Podcasts about project management professional pmp

We're joined live by Crystal Richards, PMP trainer and founder of MindsparQ, to dive into everything you need to know about passing the challenging Project Management Professional (PMP) exam. With its high failure rate and tough reputation, the PMP remains a highly respected certification that can open significant career doors—but balancing exam prep with work and life can be daunting.Crystal shares practical strategies to help candidates navigate the exam process with clarity and confidence, drawing on her experience training project managers and her new book, PMP Exam Prep For Dummies. Whether you're just starting your PMP journey or feeling overwhelmed, this conversation offers valuable tips to help you succeed.Resources from this episode:Join DPM MembershipSubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Crystal on LinkedInCheck out MindsparQ

In this episode, we're joined by Garrik Dennis, a seasoned veteran and Vets2PM's Lead Instructor for the PMP® Exam Prep Program. With over seven years of experience guiding service members, veterans, and professionalsthrough the certification process, Garrik breaks down the three common questions Vets2PM answers: ✅Why should you earn a PMP?Garrik shares why the Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification is one of the most valuable credentials for translating military experience into civilian leadership roles—and how it increases your credibility, salarypotential, and job readiness.✅Why choose Vets2PM for your PMP training?We discuss how Vets2PM's veteran-led approach, real-world instruction, and tailored content make our program uniquely effective—especially for those coming from a military background.✅How should you prepare for the course and exam?From mindset to time management to daily study tips, Garrik outlines what students can do before and during the course to get the most out of their investment and feel fully prepared for exam day.Earning a PMP will help you increase your competence and confidence for your post-service career.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Latabia Woodward The visionary Founder and CEO of the music tech startup, “Who’s Got Next Music Inc.,” and the esteemed Chairman of the Ann Cephus Family Fund, has charted a remarkable path from her collegiate days to becoming a pioneering force in music technology. Her early retirement from a distinguished 20-plus year tenure in corporate America enhanced her expertise in software development, risk management, and technology project management by leading pivotal projects that enhanced information technology (IT) service delivery for a vast customer base. Her professional path began at Genuine Parts Company/National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), where she specialized in their proprietary technology software. Her career trajectory soared at Lademacher and Hertel Software (LHS) Corporation, a mobile telecommunications firm, where she advanced from an analyst to managing software development, quality assurance and project management divisions. Latabia's nearly two-decades-long service at The Southern Company as a Program Manager further cemented her status as an expert in her field.Latabia Woodward's academic credentials are as notable as her professional achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems from East Carolina University, complemented by a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her academic achievements, Latabia is an internationally certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and also holds certifications in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations and Agile project management methodology, underscoring her comprehensive mastery in project management disciplines.Latabia's civic contributions are extensive! Beginning with her college tenure, Latabia was instrumental in the implementation of Greenville Housing Authority's Welfare to Work Grant program under the Clinton Administration as an adult education instructor. Later, she co-founded the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Foundation, which delivered essential life skills training to at-risk middle and high school students. Latabia has served in a number of influential positions on various boards and committees, including the Gwinnett Technical College Foundation Board and the Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the highly-esteemed, invitation-only Leadership Gwinnett community development program and has been recognized by the White House, under President Joe Biden’s administration and the State of Georgia, receiving commendations for her dedication to public service. Today, she serves as the vice-chairman of ArtWorks! Gwinnett and leads the Ann Cephus Family Fund, a non-profit honoring her mother dedicated to training creative students with employable skills.Latabia is an illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member and has served locally, regionally, and most recently, nationally on the National Program Planning & Development (PP&D) Committee’s Economic Development Subcommittee. She has served in many capacities in Delta, including but not limited to being the former co-campaign manager for immediate national past president Beverly Evans Smith, visionary and lead for the national Delta Red Pages soror-owned business web directory, a past president of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter, former collegiate advisor for the Zeta Phi Chapter at Georgia State University, and as a certified Georgia Delta Internal Development (DID) Trainer.Latabia's life is also rich in personal fulfillment as a wife, a mother of six adult children, a grandmother affectionately known as “GiGi”, and a member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. Company Description * Who’s Got Next Music is an artist amplification platform dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging music talent through fair competitions, community engagement, and easy access to new sounds. We provide a web and mobile app that allows artists to showcase their talent, connect with fans, and participate in exclusive competitions, making it easier for them to grow their presence and reach a global audience. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSupport the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Latabia Woodward The visionary Founder and CEO of the music tech startup, “Who’s Got Next Music Inc.,” and the esteemed Chairman of the Ann Cephus Family Fund, has charted a remarkable path from her collegiate days to becoming a pioneering force in music technology. Her early retirement from a distinguished 20-plus year tenure in corporate America enhanced her expertise in software development, risk management, and technology project management by leading pivotal projects that enhanced information technology (IT) service delivery for a vast customer base. Her professional path began at Genuine Parts Company/National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), where she specialized in their proprietary technology software. Her career trajectory soared at Lademacher and Hertel Software (LHS) Corporation, a mobile telecommunications firm, where she advanced from an analyst to managing software development, quality assurance and project management divisions. Latabia's nearly two-decades-long service at The Southern Company as a Program Manager further cemented her status as an expert in her field.Latabia Woodward's academic credentials are as notable as her professional achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems from East Carolina University, complemented by a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her academic achievements, Latabia is an internationally certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and also holds certifications in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations and Agile project management methodology, underscoring her comprehensive mastery in project management disciplines.Latabia's civic contributions are extensive! Beginning with her college tenure, Latabia was instrumental in the implementation of Greenville Housing Authority's Welfare to Work Grant program under the Clinton Administration as an adult education instructor. Later, she co-founded the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Foundation, which delivered essential life skills training to at-risk middle and high school students. Latabia has served in a number of influential positions on various boards and committees, including the Gwinnett Technical College Foundation Board and the Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the highly-esteemed, invitation-only Leadership Gwinnett community development program and has been recognized by the White House, under President Joe Biden’s administration and the State of Georgia, receiving commendations for her dedication to public service. Today, she serves as the vice-chairman of ArtWorks! Gwinnett and leads the Ann Cephus Family Fund, a non-profit honoring her mother dedicated to training creative students with employable skills.Latabia is an illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member and has served locally, regionally, and most recently, nationally on the National Program Planning & Development (PP&D) Committee’s Economic Development Subcommittee. She has served in many capacities in Delta, including but not limited to being the former co-campaign manager for immediate national past president Beverly Evans Smith, visionary and lead for the national Delta Red Pages soror-owned business web directory, a past president of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter, former collegiate advisor for the Zeta Phi Chapter at Georgia State University, and as a certified Georgia Delta Internal Development (DID) Trainer.Latabia's life is also rich in personal fulfillment as a wife, a mother of six adult children, a grandmother affectionately known as “GiGi”, and a member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. Company Description * Who’s Got Next Music is an artist amplification platform dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging music talent through fair competitions, community engagement, and easy access to new sounds. We provide a web and mobile app that allows artists to showcase their talent, connect with fans, and participate in exclusive competitions, making it easier for them to grow their presence and reach a global audience. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Latabia Woodward The visionary Founder and CEO of the music tech startup, “Who’s Got Next Music Inc.,” and the esteemed Chairman of the Ann Cephus Family Fund, has charted a remarkable path from her collegiate days to becoming a pioneering force in music technology. Her early retirement from a distinguished 20-plus year tenure in corporate America enhanced her expertise in software development, risk management, and technology project management by leading pivotal projects that enhanced information technology (IT) service delivery for a vast customer base. Her professional path began at Genuine Parts Company/National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), where she specialized in their proprietary technology software. Her career trajectory soared at Lademacher and Hertel Software (LHS) Corporation, a mobile telecommunications firm, where she advanced from an analyst to managing software development, quality assurance and project management divisions. Latabia's nearly two-decades-long service at The Southern Company as a Program Manager further cemented her status as an expert in her field.Latabia Woodward's academic credentials are as notable as her professional achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems from East Carolina University, complemented by a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her academic achievements, Latabia is an internationally certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and also holds certifications in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations and Agile project management methodology, underscoring her comprehensive mastery in project management disciplines.Latabia's civic contributions are extensive! Beginning with her college tenure, Latabia was instrumental in the implementation of Greenville Housing Authority's Welfare to Work Grant program under the Clinton Administration as an adult education instructor. Later, she co-founded the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Foundation, which delivered essential life skills training to at-risk middle and high school students. Latabia has served in a number of influential positions on various boards and committees, including the Gwinnett Technical College Foundation Board and the Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the highly-esteemed, invitation-only Leadership Gwinnett community development program and has been recognized by the White House, under President Joe Biden’s administration and the State of Georgia, receiving commendations for her dedication to public service. Today, she serves as the vice-chairman of ArtWorks! Gwinnett and leads the Ann Cephus Family Fund, a non-profit honoring her mother dedicated to training creative students with employable skills.Latabia is an illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member and has served locally, regionally, and most recently, nationally on the National Program Planning & Development (PP&D) Committee’s Economic Development Subcommittee. She has served in many capacities in Delta, including but not limited to being the former co-campaign manager for immediate national past president Beverly Evans Smith, visionary and lead for the national Delta Red Pages soror-owned business web directory, a past president of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter, former collegiate advisor for the Zeta Phi Chapter at Georgia State University, and as a certified Georgia Delta Internal Development (DID) Trainer.Latabia's life is also rich in personal fulfillment as a wife, a mother of six adult children, a grandmother affectionately known as “GiGi”, and a member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. Company Description * Who’s Got Next Music is an artist amplification platform dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging music talent through fair competitions, community engagement, and easy access to new sounds. We provide a web and mobile app that allows artists to showcase their talent, connect with fans, and participate in exclusive competitions, making it easier for them to grow their presence and reach a global audience. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSteve Harvey Morning Show Online: http://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest Bio Darren Wood is the founder of Recoop Disaster Insurance, a first-of-its-kind, multi-peril disaster insurance product. Darren is an insurance industry veteran, with over 25 years of experience. He previously served as the division president for Holmes Murphy, a top 25 insurance broker, where he was responsible for the delivery of value-added solutions to insurance clients. He also held senior project management and operational leadership roles with Marsh Consumer (now Mercer), focusing on the delivery of employee benefit and affinity solutions to consumers through Fortune 1,000 clients. Darren received his degree in Accounting from Simpson College, earned his Project Management Professional (PMP) designation, and is a veteran of the United States Army.   Highlights from the Show In this episode, we cover the challenges and solutions related to insurance coverage, particularly in the context of natural disasters and underinsurance. The conversation highlights the following key points: Background and Motivation: Darren shares personal experiences from the Gulf War, emphasizing the importance of addressing resource shortages and providing solutions for those in need. Insurance Gaps and Solutions: The discussion focuses on the inadequacies of traditional insurance policies, which are often outdated and not suited to current exposure contexts. Darren is interested in exploring new solutions that can address these gaps effectively. Product Offering: Recoop offers a multi-peril disaster product that provides a lump sum solution to customers. This product is designed to complement existing insurance policies by covering gaps that traditional policies do not address. Distribution and Reach: Recoop has partnered with 22 distribution partners, providing access to approximately 140 million Americans. They are also working with independent agents and larger insurers to expand their reach. Challenges and Perseverance: Darren discusses the perseverance required to succeed in this field, drawing parallels to their military experience. They emphasize the importance of continuous effort and building a strong policy base to increase exposure and coverage. Future Outlook: The conversation concludes with optimism about the future and the potential for new solutions to fill existing gaps in insurance coverage. Darren expresses a commitment to helping others in the industry and addressing the real problems faced by people. Overall, the conversation underscores the need for innovative insurance solutions that can adapt to modern challenges and provide comprehensive coverage in the face of increasing natural disasters and underinsurance issues. This episode is brought to you by The Future of Insurance book series (future-of-insurance.com) from Bryan Falchuk. Follow the podcast at future-of-insurance.com/podcast for more details and other episodes. Music courtesy of Hyperbeat Music, available to stream or download on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music and more.

In this episode of The Faces of Business, Angela Thurman, Founder and CEO of Thurman Co., will share how project management excellence drives compliance and operational efficiency in regulated manufacturing industries.    Angela brings over 25 years of leadership in aerospace, defense, telecom, and power sectors. As a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Lean Master, she has successfully managed multi-million dollar programs for leading companies like Collins Aerospace, Boeing, and Airbus.    At Thurman Co., Angela helps manufacturers improve project processes, ensure supplier compliance, and enhance operational performance. Her deep understanding of regulatory challenges makes her a valuable guide for businesses navigating complex requirements.    Check out the Blog post here: Project Management in Regulated Manufacturing: Compliance & Efficiency Thanks for taking the time to listen today.   Find Damon Pistulka on LinkedIn talking about life & building businesses you can sell or succeed.    Find out more about Damon when he's not working.  @damonpistulka on Instagram, or Damon Pistulka on Facebook.      More information on building businesses you can sell or succeed and the Exit Your Way method on our website   Email us for more information info@exityourway.com 

Why You Should Earn Your PMP Certification (and How to Get It Funded)

Diane Mentzer is the Founder of Diane Integrates, LLC, where she serves as a business operations advisor and COO coach to help visionary CEOs and founders operationalize their businesses for growth. With over two decades of experience as a second-in-command, she supports top leaders in implementing incremental changes that enhance operations, reduce staff stress, and lower risk. Diane is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Catipult Business Coach and has completed the EOS Integrator Masterclass. In this episode: The momentum gained during business growth can fuel long-term sustainability yet spark internal confusion. Roles blur, operations become reactive, and the founder often ends up entangled in day-to-day tasks they hoped to escape. How can business owners regain clarity and scale sustainably without burning out themselves or their teams? Second-in-command Diane Mentzer recommends building clear systems around people and processes. This requires identifying your ideal lifestyle and vision for your business and reverse-engineering the operational structure to support these goals. Through role clarity assessments, time tracking, and delegation mapping, you can identify a second-in-command, prevent overlap, and empower existing team members. In this week's episode of Systems Simplified, Diane Mentzer, the Founder, Business Operations Advisor, and COO Coach at Diane Integrates, joins Adi Klevit to discuss building systems for operational clarity. Diane talks about integrating strategic planning and role-based KPIs, how to evaluate delegation and team structure, and why a COO may not be necessary for small businesses.

