All Summaries for Projectified

Diversity and inclusion are now mainstay focuses for organizations—but it can be challenging to find the right strategies to achieve diverse and inclusive team environments. We discuss this with: Victoria Toney-Robinson, PMP, senior program manager at Google in Hamburg: Toney-Robinson discusses how a team’s diversity and inclusion affect not only the team environment but also the solutions the team develops, which strategies and practices she’s found are the most effective for building diversity and inclusion into team culture, and how the Black Googler Network, which she co-chairs, helps create not only better products but also a more inclusive environment at Google.  Nikky Chen, PMI-ACP, PMP, previously a group manager in the project management department at Rakuten in Tokyo: A 2023 Future 50 leader, Chen discusses why project professionals should promote diverse and inclusive team environments, how a diverse team improved communication on a project, how active listening and empathy can boost inclusivity and why she’s passionate about DE&I.Key themes [02:01] How team diversity affects products’ inclusivity[04:43] Strategies to create diverse and inclusive team environments[06:32] The role of the Black Googler Network [09:43] How project professionals can advocate for diverse teams[14:48] What is at risk if project teams lack diversity[16:32] How team diversity boosted communication on a project[18:11] Boosting inclusion with active listening and empathy

Project professionals can help promote well-being in the workplace, making a positive impact on not only their own and their team members’ performance but also their overall mental health. We discuss this with: Marilena Koliavasili, PMP, project manager, Intracom Telecom, Athens: Koliavasili discusses how she defines employee well-being, practices she uses to maintain her own and her team members’ well-being, and how emotional intelligence, empathy and psychological safety can help people better promote well-being for teams. Plus, she shares how project professionals can support team members who are struggling with wellness and well-being.  Jonas Ng, PMP, project coordinator, Exos, Singapore: Ng discusses how each project team member faces different challenges to maintain their well-being, ways he boosts his own and his team members’ wellness and well-being, why project professionals should prioritize their teams’ health and strategies to do so. In addition, he explains how to balance getting project work done with caring for his and his team’s well-being.Key Themes[00:52] Employee well-being’s impact on performance and overall mental health[02:03] What is employee well-being—and what elements can make it difficult to maintain it?[05:02] Practices to promote positive well-being on project teams[10:10] How emotional intelligence, empathy and psychological safety help build strong relationships with team members[13:37] Ways to support team members struggling with well-being[16:08] Well-being challenges are different for each project team member[18:13] How leaders can boost their own well-being[20:08] Why project professionals should prioritize well-being for their teams[23:17] Ways to help remote team members[24:05] Balancing project deadlines and deliverables with team well-being

Teams are delivering projects no matter their location. As team members continue working in remote and hybrid environments, project professionals must find ways to develop their skills and grow their careers outside of an office. We talk about this in a joint discussion with Adriana Pavón Navarrete, PMP, a project manager at Hitachi Vantara in México City, and Meena Nandelli, CAPM, a master’s student who at the time we spoke was a project manager at Microsoft in Hyderabad, India.Key Themes[02:00] Adapting leadership styles to manage projects remotely[04:18] Leaning into adaptability, flexibility and empathy to lead remote teams[06:25] Top power skills when leading remote teams: Communication, collaborative leadership and strategic thinking[08:38] Upskilling outside an office? Use online trainings, free resources and self-reflection of on-the-job challenges[13:42] Tips to resolve conflicts in remote and hybrid work environments[19:12] Top challenges to remote upskilling—and strategies to overcome them[22:03] Networking while remote: Join project management communities and organizations, or reach out to other project professionals

Generative artificial intelligence tools, from ChatGPT to Bard, are changing the way people work—including how people lead teams and manage projects. We discuss this with: Kristian Bainey, PMP, CEO, K-Pic Systems Inc., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: Bainey shares his tips to help project managers write ChatGPT prompts that will return strong answers, how project professionals are using generative AI tools to craft project charters and format project documentation, how to build support for integrating generative AI tools into workflows, and how tools like ChatGPT will change project management in the near future.Higor Prado, PMP, project manager and software engineer, Softfocus, Mateus Leme, Brazil: Prado discusses how he’s using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT in his project management to generate reports and assist with negotiating with stakeholders, how these tools are boosting his and his team’s productivity and saving him time, and the privacy and compliance issues project professionals should be aware of before using generative AI tools. Key themes[02:36] Tips to write a strong ChatGPT prompt[04:22] How project managers can use generative AI in their work[09:52] Building support for adding generative AI tools into workflows[11:19] Ways to mitigate the risk of ChatGPT sending back inaccurate information[13:09] How generative AI will change project management moving forward[15:40] Using ChatGPT to assist with project documentation and stakeholder communication[17:13] Benefits of using generative AI tools: consistency, productivity and time[18:41] Keeping privacy and compliance issues in mind when using new tech tools[20:55] New to generative AI? Start experimenting and learn as you go

A project that doesn’t align with an enterprise’s objectives will never be considered a success. But project managers with a strong understanding of the business landscape and their organization’s goals can execute projects that drive their companies’ priorities—and deliver real benefits. We discuss this with: Ayobamiji Iyiola, PMI-ACP, PMP, senior IT project manager, First Bank of Nigeria, Lagos: Iyiola discusses the processes he uses to determine his organization’s goals, how he created success measures so a project drove the bank’s objectives for increased exposure and customer acquisition, how he manages change on projects when organizational priorities shift and his advice to project professionals on the importance of business acumen.Omar Picone Chiodo, PMP, PgMP, PfMP, senior portfolio management office director, Kenvue, Zug, Switzerland: Picone Chiodo discusses ways project professionals can learn their enterprise’s strategic objectives, how to create processes to better align portfolios with an organization’s goals, ways to engage with stakeholders to create success measures that everyone sticks to, and why clear and concise communication with leaders can have a big effect on what happens to a portfolio when an organization’s goals change. Key themes[01:50] Identifying an organization’s objectives—and using projects to achieve them[05:13] Creating project success measures to drive a bank’s acquisition goals[10:02] Managing change when a company’s priorities shift[13:50] Communicating an organization’s goals through onboarding sessions, knowledge libraries and talks with leadership[15:11] Developing processes to align portfolios with an enterprise’s objectives[16:39] How to keep stakeholders informed—and in line with the same measures of success