A few months ago, we were exhibiting at a project management conference, and I was speaking with someone who stopped by our PMTraining booth. She mentioned she was thinking about pursuing her PMP certification but figured she'd wait until fall—you know, "back-to-school" season. It got me thinking: what if summer might actually be the best time to get PMP certified?
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Picture this: Your organization just committed to getting 50+ employees PMP certified within the next 18 months. The announcement goes out, initial enthusiasm is high, but six months later, only a handful have even started their exam prep. Sound familiar?
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The modern workplace is a melting pot of ages and experiences, where Baby Boomers work alongside Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Zers. This multi-generational mix is not just a demographic fact but a substantial business reality. With each generation comes a unique set of values, work ethics, and expectations. As the workforce becomes increasingly age-diverse, the ability to manage and integrate these varied perspectives becomes crucial for organizational success. Embracing this diversity can lead to a more dynamic, innovative, and productive workplace.
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In the professional landscape, the ability to bounce back from adversity is not just commendable—it's crucial. Resilience and grit determine how we respond to challenges, handle pressure, and achieve our goals. While natural talent and knowledge play pivotal roles in career advancement, one’s ability to face and overcome challenges will undoubtedly influence their overall trajectory.
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Vendor management is a vital component in the complex world of project management. This process goes beyond mere supplier selection; it's about cultivating sustainable relationships crucial for your project's triumph. Facing the challenge of aligning vendors with your project's objectives and values requires strategic thinking and effective management skills.
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It’s not uncommon for projects to get off track. The reasons are countless - misalignment of goals, unforeseen challenges, or simply the unpredictable nature of business. For project managers, watching a well-planned project falter can be discouraging, raising concerns about wasted resources and potential reputation damage.
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Most people only hear about project management when they start working. But imagine if we started learning these skills way earlier, like in high school or even middle school. It's a lot like learning a new sport, skill or hobby; the sooner you start, the better you get.
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In today's competitive job market, the quest to stand out among a sea of qualified candidates can often seem like an uphill battle. But don't lose heart! By strategically highlighting your unique attributes, you can catch the eye of recruiters and rise above the competition.
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At work, we all have different ideas and opinions. Sometimes, we might not see eye-to-eye with our bosses. That's okay—disagreeing can actually be a good thing when done right. When we speak up and share our thoughts in a friendly and clear manner, everyone feels more open to talking and sharing. This helps make our team even better.
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In today's world of project management, the pace is relentless and the landscape ever-evolving. Professionals juggle a multitude of tasks, from managing diverse teams to adapting to unforeseen challenges. Amid this whirlwind, there's a need for a guiding philosophy to keep one centered and focused.
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The rapid advancement of technology is bringing artificial intelligence (AI), machine
learning, and automation to the forefront of various industries, including project
management. These innovations are presenting new possibilities for efficiency,
precision, and productivity, fundamentally transforming the field of project
management. As organizations adapt to this changing landscape, it becomes increasingly
important for project management professionals to understand the impact of these
technologies and stay competitive in the industry.
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Project management is a complex and demanding field, requiring professionals to
possess a wide range of skills to successfully complete projects on time and within
budget. Technical expertise, strategic planning, and time management are just a few
of the abilities that project managers must develop to excel in their roles. However,
soft skills are equally important, if not more so, in ensuring the success of a project.
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Delegation is a critical skill for professionals, especially those in the field of
project management. By entrusting tasks to team members, you empower them to contribute
their strengths and help the team achieve its goals. Mastering the art of delegation can
lead to increased efficiency, better time management, and a more motivated and engaged team.
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Digital transformation has become a critical aspect of modern business strategies as
organizations strive to adapt to the rapidly evolving technological landscape. Companies,
regardless of size, are leveraging technology to enhance their operations and maintain
a competitive edge. Project Management Offices (PMOs) are instrumental in ensuring the
success of digital transformation initiatives.
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The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is a methodology for managing and coordinating large-scale
projects that involves multiple teams working on complex, enterprise-level initiatives. SAFe
provides a framework for scaling Agile development methods to large projects while maintaining
the benefits of Agile, such as faster delivery times, improved quality, and greater customer
satisfaction.
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In the past, building connections and relationships with colleagues often happened
around the office water cooler. But with the rise of remote work and changes in the
modern workplace, it can be harder to stay connected with your colleagues and build
camaraderie. Whether you're working remotely or in the office, there are still ways
to build connections and strengthen relationships with your team. Here are a few ideas:
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As professionals, it's easy to get caught up in the daily grind of meetings, deadlines,
and projects. We often find ourselves consumed by the pressures of our work, leaving little
time to appreciate the positive aspects of our environment. However, incorporating the
practice of gratitude into our professional lives can have a significant impact on our
mindset, relationships, and overall well-being.
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Lean Six Sigma is a team-focused managerial approach that centers on improving
performance by eliminating waste of resources and defects. The core approach is
any use of resources that doesn’t create value for the customer is wasteful and
should be eliminated.