Ever left a meeting feeling more drained than before it started? That’s the dreaded meeting hangover. Brian Milner and Julie Chickering dive into why bad meetings have lasting effects—and what facilitators AND participants can do to make them better. Overview Bad meetings don’t just waste time, they drain energy, morale, and engagement long after they’re over. In this episode of the Agile Mentors Podcast, Brian and Julie Chickering unpack the concept of "meeting hangovers"—the lingering negative effects of ineffective meetings. They explore why bad meetings happen, the shared responsibility of facilitators and participants, and practical strategies for turning the tide. From fostering accountability to knowing when to walk it off, this conversation will help you rethink how meetings impact team dynamics and productivity. References and resources mentioned in the show: Julie Chickering #137 Stop Wasting Time with Guests Kate Megaw HBR The Hidden Toll of Meeting Hangovers by Brent N. Reed, et al. When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel H. Pink Remotely Productive by Alex Pukinskis Working on a Scrum Team Class Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is SVP of coaching and training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Julie Chickering is the brains and brawn behind JC Agile Consulting, believes that Lean and Agile practices are packed with potential — to enable positive culture change, business agility, and breakthrough results. Julie is a past president and board member of the Agile Project Management Network (APLN), a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST), PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP), as well as a traditional Project Management Professional (PMP). Auto-generated Transcript: Brian Milner (00:00) Welcome back Agile Mentors. We're here for another episode of Agile Mentors podcast. I'm with you as always Brian Milner and haven't got to say this for a while. So I'm happy to say again, welcome back to the show, the fabulous Julie Chickering. Welcome back, Julie. Julie (00:15) Thanks, Brian. Glad to be here. Brian Milner (00:17) Yeah, very excited to have Julie back. Julie is a friend of the show. We've had her on multiple times and it's been too long. We just need to have you on more often again. So thank you for making the time and coming back. We wanted to have Julie on sort of as a little bit of a continuation from our last episode that we had with Kate McGaw. You we talked a little bit about facilitation there and there was a lot that we talked about initially to set that up to talk about Julie (00:30) Sure. Brian Milner (00:44) just the fact that there's an epidemic of bad meetings. There's kind of a harmful thing happening where it's extremely prevalent that meetings are going poorly. There's not a lot of attention that's given to this. There's not a lot of focus in a lot of organizations because it's such a prevalent issue. of our meetings being so bad. And Julie pointed out to me this Harvard Business Review article that sort of became a touchstone, I think, for what we wanted to talk about. It's called the hidden toll of meeting hangovers. And we'll link to this in the show notes. But the idea behind the article was just to say, they quoted a stat early on saying that they did a study and found that more than a quarter, 28 % of meetings left employees with lingering negative effects, such as impaired engagement and productivity. And so that's what they were referring to this sort of this meeting hangover, that bad meetings take a toll beyond just the lost time in the meeting. And that's kind of what we were talking about more with Kate is, you know, yeah, we want to make our meetings better, but there is sort of this ongoing lingering that, you know, from my reading of this and what I've experienced, kind of compounds, you know? One bad meeting then can lead to another bad meeting and another one and that feeling of anxiety and disconnectedness and like I said here, impaired engagement and productivity, those kind of grow and get worse and worse the longer that you have these bad meetings. So Julie, I'll just start with you and say, you know, when you read this article, what was it? What was it that really stood out to you, that jumped out to you, that made you think this was an important kind of area of focus? Julie (02:27) First of all, I love the title because I can relate to it. So when you're having a hangover, you just feel terrible, right? And this person that they talk about first, Jacob, about like, he was so frustrated when he left the meeting. So the introductory story when he was so frustrated when he left the meeting, he canceled his one-on-one right after because he knew he couldn't concentrate. And then he was just like so upset. for the rest of the day and talking about how he just didn't even want to work on the project anymore. So just this, I just got this physical sensation reading this around how it feels when you're in a meeting that's ineffective. And we've all been there and I could just like feel it in my body when I read this story. And I also feel like once you know what I, what an ineffective meeting feels like, the ineffective one is more noticeable and draining. yeah, so and then this this lingering effect of morale and just wasted, just wasted opportunity. And it feels like Brian Milner (03:32) Yeah. Yeah. Julie (03:47) in the corporate world, this is the norm. That we just have meeting after meeting after meeting that's just sucking the life force out of everyone. And then we wonder why nothing gets done. Brian Milner (04:00) Yeah, I mean, this article is packed with statistics and it's tempting for me to just kind of read them all off to you. I'm not going to do that. But there's a couple of things that kind of jump out to me. they talk about how around half of people have this feeling of that as a result of the hangover from the meeting, that they have negative or harmful impacts on their interactions with coworkers. They feel more disconnected from their team. and they want to spend more time alone based on the fact that, I went through this really kind of, there's no other way to say it, traumatic experience of having this really harmful, bad meeting. they connect the dots by saying, people will leave these meetings and oftentimes they will then go commiserate with coworkers and say, share their frustrations, which is helpful, it's good. But it also, you know, they noted here, this can kind of spread some feeling of negativity or hopelessness, you know, that it's always going to be this way. You know, yeah, I had a meeting like that as well. Boy, I guess this place is doomed. It's always going to feel like this. And so they have this kind of ongoing, as I said, compounding almost nature of it that one bad thing leads to another leads to another leads to another. And pretty soon you've got this really harmful, negative work environment and it's not necessarily something that's just happened. It's just the repetition of going through those things lead to this ongoing negative psychological impact in the organization. Julie (05:28) Yeah, I'm just smiling because I can just think of some meetings that I used to have a leader that would always show up late. Always show up late. We'd be halfway through the topic and then he would show up and we'd have to stop what we were doing and go circle back and just speed and you could just feel. the whole mood of the meeting change. We were actually making progress and we have to stop and we have to go all the way over. And this is constant. So what we would do afterwards is then have meetings after the meetings to complain about the leader doing that. The more adult thing would have been of course to say to the leader, when you do this, Brian Milner (06:15) Yeah. Julie (06:22) This is the outcome. Brian Milner (06:25) Yeah. So, so that's kind of, you know, what we want to talk about a little bit in here as well is, in the last episode, we, focused a lot on facilitation and the idea that, Hey, there's a lot of responsibility to the meeting organizer, whoever's facilitating this to not have it be this negative kind of environment. And I don't disagree with any of that, that we talked about in the last episode. I think there is a lot of that, that is true, but I think it's, it's. important for participants to not look at that as, it's all the facilitator then, right? I'm just a participant, I'm showing up and it's your job to get all this stuff out of me. And if the meeting goes poorly, that's entirely your fault. And I think it's important for us to recognize, no, if I'm a participant, if I accept that meeting invite and I'm here, I have a role to play. I have a contribution to be made and I can have, you Julie (07:14) Right. Brian Milner (07:19) as kind of Pollyanna-ish as it sounds, I can have a negative impact or a positive impact on this meeting. And I think that's an important kind of responsibility to take a hold of. Julie (07:25) you Yeah, I agree. And I think about that in a couple of ways. So actually, in both Scrum Master and Product Owner class, I remind them at the end of every meeting to ask two questions. The next time we have this kind of meeting, what would you want to do differently? But you gotta ask the question. And if you ask the question and nobody says anything, then they can't feel victim to a poorly run meeting. But you gotta be able to listen. You gotta be able to listen to it. Doesn't mean you have to say yes in the moment. It could be that you would follow up after, but just ask the question. What would you wanna do differently the next time we have this type of meeting And then ask them, what did they like? Brian Milner (07:48) Yeah. That's good. Julie (08:11) I used to do it the other way around. I don't know if I told you this story before or not, but do you remember Daniel Pink did the he was our keynote speaker at the Scrum Gathering, our conference a few years ago when he talked about. OK, when he talked about timing. OK, so something he said is like, yes, he said, as people, if there's two, if there's good news and bad news to always start with the bad news first. And end with the good news, because as people, we remember the last thing we talked about it. Brian Milner (08:20) Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. Julie (08:40) So if I say to you, okay, the next time we have this type of meeting, what would you want to do differently? And nobody says anything. Okay. What did you like? And then they leave going, we actually got something done. Unless of course we didn't get anything done. Brian Milner (08:57) That's awesome. Yeah. I mean, I think about like how in classes, a lot of times when we talk about forecasting and estimation, you know, I make a little joke. It's not really a joke. It's the truth. But when I present, I've learned over the years when I present information to stakeholders about timings, I, know, if, if I do calculations and it says it's going to take between five and six sprints to do something, I've learned to say the maximum amount of time it will take is six sprints. there's a chance it could come in as soon as it's five sprints and yeah. Yeah. I mean, I learned to do that because what I say in classes, I've learned a lot of people stop listening after the first one. And I think actually though, I may be wrong. It may be more what you're saying that, you know, we, we remember the last thing that we hear. but it may be a combination, right? Cause if, if I hear the low number first and I I'm happy with that, I stopped listening and I don't want to hear the bad news. Julie (09:27) Brilliant! Brian Milner (09:50) So if I say the bad news first, it could take as long as this, but there's a chance it could come in earlier, then I'm leaving them with the good news that it could be this, you know, as soon as this, but they've set their expectation that, you know, it could take as long as, you know, the bad news that I gave them initially. So I don't know, maybe there's a combination of that there as well. But yeah, I agree with what Daniel Pink says about that. And timings do make a big, difference for sure. and how we present things. Julie (10:18) Okay, so a key though in that is that you can only ask those questions if you're staying within the time box and you've allocated time to actually ask the question. And like some of these things that came up as the root causes of like poor time management, like running over or stuff like that. If you're running over, nobody's going to really want to take the opportunity to give you feedback. So what do you think about, so what you talked with Kate a lot about when we talking about here is the role of the facilitator. And I think we should talk about what people can do if they are feeling like they're the victim of the lack of facilitation or poor facilitation. So what do think about that? Brian Milner (10:52) Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I think we have several roles to play, right? I I agree. If I'm not the facilitator, then it's important for me to come into that meeting, well, knowing what the expectation is. know, like if I'm coming into a meeting as a participant, I don't think it's responsible. to show up to the meeting. And I've shown up to meetings like this, showing up with the attitude that, hey, it's not my meeting. It's the other person's meeting. You got me. I'm here. But now it's on you to get out of me, whatever it is that you're hoping to get. And maybe I put in very little prep work for it. So there is some kind of interplay here between the facilitator and the participant. Because you could say, well, that's the facilitator's responsibility to help you understand. Yes, it is. That's, this is what I'm trying to say is I, I think it's a mistake to shirk that responsibility entirely and say, I'm not the facilitator. Don't look at me. Right. If, if they didn't ask me to prepare or, or, you know, here's what I need you to, to, come prepared to talk about. Well, then I've got a bad facilitator and you know, we're just, we're hopelessly going to be in a bad meeting. No, when I get the invite, you know, Kate said last week, you know, Julie (12:17) Mm-hmm. Brian Milner (12:22) You can decline invitations to meetings. You don't have to accept every meeting invite that you get. But if you do accept it, I think that there's an accepting of responsibility there to say, all right, I'm going to be a participant in this meeting. What do you need from me? And in advance, making sure you talk to that meeting organizer and saying, hey, I agree. This is probably a good thing for us to meet about, but I want to prepare. I want to know that I can come to this meeting armed with information that's going to be helpful to others and I can play my part. So meeting facilitator, meeting organizer, what did you have in mind for me in this meeting? What is it that you were hoping to get from me in this meeting so that I can show up prepared? And that small little question, I think, does several things, right? mean, one, it says, to the facilitator, do you know what it is that you want from this person? If they come back at you and say, I don't know, I just thought maybe you needed, well, if they say, you know, we just thought maybe you needed to be in the loop or whatever, well, I might come back at that and say, that sounds like an email, you know? Julie (13:31) Yeah, I'm also thinking though there's the flip side of then people, there's two different things. I want to go back to how I can also help. what also struck me when you were saying that is that I think there's also this cultural part of am I being excluded? That, you know, that sense of They're not inviting me. A lot of times people don't need to be there. What you're afraid if you're not there, does that mean something? Does it mean you're being cut out? You're not important? There's that whole ego part. Yeah. Brian Milner (14:04) Yeah. Right. Sure, mean, especially if there's a decision to be made, right? You could feel like, they don't want my voice in that decision. And I think that that's a legitimate concern. If I'm responsible for an area and decisions are gonna be made in the meeting and I'm left out of that invitation, I might have a concern and say, if there's gonna be a decision made around this, I probably should have an input. Is there reason why you didn't want my input in this meeting? And, you know, even asking that question can sometimes just trigger, well, this is lower level things. This is not really at the level that you weigh in on. Usually we didn't want to waste your time, you know, something like that. You might find out it has nothing to do with the fact that they didn't want your opinion. It was more of, we were trying to be conscious of your time and, and, and didn't think that this was the kind of thing that you would need to weigh in on. So you might have a micromanaging kind of problem there that you need to address as well. Julie (15:11) Yeah, this is all people's stuff. It's what makes it fun. Brian Milner (15:14) Yeah. I want to, want to just, I'm sorry. I don't want to mean to interrupt you, but there's one thing I've been thinking about this whole time as well, because we've been talking about bad meetings and bad meeting hangovers. And I think initially the first thought that kind of comes to our heads about that is facilitation and maybe the meeting not being organized well. But I think there's another thing that makes a meeting a bad meeting that it's important to call out as well. Julie (15:37) Mm. Brian Milner (15:40) I'll just give you an example. I remember there was a job I took the very first day of the job. It my first day on the job. We had a meeting with some of the other leaders in that organization, and I got called into this, and they introduced me. Hey, this is Brian. I remember them saying, he's the new whatever, whatever the last guy was that had my position. OK, he's the new whoever. And we got into discussion about upcoming things, the status of different projects and other things. in the middle of that meeting, there became a shouting match and there were F bombs dropped left and right. And I remember walking out of that meeting going, what the hell did I get myself into? You know? so what I'm trying to call out there is there are sometimes bad meetings. It's not about the facilitation or the order or the agenda or anything else. There's sometimes bad meetings because we don't bring kind of the Julie (16:15) Mm-hmm. Brian Milner (16:29) best parts of ourselves to the meeting. We bring the worst parts of ourselves to the meeting. And sometimes we don't censor that and we don't let those, we don't kind of, I don't know how to put it. We're not engaging civilly, right? And I know that sometimes when I've been in those and I've had multiple of those kinds of meetings like that, that I would say, yeah, that was a bad meeting. But it wasn't because the facilitator did a bad job. It's because the participants were kind of letting their inner demons manifest through themselves in the meeting and they weren't really treating everyone with respect. They were very disrespectful to their coworkers. And I think that that's maybe more common than we care to admit. Julie (17:05) Mm-hmm. Yes, when you're sharing that to me, that goes back to meeting working agreements. like, what can I, so if we go back to, if you're in a situation where you're in a bad meeting, even if the facilitator is doing the best that they can, there's things that you can do. So to me, if we've had, and I know you were brand new, but you said that that was not. uncommon. If we had meeting working agreements and you let out an F-bomb and that was against the meeting agreements that anyone else in the room can say, you just broke one of our, you can, you, anyone can call people on that behavior. shouldn't have to be just the facilitator because the facilitator might be like just trying to run through, okay, now what am I going to do? It might be needing to just take a little breath to figure out what do, right? But I can imagine if that was the norm in that environment that people got that disrespectful in the meeting that when people left, there was a hangover effect. Like you kind of was like, what am I doing? Brian Milner (18:07) Right. Julie (18:27) What's happening here? What's going on? What did I sign up for on day one? This is day one. What's day two going to be like? Are we holding back? Right. Here's the new guy. Let's be on our good behavior. We'll only drop three F bombs instead of four. So, at, I was very fortunate that at, Brian Milner (18:27) Right. Right. Right. Yeah. Yeah, they were on their best behavior, right? Guess I was new. Yeah. Julie (18:50) rally software, just, this was norm. It was normal to learn, everyone learned how to facilitate and be good participants and all that, except it was really quite funny at our coaches events because we had to have the working agreement that the facilitator actually got to choose how to facilitate, but we didn't get to facilitate the facilitators. But anyway, I have started recommending Alex Bukinski's book, remotely productive. took a lot of what Jean taught us and help is helping people apply that remotely. So like chapter four is how to help in a bad meeting. So if you're a participant and it's going bad, how can you help get back on track in a respectful way? So not being, not being a jerk about it. But even, so he just even gives examples of things like. when somebody makes a recommendation. like noticing when people agree on an action and you type it into chat. It doesn't have to be the facilitator who types it into chat. Like as a participant, you can go, okay, the action was or a decision was made noting decisions, decision, write the decision down, but helping the facilitator be like, we would talk about that. Actually, I forgot until I just started speaking out about it that often, especially in Brian Milner (19:54) Yeah. Yeah. Julie (20:11) big significant meetings, would have a scribe, a facilitator and a scribe. So this is what he's talking about actually is somebody scribing. Brian Milner (20:22) Yeah, yeah, that's a very important component because if we just shout things out and no one's really capturing what the next steps are, those are going to get lost. And we could have to repeat this meeting because we just didn't really follow up in any way. We didn't take any action. So I agree. That's an important component of it is at least designating that it doesn't have to be one person, but just designating that, hey, here's the expectation. Here's what we're going to do. Yeah. Julie (20:49) Um, yeah. So there's a bunch of really good tips in here and like the Kindle version's 1499 or something. So I've been telling people like, if you can have just one meeting that sucks less, you're going to get your 1499 back. So if you could have one less meeting hangover, you're to get your 1499 back, think for sure. Brian Milner (20:49) That's a great tip. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I should clarify with my story earlier that I'm a big boy. It wasn't the language that bothered me. It was directed at someone else, like kind of F-U, that kind of thing. That's a very different dynamic than just saying, those effing suppliers, I sure hate that. That's fine. Or maybe more fine for others than some, but. Julie (21:21) Mm-hmm. Right. Brian Milner (21:38) That didn't bother me, was more just that the attitude behind it was a negative one towards someone else. But yeah, that's a great tip there, just understanding that when I'm a participant there, when I show up, that I have a role to play in it as well. There's things I can do and if there's not notes being taken, then I can maybe step up and do that. Hey, someone said we're going to need to do this? All right, let me put that in the chat. Remember, this is what needs to happen. Julie (22:05) Yeah, and he gives nice, some like a template here on when we're making decisions like data, diagnosis, direction, do next. So he's given a nice, he gives a lot of really great tools. I'm really, and like liking it quite a bit. back to your, your example that is, in the, the behavior part. was a lack of respect versus really the content. Yeah, I get that. The conflict that's going on. Brian Milner (22:42) Yeah. The tip from the book you just mentioned kind of aligns also to something that's in this article, the Harvard Business Review article. One of the things it says is they have some tips in this as well. And one of the things they say is demand accountability every time. And I think that's a good kind of takeaway as well is they're specifically talking about these action items, things that we would do as a result. As a participant, think it's important to, I like that language, demand accountability. If we have this meeting, all right, what is it that you're hoping to get out of this? I'm showing up, I'm here, what do you need from me? What are we gonna do as a result of this? Any participant can ask that. Any participant can say, so that we don't just waste this time, what are we going to do next? Julie (23:11) Mm-hmm. Brian Milner (23:29) I think you demand accountability when you do that. Julie (23:33) Yeah, and I would say too, the first thing we should ask is what's the purpose of this meeting? And so if you go up to turn agendas into action plans, Jean taught us is you have a purpose statement. And then actually she taught us that what are the questions we need to answer in order to meet the purpose? Those are our agenda topics. When we've answered those questions, we're complete with this meeting. And then like where the Brian Milner (23:39) Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Julie (24:01) come back down here to make every minute count. Don't run over. Alex also gives some nice gentle waves of doing like we would say time check. We have 10 more minutes left. You could just put that in chat time check. We have 10 more minutes left. You don't have to be the facilitator to be like time check. So I do like that. He's helping people think about what they can do versus just being victim to Brian Milner (24:05) Yeah. Julie (24:29) the lack of facilitation. Brian Milner (24:31) Yeah. And as a participant, I can, I can check in at the start of the meeting and say, all right, just, want to, I want to, have a time box check here. Our meeting is scheduled from this time to this time. That's our time box, right? We can't, is there, or I have something right after this. just so you know, here's my time box. can't go further than this. and you know, I think as a participant, it's. Julie (24:46) Hmm. Brian Milner (24:56) you can have those same effects just like you said, hey, time box check, it's this, we got this much time left. And as a facilitator, I know I've reached the end of our time boxes sometimes when we haven't really gotten as far as I had hoped, but I've been okay saying this was a good start. This was a good start to what it is we need to decide. Obviously this is gonna take more time. We are at our time box, so we're gonna have to wrap this meeting up, but we'll schedule follow-ups and we'll take it from here. If I'm entering a meeting where I need a decision by the end of that time box, then by all means, make sure people are aware of that from the start. If I'm a participant or if I'm the facilitator, we're here together, but we all need to understand that we need to leave this with a decision on this. Julie (25:37) Yeah. So the other thing, Kia, I believe, around the decision is, and also be clear about how we're going to make the decision. So is this going to be a collaborative decision? We're all going to vote? Or are we getting, everyone going to give their opinion? Somebody else is going to make the decision? And then we'll check, like, how are we, how is the decision going to be made? So that's not a surprise as well. Brian Milner (25:50) Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, extremely important. I know when I talk about in our product owner classes about doing things like buy a feature as a way to prioritize, one of the things I always try to say to the stakeholders is, hey, we're going to play by a feature, but this is no promise that this is going to be what the final prioritization is. You're helping me to prioritize, but I want to set the expectation. I have to take into account your opinions and other people's opinions and market factors and lots of other things. So make sure we're on the same page. We need to understand this is a component of the decision. I will make the final decision outside of this meeting, but I really appreciate the input and I need your input to help me make the decision. Julie (26:32) Right. Yeah, love that example. So moving down when they say press paw, how to recover how to press. Brian Milner (26:55) Yeah, yeah, yeah. If you find yourself having a hangover from one of these bad meetings, yeah. Julie (27:01) Well, even if it's a great meeting, I am a fan of Adam Grant and I can't like pull up the where he said it. And he said it someplace that the studies show that people actually need like 10 minutes between topics. So if you're going to finish a meeting, you should have at least 10 minutes before the next meeting to be able to. Brian Milner (27:19) Yeah. Julie (27:27) focus and reframe. So I also feel like sometimes these meetings are bad because people are rushing from meeting to meeting. They don't have time to take a bio break or get a bite to eat. So now they're hungry and all that kind of stuff. But we do this to people on a regular basis. Brian Milner (27:46) Yeah, yeah. But, and I agree with that. if it's a good meeting or a bad meeting, I'll find myself, because I work from home exclusively. Well, I shouldn't say exclusively. Sometimes I'll go and work on site with different companies. But when I'm working from home, I'll leave the meeting of something I've just talked about and I'll have to go get more tea or something. And there's a little decompression of, wow, let me kind of throw that off, right? Let me take a deep breath. And now I can reset and I'm ready for whatever the next thing is. But I find I do that kind of naturally and I can't imagine not doing it. I can't imagine kind of going one thing to the other all the time and never having that break. That would kill me. Yeah. Julie (28:31) It happens all the time. It happens all the time. back to meeting working agreements. That's another one that I suggest is people don't start like at the top or the bottom of the hour. Like they offset it a bit to build in breaks. But when you're setting that time box, you got to set, you got to leave space in your agenda time. You have to leave space in your time, your meeting time to close your meeting properly. Brian Milner (28:59) Yeah. Yeah. Julie (29:01) We don't think about how much time that takes either. So it all adds up for sure. Brian Milner (29:09) I like the idea too that they have in here of walking it off. I know just in my work history, kind of like the example I gave you, there have been times when I've been through meetings where I feel like, yeah, I just got to get this off of me. And I have taken... remember, know, in certain circumstances, I'm not a smoker at all, but I, I had, I've always had developers that smoke in some way, shape or form. I, I wouldn't be uncommon for me to go and just stand outside with them while they smoke. or I'll walk down to the corner and get a drink or something and come back. there's something about taking that walk, getting outside the office. or if I'm here working at home, you know, maybe I'll even just go take the dog for a quick walk around the block. And by the time I come back, that's such a good way to. just kind of let whatever that is go away and reset. Now I'm ready to do what I need to do next, but it all goes to know, eliminating that hangover effect that I might have that came from a bad meeting. Julie (30:12) Yeah, so another facilitation tip around that, especially if you've just done a big meeting, if you can, walk it off with someone else. But do it in a debrief way, like what did you learn? And so we would talk about walking the walls. If we're physically together, we have stuff all over, like grab a friend. Brian Milner (30:21) Mmm. Yeah. Julie (30:34) or grab something you don't usually talk to and then walk the walls, so to speak. So at the end of class when I do have enough time, I like them in their breakout rooms to just debrief each other. Like what are a few things you want to try and remember? Because we all remember different things. So there's different ways you can do it. The way they talk about walking it off is it Brian Milner (30:38) Yeah. Julie (31:01) to avoid the hangover, but hopefully we're gonna switch the culture and people are gonna have good meetings and they're gonna wanna talk about positive stuff at the end. I mean, there's both ways of thinking about that physically, I think. Brian Milner (31:13) Yeah. Yeah, I agree. Well, I hope people have gotten a lot of this. You know, we kind of debated, we do this? Should we talk about this? It's so close to kind of the last topic, but I do kind of see it as a part one and part two. You know, there is a part one of that that is, bad meetings sometimes are very much a cause and effect of not facilitating well. But I would hate for people to entirely think, well, it's just the facilitator. there are only one person in the room. And if all the other people think that's not really my responsibility and I don't really have a part to play in this, then the facilitator can only do so much. Julie (31:45) Yeah. Yeah, and depending on what type of meeting it is, like really big, significant, like quarterly planning meetings, then the facilitator needs to do more work, in my opinion, to set everybody up for success. So depending on the size, the length, the... Some meetings need more structure than others, but I agree that as participants, you gotta have accountability to and how it's going and do I need to be here? What's the purpose? If the purpose isn't introduced, then you would ask kindly, what's the purpose of the meeting? What are we trying to accomplish here? I'm just wondering, I'm just checking in. just, not like, the hell am doing here? Brian Milner (32:38) Right, right. Julie (32:39) was to make sure that I'm, you know, whatever. But I do like what Kate said. don't know. You should be able to ask the questions. You should be able to decline all of that. So here's what I'm thinking now, Brian. Another thing people could do, though, is if they start to pay attention to the cost. Brian Milner (32:44) Yeah. Julie (33:05) of being in meetings just through their own health and well-being, then yes, they can be proactive. They can learn a few tips from Alex, but then maybe they, even if they're not the Scrum Master or someone who would normally be assigned to becoming a facilitator, maybe they can get some of the facilitator training because... The training that Kate was talking about really is applicable to any kind of role. It doesn't have to be the scrum master or product owner or team lead or manager. It's really applicable to all people. And then the other thing too, if it's something that say you're in the developer level role, even if you're a business analyst, quality, whatever, quality engineer, whatever, and you wanna become a facilitator. get the training and see if you like it. Then you can kind of be stealth-like in there with, and I feel like that's some of the things Alex is trying to teach people as well. If you're going to be the facilitator or the participant, that there's ways that you can make a difference in a positive way. Brian Milner (33:59) Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely agree. agree. Well, this has been a great conversation. We got to have you on more often. So I apologize it's been so long, but I really appreciate you taking the time and bringing this topic up. And it's a great, great focus for us, I think. thanks for bringing it, Julie. Julie (34:21) Beautiful. Well, I don't have a meeting hangover, do you? Brian Milner (34:36) I do not. I feel great. I don't need to walk anything off right now. Awesome. There we go. I'm right there with you. All right. Thanks, Julie. Julie (34:39) Me either. I'll just go back to drinking tea. Okay. right. Thank you. Yep.

