Project Management Matters Podcast

What happens when a student who didn’t intend to be a project manager ends up shaping the direction of the global project management profession?

In this episode of Project Management Matters, I sit down with Lenka Pincot, PMI’s Chief of Staff to the CEO, to explore her journey from unexpected beginnings to strategic leadership. We talk about everything from her early exposure to real-world software projects as a university student, to leading digital transformations in banking, to now helping PMI at the global level.

Lenka doesn’t just talk about frameworks, she talks about elevating the profession. From integrating agile and project management to reshaping what project success really means, she offers a compelling look at where the profession is heading.

In this episode:

* How Lenka’s accidental entry into project management shaped her career

* What global community engagement looks like at PMI today

* The surprising overlaps between consulting and project management

* Why the conversation around project “failure” needs a serious update

* How PMI is redefining success and why the future of the profession is all about integration, flexibility, and community

Whether you’re a seasoned PM leader or just starting out in the field, Lenka’s story is a reminder that impact doesn’t always follow a straight path. Having the right mindset and community, can help you transform the world, one project at a time.

Watch or listen to the full episode here. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to Project Management Matters for more conversations that push the boundaries of the profession.

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This episode is a masterclass on how real careers get built through delivery, trust, and sharp thinking. If you’ve ever wondered how consulting shapes great project leaders, this episode lays it out.

My guest, Joe Naaman, has built a career across global consulting firms, complex delivery environments, and now as CEO of PorterLifestyle. He’s seen what works and what burns out fast.

In this conversation, we unpack:

* What Project Management offers organizations, especially on the strategic level

* Why consulting is the ultimate training ground for PMs

* How to build trust and influence no matter your title

* The human side of delivery: reading rooms, managing clients, and earning credibility

* What separates project managers who move work from those who move organizations

“The people who thrive aren’t always the loudest or the most technical. They’re the ones who listen, adapt, and follow through. That’s what clients remember.”

Whether you’re consulting today, leading PMOs, or thinking about what’s next, this episode is a roadmap for doing the work, and doing it well.

🎧 Watch the full episode above📬 Subscribe for more unfiltered insight on consulting, PM, and leadership💬 Reply with the consulting lesson that stuck with you the most

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Lee Lambert didn’t just witness the rise of the PMP, he helped build it.

In this episode of Project Management Matters, I had the privilege of sitting down with one of the profession’s pioneers to talk about how project management has evolved, and what comes next.

From his roots as an engineer to his role in helping PMI develop the original PMP certification, Lee has spent five decades championing the profession across more than 50 countries. He’s taught over 50,000 students. He’s seen project management move from niche discipline to global backbone. He still travels the world sharing his experience, volunteers for PMI, and helps others discover Project Management’s value.

How the PMP Was Born (and Reinvented)

Back in 1984, when the first PMP exam launched, there was no PMBOK Guide. No formal content outline. Just 55 people in a room and a lot of expertise shared through white papers and conversation.

“People ask, how did we certify PMs before the PMBOK? We made it up, but we knew what we were doing.”

Lee worked closely with PMI over several years to create a credential that would stand the test of time. But in those early years, adoption was slow, just 6,000 PMPs existed by 1996.

Then everything changed.

With the publication of the PMBOK Guide and streamlining the process, major corporations like IBM and AT&T adopted the PMP as their internal gold standard. From that point on, the numbers exploded.

What He’d Do Differently

Even as a founding voice, Lee is candid about what didn’t work:

* The experience requirement may have been too low.

* The over-reliance on “boot camps” risks the perception of the certification.

* The growth is impressive, but not without trade-offs.

He mentions in certain instances that:

“We’re seeing people who are great test takers, but not necessarily great project managers.”

Lee argues that while certifications matter, experience and application matter more. He believes we need to continue to evolve the certifications and standards as we focus more on capability and experience.

The Future Is Now: AI, Agile, and What Comes Next

Lee has seen the profession through multiple waves: Earned Value, Agile, and now AI. He’s not mincing words:

“You don’t need to worry about AI taking your job. You need to worry about someone who knows AI taking your job.”

He sees AI as a major inflection point, more profound than Agile. But he’s quick to point out: Project Management isn’t going anywhere. If anything, it’s becoming more valuable.

What matters is adaptability. Not tools or trends. The ability to stay current, stay curious, and stay connected.

Generational Wisdom

Lee also reflected on how the profession has shifted across generations.

“Project management is a team sport. But we’re seeing more people who want to work alone, avoid feedback, and skip the messy human part. That won’t work.”

