Lee | The Practical PMO
@thepracticalpmo.bsky.social
I teach project management skills to fix your job.
Easiest way to meet a project timeline?
Reduce quality (but selectively)
How?
Maybe instead of glossy PowerPoint slides you make a simple word doc for updates.
Maybe an internal training is a screen share walkthrough instead of a polished video.
Focus on fancy only where it gives value.
Reduce quality (but selectively)
How?
Maybe instead of glossy PowerPoint slides you make a simple word doc for updates.
Maybe an internal training is a screen share walkthrough instead of a polished video.
Focus on fancy only where it gives value.
October 31, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Easiest way to meet a project timeline?
Reduce quality (but selectively)
How?
Maybe instead of glossy PowerPoint slides you make a simple word doc for updates.
Maybe an internal training is a screen share walkthrough instead of a polished video.
Focus on fancy only where it gives value.
Reduce quality (but selectively)
How?
Maybe instead of glossy PowerPoint slides you make a simple word doc for updates.
Maybe an internal training is a screen share walkthrough instead of a polished video.
Focus on fancy only where it gives value.
Don’t launch big process changes on Friday.
Foreshadow the change you will launch Monday - along with the training and support you will provide to help them learn.
Then everyone has a good weekend.
Foreshadow the change you will launch Monday - along with the training and support you will provide to help them learn.
Then everyone has a good weekend.
October 31, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Don’t launch big process changes on Friday.
Foreshadow the change you will launch Monday - along with the training and support you will provide to help them learn.
Then everyone has a good weekend.
Foreshadow the change you will launch Monday - along with the training and support you will provide to help them learn.
Then everyone has a good weekend.
People RARELY read meeting minutes.
How do I manage this? An action log.
It’s literally a shared spreadsheet called an action log with a tab for:
- Actions
- Decisions
- Blockers
- Meeting minute links
This way if someone forgets what happened in the meeting they aren’t searching their inbox.
How do I manage this? An action log.
It’s literally a shared spreadsheet called an action log with a tab for:
- Actions
- Decisions
- Blockers
- Meeting minute links
This way if someone forgets what happened in the meeting they aren’t searching their inbox.
October 30, 2025 at 8:49 PM
People RARELY read meeting minutes.
How do I manage this? An action log.
It’s literally a shared spreadsheet called an action log with a tab for:
- Actions
- Decisions
- Blockers
- Meeting minute links
This way if someone forgets what happened in the meeting they aren’t searching their inbox.
How do I manage this? An action log.
It’s literally a shared spreadsheet called an action log with a tab for:
- Actions
- Decisions
- Blockers
- Meeting minute links
This way if someone forgets what happened in the meeting they aren’t searching their inbox.
Underrated skill:
Reducing the costs of making decisions.
- Meetings have an agenda and pre-read
- Emails have a clear ask and context
- Timelines are not missing tasks
- Wikis are regularly updated
Reducing the costs of making decisions.
- Meetings have an agenda and pre-read
- Emails have a clear ask and context
- Timelines are not missing tasks
- Wikis are regularly updated
October 15, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Underrated skill:
Reducing the costs of making decisions.
- Meetings have an agenda and pre-read
- Emails have a clear ask and context
- Timelines are not missing tasks
- Wikis are regularly updated
Reducing the costs of making decisions.
- Meetings have an agenda and pre-read
- Emails have a clear ask and context
- Timelines are not missing tasks
- Wikis are regularly updated
Do not confuse:
“time to complete a task” with
“time available to complete a task”
“time to complete a task” with
“time available to complete a task”
October 13, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Do not confuse:
“time to complete a task” with
“time available to complete a task”
“time to complete a task” with
“time available to complete a task”
Friday email pro-tip:
If it can wait until Monday, wait to send.
If it cannot wait until Monday, why?
If it can wait until Monday, wait to send.
If it cannot wait until Monday, why?
September 5, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Friday email pro-tip:
If it can wait until Monday, wait to send.
If it cannot wait until Monday, why?
If it can wait until Monday, wait to send.
If it cannot wait until Monday, why?
Friday email pro-tip:
If it can wait until Monday, wait to send.
If it cannot wait until Monday, why?
If it can wait until Monday, wait to send.
If it cannot wait until Monday, why?