In this episode, Kate Megaw joins Brian Milner to share simple but powerful techniques that can turn those soul-sucking meetings into dynamic, action-driven conversations. If you're ready to make meetings worth attending, this one’s for you! Overview Brian Milner and Kate Megaw uncover the secrets to running highly effective and engaging meetings. They tackle common facilitation pitfalls, the staggering amount of time wasted in ineffective meetings, and how simple tweaks can transform team collaboration. Kate shares practical strategies for keeping participants engaged, fostering psychological safety, and ensuring meetings lead to real action—because no one has time for another pointless meeting. References and resources mentioned in the show: Kate Megaw ARCLight Agile Katanu Katanu’s Facilitator Certification Course Katanu Resources #44: Transformations Take People with Anu Smalley Advanced Certified ScrumMaster® Mountain Goat Software Certified Scrum and Agile Training Schedule Join the Agile Mentors Community Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is SVP of coaching and training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Kate Megaw is the Founder and CEO of ARCLight Agile, specializing in helping organizations create empowered, high-performing teams through agility and collaboration. A dynamic Certified Scrum Trainer (CST), Certified Team Coach (CTC), and Project Management Professional (PMP), Kate is a sought-after speaker known for sparking ‘aha’ moments that drive real transformation. Auto-generated Transcript: Brian Milner (00:00) Welcome in Agile Mentors. We're back here for another episode of the Agile Mentors Podcast. I'm here as I always am, Brian Milner. I'm with you as your host. But today I have the one and only, amazing Kate McGaw is with us. Kate, thank you for coming on. Kate Megaw (00:17) Thank you for having me. Brian Milner (00:19) Absolutely. If there's some of you out there that aren't familiar with Kate, she is a CST, a Scrum trainer like myself. She's also a certified team coach. And she also has the other side of things, the dark side. She's a PMP. So she has that project management kind of background that she brings to the table as well, which I think is awesome. She's a CEO of a company called Arclight Agile. And she's a co-founder of one of our favorites here that's come on the show, Anu. But they team up together. So it's Kate and Anu. And so their company is Katanu. I love it. love it. So why we decided to have Kate on is because Kate and Anu both have done a lot of work around facilitation. And we did have a user request. Kate Megaw (00:57) That's it. Brian Milner (01:09) to have an episode where we focused on facilitation. And listeners of the show know there's nothing I love more than being able to fulfill listener requests here and try to do those as soon as possible. So let's dive in. Let's talk about facilitation. It's a funny word. There's lots of different misconceptions and things about it, I'm sure. What do you find people misunderstand most about facilitation? Kate Megaw (01:34) think one of the key misunderstandings around facilitation is that you're part of the meeting, you're part of the event, you're actively involved. And when you're facilitating, you're actually, taking a step back because you are accountable for making sure that everyone is speaking and that we're keeping an eye on the agenda and things like that. And if you are actively involved in the discussion, You can't be doing that because you're missing body language. You're missing people who need to talk and who aren't talking. So I think one of the main misconceptions is, or that people forget is a facilitator is neutral. So if, for example, you have a scrum master facilitating a retrospective and they need to be actively involved in the retrospective, they should be inviting somebody else in to facilitate it. and I think We're beginning to see a lot more interest in it now because it's one of these key things. If it's done badly, people generally will notice. If it's done well, hopefully you don't notice that much other than, you know what, that meeting was very efficient. We achieved the goal and I feel as though it was worth my time. One of the things I like to say to people at the end of a meeting is the fist of five, how worth your time was this meeting? And I'm looking for fives or fours. If we're getting threes, twos and ones, we've not facilitated it well, or the meeting didn't achieve its agenda and things like that. think a lot of the statistics around facilitation that have come out recently, and you and I were talking about these briefly before we started that the average at the Microsoft trend index shows us that average time spent in meetings by employees at the moment is 21 and a half hours a week, which is an increase, I know, an increase of 252 % since the pre-pandemic. So. Brian Milner (03:36) That's incredible. Yeah, I mean, that's more than half of a work week, right? I mean, we're spending more than half our work week in just locked in meetings. So you're right. We had this conversation beforehand and you were telling me that stat and it just kind of floored me that we're spending that much time in meetings. But it was the next one you told me that really floored me. And it's a combination of these two, I think, that people need to really grasp onto. So tell them what you told me next. Kate Megaw (03:49) Mm hmm. Yep. Yep. Yeah. So the next one is that the Harvard Business Review indicates their research, 67 % of meetings are considered by executives to be failures. So if we look at the financial impact of that, and this is something I didn't share with you, but the financial impact of that is for a company, imagine you have a company with 100 employees, unproductive meetings are wasting upward of $1.7 million a year. If you have a thousand employees, increase that number. it's one of these things that it is not difficult to do. It is just understanding why we need someone in the facilitator role. And the basics around the basic facilitation, the basic getting ready for the meeting, facilitating during the meeting and properly closing the meeting. takes those unsuccessful numbers up to successful numbers where you're getting those fives and people are sort of, yep, that meeting totally achieved the purpose and the outcome and it finished early. So I've got 20 minutes back before my next meeting. Brian Milner (05:24) Yeah, it's so incredible that combination of those two stats. I thinking that we're spending over half our time in meetings and that 67 % of them are failures, we're having a lot of them and we're not doing them well, clearly. Kate Megaw (05:36) Absolutely. I think with, I don't know with Zoom, well, I think with Zoom, it's got easier to have meetings. So we're probably having meetings where we don't need to have meetings. That's one of my favorite things to ask is, does this need to be a meeting? Or are you just going to talk at me and roll data out? In which case, send it to me in email. Don't tie me up for a meeting. Brian Milner (05:44) Yep. Kate Megaw (06:02) Because so many meetings are a waste of time that a lot of people are spending meetings multitasking. So we're taking an hour for a meeting that we could do in 25 minutes if people were 100 % engaged and following the agenda and things like that. Brian Milner (06:22) Yeah, yeah, that's so fascinating. it seems like such a, it's hard to believe that there's not more of that skill in just basic business training, right? Because if we're having all those meetings, then it would seem natural that there would be more segments that would say, you know, a little facilitation skill for, you know, a, you know, bachelor's in business, you know, like that might be a little helpful, right? Kate Megaw (06:41) Yep. Mm-hmm. Yeah, absolutely. And it's a small investment for something that will make a huge difference. I mean, one of the things Anu and I have been working on is the mnemonic of ready, reach, and wrap in order to make sure we have effective meetings. And the ready part of it is setting the foundation. So before you even get to your meeting, this is ahead of time. You're understanding, okay, what are the Rs? What are the roles and responsibilities? So if I'm facilitating, then who are the decision makers? Who is mandatory? Who's required to be there? Who are the, you can come if you want. Let's stop doing meetings to 30 people and expecting 30 people to show up. So we've got to understand the roles and responsibilities. The other, the E for the ready is expectations and engagement. Brian Milner (07:29) Ha ha ha. Kate Megaw (07:41) So if the expectations are that this is an interactive meeting, we're using Lucid or Mural or Mira, whatever tool we're using, it's going to be collaborative, webcams are going to be on, multitasking is going to be at a minimum, everyone knows going into that meeting what the expectations are. And then the A again is the agenda and the alignment. The agenda should be very clearly saying these are the items that the D is making sure where we have defined the purpose and the outcome. So every meeting, we need to know what the purpose of the meeting is, what the outcome of the meeting is, and they should be included in the agenda. We shouldn't be accepting meetings. Imagine the power of being able to decline a meeting if it didn't have an agenda in it. And if you think about it, why do we attend meetings? Brian Milner (08:27) Ha Yeah. Kate Megaw (08:33) with no agenda and people turn up to the meeting and said, okay, so what's this meeting for? Pretty sure we've all got better things to be doing. So make sure for every meeting we have a defined purpose and outcome. And then the why is making sure we as facilitators have your logistics ready. If it's Zoom, if we're using a remote whiteboard, do people need to practice it? Do we need to set up an environment? Do we need to make sure webcams are on? All that type of thing. So a huge amount of meetings would be better if we did nothing other than better planning with the roles, responsibilities, the expectations, the agenda, the defining the outcome and the logistics. If we just did that. Brian Milner (09:09) Yeah. Kate Megaw (09:23) I bet we're going to see the amount of productive meetings increase considerably. Brian Milner (09:29) Yeah, there's so much transfer here too as well, just to the normal scrum meetings that we have because, you know, one of the things I'll talk about lot in class is just to say, you know, you can't just expect to show up to something like Sprint Planning and have it go smoothly. You have to put in some work beforehand and get ready for it. Same thing with like a Sprint Review. You got to put in some work beforehand and make sure you know who's going when and who's speaking, you know, that speaking order and all that stuff. Kate Megaw (09:42) Yeah. Brian Milner (09:55) goes miles in making those more successful meetings. But the other thing that really interested me in that is you talk a little bit about purpose and that we don't really understand the purpose of the meetings. And that's something that's really stuck out to me is when I talk to people who don't like their Scrum meetings, it feels like 90 % that is just Brian math, but it feels like 90 % of the time, right? Feels like this. It feels like 90 % of the time. Kate Megaw (10:04) Mm-hmm. Brian Milner (10:20) that the people who have a problem with those meetings don't know the purpose of the meeting and that's really the root cause of it, right? If they knew why we were here, then the meeting makes sense. Now I understand what we're trying to do. Kate Megaw (10:26) Yep, absolutely. And I think one of the interesting things, I would love to repeat these numbers around the Scrum events, because I think by default, the Scrum events do have a purpose. They do have an outcome. We know what the roles and responsibilities are. We know what the expectations for engagement are. So I think the Scrum events are much more productive than your average event. Brian Milner (10:41) Yeah. Kate Megaw (10:59) But I do feel if we don't have well-facilitated Scrum events, that's where we get our criticism, or, this meeting was a waste of time. Okay, well, let's look at our facilitation and see, it an error in planning or was it an error in expectations? But it always surprises me when people say, well, Scrum's just so many meetings. And I'm so... No, we should have fewer meetings and if they're well facilitated, we need all of those meetings. So it's not as though we're having a meeting for meeting sake, which I think is unfortunately something we can't say for our non-scrum events. Brian Milner (11:43) Yeah, yeah, I mean, I go so far as to say, if you don't understand the purpose of it, don't show up. I mean, there's really no need to be there if you don't know what we're trying to get out of it. One other little side correlation there too, because this kind of ties in a little bit to some of the stuff I did this last year in kind of studying a little bit about neurodivergency and different neuro types and that kind of thing. And one of the things I found really fascinating was certain neurodivergent types, Kate Megaw (11:48) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Brian Milner (12:12) really need to have an agenda in advance. And if they don't, then it just raises their anxiety level. they're just, you even not, you know, neurodivergent types, just regular, normal, you know, neurotypical people. There are those that just don't respond well when you're just throwing out a blank slate and saying, give us your best idea, right? They need time to process and think in advance and Kate Megaw (12:15) Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yep. Yep. Mm-hmm. Yep. Brian Milner (12:38) And so yeah, if we could send out that just the day before, it's not that much work. It's just one day earlier, right? It's actually the same amount of work. It's just doing it a day earlier. Right. Kate Megaw (12:45) Absolutely. Absolutely. It's just better organized. Yeah. I mean, I even on my team meetings, I know some members of my team want to know, because I always like to start them with segue questions and some of my team completely fine. Ask them a question, favorite food or you want to have any sort of segue question and they're fine with it. But I have my thinkers who want to think about it ahead of time. So I think it's important when we're facilitating any event that we understand the audience. How many of the audience are going to want to maybe read a document ahead of time? How many of the audience are, you know what, they can think on the feet, I can throw anything at them, but there are others that do need the preparation. yeah, I think that the planning that we do, if we can do it just slightly ahead. And then things like when we get into the meeting, of the mnemonic that we use for actually facilitating during the meeting is the mnemonic of reach, which is we're guiding the process. The very first thing we do when we go into the meeting is we review the agenda and open the meeting. So here's the agenda. I've got the agenda visible. mean, what the agenda that we use in classes. Is the to do doing and done. I use that for all my meetings. I've got that up on the virtual board and the topics of the meeting are moving across to doing and done because then our visual people can see how we're doing. But the reviewing, at the start of every meeting we said, OK, let's just review the agenda. Let's just remind everyone this is the purpose and this is the desired outcomes. And if the right people are not in the meeting. There's no point having a meeting that we cannot achieve the purpose and the outcomes because we don't have the right people. So, I mean, I always say open it, open it with a segue question and things like that, but level set on the agenda. And then the middle part of the meeting is the bit that people are familiar with, which is the gathering ideas. It's exploring. It's the A is the assessing, making sure we've got the collaboration and the discussion and the... Brian Milner (14:39) Yeah. Yeah. Kate Megaw (15:07) The C is our concluding, are we doing dot voting or is somebody else who makes the final decision? But the H is the one that we often forget at the end, which is let's highlight the action items from the meeting. Let's make sure we know what it is, who's accountable for it, when it's going to be done by, and then close the meeting. mean, you... Brian Milner (15:18) Hmm. Kate Megaw (15:33) you and I will both close out our classes. Maybe we use one word, maybe we use, give us a statement, all sorts of different things, but we forget to close out meetings. go, time's up. Okay. Bye everyone. And we've not reviewed the, this is what we're going to do for next time. And we've not formally closed the meeting, even if it's as simple as one word, but we've got to open and close it. Sorry. Passionate about that. No. Brian Milner (15:44) You You mean that's not how you close out a class? I've been closing classes like that for years. No, I'm just kidding. Yeah, exactly. Ding, sorry. Kate Megaw (16:03) Yes, sorry, time's up, clunk. Yeah, sorry, dog's barking, dog needs to go out. So, but yeah. Brian Milner (16:11) Exactly. Yeah. Yeah, no. And there was something I came across just in trying to put together materials for classes where we have little segments on facilitation in it. Because I think sometimes there's a lot of focus on the different various techniques, like fist to five or thumbs up or whatever. There's different kind of techniques. I'm not trying to belittle those. Those are things we need to know. But. Kate Megaw (16:21) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Brian Milner (16:36) One of the things I came across was that the root word of this thing is this Latin word, facilius. stands or it means literally to make easy. And I've always had that kind of in the back of my mind when I'm a facilitator is like, what are they trying to do? And whatever they're trying to do, just, my job is just to make that as easy as possible, right? You know, it's always difficult when you're trying to make a decision and you have no direction about how that decision is going to be made. Kate Megaw (16:46) Yeah. Brian Milner (17:05) But a good facilitator can give the structure to it and say, no, no, no, it's OK, I got you. We're going to go through this little journey together, and we're going to end in this other side, and you're going to have something to take away from it. Kate Megaw (17:16) Yeah, we're going to have heard everyone's voices as we go through. We're not going to let one person dominate the conversation. We're going to use techniques like, that's a great point. Can we also check in on the other side of the table? Let's hear some counter points here. It's pulling people in, it's summarizing. So if I'm hearing you correctly, Brian, you're saying A, B, C, D. It's all of that going into it. And I think one of the other... big has when we teach facilitation is the facilitator is not the scribe. So people say, well, I'm the project manager or I'm the facilitator. need to be taking all the meeting notes. And I'm like, well, what direction is your head pointing when you're taking notes? And it's down at a piece of paper. So you're not seeing who's yawning because you're tired and you need to take a break. You're not seeing people who are confused or wanting to talk and things like that. sort of either you turn on the AI tool and have the AI tool summarize the meeting for you. Do check it before you submit, it out or B have everyone in the meeting as a grown ass adult. They can take their own agenda items. mean, their own action items, have an area on your virtual board or in the room you're having the meeting in that is action items. And again, what is it? Brian Milner (18:18) Sure. Kate Megaw (18:36) Who's gonna be doing it? When's it gonna be done by? And I think one of the key criticisms of meetings is, and you'll hear this as well, particularly by retrospectives is, well, nothing changes. And I'm sort of, well, who has the action item? well, there isn't an action item. And I'm sort of, at the end of every meeting, we should be doing the mnemonic we use here is rap. The first thing is retrospect. Brian Milner (18:53) you Kate Megaw (19:04) How was this meeting? We talked about the fist of five. Give me one word. Anything we need to do differently next time. And then the A is make sure we have all of these action items assigned to someone. And then the P is the one we forget about. Tracking that progress. How are we going to hold each other accountable for making sure that something changes as a result of the meeting? So. Brian Milner (19:22) Mm-hmm. Kate Megaw (19:31) If we're doing retrospectives, if the team is voting whatever technique they're using to choose the one thing they want to do differently, how do we make it visible? Do we put it on our scrum board somewhere? Do we talk about it every day as part of after we've done daily scrum? How are we doing with the communication techniques that we wanted to try and do differently going forward? We've got to have that visibility. Otherwise nothing changes. Brian Milner (19:57) Yeah, yeah, that's so awesome. I completely agree. And that's something that I think you're right is missing, not just from retrospectives, but just a lot of meetings in general. We don't really understand, all right, well, what's the takeaway? What's the thing we need to do as a result of this to make this not a waste of our time, to make this something that was a useful, not the 67 % that were failures, but something that actually leads to success. I want to. Kate Megaw (19:59) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yep. Yeah, yes, so that we're not having the same meeting again next week and the week after and nothing's changing. Brian Milner (20:30) Exactly. Exactly. I want to ask you one question about facilitation. I've heard this a lot in regards to retrospectives, but probably it's more a facilitation thing than it is a retrospective thing. But I think probably the number one question we get from people about retrospectives is, how do you handle a quiet team? so I'm just kind of curious. When you talk about facilitating and working with individuals who are a little more introverted, Kate Megaw (20:50) Mm-hmm. Brian Milner (20:57) or just not as comfortable speaking out in public, are there special considerations or are there things that you do differently just to try to accommodate and make those people feel more comfortable when you're facilitating them? Kate Megaw (21:09) So yes, several things. So one, I will look at a theme. So do they have a team name and do I want to set up a mnemonic around the team name to gather the data? Are they a visual team? Do I want to do something like the sailboat that's interactive and people can add things to the board? Are they a movie buffs? Do I need to do a Star Wars themed retrospective? So I'll generally try and find something to connect the team. I've done it before where I'm working with airlines. Okay, what is it keeps our planes in the air? What is it that grounds our planes? What are the storm clouds we need to be aware of? What are causing bumps during the air? So all of that type of thing, it's a theme relevant to the team. And I generally will find that if I can start a team talking, I can keep them talking. So if... one of the ways that I will often start a retrospective is if the retrospective, if your last retrospective was a ride at Disney, what ride would it have been? and get them talking or give me one word that describes the last retro or in a scale of one to the, mean, the last sprint, give me one word that describes it or scale of one to 10. How well do you think we did at the last sprint? But I love to get people talking. If I'm in the office, I sort of adapted the Adam Weisbart's retrospective cookies and I'll use candy bars and I'll wrap questions around candy bars and the team grabs a candy bar and there is a question on it which they answer and then other people in the room will then answer as well. Maybe things like, what can I do to better support you as a scrum master? Or, What can we do to better support each other as team members? So I think it's getting people talking, making sure the big reminder for me is as a facilitator, if you did not write the Post-It note, you should not be reading the Post-It note and you should not be moving the Post-It note. The team owns the Post-It notes. Everyone should be adding their own Post-It notes, whether it's virtual or in person. Brian Milner (23:07) Yeah. Kate Megaw (23:28) They should be grouping their own Post-it notes. They should be moving them. And the other one, people always say, well, what happens if there's the elephant in the room and this thing on the board that nobody wants to talk about? And I'm said, well, often I will say, okay, I'm going to add, we're going to do something different for this round. This time, I'm going to ask you to introduce something you did not write on the board. And let's talk about, I'm going to ask you to choose a topic and we're going to talk about that. Just read it, you read it out. Brian Milner (23:39) Yeah. Kate Megaw (23:58) and then we'll have a discussion around it. So as a facilitator, I can uncover the elephants in the room without anyone feeling too uncomfortable. Brian Milner (24:07) Yeah, that's great stuff. of parallel to this, think is kind of, I know we've, I've heard you talk about this, but the sense of safety in the room and just that people feel safe to talk about that. Are there things we can do as facilitators to actually raise that sense of safety? Kate Megaw (24:25) There are absolutely, there's a lot of things we can do. And I, every now and then I will hear something and I will just cringe. And there's, well my team doesn't really like sharing. They're not honest in the retrospective until the CTO disconnects from the retrospective. And I'm sort of, okay, so maybe what do you think this is maybe telling us? I'm sort of retrospectives are Vegas rules. It is the team. I will do retrospectives even with non-scrum teams, but it is the team that is there. There are no visitors. It is the team only. The other thing that makes me cringe is, yes, well we sent out the minutes of the retrospective and I'm sort of, excuse me, the retrospective again, Vegas rules. What is the one thing we're going to do differently as a team in the next sprint? Okay, is everyone okay if I put this up on our scrum board so it's visible? Brian Milner (25:07) Ha Kate Megaw (25:20) Okay, that's the one thing we're taking away. But back to the question you were asking, one of the biggest signs of a lack of psychological safety is that the team just doesn't want to talk. They're worried that the minutes are going to be captured. Somebody, one of the leaders is in there and, well, everyone's fine with my leadership. They're completely open and honest in front of me. And I'm sort of, okay, let's try a retrospective then with you there. Brian Milner (25:32) Yeah. Kate Megaw (25:50) And then we'll also try retrospective without you there. And let's see which one is more comfortable because otherwise it's a, it's a colossal waste of time. If nothing's going to change, why are we wasting sort of 45 minutes to an hour or even doing it? So I think that the psychological safety is a key one, making sure it is the right people, making sure that minutes are not being captured. The other thing is. A lot of times people say, well, I need to capture it because I need to bring all of the information again next time. And I'm sort of, no, you're trashing the Post-it notes. You're trashing the mural board, whatever. You're starting from scratch next time. they're sort of, well, I'm going to lose all this information. I'm sort of, no, if it's important enough, it's going to come up again next time. Brian Milner (26:23) Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And things change, right? mean, what the universe of things we might identify this sprint could be entirely different for next sprint. I've always loved, Jeff Sutherland had this phrase, he would say about it to say that, you have to remove that one big thing. And when you move that one big thing, then the system adjusts and you don't really know where the next bottleneck is going to come from until you remove that one big thing. Kate Megaw (26:58) Yeah. Brian Milner (27:02) So it's likely to be somewhere you wouldn't expect. so you can't just hang on to your number two issue from one retrospective and then say, well, next retrospective, we'll just do that and we can cut out having the conversation because we identified important things in this one. Kate Megaw (27:14) Yeah. And it anchors the tea. It stops the creativity. that's the other thing with retrospectives. I occasionally will work with a client and there's the, oh yes, we've been doing what's going well and what's not going so well every two weeks for six months. And I'm sort of, it's not really any wonder your team's bored out of their minds at retrospectives and nothing new is coming up. There's so many websites out there. Brian Milner (27:41) Yeah. Kate Megaw (27:42) that retrospective should never, in fact, no meeting should ever be boring because we should always be opening and closing a meeting in a creative way. Even if it's, mean, one of the things that we like to do in the morning of class is have music. So when people are joining, the energy is there so that we're getting that interaction and things like that. So people are starting on a high and then... I mean, you'll notice in the afternoons people begin to yawn, especially after lunch. Okay, you know what? It's been 65 minutes. Let's take a break. Let's do a segue question at break. So when we come back, show us something on your desk that tells us a bit about you. Or one of the ones I like is go stand up, go and look outside and come back and tell us something you saw outside. We have chickens. We have all sorts of things that people are saying. but it's encouraging them to get up and go get some oxygen in their system, take a break and then come back and then it's more engaging. But if as a facilitator, I'm not planning that type of thing, the energy is going to go down and I'm not going to achieve the purpose of my half day event or my one day class, whatever it is. Brian Milner (28:56) Yeah, it doesn't happen by accident. It's all very intentional. Well, this is fascinating. And we could have this conversation for another several hours, I'm sure. I just wanted to let everyone know that in case you were scrambling to write down these mnemonics and other things, we're going to link that in our show notes. So you can go to our show notes, and we'll put you over to Katanu team. Kate Megaw (28:58) No. Yep, absolutely. Yep. Brian Milner (29:20) Katanu, I keep on saying cat and Anu, trying to say it right way. Yeah, but we'll link you over them so you can get those three Rs for meetings and know kind of what each one of those little letters stands for in there. Kate Megaw (29:24) Yeah. Brian Milner (29:33) This has been really eye-opening for me and it just is a fascinating topic and it's so delightful just to hear the intentionality and how we can do simple things. They're not hard things, but simple things that make such a huge difference. Kate Megaw (29:48) Yeah, yeah, mean, that's the key. This is not rocket science. It's one or two simple things that helps us take that if we are going to spend 20 % or 20 hours a week, which is half of our time in meetings, let's at least make sure they're productive meetings so that we're not literally burning money by having unproductive meetings. Brian Milner (30:12) Yeah, absolutely. Well, I also forgot to mention here at the beginning, and we'll put this in the show notes as well, but Team Katanu also has a facilitation course. The Scrum Alliance has a certified Agile facilitator designation that you could obtain if you were interested in that. We'll link that off as well. But yeah, I couldn't recommend any better people for you to take that from than Kate in a new idea. We were saying that she had a, when she was younger, used to have the nickname Cat, and now everyone's calling her Cat from that. Well, thank you again for coming on and sharing your wisdom with us. I really appreciate it. Kate Megaw (30:46) Yep. Yep. Thank you very much for having me, Brian. And I look forward to hearing amazing facilitation stories from everyone once they've implemented some of this stuff. Brian Milner (31:03) Absolutely.