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Today, unemployment is relatively low, meaning that most of the high-performers out
there are already employed. Employees have the freedom to work just about anywhere,
keeping talent and attracting new talent is more difficult and more crucial than ever.
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Many of us are not morning people. Even more, some of us find morning people annoying,
feeling they are too peppy and energized for it being that early in the day. This subtle
annoyance and resentment can sometimes come from a place of jealousy, as we wish that
we too could be the early bird to get the worm.
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As the working world evolves, project management professionals must evolve with it.
Working more efficiently and effectively with the new landscape of working environments
and business needs means that project managers must adapt their skillsets accordingly.
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For project managers and project teams, ethics plays a major role in the day-to-day
operations and behaviors. Ethics enables all parties to feel comfortable working
together knowing everyone has subscribed to the same way of doing business.
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Trust is essential for any high-performing project team. Each team member needs to
believe that their counterparts will be accountable for their individual efforts and
responsibilities, and it becomes challenging to work together when trust is damaged
or broken.
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Whether you’re working in an office or remotely, staring at a computer screen or sitting
in back-to-back meetings can start to wear on even the most dedicated employee. Everyone
needs to step away from the workload and reenergize. Not doing so can lead to fatigue
and eventually less productivity. And much less worker satisfaction. Companies need to
be tolerant and even encourage some regular work breaks so that workers can be clear-headed
and rested throughout the day.
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We spend a lot of time at work. And for many of us, even when we’re not AT work,
we may be doing extra work or thinking about work. The stress and anxiety that our
job creates can be off the charts.
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To help ensure a successful project, it’s important to effectively gather requirements
and set project goals. This should be the practice for every project that is tackled,
regardless of size and impact. The key is not just knowing what you are building, but
also knowing why.
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Scrum is a fun word. It has its origin in the word scrummage which is a noisy or
disorganized group of people. Closely related are the words scrimmage and skirmish.
All depict a ragtag bunch of folks acting together but with no discernable organization
and even with a large amount of chaos.
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A clear project scope is essential to the success of any project. Without this first crucial
step, all subsequent hard work—and there will be much more than necessary—will most likely
end in failure.
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If you’ve read or listened to anything about leadership in the last few years…
you’ve heard the phrase Servant Leadership. This concept works in any situation
where there is a leadership dynamic. How can this leadership theory be effective in
Project Management? Let’s examine its origin and how it can be utilized effectively.
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Agile Project management focuses on frequent delivery to get rapid feedback and
adapt to change. This process allows the delivery of quality products, services
and projects that are more aligned with customer and company needs.
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Business needs change in the blink of an eye. Competition increases, gets more
complex through both technological advances and regulations, and certainly the
last two years haven’t helped anything. All this means a constant need for the
most talented, knowledgeable workforce possible. Companies have employee populations
that are multi-generational, location independent and not as company loyal as they
used to be. This has placed a premium on retention of valued employees and one of
the keys to that is continued training and development.
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This may seem like an overly simple or overly complex question, depending on how
your company has been operating to date. Project planning can involve a host of
logistical elements, personnel issues, budgeting and deadlines to manage. So many
moving parts that if there is not some sort of plan, failure is almost guaranteed.
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Employee training and development has always (or should be) a focal point of
business success. Then two years ago all the employees left the building…and
many of them are not going to be returning as working remotely has become
permanent for many employees and organizational structures.
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Technology changes faster than fast these days. Even before the pandemic when we had to
invent so many new ways of doing things with technology, we were already in a massive
explosion of new programs, systems and ways of doing things.
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Though a mere 30 years old, the Information Technology Infrastructure
Library–or ITIL–has already become a household name for businesses with
a heavy IT component. Why is ITIL so revolutionary and what is it about
ITIL that makes businesses sit up and take notice? Here we will try and
explain not only what it is, but why it has become such an invaluable business tool.
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A lot has been made about the release of ITIL V4 which came out in February,
2019. This came about in the 30th year of ITIL so much had been happening for
a while. Nevertheless, this latest release has been by far the most major
transformation to ITIL yet and is definitely worth a further examination of
how it differs from the previous version.
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This is one of the best scenes in sitcom history. Feel free to argue the point.
You’re wrong. As soon as Gomer (Jim Nabors) starts screaming, “Citizen’s Arrest!
Citizen’s Arrest!” you know things are about to get crazy.
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If you are a green, wet-behind-the-ears project manager about to set out on your
first project, you might be wondering how and where to start, and what will get
you off to a great start. Of course, you want to make a great first impression
and you want your first project to be a smashing success. Here are eight tips and
tricks to help ensure you have smooth sailing (or as smooth as possible) as you
begin your career.
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There are many reasons why a project may need to change hands. Some reasons
are fairly innocuous. The previous manager moved or a company reorganization
required a reshuffling of responsibilities. Or they might have left the company.
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This started out sounding like the Sesame Street song, “Who are the People in your
Neighborhood?” Because when you look around at who is impacted by a project, it’s a
large crowd. Way more than just the management or the customer paying for the end
product. Let’s dive in and take a look at just how many entities have “skin in the
game” when it comes to project success.
