – bad source data means bad payroll, period. 4) Toxic leadership kills progress – harassment & turnover wipe out continuity. 5) Audit early, not post‑mortem – an external sanity check at first failure could have saved millions. You Might Be in Trouble If … Your payroll test run is half wrong but the go‑live date stays. A core requirement (e.g., labor‑cost distribution) is “coming later”—after all testing. Status decks stay green while teammates are crying in their cars. The new “fix‑it” PM just happens to be married to the exec in charge. Nobody can explain entrance‑/exit‑criteria, yet QA keeps restarting. Ad‑hoc reports only work if you strip every security role. Steering committee = five‑minute victory lap + fifty‑five minutes of blame ping‑pong. Backup plan is still “keep the COBOL mainframe running indefinitely.” If any of those hit home, open your RAID log—now—before your $15 M idea turns into headline fuel. Why listen? Rolling out HRIS, ERP, or Workday? Spot the landmines first. Tired of sanitized “success stories”? We tell it like it is—with a dash of salt. Exec or sponsor? See how weak governance detonates budgets—and morale. 👉 Subscribe for more Lessons Not Learned, salty PM rants, and practical tips. 💡 Grab our free RAID Log template & on‑demand training at https://PMHappyHour.com Sources & References Maine Legislature. Government Oversight Committee Report on Workday Implementation (2021). Maine Legislature. IJA Strategies Independent Assessment (2020). Portland Press Herald. “System failure: Inside Maine’s $35 M HR software meltdown” (Jun 20 2021). Sun Journal. “Maine hires new contractor to complete long‑delayed software upgrade” (Jun 7 2022). The Register. “Maine threatens to terminate Workday contract over delays” (Mar 31 2021). The Register. “No accountability for Workday’s HR system failure, officials claim” (Apr 14 2021). Views are the hosts’ own. Brand names belong to their respective owners. #ProjectManagement #LessonsNotLearned #Workday #ProjectFailure #PMHappyHour JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our membership! /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/36836380

102 - Kim's first day working for the Empire: Kate runs another Project Management role-play 04/01/2025

101 - The Project Behind: Not Impossible Labs with Mick Ebeling 03/11/2025

101 - The Project Behind: Not Impossible Labs with Mick Ebeling Ever had a moment where you saw a problem in the world and thought, “Someone should fix that”? What if that someone was you? Mick Ebeling, founder of Not Impossible Labs, joins us to share how he turned a bold promise into world-changing innovation. From helping a paralyzed graffiti artist create art again to launching life-changing tech solutions, Mick’s story is a masterclass in fearless problem-solving. In this episode, we dive into what it takes to commit to the impossible, build the right team, and use project management superpowers to change lives. If you’ve ever doubted your ability to make an impact, this conversation will prove otherwise. Cheers to embracing audacity—tune in now! 🍻🎧 About our amazing guest, Mick Ebeling: Named Fortune’s Top 50 World’s Greatest Leaders and honored with the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year Award, Mick Ebeling is a groundbreaking innovator dedicated to changing the world through innovation and story. As the Founder of Not Impossible Labs – an innovation incubator disrupting the status quo and tackling seemingly impossible problems – Mick has spent over a decade driving a movement of positive impact for the sake of humanity. Through his “Help One. Help Many” approach, Mick and his team have created some of the most internationally celebrated inventions, including The Eyewriter, Project Daniel, and Don’s Voice, as well as their most recent spin-off companies, Bento (formerly Hunger: Not Impossible) and Music: Not Impossible. His work has been recognized as a 3x recipient of TIME’s Best Inventions and Fast Company's World Changing Ideas. Mick continues to inspire, empower, and teach individuals, organizations, and communities to take bold action, so they too can make the impossible, NOT impossible. JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our membership! /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/35573590

100 - Retrospective: Our 100th Episode 02/27/2025

099 - The Iron Triangle of Getting a PM Job, with PM Career Coach, Kayla Quijas 01/14/2025

098 - Don’t Eat the Prickly Pears: Learning how to prioritize with James Louttit 12/24/2024