On the night of December 2, 2024 in London, SSPI and its UK Chapter held their annual Dinner to present Awards to three individuals and organizations that have made the world a far better place through their efforts. In this podcast series, you will hear their stories. The third episode features Dan Losada, Vice President, International Division at Hughes, who joins us to discuss Hughes' role in bringing internet access to some of the most isolated communities in Colombia through Juntas de Internet - Comunidades de Conectividad. Dan Losada, vice president at Hughes, leads the company's international sales team, responsible for satellite broadband systems sales around the globe, and maintaining the company's competitive edge as the world's leading VSAT provider. Prior to assuming leadership of the international sales team, Dan was senior director of the Hughes Defense and Intelligence Systems Division (DISD), supporting the U.S. military during its transition to Internet Protocol (IP)-based broadband systems. Previously, Dan held positions in microwave and RF systems design at Hughes and TRW, Inc. (now part of Northrop Grumman). Earlier in his career, Dan served as a technical consultant for Universidad Antonio Narino in Bogotá, Colombia, overseeing deployment of a point-to-multipoint network and evaluating proposals for the implementation of a city-wide WLAN Wireless Network. A certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Dan holds both a Bachelor and Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has published papers on communication systems and design and speaks frequently at industry conferences and panels worldwide. Hughes, with Microsoft and the Colombian government, brought internet access to some of the most isolated communities in Colombia through Juntas de Internet – Comunidades de Conectividad (Internet Connectivity Communities). According to the Wireless Broadband Alliance, more than four billion people globally remain without internet access, including 80% of households in poorer countries and 75% of students in rural areas. The Colombian government laid the groundwork for Juntas de Internet in July 2023 with the backing of the country's Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies (MinTIC). The program was established to both enhance existing networks and build new ones. Internet implementation, connection, and maintenance is a joint effort between connectivity communities and regional internet service providers (ISPs). Connectivity communities are non-profit organizations whose income is exclusively used for the administration, operation, and maintenance of fixed community internet service. Hughes, serving as a regional ISP, partnered with Microsoft on Juntas de Internet. Read more about Hughes, Microsoft and Colombia's MICT – Juntas de Internet: Connectivity Communities.