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Every project is different with its own challenges and pitfalls. But in all projects,
there are some common places where things can go wrong. Read on for easy ways to avoid
those problem areas before they become a systemic issue for the entire project.
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Of the multitudes of realizations that came out of the pandemic, one of them was that
we can’t keep all our knowledge in our desks. The day may come when our co-workers can’t
come by and ask for that piece of paper with that list of stuff on it that we always
keep in the second drawer on the right.
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Starting a business is one of the most exciting, frightening and difficult things
to do. There are so many moving parts with so many decisions to be made. As a business
gets off the ground, there are even more decisions and more people come into those
decision-making processes.
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A few years back, before project management got a whole lot better, project failure
rate was as high as 70%. Can you imagine? Even with all the advances, projects still
fail and we have to have ways to make their death and funeral as quick and painless
as possible. Because even projects that don’t succeed can impact business. Reasons
for failure can be anything from scope creep, poor team collaboration, lack of resources
or lack of stakeholder involvement. Whatever the reason, here are some tips for how to
determine a project must end and how to end it and not make it a disaster.
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Most of us have heard of a story of a colleague getting a job because they met a peer
at a conference or connected with former classmates at an alumni event. In fact, research
has shown that 80% of jobs are filled through networking. Nevertheless, you likely aren't
alone if you've wondered how professionals have found the time to be this social.
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According to the Project Management Institute's (PMI) 2021 Salary Survey,
50% of their over 30,000 respondents saw salary increases last year. Considering how
professionals across various industries are participating in this new era dubbed
"The Great Resignation," it's no surprise that professionals are encountering new
opportunities to negotiate for higher salaries at new companies.
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Attracting new talent is essential to keeping teams nimble and creative, and recent
graduates and workers from younger generations are great groups to pull from for this.
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Project management has become a differentiating factor for many businesses. And some
companies have figured out ways to increase the effectiveness of this part of the
business, leading to even more success.
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Testing isn't a walk in the park. Whether you're taking the SAT or a driver's test,
sitting down to go through a process that reveals whether you've mastered material
can be a challenge.
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Nearly 47 million people resigned from their jobs last year. As a result,
academics and many media publications have acknowledged this era as "The Great Resignation."
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At this point, you've likely heard about a variety of project management tools,
from to-do lists to task delegation software solutions; Asana, Trello, Monday.com,
and other popular options are likely on your radar. However, did you know that other
(and possibly newer) tools can also make your daily work as a project manager easier?
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Decentraland, The Sandbox, virtual reality, and augmented reality are all terms
entering the common dialogue. And what do they all have in common? Enter the Metaverse.
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The world of project management is forever changing. The project management industry is
constantly in flux from the emergence of more demand for remote work due to the COVID-19
pandemic to the consistent development of new software solutions.
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Workplace conflict is inevitable. Because we work in environments where there are others
with different backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs, it's only natural that colleagues
would bump heads with one another. And these interactions can feel uncomfortable.
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Generation Z, born between 1995 and 2010, is poised to take over the working world as one-third
of its population considers themselves a part of this generational group. Much like millennials,
and every other generation before them, they will bring their own set of beliefs, experiences,
and life outlooks into their work and their workplace interactions.
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Hybrid work arrangements are becoming the norm. In fact, an Accenture report revealed that
83% of workers
they surveyed preferred a hybrid work arrangement. Hybrid work offers the best of both worlds.
It allows employees to choose between working from home or in the office as they see fit. For
example, a worker may work from home throughout the week and come in when needed to collaborate
or check-in with a co-worker or client.
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During the pandemic, about one in five professionals considered a career change, according to a
Washington Post-Schar School Poll.
So you're not alone if you are considering making a change to your profession. Maybe you
discovered you had a talent for marketing or that you want to hone your skills in IT management,
either way, it's possible to switch from one industry to another.
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Emails can be the worst. They're essential to workplace communications, but
they can quickly derail your workflow. How many times has a five-minute email
check turned into you moving away from your to-do list and jumping into another
task you didn't intend to start until later?
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For many companies, January 1st marks the end of winter break. It's becoming
commonplace for companies to put business operations on hold between the last
weeks of December through the first days of January.
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Even though the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted global supply chains,
in-person work arrangements, and the employment outlook of various sectors,
project management salaries have remained on the rise.
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So what do you do when you’re all alone working late at the office? Or working
remotely where there’s no one to bug with your musical tastes? Every Program
Manager needs a perfect playlist to get through the big projects, the little
hassles, and the frequent long hours.
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Sometimes the only thing you can do is laugh. When a project isn’t working quite the way you
expected. When tensions flare due to anxiety or stress of deadlines. When you’re trying to
build a successful creative team. All these situations can benefit from a good sense of humor.
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When you’re managing one or more large-scale projects involving many people and moving parts,
it might feel like there is no way you can take even one day off. And a full vacation? No way!
Many Project Managers have a hard time feeling like they can be out of touch for a good one-
or two-week vacation. Who would track progress? Update stakeholders? Ensure projects stay on
time and budget? It is easy for Project Managers to feel indispensable and that no one else
could keep all the trains running on time like they can.