098 - Don’t Eat the Prickly Pears: Learning how to prioritize with James Louttit As a professional in today’s working environment, you are constantly bombarded by things that demand your attention, your action, the very limited moments in your finite life. (wow, heavy). OK, so there are infinite demands on our time, but finite time. How do we balance those? SWOT analysis?! Of course not! To help us understand how to effectively prioritize in today’s crazy world, Kate and Kim are joined by James Louttit, author of Leading Impactful teams. We talk about prickly pears, paw-paws, and practical ways to prioritize in today’s demanding world. Spoiler: It’s not SWOT, MoSCoW or the Eisenhower matrix ;-) About our amazing guest, James Louttit James Louttit knows what it’s like to have to deliver complex projects under pressure, and what it costs when we get it wrong. In 2016 he ended up in hospital because he was trying to run his projects with effort rather than IMPACT. That story, which forms the introduction to his book “Leading Impactful Teams”, inspired him to figure out how to deliver projects better. He learned everything he could around the subject, from the PMP and Agile worlds that we all know and love, to Design Thinking, Facilitation Techniques, Psychology and Human Nature and everything that might be useful to people delivering projects. His career took off. He became the Head of Project management Competency at a large Bank and then Chief Information Officer of a major PLC in Ireland. What he learned, and put into practice made a huge difference to the effectiveness and stress levels in his teams. People kept asking him for help, so he found an artist and started drawing cartoons to explain the concepts in more human, memorable and fun ways. He wrote “Leading Impactful Teams” to help anyone who is managing any type of work or project that involves real, imperfect people in real, imperfect organizations. Now he works with the biggest companies in Ireland to help their teams cut through the noise, and build a toolbox of practical techniques and approaches that reduce stress, improve outcomes and help people face the challenges of project delivery with confidence and positivity. You can connect with James and check out all his amazing content and the knowledge he shares at the links below: James’ book Leading Impactful teams: And on Amazon: James Linkedin: His website: The Brilliant Beaver Guidebook - The Brilliant Beaver Audiobook (😊) - JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our membership! /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/34590580

097 - PMO: Friend or Foe? 09/30/2024

097 - PMO: Friend or Foe? AUDIO QUALITY NOTICE! Apologies, we have a little static on one of the mics during our recording - sorry for the occasional audio issue. As a project manager, an organizational structure that will have a big impact on your life is the PMO. But if you aren’t used to working with a PMO, what should you expect? Are they going to make your life and projects easier, or crush you with red tape? If you are interviewing for a job where they have a PMO, what questions should you ask to get a better understanding of how they work? And, what should you expect from a PMO - and what are they expecting from you? With all these questions, we thought we should reach out to a couple of the most well known minds in PMO: Lindsay Scott and Eileen Roden. Their UK based “House of PMO” organization does some great things in the PMO space (plus they are a lot of fun!) so we feel very fortunate that Linsay and Eileen agreed to join us and help us understand a bit more about whether PMO’s are our friends or foes. About our amazing guests, Lindsay Scott and Eileen Roden Lindsay has worked in and around project management and PMO for over 20 years and is a Director at PMO Learning, a training company focused on PMO. She is Co-Founder of the House of PMO, a professional membership organisation for PMO practitioners. Lindsay is the co-author of the PMO Competency Framework and editor of the Handbook of People in Project Management. She speaks regularly on project management and PMO career topics – and provides 1-2-1 coaching for those looking to advance their careers in PMO. Eileen has 15 years practitioner experience in a variety of project management roles (predominantly PMO management) along with IT and functional HR roles, with a variety of UK, EMEA and global responsibilities. Her practical experience is supported by both academic and professional certifications including a Masters in Applied Project Management (with distinction), AIPMO-E, PRINCE2®, MSP®, MoP®, Managing Benefits®, Better Business Cases®, Programme and Project Sponsorship®. She is now a Consulting Director of PMO Learning and co-founder of the House of PMO. She is the author of P3O® Best Management Practice and lead author of the PMO Competency Framework, co-author of Knowledge Management in a Project Environment, along with contribution to many APM publications. She is a frequent conference speaker throughout UK and Europe. You can learn more about all the amazing things that Lindsay and Eileen are doing around PMO and even join their great community at JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our membership! /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/33262082

096 - Design thinking: don’t take things at face value or you will face plant, with guest Erik Rueter 08/20/2024