For Lee, resilience and connection aren’t soft skills, they’re survival skills.

Why He Still Shows Up

Lee doesn’t volunteer for the title. He does it for the impact the profession delivers. One student told him:

“You changed my life.”

He’s proud of what project management has become. But he’s even more excited about what it can still be.

“Project management is a great opportunity. But it only matters if you make something of it.”

🎧 Watch the Full Episode

🎙️ Project Management Matters | Episode 10Guest: Lee Lambert, PMP, One of the Founders of the PMP

Reflect and Share

What part of Lee’s story resonates with you?Did your path into PM feel intentional or accidental?What do you wish today’s new PMs understood about the craft?

Hit reply or share your thoughts in the comments.

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What PMI’s Chief Community Officer taught me about reinvention, relevance, and what makes project professionals show up

🎙️ This week’s episode is personal.

Not just because Brantlee Underhill and I go way back.But because her story mirrors what’s made this profession thrive, and what’s going to keep it alive in the years ahead.

Brantlee didn’t plan a career in project management.She didn’t set out to become a Chief Community Officer.And she definitely didn’t expect to work at the same organization for over two decades.

But here’s what happened:

* She found a purpose.

* She found a community.

* She kept showing up.

From a Job Ad to a Calling

Brantlee joined PMI in 1998 after answering a newspaper ad. The office was cramped, the team was scrappy, and the PMBOK was a lot thinner. But what she stepped into wasn’t just a role, it was a reinvention machine.

As the world changed, so did PMI. She stayed at the center of it, working across continents, bridging generations, and helping 17,000+ volunteers find their own way to lead.

What She’s Seen and What It Means

In the episode, Brantlee shares some sharp truths and subtle lessons:

* Remote work didn’t start with the pandemic. It reshaped who PMI could hire, and how they build teams across time zones.

* Volunteers are more than helpers. They’re product contributors, thought leaders, and the soul of the profession.

* Community isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a strategy that drives engagement, trust, and sustained relevance.

My Favorite Moment

Toward the end, I asked Brantlee what one word she hopes people associate with PMI five years from now.

Her answer?

“Transformative.”

Not just because the world is changing. But because PMI helps people transform themselves.

Reflection:Have you ever taken a role, or volunteered for something, that ended up changing your career?

Drop your story in the comments. Let’s compare notes.

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What do Eagle Scouts, expat childhoods, and global boardrooms have in common?

In this episode of Project Management Matters, I sat down with Mark Engelhardt, host of the PM Cowboy Podcast and longtime project management advocate, to explore the surprising threads that shape great leaders and what it really means to lead projects across borders, disciplines, and decades.

Here’s a taste of what we covered:

* Why Mark believes project management is the secret discipline that connects vision to impact

* How growing up across 11 countries shaped his leadership instincts

* What he learned about decision-making and facilitation from his father (a corporate exec who didn’t wait for MBAs to teach him)

* Why he started PMI Austria and what volunteerism taught him about influence

* The difference between knowing the PMBOK and living it on the ground

Mark doesn’t sugarcoat. He’s sharp, global, deeply grounded in the profession. He is not afraid to call out both the hype and the heroes.

💡 One of my favorite moments?Mark’s take on the true job of a PM or consultant:

“Your job isn’t to impress. It’s to ask the dumb questions no one else dares to. That’s where real clarity starts.”

🎙️ Watch the full episode here🗨️ Your Turn: What “dumb” question unlocked clarity on your last project?

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Trevor Nelson’s professional journey happened backwards. Starting off in the workforce right out of high school in the construction industry, then shifting into non-profit and healthcare. Somewhere along the way going back to get his Bachelors, Masters, and PhD degrees, not for the purpose of career advancement or improved compensation, but personal improvement and learning. He built bridges, led healthcare reform, and launched humanitarian standards. His Project Management career is not a ladder, it’s a mosaic. His PhD study has focused on leadership within the PMO context.

In this episode of Project Management Matters, we dig into what it really takes to lead a PMO, why most people misunderstand the role, and what we get wrong about “transferable” project skills.

One line that hit me hard:

“I walk into the room and tell them, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

That’s not weakness. That’s leadership. The kind that earns trust fast because it’s real.

Here are a few things that stuck with me:

PMOs Evolve

Trevor breaks down the false belief that PMOs have a short lifespan. Sometimes they do, but often they change. By design, every 2–3 years, a PMO either evolves to stay relevant or gets left behind. That’s not dysfunction, that’s survival.

Cross-industry project management isn’t automatic

Can you manage projects across industries? Maybe. But Trevor makes it clear that it only works if you’re willing to shut up, listen, and learn fast. The skill isn’t transferring knowledge, it’s translating context.

