The Contractor vs. the Hammer
Brian Lau If you needed to renovate your house, are you going to hire a hammer or a contractor? That question may sound ridiculous, but many companies chasing growth make the same…
The Hidden Time-Killer: Why Your Team Gets Nothing Done
On a large-scale project for a global surf brand, one of my lead architects was struggling. He was a brilliant, in-demand resource, but his work was falling behind. The heat…
The Surprising Power of Staying Silent: A Critical Lesson for New Leaders
Early in my career, I was always trying to prove my worth. In meetings, I’d jump in first, eager to show I understood the problem, could keep up with the…
Do You Need a Compass or a Stopwatch?
This blog started as a project process commentary from a project manager’s perspective. Over the course of my career I have expanded my experience to include business analyst, program management,…
Ambiguity Is Not Punny!
My daughter is always clarifying statements and asking questions because she needs things to be unambiguous. I think this is a great trait, except for those times when I don’t…
What is Marketing, Anyway?
In most of the organizations I work for, I commonly find myself in the layer between the business and IT teams. When I work with different teams in larger orgs,…
Reading the Room
When I was getting into project management, one of my mentors told me the importance of reading the room. She told me, to be a good project manager, I should…
Always Check Your Altimeter
One of the fastest ways to crash and burn as a project manager is by flying at the wrong altitude.Pilots use an altimeter to understand how high they are relative…
Your Website Doesn’t Define Your Brand
AND IF IT DOES, YOU MIGHT BE DOING IT WRONG. Throughout my career in project management I have worked on all different types of websites. From utilitarian, to marketing brochure…
Why Did We Do This Project In The First Place?
When you’re working with a single business stakeholder, projects usually feel neat and aligned with the main goals. If something goes off track, it’s easy to redirect the conversation and…