096 - Design thinking: don’t take things at face value or you will face plant, with guest Erik Rueter In this episode, Kat and Kim talk to Erik Rueter about design thinking in our projects. What’s design thinking, you may be thinking? Design thinking is a methodology that focuses on the end users of a system when we are problem solving. Erik will share 5 different design thinking methods for understanding user needs in a way that not only helps your project provide better deliverables but can also help build a better project team. About our amazing guest, Erik Rueter Erik K. Rueter, PMP, PMI-ACP, has over 20 years of experience in diverse industries, including tech startups, academia, healthcare, and entertainment. Currently, he serves as a senior project manager at the American Marketing Association and has held multiple senior staff positions at various organizations. Erik holds a BA in neuroscience from Wesleyan University, with further education in digital design, Irish studies, and MicroMasters in Design Thinking and Project Management from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is also certified in diversity and inclusion by Cornell. Erik's contributions to the field include co-authoring papers on health inequity, lecturing at Boston and Emerson Colleges, and advocating for diversity and inclusion with organizations like Medtronic, VSP, and the San Antonio Spurs. He has spoken, in person and virtually, at PMI Greece, PMI Michiana, and PMI Western Michigan, among others. He has appeared on podcasts such as “Confessions of a Higher Education CMO”; and “I Wanna Work There!” and contributed to “The Evolution of the PMO”, a key resource for project managers. He founded Human-Centered Success LLC to promote inclusive leadership which is National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce certified as an LGBTQIA+-owned business. Residing outside Pittsburgh with his husband and two dachshunds, Erik enjoys marathons, gaming, and sharing his insights. Contact: erik@humancenteredsuccess.com. To learn more about the amazing things Erik is up to: Check out his website at: Learn about solution delivery: Erik’s Upcoming Speaking Engagement: PMI Global Summit 2024 Rock Lobster Leadership: Lessons from The B-52s Resilience and Relatability: A New Paradigm for Project Leadership (With Jake McGaffin and Olivia Montgomery) JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our membership! STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com or on Linkedin and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour. /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/32616127

095 - The 5 Foundational Behaviors for Developing Informal Authority, with Kory Kogon of Franklin Covey 07/02/2024

095 - The 5 Foundational Behaviors for Developing Informal Authority, with Kory Kogon of Franklin Covey Although an essential part of our project-driven world, most project leaders didn’t set out to be one. For many of us, our first steps into project leadership won’t come with an official title. So, if we are not ‘officially’ project managers, how are we supposed to lead the project? There are a lot of answers to this question, but one approach all project leaders need to master is the art of managing with informal authority. Without being people’s ‘boss,’ we need to pull a team of seemingly random people, give them common purpose, build a team and help them successfully deliver a project. But, seriously, what really is ‘informal authority?’ What’s involved and how can I master this mystical art? To help us understand this superpower, we are joined on this episode by Kory Kogon, author of the book, “” Kory takes us through the 5 pillars of informal authority which include: Demonstrate respect Listen first Clarify expectations Extend trust Practice accountability About our amazing guest, Kory Kogon Kory is FranklinCovey’s Vice President, Content Development, and a Senior Leadership Consultant. She is a co-author of the #4 Wall Street Journal bestseller, The 5 Choices: The Path to Extraordinary Productivity, in addition to Project Management Essentials for the Unofficial Project Manager, and Presentation Advantage. Kory has been featured on Inc.com and in its Productivity Playbook online series, on Fast Company.com, Forbes.com, and in Investor’s Business Daily. She has also appeared on NBC’s TODAY with Hoda Kotb. Kory has over 25 years of business expertise from frontline positions to serving as an executive team member for a global franchise organization. This provides her a unique perspective on the application of FranklinCovey’s world-renowned content within organizations. Kory not only understands the strategy and principles necessary to build great leaders, systems, and winning cultures, but she understands how FranklinCovey’s blended learning offerings deliver practical solutions that enable the behavior changes required for transformational results in organizations with both formal and informal leaders. To learn more about the amazing things Kory is doing and to get her great book: Learn about the Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager Course: About Kory Kogon: Connect to Kory Kogon on linkedin: JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our membership! STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com or on Linkedin and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour. /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/31968392

094 - Agile vs Waterfall Smack-Down! 05/14/2024

094 - Agile vs Waterfall Smack-Down! For the first time, Kate and Kim find an Agilist brave enough to join them on the podcast to talk about some really hard questions about working Agile vs Waterfall. Let’s get it on! We ask the questions that PM’s want to ask - frustrated, annoyed PM’s who are told to work “agile” by people who maybe don’t even understand Agile - or Waterfall, for that matter. In this refreshingly honest talk about the reality of ways of working, Kate, Kim and their guest Agilist, David Asch, talk in real-world terms about Agile, Predictive and the reality in-between. About our amazing (and brave) guest, David Asch David Asch has a 36-year career in startup and mid-stage commercial software companies. He’s worked in various industries, including transportation, supply chain, retail analytics, scientific marketing, blockchain, and secure communications. From his experience with the challenges and successes of delivering software over a long career, David founded 10xPrinciples, a management/organizational consulting company, to help technology companies navigate the transition from startup to mid-stage. During a time of rapid growth and change, teams typically find that the ”wearing many hats” culture from their startup days is no longer the best approach to honoring commitments. David helps these companies weave Agile practices into the fabric of their cultures. David’s recognized expertise in companywide Agile-driven management makes him invaluable to clients who need to implement Agile principles and methodologies into their unique business environments. Get David’s book, The Agile Enterprise: Applying Agile Principles to Drive Organizational Success, on Amazon here: Connect to him on Linkedin: And check out his website: JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our membership! STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com or on Linkedin and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour. /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/31231462