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“Operations keeps the lights on, strategy provides a light
at the end of the tunnel, but project management is the train engine that moves
the organization forward.” --Joy Gumz
We all have low points in our inspiration and motivation. Times when we just can’t find the
internal juices. For a lot of us it comes at the end of year. And this year has been
particularly rough. We have had to work in diverse situations, out of normal routines with
unexpected changes happening constantly. Our desire to “button up” the year with completed
projects is threatened by uncertainty that just won’t go away.
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There’s no denying that the business world has been turned upside down in the last two years.
Every system and operation has had to be reinvented to accommodate some if not all off the
workforce working remotely for a while. And companies have found that many employees may want
that to be a permanent situation for them. So, is that going to work for business? Can a company
survive the eternal zoom meeting? Is the trade off of employee preference worth the possibility
of never meeting in person again? Let’s examine the risks and benefits of reducing in-person
meetings.
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So maybe you’ve been working in an Agile environment for a while. You’ve got the terminology
and the practices down well and you understand the philosophy. No wonder it’s such an often-used
toolkit implemented in business operations worldwide. Now it’s time to consider adding an Agile
certification to your skillset to expand your knowledge and increase your value to your
organization. But which certification is the best choice? The following will outline the various
certification options, what they involve and help you identify which one may be the best choice
for you.
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Just like you can’t choose your family, you can’t always completely choose your project
teams. Sometimes you have to work with the hand you’re dealt. Of course, this is not to
suggest you rub out those who get in your way, or make your job harder. But there are
some takeaways from the Don Corleone and Tony Soprano way of operating that might make
project management a little smoother.
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Crushing on a co-worker? Dating someone in accounting? You’re not alone. A recent
survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that nearly half
of the respondents admitting to having romantic feelings for a co-worker and
one-fourth had asked a co-worker out.
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It's hard to find someone today who doesn't have a bad boss story. Just mention in
passing that you’re having an issue with yours and you’re bound to get, “Well I had
this boss who…” followed by a chain reaction of anecdotes designed to one-up the one
before.
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Just because when you mention “fax” to your kids they think you mean “facts”, it doesn't
mean that faxing is gone forever. The use of a fax or facsimile machine, while gone in
many companies today in America is not the case worldwide. And it’s not the case in some
specific industries in the US as well.
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Have you heard the phrase, “Sitting is the new smoking?” The man who coined it,
Dr. Levine, did so because sitting all day has shown to increase risks of obesity,
heart disease, back and neck pain and even cancer.
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No one wants to fail. We all want to be successful. But sometimes, things don’t go
as planned. A project is way over budget, an employee you hired is not working out,
A job you thought you were perfect for hired someone else. Look at some national
stats: three-quarters of all students applying to college don’t get accepted; nearly
half of all businesses fail in the first four years; and a full 90% of people who
try to lose weight fail to do it. Failure can be devastating and hard to recover
from. You may want to throw in the towel. It may make you question what you thought
you knew about your skills and abilities. But there are ways to be successful at
failure.
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We have a pandemic and a new generation of employees who think very differently
about what they want from their employer. Both of these require companies to look
at what they offer to their employees in new and different ways.
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If you’re one of the more than 12 million people who use Slack you are spending
an average of 90 minutes every day using the app. That’s 45 hours spent in Slack
every month. Are all of them spent being as productive as possible?
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These job titles look remarkably similar and, in many organizations, they are used
interchangeably. But they have unique features and skills which give them distinct
functions within companies. In the following examination we will examine each function
separately so you can see how each is separate from the other and how each is vital
within a company.
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When studying employee happiness all research comes to pretty much the same conclusion:
keep your employees happy and they will be more creative and more productive. Well,
there you go. The end!
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These days job interviews aren’t what they used to be but some things haven’t changed.
If you are looking for a new position, there are some tips you need to keep in mind to
nail the interview process and land your dream job. Following these will give you a big
step up on sealing the deal!
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Businesses have a lot of different factors to consider in how to manage their operations.
Lately, one of the ones that has risen to the top in importance is sustainability. No, this
isn’t doing what is necessary to stay sustained in business. Sustainability means doing
business without a negative impact on the environment, the community or society as a whole.
It can be divided into one of two areas: the effect of business on the environment or the
effect of business on society.
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If the last 18 months have taught us anything it’s that nothing we used to do is
necessarily the way to do things anymore. Not that those ways are dead and gone.
It’s just that consumers have new ways of behavior as they have re-emerged from
2020 and some old patterns may resume but some may not. And the most important
thing business professionals can do is to learn new ways of attracting customers.
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For companies large and small, the business credit card can be a useful tool. They can
offer rewards and benefits and create a great way of itemizing and tracking business
expenses. In this article we are going to go through the various perks of using a business
credit card and also some of the potential pitfalls to watch out for when using them.
