Entries by Bonnie Biafore

Learning from Resistance to Change

Resistance to change is a frustrating and common aspect of project management. Behind the pushback and complaints could be perspectives crucial to project success. This Project Pointer describes what you can learn and apply from stakeholders’ resistance to change.

Make the Most of Opportunities in Risk Management

To most people risk has a negative connotation. In risk management, opportunities are the bright side of risk. This article identifies several common opportunities that projects can use to their advantage. Let’s start by reviewing the terms used to describe positive risk and the actions that can be taken to turn them into reality. A […]

How to Coach Your Project Sponsor

An effective sponsor can contribute 30% or more to a project’s success. Yet, according to recent research performed jointly with Harvard Business Review, only 13% of executives have received specific training on how to be a successful project sponsor. What do good sponsors do and how can you make sure yours is doing those things? […]

Delivering Projects in a VUCA World

The world is complicated. Almost every project faces variability, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), which makes delivering even the most straightforward project a challenge. Here are 5 ways to increase project success in a VUCA world.

Where Microsoft Project Management Tools Stand Today

Microsoft project management products come and go, change names, and introduce or retire features, which can be confusing and a bit nerve-wracking. In this article, Cindy M. Lewis and I clarify the current state of Microsoft’s PM tools (with an Ask Me Anything Office Hours to follow on Dec. 11, 2024). What about all the […]

Gathering project perspectives

Effective project managers work to understand the diverse perspectives stakeholders have about a project, so they can manage conflicts and keep everyone engaged. Interviews and polling are two standard approaches. Here are other effective methods to gather different viewpoints of a project. Interactive workshops. To identify project perspectives that are otherwise hard to uncover, consider […]