In today's episode of The Daily Windup, we talks to Joshua Atkinson about the importance of project management education and certification. He explains that having industry certifications such as a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification can make a veteran more employable when transitioning to civilian life. Additionally, learning about project management can make anyone a better teammate or employee because every project is focused on satisfying customers and improving profitability. He also explains the differences between PMP, Agile, Scrum, and Lean Six Sigma certifications and how they are all different aspects of project management. We discuss how Lean Six Sigma was the foundation of Toyota's organizational culture and how it applies to project management. Overall, this episode emphasizes the value of project management education and its applicability to many different industries and roles. Want to learn more? Tune in right now.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Latabia Woodward The visionary Founder and CEO of the music tech startup, “Who’s Got Next Music Inc.,” and the esteemed Chairman of the Ann Cephus Family Fund, has charted a remarkable path from her collegiate days to becoming a pioneering force in music technology. Her early retirement from a distinguished 20-plus year tenure in corporate America enhanced her expertise in software development, risk management, and technology project management by leading pivotal projects that enhanced information technology (IT) service delivery for a vast customer base. Her professional path began at Genuine Parts Company/National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), where she specialized in their proprietary technology software. Her career trajectory soared at Lademacher and Hertel Software (LHS) Corporation, a mobile telecommunications firm, where she advanced from an analyst to managing software development, quality assurance and project management divisions. Latabia's nearly two-decades-long service at The Southern Company as a Program Manager further cemented her status as an expert in her field.Latabia Woodward's academic credentials are as notable as her professional achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems from East Carolina University, complemented by a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her academic achievements, Latabia is an internationally certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and also holds certifications in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations and Agile project management methodology, underscoring her comprehensive mastery in project management disciplines.Latabia's civic contributions are extensive! Beginning with her college tenure, Latabia was instrumental in the implementation of Greenville Housing Authority's Welfare to Work Grant program under the Clinton Administration as an adult education instructor. Later, she co-founded the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Foundation, which delivered essential life skills training to at-risk middle and high school students. Latabia has served in a number of influential positions on various boards and committees, including the Gwinnett Technical College Foundation Board and the Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the highly-esteemed, invitation-only Leadership Gwinnett community development program and has been recognized by the White House, under President Joe Biden’s administration and the State of Georgia, receiving commendations for her dedication to public service. Today, she serves as the vice-chairman of ArtWorks! Gwinnett and leads the Ann Cephus Family Fund, a non-profit honoring her mother dedicated to training creative students with employable skills.Latabia is an illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member and has served locally, regionally, and most recently, nationally on the National Program Planning & Development (PP&D) Committee’s Economic Development Subcommittee. She has served in many capacities in Delta, including but not limited to being the former co-campaign manager for immediate national past president Beverly Evans Smith, visionary and lead for the national Delta Red Pages soror-owned business web directory, a past president of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter, former collegiate advisor for the Zeta Phi Chapter at Georgia State University, and as a certified Georgia Delta Internal Development (DID) Trainer.Latabia's life is also rich in personal fulfillment as a wife, a mother of six adult children, a grandmother affectionately known as “GiGi”, and a member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. Company Description * Who’s Got Next Music is an artist amplification platform dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging music talent through fair competitions, community engagement, and easy access to new sounds. We provide a web and mobile app that allows artists to showcase their talent, connect with fans, and participate in exclusive competitions, making it easier for them to grow their presence and reach a global audience. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSupport the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Latabia Woodward The visionary Founder and CEO of the music tech startup, “Who’s Got Next Music Inc.,” and the esteemed Chairman of the Ann Cephus Family Fund, has charted a remarkable path from her collegiate days to becoming a pioneering force in music technology. Her early retirement from a distinguished 20-plus year tenure in corporate America enhanced her expertise in software development, risk management, and technology project management by leading pivotal projects that enhanced information technology (IT) service delivery for a vast customer base. Her professional path began at Genuine Parts Company/National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), where she specialized in their proprietary technology software. Her career trajectory soared at Lademacher and Hertel Software (LHS) Corporation, a mobile telecommunications firm, where she advanced from an analyst to managing software development, quality assurance and project management divisions. Latabia's nearly two-decades-long service at The Southern Company as a Program Manager further cemented her status as an expert in her field.Latabia Woodward's academic credentials are as notable as her professional achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems from East Carolina University, complemented by a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her academic achievements, Latabia is an internationally certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and also holds certifications in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations and Agile project management methodology, underscoring her comprehensive mastery in project management disciplines.Latabia's civic contributions are extensive! Beginning with her college tenure, Latabia was instrumental in the implementation of Greenville Housing Authority's Welfare to Work Grant program under the Clinton Administration as an adult education instructor. Later, she co-founded the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Foundation, which delivered essential life skills training to at-risk middle and high school students. Latabia has served in a number of influential positions on various boards and committees, including the Gwinnett Technical College Foundation Board and the Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the highly-esteemed, invitation-only Leadership Gwinnett community development program and has been recognized by the White House, under President Joe Biden’s administration and the State of Georgia, receiving commendations for her dedication to public service. Today, she serves as the vice-chairman of ArtWorks! Gwinnett and leads the Ann Cephus Family Fund, a non-profit honoring her mother dedicated to training creative students with employable skills.Latabia is an illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member and has served locally, regionally, and most recently, nationally on the National Program Planning & Development (PP&D) Committee’s Economic Development Subcommittee. She has served in many capacities in Delta, including but not limited to being the former co-campaign manager for immediate national past president Beverly Evans Smith, visionary and lead for the national Delta Red Pages soror-owned business web directory, a past president of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter, former collegiate advisor for the Zeta Phi Chapter at Georgia State University, and as a certified Georgia Delta Internal Development (DID) Trainer.Latabia's life is also rich in personal fulfillment as a wife, a mother of six adult children, a grandmother affectionately known as “GiGi”, and a member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. Company Description * Who’s Got Next Music is an artist amplification platform dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging music talent through fair competitions, community engagement, and easy access to new sounds. We provide a web and mobile app that allows artists to showcase their talent, connect with fans, and participate in exclusive competitions, making it easier for them to grow their presence and reach a global audience. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Latabia Woodward The visionary Founder and CEO of the music tech startup, “Who’s Got Next Music Inc.,” and the esteemed Chairman of the Ann Cephus Family Fund, has charted a remarkable path from her collegiate days to becoming a pioneering force in music technology. Her early retirement from a distinguished 20-plus year tenure in corporate America enhanced her expertise in software development, risk management, and technology project management by leading pivotal projects that enhanced information technology (IT) service delivery for a vast customer base. Her professional path began at Genuine Parts Company/National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), where she specialized in their proprietary technology software. Her career trajectory soared at Lademacher and Hertel Software (LHS) Corporation, a mobile telecommunications firm, where she advanced from an analyst to managing software development, quality assurance and project management divisions. Latabia's nearly two-decades-long service at The Southern Company as a Program Manager further cemented her status as an expert in her field.Latabia Woodward's academic credentials are as notable as her professional achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems from East Carolina University, complemented by a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her academic achievements, Latabia is an internationally certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and also holds certifications in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations and Agile project management methodology, underscoring her comprehensive mastery in project management disciplines.Latabia's civic contributions are extensive! Beginning with her college tenure, Latabia was instrumental in the implementation of Greenville Housing Authority's Welfare to Work Grant program under the Clinton Administration as an adult education instructor. Later, she co-founded the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Foundation, which delivered essential life skills training to at-risk middle and high school students. Latabia has served in a number of influential positions on various boards and committees, including the Gwinnett Technical College Foundation Board and the Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the highly-esteemed, invitation-only Leadership Gwinnett community development program and has been recognized by the White House, under President Joe Biden’s administration and the State of Georgia, receiving commendations for her dedication to public service. Today, she serves as the vice-chairman of ArtWorks! Gwinnett and leads the Ann Cephus Family Fund, a non-profit honoring her mother dedicated to training creative students with employable skills.Latabia is an illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member and has served locally, regionally, and most recently, nationally on the National Program Planning & Development (PP&D) Committee’s Economic Development Subcommittee. She has served in many capacities in Delta, including but not limited to being the former co-campaign manager for immediate national past president Beverly Evans Smith, visionary and lead for the national Delta Red Pages soror-owned business web directory, a past president of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter, former collegiate advisor for the Zeta Phi Chapter at Georgia State University, and as a certified Georgia Delta Internal Development (DID) Trainer.Latabia's life is also rich in personal fulfillment as a wife, a mother of six adult children, a grandmother affectionately known as “GiGi”, and a member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. Company Description * Who’s Got Next Music is an artist amplification platform dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging music talent through fair competitions, community engagement, and easy access to new sounds. We provide a web and mobile app that allows artists to showcase their talent, connect with fans, and participate in exclusive competitions, making it easier for them to grow their presence and reach a global audience. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Kate Yoder dynamic Project Management Professional (PMP) known for delivering innovative results through creative engineering practices and a people-centric approach. She received her B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania and her M.Sc. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After graduating, Kate honed her analytical skills as a modeling & simulation engineer for several years. She then transitioned into project management, where she has a proven track record of coordinating project interdependencies, streamlining processes, and reducing processing time for her team. In her current role at Trane Technologies, Kate combines her engineering expertise and project management skills to spearhead innovative digital solutions that enhance operational efficiency and improve customer satisfaction. When she's not at Trane Technologies, you can find Kate crocheting cute animals while snuggling with her two adorable cats, Pip and Figaro. CONNECT WITH KATE LinkedIn   EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSReal Self-Care by Pooja LakshminProblems in a Spreadsheet CartoonSpoon Theory – Link OneSpoon Theory – Link TwoPOTS Info – Link OnePOTS Info – Link TwoEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles) QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“Life is nonlinear.”“Even after I got the diagnosis, I had to relearn how to live.  The things I could do before I couldn't.  Some of them I still can't.” “Push through, keep going attitude was not going to work anymore.”“Really have to trust in yourself along the way.”“Energy In = Energy Out”Kate's “Find Balance” Framework:  BIOS (Define your boundaries, Identify Inputs and Outputs, Solve for Balance”Quote from Real Self Care on Setting Boundaries.  “Creating space to make the best choice for you. Communicating that choice clearly.”Some topics we covered:  Time Blocking, Meeting Inventory, Setting Flexible “Must Do” depending on your day. Kate's learnings on her career journey:  Knowing when you are stagnant, Scan the environment, Be open to things that don't seem as obvious, and Build relationships along the journey.

Jonathan Kesler passed the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification exam the first time he took it due to utilizing the Vets2PM PMP Exam Prep Boot Camp Plus Course and Resources. Jonathan shares how he found Vets2PM, his experience attending the Virtual course, the magic of the 30-day study plan and why it is more than just a course. Start your PMP certification journey here: Vets2PM.com/training --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vets2pm/support

Melissa Vandergriff, MBA, PMP, is Director of Continuous Improvement for the Cleveland Clinic Enterprise Markets. Melissa has served as a member of the Cleveland Clinic Continuous Improvement team for 15 years and has led numerous successful improvement initiatives across the Cleveland Clinic health system. Prior to her current position, Melissa held the role of CI Director for Clinical Institutes and for 6 years held the dual roles of Director of Operations and Continuous Improvement at Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital, where she led the hospital's culture of improvement program and oversaw clinical and non-clinical operations. Before joining the Cleveland Clinic, Melissa spent 10 years in process improvement and project management in the IT and healthcare industries. She received her MBA from Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).Keith Sulzer joined the Cleveland Clinic in 2022 where he has served as the Continuous Improvement Advisor for the Education Institute, Dermatology & Plastic Surgery Institute, and the Main Campus Submarket. In all three areas, Keith has excelled in partnering with leaders and teams to build CCIM capability and drive tangible results – most recently in the areas of documentation optimization, appointment fill rates, OR efficiency, and hospital throughput. Prior to the Clinic, Keith had an 11-year career in management consulting at Oliver Wyman in Chicago where he was a Principal in the firm's Operations practice. Over his consulting career, Keith worked with Fortune 500 clients in various industries to design and implement large, cross-divisional improvement programs to increase service levels, reduce waste, and improve financial performance. His previous roles included leading a $1.2B cost savings initiative for a logistics company and implementing an operational efficiency program at an airline which reduced fuel spend by $35M a year.Keith graduated from Northwestern University with a double major in Industrial Engineering and Economics. He was a member of the varsity wrestling team and a two-time Academic All-American. Keith lives in the West Park area, where he was born and raised.Link to claim CME credit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3DXCFW3CME credit is available for up to 3 years after the stated release dateContact CEOD@bmhcc.org if you have any questions about claiming credit.

From military precision to civilian construction, today's guest offers a powerful blueprint for transformative leadership. Pete Anzovino recently joined MCFA after retiring from the US Army, coming to us through the Department of Defense SkillBridge Program. This program helps former service members and veterans transition into fulfilling careers in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry.  In this episode, Pete shares how the SkillBridge Program eased his transition and highlighted the surprising parallels between military operations and project management. He discussed the benefits of certifications like Project Management Professional (PMP) to lessons on navigating multiple stakeholders and maintaining clear communication. Pete provides invaluable insights on leveraging military experience in new, impactful ways.  Whether you're a veteran or simply curious about project leadership, this episode is full of practical guidance and actionable advice for making a meaningful transition! To discover how to lead with purpose, manage with precision, and create impact in any field, tune in today! Key Points From This Episode:•   Key similarities between military roles and project management in construction.•   Insight into SkillBridge and Hiring Our Heroes, assisting veterans in entering civilian careers.•   The importance of certifications like OSHA-30, ESP, and PMP in the transition process.•   Leadership lessons from the military that apply to managing projects, people, and teams. Quotes:“The skills that we use as military officers, whether you're an engineer, [infantry officer, or an armor officer], everything you're doing relates to project management. You're managing people, time, funds, resources in general to accomplish a mission.” — Pete Anzovino  “When we were going through the [SkillBridge] program, whether we ended up employed with MCFA or not, – [it] was a great opportunity to gain exposure to industry but also walk away with three certifications that – would look great on a resume.” — Pete Anzovino “Do the best you can with what you have right now.” — Pete Anzovino  “If you're in a [SkillBridge program], definitely leverage your fellow SkillBridge fellows because everyone's having a different experience and you can learn something from everybody.” — Pete Anzovino Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Pete Anzovino on LinkedInDoD SkillBridgeHiring Our HeroesOSHA 30-Hour TrainingEnvision Sustainability Professional (ESP) TrainingProject Management Professional (PMP) TrainingThe Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of LivingRyan HolidayShoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKELeadership Blueprints PodcastMCFAMCFA CareersBJ Kraemer on LinkedIn 

Samuel Bentil is a seasoned professional in the field of construction disputes and advisory, serving as a Senior Director at Ankura Consulting Group. With a robust background in mechanical engineering and a business acumen sharpened by an MBA from the Bob Gagliardi School of Business and Economics at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, Canada, Samuel stands out as an expert in construction claim management. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Risk Management Professional, and he is set to share his valuable insights in his forthcoming book, "Avoid Construction Disputes: Ten Principles to Collaborate Effectively for On-Time and On-Budget Project Objectives." In this captivating episode of Mr. Biz Radio, Ken "Mr Biz" Wentworth delves into effective decision-making and dispute resolution with expert guest Samuel Bentil from Ankura Consulting Group. Focused on neuro-based techniques, the discussion promises to unveil strategies that transcend typical dispute management advice, lending insights transferable across various life aspects, including business and home environments. Key Takeaways: -Neuro-based decision-making can significantly alleviate stress and improve both personal and professional outcomes. -Effective preemptive strategies in handling business disputes can prevent costly delays and project failures. -Real-world experiences in the mining and construction sectors demonstrate common project challenges and solutions. -Cultural and political complexities are vital considerations in international project management. - Samuel Bentil's journey reflects a career motivated by a blend of practical experience and a genuine drive to foster better business collaborations. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mrbiz/support