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Millennials make up the largest part of the workplace and they’re expected to be 75%
of the workforce by 2025. Millennials are also known as Generation Y (Gen Y) and refer
to anyone born between 1981 and the mid-90’s. They want meaning in their work, they are
incredibly tech-savvy and value inclusion in the workplace. The traditional means of
training and onboarding this group won’t work. It requires a different approach. Because
they need to feel included and that they aren’t just an employee number on a spreadsheet,
their personal fulfillment is important to your organization’s success. A recent study
says that 50% of millennials plan on becoming entrepreneurs within a year of being hired
to a job. So how to keep that from happening? Here are some tips to engage this group.
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What makes a good team? Are teams necessary? Does the Team Leader - the Project Manager -
make or break the successful team? These are crucial questions in today’s business climate.
Particularly with the remote workforce that most companies are using nowadays. But they are
still hard questions for companies to answer for Project Managers to wrestle with.
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The handshake is one of many customs of greeting around the world. It is considered the necessary
way of beginning and ending business meetings. But in other cultures, these greetings happen very
differently. In Tibet, sticking out your tongue can be a way of welcoming people. In New Zealand,
Maori greet each other by touching noses, Ethiopian men touch shoulders and, in the Congo, male
friends touch foreheads. You may already know about customs of bowing, hugs and kisses which are
more the norm in many countries. However, in most countries the handshake still prevails.
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While women make up about a third of the project management population, that figure hasn’t
changed much over the years. And it’s an even smaller population--almost none--in leadership
roles.
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As fun as it might be to have Elon Musk come and help you manage your project, we won’t
be having that happen anytime soon. Plus, he’s too busy with space travel now. But Artificial
Intelligence has been making an impact in project management enabling Managers to focus
on the more critical parts of their jobs and letting AI do some of the more mundane tasks.
How is that happening? Let’s take a look.
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We know it may never seem like we will be truly be in a post-pandemic world, but we can
all agree that things have gotten better. And for both employers and employees who have
been navigating working remotely, the decision now is what to do? Do we as employers allow
our staff to keep working remotely or require they return to the office? And if we’ve
gotten used to working from home, are we ready to go back? In this article we will highlight
why continuing to work remotely might be the best option for you as an employee or employer.
But we will also explore why remote working has some pitfalls you should consider.
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Project managers have moved way beyond sitting around a conference table staring at blueprints
or wearing hard hats at job sites. These days project managers have a team that may be located
all over the country or the world. They may be handling projects involving complex data-driven
analytics or large construction oversight. But what has become the norm in all of these
situations is the need for what is now known as “soft skills”. What are soft skills and why are
they important? Let’s take a look.
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So you got a business degree? Great! Managed to earn an MBA from a renowned business school?
Awesome!
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There’s a proper time and a suitable approach to everything under the sun. In project management,
this creates a thin line between success and failure. Projects are what keep the organization
running and pay slips coming. Project management thus becomes the key to hold projects together.
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Good pay, respectful interaction, and placing value on the opinions of an employee are excellent
ways to make a work environment conducive. Regardless, some employees may leave your establishment.
And then you may wonder-- what went wrong? In the 21st century, the idea of job benefits has
changed. A large percentage of employees have goals that transcend great pay and a good work
environment(amenities). The experience of managers who lost talents is a cautionary tale and a call
to go back to the drawing board to make adjustments as necessary. Over the years, the desire to
grow and build value is the aim of most employees. They want an enabling job, apparently with good
pay but more importantly a work environment tilting them towards their desired growth. As a manager,
you can facilitate the growth of employees by these seven practical and effective steps.
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Burnout! Burnout! Burnout!
It's one of the vermin that eats into the organization if not addressed at the early stages.
Dealing with the current younger generation compounds the issue even further. Traditionally,
this phenomenon was beheld as a lack of resilience, grit, or hard work from employees. But
with our present ever-changing dynamics at work, it's becoming clear that managers need to
get a grip on burnout at work before things go out of hand.
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Productivity in teams is tied to their cohesion and understanding of the goals in view. One
thing we have come to learn is that a major part of this process relies on the team lead.
However, building a strong team does not happen overnight. Briefly, let's consider some
important ways to improve your team's cohesion and success rate.
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The world of project management is fast-paced. Not only do you have to manage day-to-day tasks
and responsibilities associated with your work, but you also have to stay up-to-date on trends
and continue to search for ways to optimize your approach to project management. Well, this
process is an arduous one, but we can take one step off your plate: finding the information
you need.
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Sometimes, it takes more than your will to stay motivated. We have all experienced those times
when it gets harder and more challenging to get out of bed and start the day when that morning
alarm clock sounds for work. Fortunately, others have decided to share their insights into
what keeps them going, and you can use their wisdom to get some pep in your step.
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How many times have friends pulled you aside to tell you about that fantastic new podcast that
they just started listening to? According to podcastinsights.com, 50 percent of homes in the U.S.
have individuals who are fans of podcasting. Whether it be true crime, small business tips, or
personal finance best practices, there is a podcast for almost any and everyone. And, this also
goes for those looking to beef up their knowledge of project management trends.
