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The Leaky Basement
Are you a planner? If not, no worries—we’ve got your back. I’m always amazed by how many people struggle with planning. It’s not a bad thing—thinking ahead just isn’t everyone’s superpower. A Good Project Manager Friend I have a new-ish friend who can barely keep track of what she needs to do in the next…
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Tips, Tricks and Tidbits: Why Start?
Executives often ask me, “Why start something if we’re unsure we can finish it? It just doesn’t make sense.” Management tends to only begin something when they know it can be completed. If it’s uncertain, they put it on hold—sometimes indefinitely—missing out on what could have been. But what if you simply start with one…
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Barb’s Blurbs: All or Nothing
Ever feel tempted to finish an entire bag of potato chips once it’s opened? I mean, it’s already open, right? And it seems logical to eat them all before they go stale. But we all know it’s healthier to enjoy them in moderation rather than plowing through the whole bag in one go. Unless, of…
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Tips, Tricks and Tidbits: No More Boring Leadership Project Presentations
We’ve all sat through those project presentations to leadership where the Geeky PM drones on, and not only is everyone bored, they secretly message each other about how to make a quick escape. Over time, I’ve learned to work on five key areas to strengthen when pitching projects to leadership: All of these collectively build…
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Tips, Tricks and Tidbits: Communicate Project Value
How do you effectively convey your project’s value to leadership? You know your project is essential. You’ve spent months in the weeds—gathering requirements, aligning stakeholders, prepping for approvals. But here’s the thing: just knowing it’s important isn’t enough. If leadership doesn’t see the value clearly, your project might never get the green light. Many project…
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Creative Project Resourcing
Everywhere we turn lately, companies everywhere are facing the challenge of doing more with less—be it budget, deliverables, or people. How do you manage your project portfolio under these constraints? By getting creative. Outsource: The Fastest Path to Project Success The fastest, easiest way to build out your project portfolio while experiencing a low internal…
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Getting By With Less
These are lean times. Even with limited resources, such as reduced staff due to layoffs or other reasons, projects can still be managed effectively. Although it may require a different approach than usual, success is possible. Critical Resource Crunch I’ve participated in many projects where it’s been challenging to pull together the stakeholders. There was…
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Barb’s Blurbs: Automations Gone Bad
Have you ever stepped inside a massive food warehouse, way larger than Costco? I have, and it was truly eye-opening. Seamless Warehousing I once took a tour of a Gordon Food Service warehouse in Milton, Ontario, Canada. As one of the largest food distribution companies in North America, they have a fully automated distribution centre.…
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People Onboarding Nightmares
Last week, I wrote about how onboarding differs from implementation. Onboarding ensures seamless product integration, laying the foundation for long-term, positive client relationships. But what about onboarding our people? Where do they fit? When Onboarding People Goes Wrong We’ve all been there: a new team member is set to join, and we’ve known about their…
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PM Tips, Tricks and Tidbits: Implementation Isn’t Onboarding
Imagine this: you’ve just handed over a complex product to your client, perhaps an app that took months to create, and you’re all set to go straight into implementation. Everyone is super excited to dive in and start using the product. But wait! Your client needs a little guidance to get started. They may not…
