Hello Reader, I get asked about qualifications and certifications a lot. “Should I do PMP?” “Is PRINCE2 still relevant?” “Do I need Agile certification?” “Will this actually help me get promoted?” If you’re thinking about training or certification, I’ve pulled together my best articles in one place so you can make an informed decision rather than just following whatever’s trending on LinkedIn. Across RebelsGuideToPM.com you’ll find guidance on: How to choose the right qualification for your...
7 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, I sat down with Mike Fesko recently for a podcast episode on how to lead multiple projects without burning out. You can watch it here: (Here's the link if the picture doesn't show for you.) We talked about: The “Sushi, Spaghetti, Side Dish” model for understanding your workload The hidden, invisible work PMs do that managers don’t see What “social capital” really means for project managers The three productivity saboteurs holding PMs back: perfectionism, indecisiveness and...
28 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Tomorrow is our masterclass on project prioritization. We will be looking at some simple ways for getting clarity on what is the most important initiative at any given moment, and how you can feed that into your team’s strategic plans. I’ll be honest – this is training aimed at people who don’t have a formal pipeline management process and tools to organize it all for you. If you have a mature PMO and portfolio management software, then you don’t need this class. If you haven’t...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, I used to hate it when my manager went to Board meetings or ‘away days’ because he’d always come back with some new initiative or idea that would make it on to my To Do list. And of course, as it was already ‘board-approved’ there was the expectation that it would move to the top of the list and get done as a priority. All my other projects would magically make space for the latest, greatest idea. The only way we fixed that was to be firm with prioritizing what was important....
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, In just a few days, I’ll be running a live, paid workshop called: The Productivity Blueprint for Project Managers: How to be productive when you run out of time every day If you haven’t booked your place yet, this is your reminder to do it now. 📅 Monday 27 January🕖 7pm GMT (UK) / 2pm EST / 6am AEST At this time of year, I always notice the same pattern. Everything feels important.Everything feels urgent.And there’s no clear line between “work time” and “life time”. New projects...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Do you ever feel like you run out of time every single day? I do. My ‘top priority’ sticky note has 9 things on it. How is that prioritising anything?? I want to get my evenings back! Having said that, this is unusual for me. I used to struggle a lot more with managing my time – but over the last few years I’ve figured something out. Time passes regardless. I know, that’s not rocket science. It’s how you prioritise and use your time that matters, and that means focusing on the...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, People often ask me how project managers can be evaluated, or what targets should be set for people in project roles. And at this time of year as leaders think about annual reviews, it seems to be even more of a conversation topic. It’s a bit tricky to provide a one-size-fits-all answer, but I have come up with some Key Performance Indicators for project managers, that you can use as a starting point for your own team. There are so many ways you could track how well a project...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, You know when you meet someone and they’ve got the same approach to work as you and you just click? That’s me and Elise Stevens. We don’t catch up often because of the time difference between the UK and Australia, but we have spoken a few times and the last time… well, we recorded it for her podcast, Futureproof Your Career. We talk all about... How a “two-week look ahead” can help you plan the rest of your life around when you will be most busy Why it’s important to adjust your...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, I can’t believe that we are already on the countdown to the end of the year! There is still so much I want to do and so few weeks to achieve it in. Here are 3 things that I’m going to focus on next month, and I thought you might like to join me: 1. Hosting better meetings Recently I’ve had a few meetings with poor attendance and a couple where I took ages to get the minutes out. I know that’s bad practice, it’s just to do with having more priority things to do instead (for the...
4 months ago • 1 min read