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During a study, 97 percent of professionals surveyed conveyed that mentors were valuable to them.
However, only 37 percent of professionals have a mentor. It’s clear that professionals are still
warming up to the idea of mentorship.
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Featured on PMI's "Projectified" podcast, hear how PMTraining helps Altice leverage live online learning
to upskill and certify project team members for the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam.
Listen now
Featured on PMI's "Projectified" podcast, hear how PMTraining helps large organizations develop best practices
in Project Management across all levels. Fujitsu, a multinational services company, sits down to discuss how
they "upskill" with PMTraining.
Listen now
Does your team know where to find the information they need to get project tasks done?
Well, this can significantly contribute to the success of your project and to you meeting
your deadlines.
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There has been an all-out mission in workplace culture to address the problem of project fragmentation
and silos. With the introduction of new project management tools that promote collaboration and physical
workplace changes—like open workspaces—there is a concerted effort to prevent data and workflow
fragmentation.
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It's easy to fall down a slippery slope when understanding where to focus your company's resources when
it comes to project selection. Everyone wants to have the "good problem" of having too much work to choose
from. However, an additional issue can arise: how do you know what to prioritize and what to let go of?
Read more
How's your project team's workflow? Is it seamless and straightforward, or is it a process that has become
entirely disrupted by inefficiencies? Well, all workflows—regardless of where you are— could likely use a
continuous improvement mindset.
Read more
Unfortunately, we cannot rely on a crystal ball to guide us in knowing everything that will happen
this year regarding project management or the business world in general. Nevertheless, we do have
the next best thing: data and projections. Within the last two years, analysts and project management
professionals have taken surveys and have even used their experiences to create predictions for the
next 365 days.
Read more
According to Workamajig, only 2.5 percent of companies complete their projects 100 percent successfully.
Many factors impact project success, but one aspect that can be severely costly to project productivity
are project delays.
Read more
Management fields across the board are growing. According to recent BLS data, management is slated
to see a five percent increase in job needs over the next decade. This finding is five percent
higher than the average job growth for other fields. While the data refers to management positions
broadly, it is safe to assume that project management, specifically, will also see job growth—especially
if this finding by PMI continues to prove right.
Read more
The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting everyone in a significant way. One of the groups who are
experiencing some unique challenges are working parents. According to Catalyst, 41 percent
of parents say they have less job security due to the pandemic and fear they will be penalized
due to childcare responsibilities.
Read more
Many people are involved in the decision-making aspect of project development, and honestly,
it's hard to please everyone. The pressure is on to get buy-in from everyone, including
partners, vendors, and even customers. However, one of the most critical individuals to get
on your team are people that have a direct tie to your project.
Read more
According to a PMI survey, 57 percent of teams finished projects within their initial budget in
the last 12 months. While this is the majority, it is still striking that 43 percent of those
surveyed could not adhere to their project budgets. This problem is a significant one. Going
over project budgets not only halts project timelines but can also be an indicator of project
failure. However, what happens when the budget is a bit smaller than what you need?
Read more
Client meetings provide a treasure trove of information for you and your project teams. They
are some of the most important tasks you will engage in throughout the project cycle.
Nevertheless, it can be challenging to get everything you need from them.
Read more
Meetings require a significant balancing act. Have too many of them, and it can interrupt the
workflow of your team, have too few, and team collaboration and communication can suffer. On
average, the current worker—regardless of role—is attending eight meetings a week.
Read more
Doesn't it feel like 2020 just started? Considering how eventful this year has been, you
wouldn't be blamed for thinking that this year has felt like it's moved a lot faster than
expected. Nevertheless, the end of the year is now approaching, and you may be feeling the
pressure of trying to tie everything up.
Read more
The U.S. holiday season is looked at as the finish line for most workers. Only a few weeks
separate holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. However, while this is a
time of celebration, the holidays can also bring about new stresses.
Read more
Hiring professionals who are proficient in soft skills is no longer optional—it's a necessity.
With the emergence of work arrangements that allow for more distance working (ex. remote work
and flexible scheduling), soft skills are more critical now than they ever were.
Read more
One of the hardest things anyone has to do is admit that they missed the mark. When a football
team loses the game, the star players and the coach have to discuss what happened and answer
prodding questions from the press about what went wrong. It isn't fun, and it's undoubtedly
uncomfortable. Nevertheless, practicing this can lead to some meaningful reflection.
Read more
For most, taking risks is uncomfortable. The uncertainty of not having a good idea
about the outcome is a challenge to get over. According to Merriam-Webster, "risk"
is "something or someone that creates or suggests a hazard," or "the chance that an
investment will lose value." The definition seems to describe "risk" as a purely
negative event.
Read more
Workplace conflict can be a drain on team morale and even a company's bottom line.
According to CPP, office conflict costs US employers around $359 billion paid hours
each year. Additionally, the same study found that 27 percent of employees claim
that workplace conflicts have even led to personal attacks.