September 5, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Friday email pro-tip:
If it can wait until Monday, wait to send.
If it cannot wait until Monday, why?
If it can wait until Monday, wait to send.
If it cannot wait until Monday, why?
The best emails are reader-centric.
1) Ask for what you need
2) Give context for your request
3) Confirm your deadline is realistic
1) Ask for what you need
2) Give context for your request
3) Confirm your deadline is realistic
September 4, 2025 at 5:32 PM
The best emails are reader-centric.
1) Ask for what you need
2) Give context for your request
3) Confirm your deadline is realistic
1) Ask for what you need
2) Give context for your request
3) Confirm your deadline is realistic
Every email needs a goal. Do you want to:
1) Share information with someone?
2) Get them to do a task?
3) Ask a question?
Build your message based on your goal.
1) Share information with someone?
2) Get them to do a task?
3) Ask a question?
Build your message based on your goal.
August 27, 2025 at 3:21 AM
Every email needs a goal. Do you want to:
1) Share information with someone?
2) Get them to do a task?
3) Ask a question?
Build your message based on your goal.
1) Share information with someone?
2) Get them to do a task?
3) Ask a question?
Build your message based on your goal.
The best meetings feel like a well-curated dinner party where every wants to come back.
I love the “host” part of hosting a meeting.
I love the “host” part of hosting a meeting.
August 26, 2025 at 12:40 AM
The best meetings feel like a well-curated dinner party where every wants to come back.
I love the “host” part of hosting a meeting.
I love the “host” part of hosting a meeting.
Project Management is about empathy.
Answer these ?’s before changing a process:
1) Why is my job changing?
2) Why wasn’t I consulted?
3) Does my boss know about this?
Answer these ?’s before changing a process:
1) Why is my job changing?
2) Why wasn’t I consulted?
3) Does my boss know about this?
August 23, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Project Management is about empathy.
Answer these ?’s before changing a process:
1) Why is my job changing?
2) Why wasn’t I consulted?
3) Does my boss know about this?
Answer these ?’s before changing a process:
1) Why is my job changing?
2) Why wasn’t I consulted?
3) Does my boss know about this?
Meetings are better than emails when:
The person presenting gets a chance to shine in front of someone who can promote them.
You can’t guarantee the email will be read.
The person presenting gets a chance to shine in front of someone who can promote them.
You can’t guarantee the email will be read.
August 21, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Meetings are better than emails when:
The person presenting gets a chance to shine in front of someone who can promote them.
You can’t guarantee the email will be read.
The person presenting gets a chance to shine in front of someone who can promote them.
You can’t guarantee the email will be read.
Minimize tasks everywhere possible.
You want to optimize the ROI of your time.
You want to optimize the ROI of your time.
August 19, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Minimize tasks everywhere possible.
You want to optimize the ROI of your time.
You want to optimize the ROI of your time.
How to be an empathetic project manager:
- Ask in advance for a team member’s time
- Explain why their skillset is needed
- Share why the project matters
- Ask if it aligns with OKRs
- Always say thank you
- Ask in advance for a team member’s time
- Explain why their skillset is needed
- Share why the project matters
- Ask if it aligns with OKRs
- Always say thank you
August 18, 2025 at 1:54 AM
How to be an empathetic project manager:
- Ask in advance for a team member’s time
- Explain why their skillset is needed
- Share why the project matters
- Ask if it aligns with OKRs
- Always say thank you
- Ask in advance for a team member’s time
- Explain why their skillset is needed
- Share why the project matters
- Ask if it aligns with OKRs
- Always say thank you
Good decisions require great prep work.
I help execs make better choices by explaining every choice with:
- What they’ll gain
- What they’ll lose
- How long they have to decide
- Who else has already bought in
I help execs make better choices by explaining every choice with:
- What they’ll gain
- What they’ll lose
- How long they have to decide
- Who else has already bought in
July 30, 2025 at 5:18 AM
Good decisions require great prep work.
