Disobedient Talk

The fear that AI is coming for project managers’ jobs misses the mark. While some aspects of the PM’s job are at risk from AI, the real risk is to project managers who don’t use AI at all.  Here are things to consider: It’s rapport…

AI’s impact on work can be viewed at two levels: economists modeling effects on industries, GDP, and employment, and professionals deciding which tasks to delegate to the technology. A LinkedIn News summary of EY modeling forecasts that AI could add $95–116 billion to Australia’s economy…

Recently, I had the great opportunity to talk with @Sam Trattles, a negotiation expert.  Sam’s negotiation framework: conviction, craft, and courage, maps neatly onto where AI genuinely helps and where it can’t. Only one of the three Cs has much use for a chatbot. Here’s…

In a recent conversation I had with Dr. Sven Hansen, he shared that his research points to five things that consistently separate people who are flourishing from people who are just getting through the day. None of them are complicated, but they’re easy to let…

One of the simplest shifts you can make to improve results when using AI is to avoid asking the AI tool for a single answer. Ask for four or five scenarios instead. Do that, and you’ve got raw material to combine with the particulars of…

Getting project management discipline in the door is one challenge. Getting it to outlast you is another one entirely. The teams that keep these practices going aren’t the ones where it was shoved down their throats. They are the teams that saw the benefit and…

When a project is struggling, gaining confidence from senior leaders is important. What senior leaders want to know is the extent of the business risk, whether someone’s on top of it, and whether what was promised will be delivered. Your job is to answer those…

Nobody wants to talk about things that didn’t work. But those conversations might be the most valuable ones you can have on any project. A learning mindset treats failure not as something to hide but as data, and data is exactly what you need to…

Change is what running projects is all about. However, many of us don’t pay appropriate attention to the factors that make change more stressful. The most common mistake project managers make is trying to move too fast. While you may have a few people on…

Will AI Replace Me? I get asked this constantly. At conferences, in workshops, in LinkedIn messages. The anxiety is real, and it’s understandable. But it’s the wrong question. The right question is: What makes me irreplaceable in an AI-augmented world? Read on… AI is superior…

The best project managers don’t just manage tasks — they act like they own the place. It’s not about having equity or a founder title; it’s a mindset shift that changes how you show up, how you solve problems, and how much people trust you…

Running a project, which, by definition, creates a new product, process, or service, involves taking risks. Sometimes it doesn’t work out. You step outside your comfort zone to pursue a big benefit, but it doesn’t pan out the way you hoped. When that happens, it’s…