Read more
Uncertainty can be a giant morale killer. If your team members don’t know where they stand,
or even if their jobs exist, then their productivity and optimism can take a severe dive—especially
during an unprecedented time like this one where a global pandemic is rattling industries all
over the world.
Read more
At some point, you and your team members may start to feel at a loss for new ideas.
When you've spent years in the same industry, and even at the same company, it can
be challenging to continue to feel innovative and creative. Much of this is due to
situations like a dip in morale, burnout, and a lack of change in work routines and
tasks. However, there has likely never been a more crucial time where idea generation
was important.
Read more
A great way to explain project scope creep and its impact on project managers are through
discussing the act of cooking food. Let's say that you are preparing dinner for your family
or friends. You have decided to fulfill a special request they made for dinner that evening.
Read more
Do you have everything you need to manage your team from where you are? It's understandable
if you don't, as remote work is still a new and ever-changing work arrangement for many. A
Flexjobs and Global Workplace Analytics study found that remote work had
increased 91 percent
in the last ten years. The recent COVID-19 outbreak has likely sped up the adoption of this
practice in many parts of the country.
Read more
Do you think of your project management team as a group of all-stars? If not, you should!
When we talk about project management, we often talk about how important it is to implement
the right leadership principles. However, it is just as important to find the best team
members from the start. Putting together the right team is just as crucial as the management
tactics you use.
Read more
"When you've got your health, you've got everything," is a common saying to convey how vital
health is to success. While it may be cliche', this phrase is one all of us should live by.
It's hard to be effective if your physical and mental health is suffering. Ultimately, this
means that you have to put these aspects of your life first.
Read more
The word "entrepreneur" feels like the buzzword of the 2010s and 2020s. From Instagram posts
to shows like Shark Tank, the profession of starting and running a business has been glamorized.
Nevertheless, we don't hear as much about the internal form: intrapreneurship. According
to Investopedia, an intrapreneur is an employee who is tasked with developing a new idea or a
product within a company. Much like entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship is about innovation and
creating something that audiences will want. However, intrapreneurs are working within a more
extensive already-created system where someone else is the leader.
Read more
Burnout has become such a considerable problem in the workplace, that many companies have developed
various surveys to track it. A Deloitte workplace burnout survey of 1,000 full-time U.S.
professionals found that 77 percent of respondents have experienced employee burnout at
their current job.
Read more
According to Hive, as of 2018, 70 percent
of organizations had suffered at least one project failure within 12 months. For many project
managers, the threat of failure and missed deadlines can be a severe worry. Budgets, new products,
and the direction of a company can ride on the way a project unfolds. This situation can easily
overwhelm project management professionals and cause severe stress for project managers and their
teams. So, if you are in this position, how can you overcome this?
Read more
For most professionals, struggling to stay focused is a challenge. According to a workplace
distraction survey by Udemy, 70 percent of respondents revealed that they were distracted
during the workday. Unfortunately, trying to stay on course throughout the day is the norm
for many.
Read more
Yes, it is true that there is much to be excited about when it comes to the "future of work."
From more work flexibility to better facilitation of workplace collaboration, there is much good
on the horizon. Nevertheless, these pros don't come without some cons. Along with the positive,
many issues have arisen that are associated with the "modern" workplace.
Read more
Project managers have many reasons to feel overwhelmed or stressed. From keeping everyone on task
to meeting project deadlines, the concerns are almost endless. However, another major issue that
many project managers have to contend with is staying on budget. If you are in this boat, you are
not alone.
Read more
Featured on PMI's "Projectified" podcast, hear how PMTraining helps companies standardize their
team performance with certification training. Atkins Global, a multinational engineering, project
management, and services company sits down to discuss how they "upskill" with PMTraining.
Listen now
Sometimes, we can underestimate how important organization is to our daily lives. Whether
you are managing the development of a new website or facilitating the creation of a social
media marketing plan, staying organized will help you meet your goals.
Read more
"I just don't feel productive." How many times have you uttered these words? How many times
have you thought about a variation of this phrase? If you are a working professional, the
chances are high that this is a common thought.
Read more
You've tried it all. You have gotten the team together for a company field day, set up lunch and
learns, and even facilitated team collaboration brainstorm sessions. Unfortunately, it doesn't
seem to be positively impacting your team or encouraging teamwork.
Read more
When thinking about the impact of teams on productivity, think about this example. You can build
a house by yourself. You can even do it correctly. However, having a team to help would not only
help you do it faster, but it would also help you do it more efficiently. Naturally, having a
team around you would allow you to become more productive.
Read more
Today, it is almost impossible to read an article about the workplace without hearing the word
"productivity." It has become a buzzword for those who want to improve outcomes and employee morale.
However, one can plan to incorporate this concept in their office without receiving its benefits.
The only way emerging trends like productivity, work-life balance, innovation, and efficiency truly
work is if we can measure their effectiveness.
Read more
You cannot accomplish goals without the necessary tools. Building a house cannot happen without a hammer,
or creating a software program is impossible without essential programming apps. The same is also valid
for productivity. You can start to improve your productivity with different practices and techniques.
