Category: Communication

Daily Scrum Meeting
Agile, Communication, Meetings, Scrum

Daily Standup Best Practices: Mastering the Art of Efficient Collaboration

In the fast-paced world of agile development, daily standup meetings, also known as daily scrum meetings, have become a cornerstone of team communication and productivity. But while these meetings are essential, they’re often misused or misunderstood, leading to wasted time and frustration. How can you ensure your team’s standups are effective, engaging, and, most importantly, valuable? Drawing on industry insights and proven strategies, this blog will explore best practices for daily standup meetings, helping you transform them into a powerful tool for team alignment and problem-solving.… [ Read the rest...]
Communication, Leadership, Management, Scrum

What Makes a Good Retrospective Meeting?

Retrospectives are the backbone of continuous improvement in agile teams. They offer a recurring opportunity for teams to reflect, learn, and adapt. However, not all retrospectives are created equal. A poorly executed retrospective can feel like a box-ticking exercise, while a well-structured and engaging one can drive real change and improvement. So, what makes a good retrospective meeting? Let’s explore the key principles, practical tips, and creative techniques that can transform retrospectives into highly productive and even enjoyable sessions.… [ Read the rest...]
Project Management Skills
Communication, Leadership, Management, Stakeholder Management, Time Management

Navigating Success as a Project Manager: Essential Skills and Competencies

In the intricate world of project management, success is defined not just by completing tasks, but by achieving objectives efficiently and effectively. For those tasked with leading projects, a robust set of skills and competencies is indispensable. This article delves into these essential project manager skills, offering both budding and seasoned project managers a comprehensive guide to refining and enhancing their abilities.… [ Read the rest...]
Communication, Management, Stakeholder Management

How to Push Back on Unrealistic Requests

Quite often project managers have to deal with difficult situations on their projects. A good example of such a tough situation is when the client comes up with an unrealistic request. In this situation, the project manager faces a dilemma: on the one hand, he doesn’t want to upset the client, but on the other hand, he understands that it is impossible to achieve what the client requests.… [ Read the rest...]
Communication, Leadership, Management

How To Encourage People To Work Overtime

I believe that every project manager, sooner or later, faces the need to request project team members work overtime. This part of my job really embarrasses me. I hate to be trapped in such a situation when I have to take people’s personal time, the precious moments of their lives which they could otherwise spend with their families or friends, or just for themselves.… [ Read the rest...]
Communication

How To Keep In Touch With Your Former Colleagues

Recently I’ve figured out that during my 15-year professional career, I changed seven workplaces. It’s not a problem because changing jobs every 2-3 years is a common trend in the modern world. You live each subsequent workplace as a better version of yourself with new skills, new experiences, and new contacts gained. New skills and new experience make you a more valuable employee on a labor market and allow you to move up the career ladder.… [ Read the rest...]
Communication, Leadership

How To Manage Conflicts In Remote Teams

Recent quarantine measures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic forced many colocated teams to become remote. Many workers found themselves in a completely new and uncommon situation of collaboration without any physical presence and face-to-face contact with their colleagues. The remote communication via Zoom or other video chat platforms seemed to be a good workaround in this situation, however, it brought up a lot of challenges.… [ Read the rest...]
Communication, Leadership, Management

How To Deal With Difficult People On Your Projects

I can only guess what type of projects you work on and what challenges you have, but there is one thing I know for sure: you have definitely encountered difficult people on your projects. The truth is that throughout your entire life and career you keep meeting people who put you down.  However, when you come across an unpleasant stranger in your daily life, it’s not a big deal.… [ Read the rest...]