An advocate for women's empowerment, Tynetta Dance collaborates with individuals and teams to identify their unique strengths, set strategic goals, and develop actionable plans for success. By unlocking the potential within each woman, she aims to achieve impactful outcomes and sustainable transformations. As a senior manager and Certified Coach, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Change Management, and Project Management Professional (PMP), she brings a robust skill set in people development, project execution, and process improvement. Tynetta is a graduate of Hampton University & a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorrority Inc. Listen NOW to discover, The 3 Critical roles to fill in your Professional Network! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/30minutehour/support

This episode is a cross-post of an interview I did with Etienne Nichols over at the Global Medical Device Podcast at GreenLight Guru(Episode #380). In this episode, Etienne and I discuss: 02:50 The Start of the Combinate Podcast 06:00 Efficiency and Tools in Podcast Production 08:40 Understanding Combination Products 09:43 Regulatory Frameworks and Definitions 13:46 Challenges and Misconceptions in the Industry 20:47 Evolution of Regulations: QMSR and Part 4 22:05 Exploring Unique Podcast Episodes 25:56 The Pyramid of Regulations 30:40 The Role of Coaching and Mentorship 32:59 Trends in Combination Products 35:23 Recommended Books and Final Thoughts 37:04 Encouragement for Lifelong Learning Subhi Saadeh is a Quality Professional and host of the Combinate Podcast. With a background in Quality, Manufacturing Operations and R&D he's worked in Large Medical Device/Pharma organizations to support the development and launch of Hardware Devices, Disposable Devices, and Combination Products for Vaccines, Generics, and Biologics. Subhi serves currently as the International Committee Chair for the Combination Products Coalition(CPC) and as a member of ASTM Committee E55 and also served as a committee member on AAMI's Combination Products Committee. Etienne Nichols is a Medical Device Guru and Mechanical Engineer who loves learning and teaching how systems work together. He has both manufacturing and product development experience, even aiding in the development of combination drug-delivery devices, from startup to Fortune 500 companies and holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. Having managed cross-functional teams to update designs of legacy products, Etienne understands the pain of following the Design Controls process in paper-based QMS environment. His expansive knowledge, experience, and passion with medical devices is evenly matched with how much he enjoys helping customers work efficiently through the design and development process to bring safe, high quality products to market

Are you looking for a journey to give you new found inspiration? JayR McIntyre is making it happen and has never given up. Tap in to learn his story of moving past childhood adversity to grow a worldwide brand.Meet our guest:As a keynote speaker, Certified Master Motivational Speaker (MMSP), life coach (MLCP), and Project Management Professional (PMP), I inspire audiences with insights on personal and professional development, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With over 20 years of experience in the security industry, including executive protection, military service, and business ownership, I offer expertise in risk management, crisis response, and resilience.I'm passionate about helping individuals and organizations achieve their goals, drawing from my journey as a Bronze Star recipient and veteran. With multiple degrees and certifications in sports medicine, health, business administration, and executive protection, I'm currently pursuing a doctoral degree in business administration and writing my second book on leadership and motivation.As a PMP with an MBA and Professional in Business Analysis (PBA) certification, I excel in strategic planning, program design, and operational efficiency. My senior leadership abilities and cross-functional project management skills enable me to drive change and streamline operations to maximize organizational success.Do you have a question for the host or guest? Are you looking to become a show partner? Email Danica at PodcastsByLanci@gmail.com to connect.Support the Show.This episode is brought to you by Coming Alive Podcast Production: Helping You With All Your Podcasting Needs. You can head to www.comingalivepodcastproduction.com to learn more.

Threat actors use a malicious Pidgin plugin to deliver malware. The BlackByte ransomware group is exploiting a recently patched VMware ESXi  vulnerability. The State Department offers a $2.5 million reward for a major malware distributor. A Swiss industrial manufacturer suffers a cyberattack. The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) responds to claims of data theft by the Hunters International ransomware gang. Park'N Fly reports a data breach affecting 1 million customers. Black Lotus Labs documents the active exploitation of a zero-day vulnerability in Versa Director servers. Federal law enforcement agencies warn that Iran-based cyber actors continue to exploit U.S. and foreign organizations. We kick off our new educational CertByte segment with hosts Chris Hare and George Monsalvatge. Precrime detectives root out election related misinformation before it happens.  Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest On today's show, our guests are N2K's Chris Hare and George Monsalvatge introducing our new bi-weekly CertByte segments that kick off today on the CyberWire Daily podcast. CertByte Segment Welcome to CertByte! On this bi-weekly segment hosted by Chris Hare, a content developer and project management specialist at N2K, we share practice questions from our suite of industry-leading content and a study tip to help you achieve the professional certifications you need to fast-track your career growth. In each segment, Chris is joined by an N2K Content Developer to help illustrate the learning. This week, Chris is joined by George Monsalvatge to break down a question targeting the Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification by the Project Management Institute®. Today's question comes from N2K's PMI® Project Management Professional (PMP®) Practice Test. The PMP® is the global gold standard certification typically targeted for those who have about three to five years of project management experience. To learn more about this and other related topics under this objective, please refer to the following resource: Project Management Institute - Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Have a question that you'd like to see covered? Email us at certbyte@n2k.com. If you're studying for a certification exam, check out N2K's full exam prep library of certification practice tests, practice labs, and training courses by visiting our website at n2k.com/certify. Please note: The questions and answers provided here, and on our site, are not actual current or prior questions and answers from these certification publishers or providers. Selected Reading  Malware Delivered via Malicious Pidgin Plugin, Signal Fork (SecurityWeek) BlackByte Hackers Exploiting VMware ESXi Auth Bypass Flaw to Deploy Ransomware (Cyber Security News) US Offering $2.5 Million Reward for Belarusian Malware Distributor (SecurityWeek) Services at Swiss manufacturer Schlatter disrupted in likely ransomware attack (SiliconANGLE) US Marshals say data posted by ransomware gang not from 'new or undisclosed incident' (The Record) Park'N Fly notifies 1 million customers of data breach (Bleeping Computer) Taking the Crossroads: The Versa Director Zero-Day Exploitation (Lumen) Iran-based Cyber Actors Enabling Ransomware Attacks on US Organizations (CISA) Hundreds of 'PreCrime' Election-Related Fraud Sites Spotted (Metacurity) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With extensive experience since 2005, Sherman Perryman has developed expertise across digital transformation, mortgage sales, commercial real estate, and project management. His career highlights include leading digital initiatives to enhance customer engagement, achieving top sales performance in the mortgage sector, and managing retail-focused commercial real estate projects. As a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Perryman excels at leading cross-functional teams, driving strategic planning, and delivering high-impact results in complex projects. Links - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shermanperryman/ https://podmatch.com/guestdetail/1687486543696x473611628369792900 https://militantgrind.com/

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about how using problem-solving frameworks can help you ease self-doubt and make better decisions. My guest this week, Tommy Ogden, co-founder of Activera Consulting, shares his career journey, including the twists and turns along the way. Here we talk about the importance of trying new things to figure out what you want to do, failing quickly and moderating your expectations when you're learning something new. Tommy also shares practical frameworks you can use to make more confident decisions and temper your impostor syndrome.About My GuestTommy Ogden is the Co-Founder and Agility & Analytics Lead of Activera Consulting, a boutique management consulting firm based in Houston, Texas, focused on the future of energy. With expertise in strategy, execution, and change, Activera's collaborative teams approach complex challenges with a mindset of inquiry. They tailor and custom-build solutions with a dedicated focus on measurable impact for clients. Possessing a diverse skill set across many industries and educational pursuits, Tommy has developed business acumen through 20 years of experience working in myriad capacities, including – investment advisor, financial analyst, business analyst, management/strategy consultant, and project/program manager. He has earned certifications as a Project Management Professional (PMP), Professional Scrum Master (PSM), and SAFe Practice Consultant (SPC). He is known for his ability to produce unique ideas for solving problems, offer an innovative perspective, and lead a team to accomplish results within assigned deadlines, having consistently provided actionable deliverables in the agility, analytics, and strategy arenas. Tommy also holds two Masters degrees in business administration – an MBA and a Master of Global Management in International Business & Consulting – and has most recently worked for two Fortune 20 companies in both the technology and energy industries. He was driven to continue his business education by a desire to (co-)found and lead his own business as an entrepreneur.~Connect with Tommy:Website: www.activeraconsulting.comLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/TommyOgdenEmail: togden@activeraconsulting.com~Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:https://www.kimmeninger.com/challengeLearn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:https://www.kimmeninger.com/leadinghumansgroupJoin the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6Join the Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumansSchedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-sessionConnect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/Website:https://kimmeninger.com

Julie Ross is Vice President of Client Services – Segment Head for Empower. In her role, she serves as head of Client Service Managers, supporting associates, ERISA consultants, and project managers who serve clients in the large, mega, and not-for-profit segments. Julie joined the organization in 2000 and has 23 years of experience managing diverse teams across operations, sales, and client services. She is an active member of the company's Business Resource Groups (BRGs) and serves as Executive Sponsor of the Empowering Young Professionals BRG. Julie holds a bachelor's degree from Baker University. She currently maintains the Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI) and has completed the Leadership Overland Park (Kansas) program, as well as the Great-West LifeCo Leadership Accelerated Development program. Julie also serves as Chair Emeritus of the Hope House Executive Committee, a Kansas City nonprofit.If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-779-7233.Eastern Jackson County Missouri call 816-461-HOPE for information and resources.

Join our next seminar on LIFE AFTER THE PMP at http://leadershipavenue.com PMP GRADUATES: Building Confidence & Job Searching Congratulations! You've earned your Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, a prestigious credential that validates your skills and knowledge. Now it's time to leverage your newfound expertise and land your dream project management role. But transitioning from a recent graduate to a confident job seeker can be daunting. Here are some tips to help you build your confidence and ace the job search --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/projectmanagement/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/projectmanagement/support

PMP Exam Certification in 2 Week Illusion - Facts, Fiction & Fallacies The idea that you can become PMP certified in just 2 weeks is unrealistic and FALSE. The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is a rigorous credential that validates your knowledge, experience, and skills in project management. Here's why the 2-week timeframe is misleading: Experience Requirement: To be eligible for the PMP exam, you typically need 36 months of documented project management experience with at least 4,500 hours leading and directing projects and an additional 35 hours of project management education. That counts for something! A LOT! Knowledge Breadth: The PMP exam covers a broad range of project management processes, tools, and techniques outlined in the Project Management Institute's (PMI) Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide). Grasping this comprehensive body of knowledge takes time and dedicated study. While some people may pass the PMP exam with fewer than the recommended study hours, it's not a common scenario. Most PMP aspirants require several months of focused preparation to solidify their understanding and develop test-taking strategies. Here are some realistic expectations for PMP certification: Preparation Time: Dedicated PMP aspirants typically invest 200-300 hours studying for the exam. This may involve taking a PMP prep course, reading the PMBOK Guide, completing practice exams, and attending bootcamps. Overall Timeline: Factoring in the experience requirement and study time, realistically, achieving PMP certification can take anywhere from 6 months to a year or more. If you're considering pursuing the PMP certification, don't be discouraged by the time commitment. The PMP credential is highly valued in the project management field and can significantly enhance your career prospects. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pmpradio/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pmpradio/support

Join our next seminar on LIFE AFTER THE PMP at ⁠http://leadershipavenue.com⁠ PMP GRADUATES: Building Confidence & Job Searching Congratulations! You've earned your Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, a prestigious credential that validates your skills and knowledge. Now it's time to leverage your newfound expertise and land your dream project management role. But transitioning from a recent graduate to a confident job seeker can be daunting. Here are some tips to help you build your confidence and ace the job search --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pmpradio/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pmpradio/support

GUEST – Genevieve McGreevy TOPICS – Vacation expectation; Bali on a bucket list; force majeure clauses; financial literacy; social capital and economic mobility; the complexity of today's phenomenal women; going farther together in partnership; moving from Santa Barbara to D.C. for grad school; understanding the value of internships; networking; finding beauty in the messy moments; covert contracts; the co-existing masculine and feminine dynamic; going from good to great; boogey boarding; and so much more.  ABOUT GENEVIEVE – Genevieve McGreevy is a business strategy consultant in Austin, Texas.  With nearly two decades of experience, she excels in devising and executing strategic initiatives and events to drive business results and deepen business relationships across diverse sectors, including technology, hospitality, non-profits, and more.  She holds an MBA and a Certificate in Business Analytics from George Washington University and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Beyond the boardroom, Genevieve is passionate about real estate investing and is currently involved in several development projects in Austin.  She's an avid traveler and an ardent fitness enthusiast who can often be found wake surfing on Lake Austin or spending time with her partner, Justin. FOLLOW GENEVIEVE – Genevieve's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genmcg/  Genevieve's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genevievemcgreevy/    FOLLOW SPENCER COURSEN  Spencer's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.coursen/  Spencer's Website: www.SpencerCoursen.com   Spencer's Book: TheSafetyTrap.com  Spencer's Brand: Ronin6.com   Spencer's Company: CoursenSecurityGroup.com SHOW NOTES Codie Sanchez – Contrarian Newsletter: https://www.codiesanchez.com/#intro  Industrial Revolution & American Education: https://montessorium.com/blog/industrial-revolution-and-american-education  Rich Dad Poor Dad, by Robert T. Kiyosaki: https://a.co/d/2urJl6v  Having Wealthy Friends in Childhood Can Boost Your Income In The Future: https://www.sciencealert.com/having-rich-friends-when-you-re-young-increases-your-income-later-in-life  RECORDING STUDIO Podcast Recorded Studio: Record ATX  https://www.recordatx.com/    THEME MUSIC "Underground Moments" by Cushy https://www.epidemicsound.com/artists/cushy/     PODCAST AND VIDEO PRODUCTION Ronin6 Media GUEST SUBMISSIONS sgc@CoursenEnterprises.com

On Episode 37, host Rachael Fowler explores the remarkable impact of therapeutic gardening for individuals with dementia alongside guest Rebekah Churchyard, MSW, RSW, PMP.  Join us as we delve into Green Care Farms Inc.'s mission to foster purpose, belonging, and vitality through sustainable, organic practices. Our guest, Rebekah Churchyard, shares her journey spearheading this initiative, which is driven by her extensive experience in social work and geriatric services. Rebekah's commitment to bringing Green Care Farms to every community in Canada reflects her passion for enhancing the well-being of individuals living with dementia. After spending more than 10 years in healthcare, policy, and social work, Rebekah's personal journey led her to realize the need for more creative solutions for older adults navigating cognitive decline outside of the public sector. This realization gave birth to Green Care Farms Inc. in Milton, Ontario, a social enterprise supporting community connection for people with dementia and their caregivers, providing a day program for people with dementia on a farm. Rebekah Churchyard holds a Master of Social Work in Gerontology and works in Specialized Geriatric Services. As a Project Management Professional (PMP) and Psychotherapist, Rebekah combines her expertise to advocate for the well-being of older adults everywhere! Rebekah's history of leadership, including her role as Vice President of the Toronto Council on Aging Board of Directors and her role as an Accountability Table member with the City of Toronto's Seniors Strategy, reflects her dedication to improving care for older adults and community services.Join us in our exploration of resilience and innovation in healthcare and wellness. Discover how the therapeutic gardening program at Green Care Farms Inc. is not just reshaping, but blooming the landscape of dementia care in Canada, providing a vibrant and nurturing environment for individuals with dementia. On this episode we discuss: Progressive models and approaches for dementia careRebekah's journey in creating Green Care Farms Inc.Respite, programming and opportunities for caregivers and people with dementiaInnovative healthcare practicesSocial Work & Gerontology Bridging nature, gardening, horticulture & outdoor spaces into Social Work practicesCommunity based initiatives and the importance of volunteeringTips for new social workersCheck out Green Care Farms in Milton, Ontario website HERE and follow on Instagram  for updates on events and how to get involved.If you like the show- let us know, subscribe, give us a rating and check us out on INSTAGRAM

Are you accountable for action or outcomes? Jason Botts is an innovative, results-driven technology leader who creates high-performing teams. He is passionate about creating tech transformation that actually matters to its companies, customers, and stakeholders.  We discussed why benchmarks aren't good enough and how trust and listening can solve even the worst tech disasters. Listen to this episode where Jason shares one of the worst days on the job – only 90 days after an ERP implementation with some 3 a.m. trust building. About Jason Botts: With over two decades of experience, Jason helps realize key performance objectives for businesses large and small by partnering with business leaders and key stakeholders to capture synergies that result in operational excellence and effectiveness. He brings extensive IT operational and strategic experience from many industries, including life science, high tech / fintech and construction. His background includes transforming and leading technology teams that have been repeatedly recognized by InformationWeek magazine as Elite 100 Innovators – from entrepreneurial startup / Fast 50 companies to the S&P 500. He has led diligence and post-transaction integrations for deals ranging from $10M to nearly $3B.Jason serves by appointment of the Governor to the North Carolina Board of Science, Technology and Innovation and was recently selected as a technology leader in Aspen Institute's Technology Executive Leadership Initiative (TELI). He holds a Master of Business Administration from UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). https://thechangearchitects.com/is-your-tech-team-accountable-for-action-or-outcomes-with-jason-botts

