Where Project Leaders Shape the Future of PM Practice
In today’s rapidly evolving landscape of project and program management, staying ahead requires more than just technical skills – it demands continuous learning, exploring best practices, adapting to a more effective way of working, and connecting with fellow practitioners. For the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of hosting a forum, specifically at PIM Silicon Valley Chapter breakfast meetings, where expert project, program, and portfolio leaders exchange insights, challenge conventions, and collectively elevate our practice.
A Community Built on Shared Challenges & Learned Lessons
Our meetings aren’t your typical professional gatherings. They’re dynamic exchanges where seasoned professionals openly discuss their most pressing challenges:
“How do you deal with non-engaging stakeholders?”
“What are the necessary steps to keep a sustainable PMO?”
“How can we leverage Artificial Intelligence in our daily project management practice?”
These aren’t theoretical discussions! They are real-world solutions, accompanied by case studies shared by professionals who face your challenges.
The AI Revolution in Project Management
One of our most vibrant recurring themes explores the transformation that Generative Artificial Intelligence brings to our profession. From practical applications in daily project tasks to strategic roadmaps and systems implementations at the PMO level, our community has been at the forefront of understanding how Gen. AI is reshaping project leadership:
- Exploring how AI models and tools can enhance productivity in project, program, and product deliveries.
- Sharing strategies for managing AI in development and supportive environments.
- Discussing how PMO leaders can leverage AI for better decision-making.
- Examining how program leadership can position themselves to be discovered through AI-driven platforms.
Beyond Methodologies to Leadership
While methodologies matter, our discussions frequently transcend various frameworks to address the human influences of project leadership and the application of science and technology to deliver value:
- Strategies for exciting and motivating teams to commit, act, deliver, and adapt.
- Techniques for running organizational transitions from PMO to BMO (Business Management Office) to the Center of Excellence.
- Approaches to handling challenging leaders and bosses.
- Insights on project governance at scale, considering all factors involving Gen. AI.
Professional Growth and Business Development
For those looking to advance their careers or businesses, our community of leadership offers invaluable perspectives:
- Navigating job transitions in an increasingly technology-driven and adaptive market.
- Balancing PM and Agile certification values with practical and immersive experience.
- Starting, learning, and growing a project management consulting practice.
- Building client relationships and collaborative engagement as an independent consultant.
An Invitation to Join Us
Whether you’re struggling to implement Scrum, DevOps, scaled Agile practices, or transform your PMO into a Center of Excellence, our community provides a space where experienced insights offer guidance based on real-world implementation and result-driven case studies.
These aren’t presentations where you passively absorb information – they’re interactive discussions where your experience becomes part of the collective wisdom.
As we continue to navigate the evolving and adaptive landscape of project leadership, from traditional approaches to AI-augmented practices, I invite you to join our meetings. Bring your challenges, intuitions, and questions to a community that has been strengthening project leadership practices for a decade.
As of writing this piece, today we had a hybrid breakfast meeting of the PMI Silicon Valley chapter, where our members shared their insights on topics such as:
- How do program leaders deal with tariff ambiguities in international changes?
- Which Cloud (and certification) is more prevalent in IT infrastructure, and how can it improve the chances of getting a job opportunity?
Leading cloud providers include Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Salesforce, among others. - What is Emotional Intelligence (EQ), and how does it help build relationships?
- How does networking help to land a project leadership position?
Ready to connect with fellow project leaders who understand your challenges? Join our next meetings by registering to attend and contacting the meeting hosts for more information.
Do not underestimate the power of volunteering! Join ASVPM, PMI chapters (Silicon Valley and San Francisco in Northern California), and other PM and Agile-related organizations.
Conversations like ours are shaping the future of project leadership. Will your voice be part of it?