I help execs make better choices by explaining every choice with:
- What they’ll gain
- What they’ll lose
- How long they have to decide
- Who else has already bought in
I help execs make better choices by explaining every choice with:
- What they’ll gain
- What they’ll lose
- How long they have to decide
- Who else has already bought in
If I think about work on the weekend I:
- Set a 10 minute timer
- Write everything I’m thinking about
- Once timer goes off return to weekend mode
- Set a 10 minute timer
- Write everything I’m thinking about
- Once timer goes off return to weekend mode
July 13, 2025 at 3:39 AM
If I think about work on the weekend I:
- Set a 10 minute timer
- Write everything I’m thinking about
- Once timer goes off return to weekend mode
- Set a 10 minute timer
- Write everything I’m thinking about
- Once timer goes off return to weekend mode
Before you write a work email, think:
“Would I like this email to be forwarded?”
“Would I like this email to be forwarded?”
July 4, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Before you write a work email, think:
“Would I like this email to be forwarded?”
“Would I like this email to be forwarded?”
My favorite part of project management is helping people with their exec presentations.
90% of the time it’s about:
- Fewer slides
- Not just reading the slide
- Clear reason why exec should care
90% of the time it’s about:
- Fewer slides
- Not just reading the slide
- Clear reason why exec should care
July 3, 2025 at 4:11 AM
My favorite part of project management is helping people with their exec presentations.
90% of the time it’s about:
- Fewer slides
- Not just reading the slide
- Clear reason why exec should care
90% of the time it’s about:
- Fewer slides
- Not just reading the slide
- Clear reason why exec should care
Good: We need an SOP
Great: We wrote an SOP
Incredible: We automated the process instead of documenting the confusing steps.
Great: We wrote an SOP
Incredible: We automated the process instead of documenting the confusing steps.
July 3, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Good: We need an SOP
Great: We wrote an SOP
Incredible: We automated the process instead of documenting the confusing steps.
Great: We wrote an SOP
Incredible: We automated the process instead of documenting the confusing steps.
Deadlines need to be practical.
I am not frantically refreshing my email at 11:59PM to confirm something arrived by EOD.
I make things due when I have time to take action on the results - like by 12PM next day.
I am not frantically refreshing my email at 11:59PM to confirm something arrived by EOD.
I make things due when I have time to take action on the results - like by 12PM next day.
July 2, 2025 at 4:53 AM
Deadlines need to be practical.
I am not frantically refreshing my email at 11:59PM to confirm something arrived by EOD.
I make things due when I have time to take action on the results - like by 12PM next day.
I am not frantically refreshing my email at 11:59PM to confirm something arrived by EOD.
I make things due when I have time to take action on the results - like by 12PM next day.
“By EOD” is such a vague deadline.
I make things due when I have time to take action on the results - like by 12PM next day.
I make things due when I have time to take action on the results - like by 12PM next day.
July 2, 2025 at 4:36 AM
“By EOD” is such a vague deadline.
I make things due when I have time to take action on the results - like by 12PM next day.
I make things due when I have time to take action on the results - like by 12PM next day.
Projects can help you get promoted.
But they also can be a huge waste of your time and cause you to miss your day job metrics.
But they also can be a huge waste of your time and cause you to miss your day job metrics.
June 30, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Projects can help you get promoted.
But they also can be a huge waste of your time and cause you to miss your day job metrics.
But they also can be a huge waste of your time and cause you to miss your day job metrics.
Project Management Tip:
The best meeting titles give CONTEXT.
People are busy, let them know in the meeting title how you plan on using their time wisely.
The best meeting titles give CONTEXT.
People are busy, let them know in the meeting title how you plan on using their time wisely.
June 29, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Project Management Tip:
The best meeting titles give CONTEXT.
People are busy, let them know in the meeting title how you plan on using their time wisely.
The best meeting titles give CONTEXT.
People are busy, let them know in the meeting title how you plan on using their time wisely.
Meeting names are a missed opportunity.
❌”Meeting”
✅ “45-min Project X Brainstorm (+Preread)”
❌”Meeting”
✅ “45-min Project X Brainstorm (+Preread)”
June 28, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Meeting names are a missed opportunity.
❌”Meeting”
✅ “45-min Project X Brainstorm (+Preread)”
❌”Meeting”
✅ “45-min Project X Brainstorm (+Preread)”
Sitcoms tell an entire story in 22 minutes.
Your meeting is probably too long.
Your meeting is probably too long.
June 23, 2025 at 5:11 AM
Sitcoms tell an entire story in 22 minutes.
Your meeting is probably too long.
Your meeting is probably too long.