In the labyrinth of legal tech, attorneys often waste resources on redundant software, overlook key workflows like client onboarding, and falter in choosing the right CRM. Join Katherine Porter as she guides us through these challenges! Katherine is the founder of The Resourceful Lawyer, and she facilitates workshops for law firm leaders so they can align with their goals and create actionable strategies for growth and profitability. Katherine blends the best of project management, human-centered design, and two decades of legal experience to tailor workshops for each of her law firm clients. She earned her law degree at UCLA, holds the Project Management Professional (PMP) credential, and is certified in Design Thinking. Join Katherine and me as we discuss the following three questions and more! What are the top three areas of tech software that attorneys are wasting their money on? What are the three common workflows attorneys are not utilizing? And how do we create each one? What are your top three tips when vetting a new CRM LPM? In our conversation, we cover the following: [01:10] Tech Setup Overview and Preferences [07:08] Top Three Areas Where Attorneys Overpay for Tech Software [12:37] Essential Attorney Workflows: Key Areas for Improvement and Implementation [14:09] Tips for Creating Effective Workflows [15:31] Top Three Tips for Vetting a New CRM or LPM System [17:21] CRM/LPM Transition War Stories: Challenges and Solutions Resources: Connect with Katherine: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kporterjd/ Website: theresourcefullawyer.com/ Mentioned in the episode: Hardware mentioned in the conversation: Blue Yeti Microphone: blueyetimicrophone.com/ Logitech C920 Webcam: logitech.com/en-ch/products/webcams/c920-pro-hd-webcam Microsoft Surface: microsoft.com/en-us/surface ​ Software & Cloud Services mentioned in the conversation: ClickUp: clickup.com/ Dubsado: dubsado.com/ Make: make.com/ Microsoft Bookings: microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/scheduling-and-booking-app Miro: miro.com/ Mural: mural.co/ PandaDoc: pandadoc.com/ Zapier:zapier.com/

Dr. Angelica Larios, PMP is a business and project manager with more than 20 years of experience in implementing software projects related to business intelligence, planning, and consolidation of financial solutions based in software applications to support the business decision process. She is the founder and CEO of ALACONTEC, an IT consulting company founded in Latin America. She has held several professional positions in private and public organizations, such as the Health Ministry in Mexico as IT director, and as a business manager for several firms in Mexico.She holds a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in computer science from National University of Mexico (UNAM) in addition to her studies in project management and her Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification, which have helped her to consolidate her career and have a better understanding on what businesses and projects need nowadays. She was the first female president of the PMI Mexico Chapter. She is a doctor in strategic leadership at Regent University, VA, and currently serves on the Ethics Member Advisory Group (EMAG) that supports the PMI global operations (2019–2021). She has held other global volunteer positions, such as BVAC (2016-2018) and CMAG (2013-2014).She is the author of several published articles related to leadership and project management published in Project Management, PM World Journal, and Grebennikno Russia. Angélica has been elected as a member of the board of directors (BOD) for ILA (International Leadership Association) (2021-2024).A Quote From This Episode"The highest mission I aspire to achieve is to inspire women."Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeWebsite: Angelica's WebsiteBook: The Female Transformational Leadership A Pygmalion Effect: Believe In Yourself And Believe In Others by LariosPodcast: The Coming Wave by SuleymanAbout The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for ILA's 26th Global Conference in Chicago, IL - November 7-10, 2024. About  Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: The Leader's EdgeMy Approach to HostingThe views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. Nothing can replace your reflection, research, and exploration of the topic.

In our latest podcast episode, we delve into a story of transition, courage, and the unwavering human spirit as our guest, Yasir Essar, swapped his dentistry scrubs for a career in public health amid the chaotic backdrop of a global pandemic and geopolitical turmoil. Yasir shares how visualizing achievements can provide a push to overcome challenges and demonstrates the powerful role mentors and community support play in guiding career paths, particularly for international students and professionals in new environments. His career transformation teaches us that with resilience, the right mindset, and community support, we can navigate through uncertainty and emerge with renewed purpose and aspirations.You'll LearnHow the COVID pandemic led Yasir to public and global health and steps he took to transition into the field from dentistryYasir's experience continuing his education and career as a refugee in Canada, how he persevered through the uprooting of his life, and how his background shaped his current interest in refugee and global healthBuilding and relying on a social support group and mentors to achieve your dreams and other ways to visualize your goalsTips for international students and remembering to take the time to care for yourself in a new countryUsing LinkedIn with intentionality as a tool to network, facilitate advocacy, tell stories, and make an impactToday's GuestYasir is a former refugee from Afghanistan who holds an MSc in Global Health from McMaster University.Prior to moving to Canada, he lived as a refugee in Tajikistan after fleeing Afghanistan. During his time as a refugee, he continued to share his lived experience of refugee life.Currently, he works as a Research Assistant at Western University in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and as a Community Scholar at the University of Calgary. Additionally, he holds a visiting academic position with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton. Yasir's professional journey is marked by an unwavering commitment to knowledge and a passion for making a real-world impact. His scholarly work has been published in prestigious journals such as The Lancet, BMJ, and PLoS. He is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®) and holds multiple certificates from Wayne State University, the University of Geneva, McGill University, and the LinkedIn Learning Academy.During his tenure as a Research Assistant at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, he focused particularly on tuberculosis research, further enriching his expertise in infectious disease research.Yasir is always eager to connect with like-minded professionals, share insights, and explore collaborative opportunities. He is open to guest lecture invitations on the topics of refugees, mentorship, and global health.ResourcesConnect with Yasir on LinkedIn  Support the Show.Join The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Sandy Hugill is a Certified Cicerone®, a BJCP Certified beer, cider, and mead judge, she's on the board of her local homebrew club, SODZ, and she's the Sales and Experience Manager at Thunderwing Brewing in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to all that, she also offers guided beer tastings and consulting through her company, The Brewery Log. Sandy recently made a major career change, moving from project management roles in tech to the beer biz. She's a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) – every company in every industry needs strong project managers! Sandy took a very thoughtful approach to her career change, her plan included passing the Certified Cicerone® exam in order to gain beer knowledge and to strengthen her résumé. As a woman entering what has, at least in recent history, been a male dominated industry, Sandy wanted that leg up. She points out that learning about beer (or anything you're super interested in) is fun, so preparing for the Cicerone exams wasn't exactly an unpleasant process! She used both the Cicerone® Program's Road to Cicerone® material and Beer Scholar to help her prepare. In particular, she found the Beer Scholar practice exams to be critical for testing her knowledge and for lowering her exam anxiety when she took the real exam. Sandy reached out to me about coming on the “Meet a Cicerone®” show, noting there hadn't yet been a woman Cicerone® featured on it for the first few episodes. I was very aware of that issue as well and I was stoked to bring Sandy on for a chat! The Meet a Cicerone® podcast is all about sitting down with folks who are “all in on beer” to discuss their beer education journey and their careers. If you're interested in becoming a Certified Beer Server, Certified Cicerone®, or Advanced Cicerone® in the easiest and quickest way possible, reach out to me at chris@thebeerscholar.com or head to www.thebeerscholar.com for more info. Thanks so much for listening! –Chris Get a free Study Guide for the Certified Cicerone® Exam here: https://www.thebeerscholar.com/certified-cicerone-study-guide -----------------------

In this episode, we're thrilled to feature Simao Silva, Director of Business Development and Brazil Country Manager at Oceaneering International, Inc. With over 20 years in the offshore energy industry, Simao has excelled in leadership roles spanning technical fields, project management, and business development.Simao's international experience extends across Brazil, Scotland, Azerbaijan, and the US, enriching his global perspective.Educated at the University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) with a degree in Engineering and Aspen University with a Business Administration degree, Simao is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). He's completed courses in Entrepreneurship from Harvard University and Climate Change from the University of Edinburgh.Join Michelle Fraser and Simao Silva as they explore leadership, innovation, and the energy industry's future.Don't miss this captivating conversation! Tune in to "Energy Sector Heroes" and discover how Simao Silva is shaping the energy landscape.

Dr. Jessica Garza, founder of the Youth Sports Parenting Tribe, empowers parents of young athletes with knowledge and tools for their children's athletic journeys. With 15+ years in performance psychology, Dr. Garza's expertise includes biofeedback training and cognitive enhancement. She holds a Ph.D. in Performance Psychology, master's degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Sport and Exercise Psychology, and certifications as a Project Management Professional (PMP), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in AZ and TX, and a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC). Dr. Garza has spoken at Capitol Hill, government agencies, and TED events, and published research on self-transcendence and flow in military intelligence. Her mission is to help parents empower young athletes for optimal performance under pressure.Connect with Jess on LinkedIn.You can explore more of Hernan's work on his website, https://www.hernanchousa.com/.The music enriching our show is the creative work of Sebastian Klauer. You can reach him at klauersebas@gmail.com.

In the next episode of NABWICTalks, we are thrilled to welcome Nekia Mba, a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with an impressive career spanning over a decade in the construction industry. From her early beginnings in her family's final cleaning business to founding her boutique-style design-build project management firm, Mba Development Group, Nekia's journey is a testament to the power of dedication, entrepreneurship, and leadership in both residential and commercial sectors. Armed with academic qualifications in architecture, GIS, and construction management, and a rich background in residential remodeling, Nekia has seamlessly merged her passion for real estate development with strategic planning and leadership development through her first company, Elegant Woman. As an army wife and a devoted mother, Nekia excels in balancing her demanding professional life with her personal responsibilities, making her an exemplary figure in managing dual roles with grace. Her achievements include being featured on the NASDAQ tower, facilitating programs for the NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Center, and contributing her expertise as a panelist at the 2023 SBA Women's Summit. Join us as Nekia shares insights from her remarkable career, her commitment to empowering women in the trades, and her belief in the synergy of prayer and planning for success. This episode promises to inspire and motivate, showcasing Nakia's invaluable contributions to the construction industry and beyond. NABWIC's Vision: The Vision of the National Association of Black Women in Construction (NABWIC) is to build lasting strategic partnerships with first-rate organizations and individuals that will provide ground-breaking and innovative solutions for black women in construction and their respective communities.| NABWIC.ORG Contact: Nekia Mba | Mba Development Group | 704.978.832 | info@developwithmba.com | 

As a Professional Engineer, Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Marc is an expert at diagnosing complex energy ecosystems and developing transformational energy & sustainability retrofits. Helping clients bring their energy & sustainability strategy and vision to life with solutions that reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, simplify operations and maintenance, renew assets, improve occupant comfort and most of all support the core mission. Marc is passionate about delivering the best possible outcomes using his holistic, client-centric approach, underpinned by 15+ years expertise within such diverse roles as Sustainability Co-Chair, Director of Operations, Energy Manager, Critical Infrastructure & Energy Management Project/Program Manager, and HVAC Solutions Engineer.Our services for both our clients and candidates can be found below✔️For Employers: https://www.nenniandassoc.com/for-employers/✔️For Candidates: https://www.nenniandassoc.com/career-opportunities/✔️Consulting: https://www.nenniandassoc.com/consulting-services/✔️Executive Search: https://www.nenniandassoc.com/executive-search/Nenni and Associates on Social Media:► Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nenni-and-associates/► Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nenniandassoc/► Email Listing: https://www.nenniandassoc.com/join-email-list/► Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/NenniAssociates

How do you make better decisions in life and work? Author and corporate trainer Kandis Porter shares the rules of life most of us were never taught. Brad and Kandis discuss the roadmap from her book Good Decisions = Success...everything from why "collaboration" does NOT WORK, DISC® personality traits, her service in the military, Emotional Intelligence, and what gives her sanctuary. If you're in the Learning & Development space THIS is a fun episode... ABOUT KANDIS PORTER: Kandis Porter is the Founder and Managing Director of Effective Flow Connections (EFC), a management consulting company that helps transform organizations through project management, process improvement, change management, facilitation of key meetings, and training. Kandis also works one-on-one with clients, focusing on Leadership development and growth. In addition, Kandis is the co-author of the book "Good Decisions Equal Success." Kandis Porter has more than 20 years of experience managing people and large projects in both the government and private sectors. She has supported clients in various industries, to include the Department of Defense, Federal Aviation Administration, utilities, medical device, health care, non-profit, and learning & development. Kandis has a Master of Science Degree in Project Management (MSPM) from The George Washington University and Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Human Resources. In addition, she is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), PMP Exam Prep Course Instructor through Project Management Institute, Prosci Change Manager, and Six Sigma Green Belt. She is also certified as a Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Practitioner, Thomas-Kilmann Instrument (TKI) Practitioner, and is a Wiley Everything DiSC Workshop facilitator. Before joining the consulting industry, Kandis proudly spent more than seven years on Active Duty in the United States Air Force and is passionate about giving back to veterans and their families. She is a former member of the Small Business Administration's Advisory Committee on Veteran Business Affairs (ACVBA) and is the President of the Board of Directors for the Veterans Guest House in Reno, Nevada. Outside of work, she enjoys running, skiing, and spending time with her family. HOST of AWAKENED NATION: Brad Szollose --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awakenednation/support

Get ready for a riveting episode of Small Biz Florida, live from the hub of innovation – the prestigious Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts in downtown Orlando. Join us as we plunge into the dynamic world of manufacturing at the 2023 Florida Makes More Manufacturing Summit. Our honored guest today is Pavel Kuviarzin, the Business Advisor at FloridaMakes, bringing over 15 years of expertise in revolutionizing operations. Strap in as we explore Pavel's journey, from managing distribution centers to launching his own consulting business, armed with certifications as a Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM). Discover how Pavel, as the Business Advisor of the Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association, leads initiatives to streamline processes and optimize performance for a range of industries. Beyond certifications, Pavel is a hands-on problem solver, managing transformative projects for clients in food and beverage, plumbing and HVAC, and wood molding. In this episode, Pavel shares insights into the current manufacturing landscape in Florida, a state experiencing exponential growth in the sector. Explore the challenges faced by manufacturers, from the need for greater industry participation to the crucial role of digital transformation. Stay tuned as we unravel the theme of the 2023 Florida Makes More Manufacturing Summit – digital transformation. Pavel decodes what this means for manufacturers and why embracing technologies like robotics and AI is not just an option but a necessity for staying competitive. Recorded live at the 2023 Make More Manufacturing Summit, hosted at the iconic Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. A special thanks to the conference hosts for having Small Biz Florida attend, and a shoutout to the Dr. Phillips Center for being an outstanding venue for this event.