Some PM research is stale

We’re still quoting PMO studies from 2007 like they’re gospel. Trevor’s PhD journey uncovered just how little fresh data exists. Most of what we believe about PMOs is 15+ years out of date. That’s a problem.

Good PMs don’t need to be the smartest, they need to be the calmest

Trevor’s seen the chaos and his advice is that you can’t lead a project if you’re the one panicking. Your job is to bring order, ask smart questions, and know when to shut up and listen. That’s how you earn your spot.

Not all accidental PMs are created equal

Trevor didn’t reject the idea that people fall into project management by chance. He lived that experience. But he drew a sharp line: falling into the role doesn’t make you a professional.

“Most people just start doing the work and figure it out on the fly. That’s not the same as building the mindset.”

Being organized or liking checklists doesn’t qualify you. Project management isn’t about control, it’s about navigating chaos, learning fast, and helping others get unstuck.

If you stay in the field, do the work to earn it. Learn how to lead, how to listen, and how to adapt. Project Management is a profession and like any profession, it demands intention.

Defining PMO Success

Trevor’s not here to make project management sound easy. He’s here to remind us that the work is hard, the learning never stops, and the best PMOs don’t chase relevance, they define it.

That’s what leadership looks like in this profession.

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About Trevor

Trevor Nelson is a seasoned project executive whose career spans construction, healthcare, humanitarian aid, and large-scale transformation. He’s delivered over 500 projects, led teams of up to 150, and built everything from bridges to public health programs. He’s also developed standards for humanitarian project delivery and recently earned a PhD focused on how leadership styles impact PMO maturity.

His guiding principle:

Leave it better than I found it. Treat every role like it’s my name and reputation at stake.

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When I sat down with Elizabeth Harrin, I wasn’t just talking to a longtime project manager. I was reconnecting with one of the original voices of the profession’s online presence, someone who’s been shaping how we think, write, and talk about project management for over two decades.

In this episode of Project Management Matters, we reflect on how storytelling has evolved in our field, and why it still matters. We talk about the role of PMI in our careers, the accidental moments that shape our paths, and how the choices we make about where we work can shape how we lead.

One line in particular stopped me in my tracks:

“At the end of the day, as an organization, we exist to make people's lives better.”

It wasn’t said for applause. It was shared in a story about switching industries from financial services to healthcare and realizing the power of alignment. Sometimes the best job is the one that connects with our values.

Here are a few moments that stood out:

Storytelling evolves, but never disappears.Elizabeth was one of the first PM bloggers. Back then, stories were personal: lessons from the field, conference recaps, even smoothie recipes for busy mornings. Today’s audiences want fast answers and bullet points but the human voice still matters. “Hopefully,” she says, “we’ll swing back to more personal stories. That’s how we build trust.”

Intentional careers are still the exception.Many PMs arrive by accident. Elizabeth found her path during a grad rotation and never looked back. But she points out that project titles are fluid, roles are contextual, and impact comes from adaptability, not just certifications. “Your job is to step in and do what the project needs.”

Support networks change everything.From juggling part-time work while raising children to managing complex programs, Elizabeth reminds us that no one leads in isolation. “Ignore the 5 a.m. productivity gurus,” she says. “Their support systems are invisible. Build your own, and give yourself permission to live in seasons.”

Volunteerism builds careers.Elizabeth’s earliest publishing was on Gantthead (now projectmanagement.com), long before it was owned by PMI. That led to community, conferences, and eventually contributing to the very profession she was documenting. “A chance conversation with Dave Garrett became a 15-year professional relationship,” she reflects. “That’s the power of showing up.”

Elizabeth’s journey is a reminder that behind every project is a person choosing how to show up and make a real difference. That’s why project management still matters.

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About Elizabeth

Elizabeth Harrin is an award-winning author, speaker, and project delivery expert. She’s spent over two decades leading projects and helping teams navigate complexity with confidence.

She is a Fellow of the Association for Project Management (APM), a senior project manager, and the founder of RebelsGuideToPM.com. Her experience spans financial services and healthcare, including international roles in Paris, where she built a reputation for making project delivery practical, human, and high-impact.

Elizabeth is the author of seven project management books, including Managing Multiple Projects, and leads the Project Management Rebels mentoring community. Known for her down-to-earth advice and real-world insight, she’s a regular contributor to global publications and stages. She holds degrees from the University of York and Roehampton University and lives in Sussex with her family.

