The Hardest Part of Project Management Isn’t the Project Plan

A solid plan matters, but it can’t move a project forward on its own. Projects also depend on how we communicate, listen, handle disagreements, and help people make decisions.

In this episode, I talk about why project management “soft skills” aren’t vague traits you either have or don’t have. They’re practical behaviors you can build through everyday work: asking one more question, making an update clearer, or helping a conversation get unstuck.

You’ll hear simple ways to practice communication, listening, conflict resolution, and meeting facilitation even if “project manager” isn’t your job title.

Listener question: Which skill would make the biggest difference for you right now—communication, listening, handling conflict, or speaking up?

Ever sat in a technical meeting thinking, “Am I supposed to understand all of this?” You’re not alone and you don’t have to be the technical expert in the room to be a good project manager.

After almost 20 years in IT project management, I’ve learned that the PM’s job isn’t to know every technical detail. It’s to understand what those details mean for the project: what’s blocked, what decision is needed, who owns the next step, and whether the schedule, scope, cost, or risk has changed.

In this episode, I talk about how to stay useful when a conversation gets technical, ask clear questions without pretending you know more than you do, and help the team leave the meeting with a real next step.

Every project has a Bob.

You know Bob. He doesn't answer emails, misses important meetings, and sits on approvals for two weeks. But the minute your project falls behind schedule, guess who's suddenly available and wants to know what went wrong?

BOB!

In this episode of The Good PM Life, we're talking about one of the most frustrating—and important—parts of project management: dealing with people.

From disappearing stakeholders and last-minute executive requests to conflicting priorities and those lovely people who agree with everything in meetings but complain afterward, we're getting into the messy reality of stakeholder management.

Through relatable stories, a little humor, and practical advice, Sandy shares how to navigate difficult personalities, manage expectations, and keep your projects moving without losing your mind.

Because sometimes the biggest obstacle to delivering a successful project isn't the budget, the timeline, or the technology. It's Bob.

Stop Rejecting Yourself Before They Do

Have you ever found the perfect project management job—then decided not to apply because you hadn’t used the exact software listed? In this episode, Sandy explains why knowing a specific tool isn’t the same as knowing how to manage a project. You’ll learn how to recognize transferable software skills, answer interview questions about unfamiliar platforms, choose the right tools to learn, and stop eliminating yourself from opportunities before the employer even sees your résumé.

AI is changing project management—and fast. In this episode of The Good PM Life, we tackle the big question: Is AI coming for your project management job? We’ll look at which PM tasks are likely to be automated, why that doesn’t mean project managers are going away, and where PMs need to start adding more value. From embracing AI tools to strengthening leadership, business knowledge, stakeholder management, and decision-making skills, this episode is about preparing now for what’s next.

This Meeting Could Have Been an Email

We’ve all been there: sitting in a meeting, watching the clock, and wondering, “Why am I here?”

Meetings aren’t the problem. Bad meetings are.

In this episode of The Good PM Life, Sandy takes on one of the most universally frustrating parts of the workday—the unnecessary meeting. Whether you’re a project manager, team leader, business owner, or simply someone whose calendar is packed with invitations, this episode is about being more intentional with one of our most valuable resources: time.

We’ll talk about why meetings have become the default solution for almost everything, when an email really is the better choice, and when getting people together for an actual conversation can save hours of back-and-forth.

In This Episode

• Why a one-hour meeting with 10 people actually consumes 10 hours of organizational time
• The difference between sharing information and actually needing collaboration
• When you should skip the meeting and send the email
• When you should stop emailing and get everyone together
• Why vague meetings like “Project Discussion” are a red flag
• How to decide who really needs to attend—and who simply needs the outcome
• Why every meeting doesn't need to be 30 or 60 minutes
• The dreaded “meeting after the meeting” and what it tells you
• Three questions to ask before sending your next meeting invitation

🎙️ The Good PM Life Real-world lessons about projects, people, leadership, and getting things done—whether “Project Manager” is in your title or not.

Ever finish a workday completely exhausted…only to wonder what you actually accomplished?

For project managers, it’s incredibly easy to spend the entire day answering emails, responding to Teams messages, sitting in meetings, chasing updates, and handling everyone else’s “urgent” requests—without actually moving the project forward.

In this episode of The Good PM Life, I’m talking about the difference between being busy and being productive, and why your biggest challenge may not be time management at all. It may be priority management.

In this episode, we’ll talk about:

• Why project managers are especially vulnerable to the “busy trap”
• How your inbox and Teams messages can quietly start running your day
• Why urgent doesn’t always mean important
• How to identify the work that actually moves your project forward
• The danger of letting the loudest stakeholder determine your priorities
• Why PMs need protected thinking time
• The simple Big Three strategy you can start using tomorrow

🎧 Listen now and start taking control of your workday instead of letting your workday control you.

The Good PM Life — practical conversations about project management, leadership, careers, and making life as a PM a little bit better.