In this episode of the Propcast, Louisa is joined by John Rogers, Chief Innovation Officer for CoreLogic and Kirby Brendsel, Flagstar Bank's VP, Environmental, Social, & Governance (ESG) and Sustainability Director, where they discuss all things climate and housing affordability, and the solutions that are out there to help solve the issues!  John and Kirby explained the importance of providing data and analytics around climate risk to allow companies to measure the financial impact of climate change up to the year 2050, thus helping companies, cities, and governments to put in place mitigation plans.    Tune into this episode to hear more about how climate solutions can help with mitigation, housing affordability and insurance, and how our guest's collaboration create a rising tide that lifts all ships.    Companies mentioned  New York Communities Corp Inc  IBM  Deloitte   LMRE'S 2023 Salary Report  IPCC    Episode Highlights  My big advice for anyone would be that if you're passionate; follow your passion, go for the things that you want to do, or things that you can make a difference on, even on a small scale related to sustainability. – Kirby  We provided something called ‘climate risk analytics' which is an insight that allows companies to measure model and mitigate the financial impact of climate change – John   It's all about using data, improving your data, and capturing your data to make sound strategic decisions that helps you drive things forward – Kirby   The chef scientist of NASA said to us that he'd never expected to get to this level of granularity in his lifetime – John     Key Takeaways   How Flagstar and CoreLogic are working together to help address the issue of climate change and housing affordability  John explains the ‘average annual loss' which CoreLogic provides that is a ratio of a building's risk in terms of reconstruction costs, allowing companies to understand their financial risk  Kirby explains how important the use of data is in making strategic decisions around climate and sustainability  The opportunity in cities that have a high climate risk to use CoreLogic's analytics platform  The guests discuss the importance of educating people on the long term impact of climate change  John discusses how the needs of CoreLogic's customers change and how they accommodate for this    About our guests  John Rogers   John Rogers holds the role of Chief Innovation Officer for CoreLogic and is responsible for the R&D. From driving new solutions that understand the impacts to the real estate economy due to climate change, to ground-breaking models that identify suitable land for affordable housing development, the R&D group tackles major housing issues and works with many clients across the housing industry to drive growth and mitigate risk on their book of business.     Prior to joining CoreLogic, John was a Partner with IBM Global Business Services where he focused on the delivery of large multi-million transformational programs for the financial sector both in the United Kingdom and Australia. Prior to this, John worked as a consultant for Itim Consulting, a boutique management firm based in London. John's primary role was as a program manager on a number of assignments delivering global solutions within retail, pharmaceuticals, logistics and information services industries.   John earned a bachelor's degree from University of Glasgow, United Kingdom in Aerospace Engineering.      Company Summary: CoreLogic   CoreLogic is a leading provider of property insights and innovative solutions, working to transform the property industry by putting people first. Using its network, scale, connectivity and technology, CoreLogic delivers faster, smarter, more human-centered experiences, that build better relationships, strengthen businesses, and create a more resilient societ y. For more information, please visit www.corelogic.com.      Kirby Brendsel   Kirby Brendsel is Flagstar Bank's VP, Environmental, Social, & Governance (ESG) and Sustainability Director, where he leads Flagstar's strategic sustainability and initiatives and the company's goal to be a recognized global sustainability leader.  He is coming from Welltower Inc.'s (a real estate investment trust) where he headed their award-winning strategic sustainability and ESG initiatives.  Prior to joining Welltower in 2019, Mr. Brendsel worked at Nuveen as a Director of Responsible Investing.  Before Nuveen, he served as Associate Director of Sustainability for Starwood Hotel & Resorts Worldwide, where he supported the strategy, integration and management of Starwood's sustainability program and worked collaboratively with the community programs/Starwood Foundation team on CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) strategy and reporting.  Previously, Mr. Brendsel consulted for Deloitte where he assisted in the creation of Deloitte's Federal Sustainability practice and Diversity & Inclusion program.  Mr. Brendsel's other past roles include active-duty service as a Military Intelligence Corps Major in the U.S. Army.    Mr. Brendsel graduated with distinction and honors from the College of William and Mary with a B.A. in Business and the Jones Graduate School of Management at Rice University with an M.B.A. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) from the Project Management Institute (PMI), U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED Green Associate (GA), and Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt.  Mr. Brendsel was recently recognized as an Honoree for 2020 by Environment + Energy Leader's annual "best of" list of environment and energy professionals - the E+E 100.      Mr. Brendsel is active in his local community, where he has served on the Board of Directors of the Aspetuck Land Trust and Lachat Town Farm Commission as well as on the Town of Weston's Sustainability Committee, Historical Society, and Conservation and Parks & Recreation Commissions.         Company Summary: Flagstar   New York Community Bancorp, Inc. is the parent company of Flagstar Bank, N.A., one of the largest regional banks in the country. The Company is headquartered in Hicksville, New York with regional headquarters in Troy, Michigan. At June 30, 2023, the Company had $118.8 billion of assets, $84.9 billion of loans, deposits of $88.5 billion, and total stockholders' equity of $11.1 billion.    Flagstar Bank, N.A. operates 436 branches, including strong footholds in the Northeast and Midwest and exposure to high growth markets in the Southeast and West Coast. Flagstar Mortgage operates nationally through a wholesale network of approximately 3,000 third-party mortgage originators. In addition, the Bank has 132 private banking teams located in over 10 cities in the metropolitan New York City region and on the West Coast, which serve the needs of high-net worth individuals and their businesses.   New York Community Bancorp, Inc. has market-leading positions in several national businesses, including multi-family lending, mortgage origination and servicing, and warehouse lending. The Company is the 2nd largest multi-family portfolio lender in the country and the leading multi-family portfolio lender in the New York City market area, where it specializes in rent-regulated, non-luxury apartment buildings. Flagstar Mortgage is the 8th largest bank originator of residential mortgages for the 12-months ending June 30, 2023, while we are the industry's 5th largest sub-servicer of mortgage loans nationwide, servicing 1.6 million accounts with $426 billion in unpaid principal balances. Additionally, the Company is the 2nd largest mortgage warehouse lender nationally based on total commitments.     About Our Host    Louisa Dickins    Louisa is the Co-Founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market-leading global built environment recruitment platform and search consultancy, specializing in finding the best strategic talent for the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia-Pacific and MENA.      To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast ‘The Propcast' where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation.   

In a compelling new episode of "The Caring Economy" with Toby Usnik, we meet the dynamic duo behind Till Investors, Ben Vivari and Kylelane Purcell. This episode is an exploration of how sustainable investing isn't just a buzzword but a profound transformation in the financial world. Ben Vivari, a Chartered SRI Counselor and MBA, brings his extensive experience in asset management and sustainable investing to the forefront. His practical approach, shaped by his Project Management Professional (PMP) background, complements his deep advocacy for aligning investments with personal values. Ben's role as Managing Director at Purcell Communications and as an adjunct professor at Hood College, where he teaches sustainable investing, highlights his commitment to making sustainable investing accessible to all. Kylelane Purcell, a veteran in financial communications with leadership roles at renowned financial firms, is the epitome of passion for financial literacy and sustainable investing. Her journey with Purcell Communications, evolving into a leading firm specialized in socially responsible investing, showcases her dedication to educating investors. Together with Ben, she has positioned Till Investors as a premier resource for those eager to invest sustainably. In this episode, listen to Ben and Kylelane as they delve into their journeys, the essence of sustainable investing, and how they are paving the way for a future where investments reflect personal and global well-being. They share insights on the intersection of finance, sustainability, and social responsibility, offering invaluable lessons for both novice and seasoned investors.

Katherine is the founder of The Resourceful Lawyer and she works with lawyers and law firms who want to design and build more efficient and more profitable practices. Katherine blends the best of project management, human-centered design, and two decades of legal experience to tailor solutions for each of her law firm clients. She earned her law degree at UCLA, holds the Project Management Professional (PMP) credential, and is certified in Design Thinking. If you're ready to think differently about the practice of law, subscribe to her newsletter Re-thinking Like a Lawyer here: http://tinyurl.com/mvuxt6v6 ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ Recruiters! Join Scott in Las Vegas for his Recruiting MasterClass Seminar on Feb 15 – 16, 2024: www.recruitingisagame.com www.theplacementclub.com Links: https://www.theresourcefullawyer.com/about/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kporterjd/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm not a financial advisor; nothing I write in Superpowers for Good should be considered investment advice. You should seek appropriate counsel before making investment decisions.Remember, you can watch the Superpowers for Good show on e360tv. To watch the episode, download the #e360tv channel app to your streaming device–Roku, AppleTV or AmazonFireTV–or your mobile device. You can even watch it on the web or YouTube.Devin: What do you see as your superpower?Russell: The ability to handle complexity, I would say, truly is my superpower.Russell Fugett, a prominent Baltimorean, joined me to discuss his work supporting diverse founders, especially in his hometown. He alerted me to some news I'd missed: the White House recently named Baltimore one of 31 regional tech hubs around the country.Russell brings his Equity Endowment to that table. He's building a nonprofit foundation that is raising capital in a university-like endowment. The fund will invest the capital in diverse fund managers investing in diverse founders and communities like Baltimore. The Equity Endowment will then make grants to programmatic nonprofits that support diverse founders. Thus, the plan is to have two significant and parallel paths to impact for the same communities.The Economic Development Administration shared this description of the Baltimore Hub:The Baltimore Tech Hub, led by the Greater Baltimore Committee, aims to develop innovative predictive healthcare technologies by applying artificial intelligence to biotechnologies. Leveraging regional research universities and institutions, research and development expertise, and existing capital investments, this Tech Hub's equitable technology model, or “equi-tech,” will develop predictive healthcare technologies that can support clinical decision-making, bioethics, personalized medicine, new biologics, and therapeutics. The Baltimore Tech Hub seeks to catalyze commercialization of predictive healthcare technologies, improving equitable care delivery and national health outcomes.Russell celebrated the focus on “equi-tech.” He is eager to work with the National Urban League in deploying the capital from the Equity Endowment. He shared his experience connecting with the president, Marc H. Morial. Russell is the nephew of one of Baltimore's most prominent names, the late Reginald F. Lewis, “who was able to secure $1 billion from Mr. Michael Milken in 1987 to acquire Beatrice Foods,” he says.“No one's been able to do a deal quite like that to this day, Russell says. “The biggest key was access to capital. He had someone who was able to back him to do that leveraged buyout to complete that global acquisition.”Today, the data yields a simple conclusion. Black founders face challenges in capital markets that white entrepreneurs do not. Russell's Equity Endowment dual grant and investment program will attack this problem from two angles: grants and investments.Russell will speak at SuperCrowdBaltimore on March 21, 2024, at the B&O Rail Museum. Of the event, he said:Thank you and your team for coming to Baltimore. It's a very exciting time here. We were just designated one of the 31 tech hubs by the White House. We're trying to be the hub of “equi-tech.” So, coming at this time to Baltimore in 2024–we couldn't be more excited to have you here. It's going to be a robust day of dialog and networking.Doing business over decades, Russell has developed a superpower he's using to build Equity Endowment: the ability to handle complexity.AI Episode Summary1. Devin Thorpe introduces Russell Fugett, the CEO and founder of Equity Endowment, highlighting Russell's commitment to community building and social justice.2. Russell explains that Equity Endowment, founded in 2023, aims to close the racial wealth gap by operating at the intersection of finance and philanthropy, using a two-pronged investment and grant strategy.3. The organization's strategy includes creating an endowment fund to invest with minority fund managers and then using the proceeds to grant to non-profits focusing on entrepreneurial development and small business enablement.4. Equity Endowment has a partnership with the Urban League in Baltimore, being one of their first grant recipients.5. The current focus of Equity Endowment is to generate public support and funding, primarily through tax-deductible donations. Russell also notes future plans for a for-profit arm that could generate investment returns and fuel their charitable work.6. Russell shares his family's entrepreneurial history, including his late uncle, Reginald F. Lewis, who was instrumental in a billion-dollar deal acquiring Beatrice Foods in 1987 through complicated international transactions.7. When asked about his superpower, Russell identifies his ability to handle complexity in both business endeavors and interpersonal relationships, leveraging emotional intelligence and understanding of diverse viewpoints.8. Russell recounts challenging scenarios, such as negotiating to acquire an American division of a Japanese company, where his superpower was essential.9. Emphasizing the need for emotional and spiritual fortitude in tackling complexity, Russell highlights the importance of faith, family support, and practicing core values such as love and generosity in achieving goals.10. To learn more about Equity Endowment or connect with Russell Fugett, he directs listeners to visit the organization's website (equityendowment.org), subscribe to their newsletter, and follow their social media platforms, including Instagram and YouTube, where they post weekly updates and other content.If you think more people should learn about Equity Endowment and the exciting things happening in Baltimore, please share!How to Develop the Ability to Handle Complexity As a SuperpowerRussell reveals the optimism that underlies his complexity-handling superpower, saying, “A lot of people believe in a zero-sum game, that if somebody else gets something, that means somebody else has to lose something. I want to state very clearly that I reject that notion. I believe there's there's enough here for everyone.”He offers some ideas to help you build your ability to handle complexity. First, he highlights the importance of developing emotional intelligence. He says you need the “emotional capacity, emotional discipline, emotional intelligence” to exhibit self-control. Second, he acknowledges the role of faith in developing that emotional maturity. “I'm empowered by my faith, by my Christian faith in Jesus Christ. That motivates me and inspires me. It's certainly been a faith journey throughout my life. I would certainly encourage everyone, if it's not Christian faith, to have some kind of spiritual practice as well.”Third, he points to family support. Acknowledging the value of his connection to his uncle Reginald F. Lewis, he doesn't stop there. “I'm inspired by my family. I have a loving family, a particularly loving wife, and two loving daughters. That buoys me and gives me the ability to be able to be in challenging situations and not take it personally and always keep the goal in mind.”Fourth, he notes the importance of having a foundation. In a negotiation, for instance, you'll want to find fundamental points of agreement so that when disagreements arise, you can return to the foundation and work to resolve the details. By following Russell's example and advice, you can make the ability to handle complexity a skill. With practice, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!Guest ProfileRussell Fugett (he/him):Founder & Executive Director, Equity EndowmentAbout Equity Endowment:Website: www.equityendowment.orgInstagram Handle: @equityendowment Biographical Information: Russell (he/him) is a bridge builder who excels at building consensus and organizing teams that make an impact. By leading with a listen, Russell fosters an environment of inclusive collaboration and community that makes a difference in people's lives.Drawing on his experience as Chair of the Multicultural Affairs Council while a College student, Russell worked at The George Washington University Multicultural Student Services Center, where he was Senior Program Coordinator. In that role, he helped lead university-wide cultural heritage celebrations for Hispanic, Black, and Asian American Pacific Islander communities. He also helped initiate celebrations for Native American heritage and mixed-race awareness, as well as a mentoring and coaching program for Black Men.After leaving GW, Russell became co-founder of Fugett Baseball Group, a private equity firm seeking to acquire assets in affiliated minor league baseball (MiLB). He founded a software (SaaS) start-up and a certified Maryland Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) consulting firm. In 2019, Russell traveled to South Africa, sponsored by the US Embassy, as part of a delegation of entrepreneurs and university technology transfer specialists. Later that year, he joined the team at Cook Ross, a global training and consulting firm focused on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (I.D.E.A.). There, he served as a project manager and conducted a business assessment for the CEO. Coming full circle as a 5th generation Black American entrepreneur, Russell is the founder and chief encouragement officer at Jumla Network, a strategic consultancy and knowledge network focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Russell is also the Founding Executive Director of Jumla Network's non-profit project, Equity Endowment, a 501c3 with a two-pronged strategy for closing the racial wealth gap. The endowment will be investing with diverse fund managers and funds with diverse strategies and granting the endowment proceeds to nonprofits working to close the wealth gap.A winner of multiple awards for leadership and service, in 2023, Russell was appointed by Maryland Governor Wes Moore to serve on the state's Economic Development Commission. He holds a B.A. from Trinity College, Hartford, CT, and a M.S. in Project Management from The George Washington University School of Business in Washington, DC. Russell also earned a Diversity and Inclusion Professional Certificate from the University of Georgia Terry School of Business and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). He currently serves on the selection advisory council of Greenlight Baltimore and as Vice Chair of the Board of the Indian Creek School. Russell resides in Crofton, MD, with his wife and two daughters.X/Twitter Handle: @russellfugettPersonal Facebook Profile: fb.com/RussellFugettLinkedin: linkedin.com/in/jrussellfugett/Instagram Handle: @RussellFugettSuperpowers for Good is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe

Brandon Banks is the Director of Advisory Services at Nexus PMG. He has extensive experience focused on evaluating and developing alternative, renewable, and sustainable infrastructure projects — providing strategic leadership in the circular economy. Brandon holds an MBA from the University of Miami and is a licensed Project Management Professional (PMP). He recently served as the Chairman of the YP Board for Junior Achievement of Greater Miami and he lives in Miami, Florida with his wife and two daughters. https://nexuspmg.com/

Picture yourself in your mid-70s, feeling as though you're at the prime of your life.  Yes, it's possible. Meet Warren Matthews, a 76-year-old researcher, a pioneer in the field of natural health, and a living testament to the age-defying benefits of his work. Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, the son of a carpenter, Warren's path has been remarkable. For over 40 years, he's been a driven entrepreneur with a passion for technological innovation and environmental sustainability, successfully establishing multiple businesses along the way. Around two decades ago, Warren's unwavering interest in health and well-being led him to channel his energy and resources into the field of natural health. In 1998, he, alongside his son, Lance Matthews, embarked on a journey that would ultimately result in the creation of Xtend-Life Natural Products in 2000. Today, Xtend-Life is celebrated as one of New Zealand's business success stories, known for its commitment to purity, innovative formulations, and competitive pricing. Their products, ranging from natural supplements to Zupafoods™, Omega-3, and skincare, reach thousands of customers in over 40 countries each month. Warren's mission is clear: to promote scientific research and wider public awareness of the genuine benefits of pure, natural products combined with sensible diet and lifestyles. My second guest, Ivor Cummins, is a seasoned chemical engineer with a remarkable career in the medical device industry and beyond. With a specialty in leading teams through complex problem-solving efforts, Ivor's expertise is unquestionable. He's a University College Dublin graduate who spent the first six years of his career developing and optimizing medical devices like hemodialysis units, hemoperfusion cartridges, and coronary stent assemblies. Over the years, Ivor continued to enhance his professional knowledge by becoming a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and a Project Management Professional (PMP). He also completed an Innovation and Entrepreneurial Management Certificate at Stanford University. In today's episode, Warren will share his remarkable insights into living a long and healthy life at the age of 76, Ivor will explore the intricate world of multivitamin absorption and delivery mechanisms, and we'll unravel the significance of blending different forms of vitamins, minerals, and supplements for optimal health.  Full Show Notes: https://bengreenfieldlife.com/xtend Episode Sponsors: Neurohacker Qualia Synbiotic: Visit neurohacker.com/BGL15  to try Qualia Synbiotic risk-free for 100 days and code BGL15 at checkout for 15% off. Organifi (Gold Pumpkin): Visit organifi.com/Ben for 20% off your order. LMNT: Visit DrinkLMNT.com/BenGreenfield to get a free gift with your purchase! Brain.fm: Visit brain.fm/ben30 and get 30% off using the offer code BEN30. ProLon: Visit ProLonLife.com/BEN and save 15% on your order.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.