Nevertheless, your productivity is going to be the most effective—and long lasting— when you combine it
with the right tools.
Read more
Do you remember the last time you traveled to a location and found you were lost? You may have
decided to look to landmarks, find familiar streets, and feel your way through. However, you likely
realized you needed a form of navigational help, and pulled out a map or GPS. Instead of having to
guess at where to go next, these tools allowed you to know exactly where you were going.
Read more
The days continue to escape you. The emails do not seem to cease, meetings are popping up without a moment’s notice,
and teams do not seem to have an idea of what they need to jump on next. You are handling it well, but things could
be a lot easier. Today’s mantra seems to be “work smarter not harder,” but this is easier said than done when the
day does not seem to slow down. How can you continue to be productive? Well, technology does not solve all problems,
but it can certainly help you schedule your day and take care of some mundane tasks. Fortunately, we live in a world
where apps can help us better communicate, strategize, and move through the day. Here are ten productivity apps worth
integrating into your daily routine to better streamline your day as well as your projects.
Read more
According to Businessdictionary.com, a risk is defined as "a probability or threat of damage, injury,
liability, loss, or any other negative occurrence that is caused by external or internal vulnerabilities,
and that may be avoided through preemptive action." While it is not always the most pleasant thing to
think about, the components of this definition directly relate to project management. There is always a
threat or hazard to deal with that may negatively impact your project. Whether it be related to budget,
ethics, or meeting completion, the risk of not meeting your goals or project failure looms large. The
numbers show that many project managers do have legitimate worries regarding project management success:
Read more
The Certified Associate Project Manager (CAPM®) is an entry-level project management certification for those
interested in a project management career. The CAPM® requires 1,500 hours of project experience or
23 hours of training to ensure understanding of standard project management terminology and best practices.
Possessing the CAPM® demonstrates that one has successfully obtain that knowledge which places contenders at
an advantage when applying for PM positions versus applicants without any certification.
Read more
Savvy project managers know that overseeing a project doesn't come cheap. There are many resources involved,
and the two most precious are time and money. The very nature of project management makes it challenging for
project managers to keep things affordable. Whether it is compensating team members, purchasing needed software
and tools, or handling scope and spec changes, the cost can begin to add up. The battle to stay in budget and
efficiently manage expenses is one that project managers will always have to fight. If you are finding yourself
in this position, know that you are not alone.
Read more
Project management has evolved from an abstract concept of in-office management to a necessary business principle.
Today’s professionals can become certified in project management and spend their entire career in a related role.
The rise of innovation and customer-centric ideals have led to greater attention spent on project management concepts.
Two, in particular, have risen to the top: agile and waterfall.
Read more
With PMTraining’s Gold sponsorship at the PMI Global Conference in Los Angeles next week,
all attendees are invited to visit our corner to build your personal career brand!
Our LinkedIn Corner & Headshot Lounge will offer one-on-one or group professional
profile development coaching that every professional can benefit from. You will
walk away with powerful career insights, LinkedIn profile reviews, and project management
training recommendations to take your career to the next level. If you need a
FREE professional headshot to improve your professional brand,
schedule time in the headshot lounge. Please note that availability is on a first-come,
first-serve basis.
Read more
Project management is usually one of those topics, that when I begin to discuss it, people’s eyes begin
to roll right back into their heads. When I dare talk about project management tools, I am quickly left
standing talking to myself.
Read more
The life of a project manager can be hectic, chaotic, and stressful. Managing deadlines,
regulating scope, and steering teams in the right direction all while staying under budget
are skills project managers must continue to develop throughout their career. Seeing how
the day can come and go so quickly, it makes sense that managers are not always paying
attention to external information.
Read more
The world of project management is dynamic and ever-changing. Regardless of the industry,
the advent of new technologies, globalization, employee work preferences, and ever-expanding
budgets brings volatility to project management.
Read more
PMTraining was recently named the #1 course for 2018 by Crush the PM Exam, the industry's
leading prep course review site.
Read more
Wondering what makes the difference between a good project manager and a great one?
Check out our article for tips on how to improve your own performance as a project manager.
Read more
Check out our article on how to spot the warning signs of a project in trouble before its too late.
Read more
Ever wonder what some common pitfalls are in project management?
Check out our article on how to spot some common mistakes.
Read more
Don't let bad bosses effect your own performance. Read this article and understand how to
manage those who can't manage.
Read more
Are you starting a new project? Here are some great tips on how to properly communicate
with your stakeholders.
Read more
When it comes to project management, no project will run perfectly.
Here are some common pitfalls to check for regularly.
Read more
When you are running a project, your team is only as strong as your weakest link.
Read more
How to keep your cool and ensure you can resolve conflict both on your team, and externally.
Read more
Interested in learning the benefits of the PMP certification? This article acts as a great primer.
Read more
Communication is critical to effective project management. Learn how to engage your team and stakeholders the right way.
Read more
Being a project manager is a lot like coaching a team. Find out why!
Read more
Learn how to deal with clients who are too swamped to be engaged stakeholders.
Read more