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Lessons on Strategy, Community, and Clarity with Kellie Swart

When we first connected over a virtual coffee, I knew Kellie Swart had a unique perspective worth sharing. What began as a casual conversation about career paths quickly evolved into one of the most insightful episodes we've recorded so far.

In this episode of Project Management Matters, Kellie walks us through her journey from discovering project management almost by accident to becoming a global advocate for the profession. Along the way, we talk about what the field has given her: a language to lead, a platform to grow, and a mindset to navigate complexity.

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Here are a few moments that stood out:

* Project management as a shared language. Kellie moved across continents and cultures, often before mastering the local language. But project management gave her a way to connect, contribute, and lead no matter where she was.

* Why virtual coffees matter. In a world obsessed with conversion and calls to action, Kellie has embraced old-school networking. Her simple invitation “let’s talk” has led to some of the most meaningful connections of her career.

* Redefining the profession. Project management isn’t just a toolkit, it’s a strategic function. Kellie reminds us that the role now blends change leadership, strategic alignment, and even sustainability. It’s about delivering value, not just closing a project.

* PMI as a global home. As a board member in the Netherlands chapter and part of a global next-gen committee, Kellie has seen firsthand how the PMI community can shape careers. “It’s rare,” she says, “to walk into a room of leaders and start hugging people you’ve never technically met.”

* Advice for new professionals. Don’t rush to be the expert. Instead, listen well, ask better questions, and stay curious. Your impact isn’t measured by how much you know, it’s in how well you connect the dots for others.

Kellie’s story is a reminder that behind every methodology and metric is a human being trying to move something forward with purpose. That’s why project management still matters.

About Kellie

Kellie is a strategy facilitator and perspective partner to leaders navigating change. After more than a decade of leading complex projects across industries and continents, she noticed a pattern: Behind every strategic challenge is a person carrying the weight of whether their decisions will deliver the value that truly matters. Today, her work lives at the intersection of strategy, leadership, and decision-making, helping leaders cut through complexity and move forward with clarity. Kellie’s vision is simple yet bold: a world where people think with intention, act with confidence, and build with purpose, even when the path forward is unclear.

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In this episode of Project Management Matters, I sat down with Dave Prior, a former musician turned project management educator, mentor, and agile evangelist.

We talk about:

* His accidental entry into the profession (it started with a Nickelodeon chat room)

* Why Microsoft Project was a life-changing discovery

* How volunteering with PMI opened doors across the globe

* The rough road from waterfall to agile, and why he stuck with it

* Why learning to say “I don’t know” might be the most powerful leadership move of all

Dave brings stories, honesty, and sharp insight for anyone navigating change, leadership, or the evolving world of PM.

One of my favorite takeaways?

“You’re not in control. You just react, hopefully faster than others.”

Hit play on the episode and if you enjoy it, forward it to someone who needs to hear it.

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About Dave:Dave has been leading technology projects and helping people find better ways to manage their work for over 25 years. He has deep experience in traditional project management and working with Agile frameworks. He believes that project management is headed towards a future where those invested in the practice as a professional craft will be skilled and experienced in both traditional and agile methods.

Dave has been podcasting about Agile and Project Management since 2008, both on his own and for other organizations, and events. His drunkenpm Radio podcast and blog, The Reluctant Agilist, has been a mainstay on the ProjectManagement.com website since it was first launched. His podcasts have been listened to over 1,000,000 times.

Dave is the Chief Experience Officer for The Agile Network. He also provides coaching in project management and agile, teaches Certified Scrum Master (CSM), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), and Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner (A-CSPO) classes, and leads classes and workshops in Personal Kanban and Sun Tzu's The Art of War. He is the co-author of the book “No One is Coming to Save You: The Power-Ups to Help You Surf the Chaos”.

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What do PMI leadership, nonprofit transformation, and sailing with real sharks have in common?

Deanna Landers.

In this episode of Project Management Matters, I sit down with Deanna, former PMI Chair, founder of Project Managers Without Borders, and someone who has literally applied project management at sea. She was able to purpose and structure to transform both careers and communities.

We talk about:

* The misunderstood power of project management in business and society

* Why “project manager” is more than a title, it’s a mindset

* How volunteering shaped her leadership journey (and changed others’ lives)

* What it really takes to bring ideas like PMWB to life

* Her family’s ambitious “sailboat sabbatical” and the risks they navigated, pirates and all

It’s a candid, funny, and inspiring conversation with one of the profession’s boldest voices. Whether you’re leading a PMO, mentoring new talent, or just wondering how to turn passion into action, this one’s worth a watch/listen.

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