To a project manager entrenched in corporate politics and organizational red tape, the idea of striking out on your own as an independent project management consultant might sound like a dream. You choose your own clients, you set your own pay, and you can stop jumping through so many hoops. But how do you know
Tell us: what does your perfect workday look like? Maybe fresh donuts and a hot cup of coffee waiting for you at your desk? Getting recognized with an award or a raise? That annoying co-worker finally quits or moves to another team? Or perhaps winning billions in the lottery over your lunch break, so you
What are your strengths and weaknesses? If the last time you considered this question was during a job interview, you're probably past due for a little self-reflection. And while it's important to acknowledge where you have room for improvement, it's actually best not to spend too much time and energy working on your weaknesses. Instead,
You're sleep deprived, hungry, cramped, surrounded by distractions, and stuck on a 6-hour layover in a tiny commuter terminal. The last thing you want to do is power up your laptop and dive into some work, but that deadline is tomorrow and it's not going to move. When you'd rather sit through yet another in-flight
Visual project timelines are a manager’s best friend. Providing an easy way to report big-picture progress to executives and stakeholders can be a lifesaver when managing large projects. At the same time, when you're managing a project and need to drill down into the details of milestones and dependencies, it's easy to see how the
Have you told your project manager how much you appreciate them lately? You probably should, because in a few years, you might not have one at all. Experienced project managers are in higher demand than ever. As the economy continues to recover, organizations worldwide will need to take advantage of this growth with projects that successfully
Praying to the muses, serendipity, eureka moments — the creative process is clouded in superstition and mystery. Despite the ability to peek into the brain and watch different areas light up on an MRI, neuroscientists are still fairly stumped about exactly what happens during bursts of creative inspiration. With all the obscurity surrounding creative thought, it's
We’re all guilty of procrastination. It's not a crime, it's just something we do. And while there are dozens (if not hundreds) of productivity tips out there to help you find your motivation, you can’t completely get rid of that sneaking temptation to put off work — not forever, anyway. If you can’t fight it,
PM, PPM, PgM. What is the difference between portfolio management and project management, exactly? And where does program management fit in? Here's a quick explanation of each in plain English to help you distinguish the differences. What is Portfolio Management? A portfolio is a high-level view of all the projects an organization is running in order to
Roll out the red carpet! Pop the popcorn! Dim the lights! We’re premiering the first in a series of videos on Lean methodology, featuring your very own productivity coach, Errette Dunn. This first video applies Lean principles to the product development process, taking examples from the history of flight and the Wright brothers’ amazing success. You’ll learn: how to shake
90,000 hours. 10.3 years. 18.5% of your waking hours over your entire lifetime. This is how much time you spend at work. You've probably read the stats on how all those hours are taking their toll on your health: sitting is the new smoking, work stress is killing you, the unhealthy habit of forgoing vacation days.