093 - Rising from Tactical PM to Strategic Advisor, with Gregg Richie and Ralph Kliem 04/16/2024

093 - Rising from Tactical PM to Strategic Advisor, with Gregg Richie and Ralph Kliem Project Management is weird. You can have the same job title and be a very tactical execution-minded project manager - which is the way most of us start. Or you can be a strategic part of the leadership team, recognized for your ability to help executives make their vision a reality. So, how do you develop yourself from tactical implementer to strategic partner? This episode we are joined by two experienced leaders, Ralph Kliem and Gregg Richie, who have made this transition, and rose to provide pivotal strategic partnership roles with executive teams to help them develop Disaster Recovery capabilities. In fact, they wrote the book on it: Ralph and Gregg will talk us through how to step beyond the mindset of a tactical project manager and engage with our leadership teams as a strategic partner. About our amazing guests, Ralph Kliem and Gregg Richie Ralph Kliem, M.A.,PMP, CBCP, is the author or co-author of twenty books, including the Management Lessons of the Great Explorers; Political Risk Management and the Global Supply Chain; Business Continuity Planning; and Leading High Performance Projects. He has also published in the Project Management Journal and PM Network. He managed numerous business continuity projects and programs for major airplane programs at The Boeing Company as well as financial, operational auditing, and information systems projects. He is now retired after over 40 years in the private and public sectors. Gregg D. Richie, has over 40 years of experience in project management. His education includes a MBA with a specialization in Project Management from Indiana Wesleyan University, a BS in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and a Master’s Certificate in Applied Project Management from Villanova University. He has managed, participated in, or consulted on more than 1200 projects in his career, and He authored three books on Microsoft Project. As a retired member of the US Navy SEABEES, he uses real-world experiences in teaching project management concepts. You can follow or connect with Gregg at: @GreggDRichie You can find their book on Amazon at JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our membership! STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com or on Linkedin and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour. /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/30830643

092 - Goblins in the room! Managing meeting misbehaviors, with Rich Maltzman 02/16/2024

092 - Goblins in the room! Managing meeting misbehaviors, with Rich Maltzman Meetings. Love them or hate them, they are core to what we do as project leaders. We need to pull people together (real or virtually) to discuss, plan, check-in, and get things done. But as we know, when we get people together, sometimes their misbehaviors - “goblins” - tag along, too! Being able to manage effective meetings can make or break us as PMs. And learning how to manage these misbehaviors in meetings can make or break each meeting. Fortunately, we have help! This episode we are joined by Rich Maltzman of Boston University. Rich and his colleague Jim Steward wrote the book, “Great Meetings Build Great Teams: A Guide for Project Leaders and Agilists.” In this book, Rich and Jim write about these “meeting goblins” - how to identify them, and how to respond effectively to keep your meeting on track. Join us and learn how to tame the meeting goblins! You can find Rich’s book on Amazon here: And check out the website here: You can connect directly with Rich and his co-author, Jim on linked in here: Rich: Jim: And if you would like to study project management with Rich at Boston University, you can read about their globally respected program here: About our amazing guest, Rich Maltzman Rich considers himself a ‘pracademic’ – and is now Master Lecturer at Boston University, an author, and a consultant, providing clients with a deep learning experience and improved results. He had a 40-year career in telecom, mainly in engineering and project management. At the University level, his focus is always on converting weaknesses into strengths while teaching clients/students how to apply learned skills to everyday situations. Rich co-founded EarthPM, LLC, a company devoted to integrating sustainability thinking into project management. His integration of a holistic, global view of project management has resulted in international consulting and speaking engagements in which the focus is the long-term success of projects, with an eye towards ecological and social systems. His blog at the projectmanagement.com site has become very popular. A co-author of seven books on project leadership, Rich is a former VP of Professional Development for PMI Mass Bay (the Boston area PMI Chapter), and was on the Review Committee for the 7th Edition PMBOK® Guide, helping to assure that sustainability thinking finally made it into the Standard and the Body of Knowledge. JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our membership! STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com or on Linkedin and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour. /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/29972963

091 - The Perfect Status Report: How to measure percent complete 12/26/2023

091 - The Perfect Status Report: How to measure percent complete “What percent done are you?” <the team moans and rolls their eyes…> Status reporting is a core skill (and responsibility) of project managers. It is an opportunity for you to check in with your team, and to build rapport and engagement with stakeholders. But it’s also something we often take for granted. In this episode, Kate and Kim talk about how to approach status reporting whether your project is big or small, and how to leverage this key communication point to help with overall project success. Why Status Reporting? Essential for communicating project progress and challenges Builds trust with stakeholders by demonstrating progress Tailoring Status Reports Reports should be adapted to audience needs Understanding the audience (executives, team members, stakeholders) is crucial! Components of an Effective Status Report Executive Summary: A clear, concise overview Accomplishments: Completed tasks or milestones Upcoming Tasks: Planned activities or next steps Risks and Issues: Key challenges and potential problems Go-to-Green Plan: Strategy for addressing significant off-track areas RAG Status: Red, Amber, Green indicators for project health Budget Status: Financial overview (where applicable) Timeline Overview: High-level graphical representation of key events Approaches to Percent Complete Debate on the utility and accuracy of percent-complete metrics Preference for tying status to key milestones over percent completion Status Report Frequency and Medium Weekly status meetings with teams Different report cadences for different audience levels (e.g., executive status monthly) Possible mediums: Email, PowerPoint, Slack, or other communication tools Challenges in Status Reporting Ensuring stakeholder engagement and consumption of reports Potential pushback on RAG status, especially when reporting red or amber Importance of team input and alignment on report content Additional Recommendations Focus on highlighting value and progress in reports Importance of clear, effective communication in status reports Using status reports for accountability and project alignment JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our membership! STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com or on Linkedin and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour. /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/29231533

090 - How to tell other people what to do 09/19/2023

089 - Reorgs and Restructurings: sailing the waves of organizational change chaos 08/10/2023

088 - The CHAOS Report: Measuring project failure 07/06/2023

087 - Creative decision making: do you have the right 4 voices in the room? with Teresa Lawrence 05/17/2023

087 - Creative decision making: do you have the right 4 voices in the room? with Teresa Lawrence Creative decision making is key to what we do in all our projects. According to FourSight, there are 4 distinct voices in the decision making process. Do you have these voices in the room when you make decisions? Do you know when you need all 4 voices - or only a couple specific ones? We are joined today by Teresa Lawrence who gave one of the most fun and engaging talks at this past year’s PMI Global Summit in Las Vegas. She talks us through the FourSight approach to creative problem solving, the 4 voices in decision making, and also reveals the results of Kim and Kate’s FourSight assessment on the air! Best of all, you can do this too! Check out our page at and sign up to get your own FourSight assessment and join Kim, Kate, Teresa and your fellow Happy Hour fans as we get our results and learn how we can better approach creative problem solving ourselves and with our teams. About our amazing guest, Teresa Lawrence, PhD, PMP, CSM Teresa Lawrence is an influencer and SME on the integration of creativity and Creative Problem Solving (CPS) into Project Management. Since 2017, she has facilitated, trained and consulted to over 85K people since 2017. Investing years of experience in you. She was a 2019 Small Business Administration Home-based Business of the Year. A cognitive diversity trainer, she joins us today from Florida. Find out more about the Teresa’s work and FourSight You can read more about Teresa's work and even engage her to help facilitate your team here: You can read about the FourSight assessment here: JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our membership! STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com or on Linkedin and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour. /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/26858262

086 - The project behind a Disaster Response, with the ITDRC 04/07/2023

086 - The project behind a Disaster Response, with the ITDRC “I know the world is ending, but do you have wifi here?” Sounds funny, but it’s deadly serious. Natural disasters impact critical infrastructure that we depend on every day: shelter, fresh water, food distribution, and power. These are the ones we think about. But what about communication? How do relief agencies, police, fire, and government coordinate a disaster response when there is no power, no cell signal, no wifi? How do community members communicate with each other, find out where to get aid, or reach out to loved ones who are worrying about them if there is no functioning communication infrastructure - or even a place to charge your phone? Enter the ITDRC! The Information Technology Disaster Resource Center is a non-profit organization that sends teams and equipment to disaster areas to provide communication and technology services. The PM’s involved are truly project management heroes, and we get to hear from one of them today, Charis Mayhorn. About our amazing guest, Charis Mayhorn Charis Mayhorn is a Network Architect. In her day job, she designs IP networks, advises leadership and boards on infrastructure best practices, and guides cross-team collaboration. In her free time, she volunteers with ITDRC. Find out more about the ITDRC here: Volunteer and read more about the ITDRC on their website, Check out this video of a 2 day ride along during Hurricane Ian response: Read about the ITDRC’s other activities at JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our membership! STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com or on Linkedin and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour. /episode/index/show/pmhappyhour/id/26471394

Project Management Happy Hour

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