The People, Process, Progress of Project Management
Welcome to The People, Process, and Progress of Project Management — formerly known as People, Process, Progress. I’m your host, Kevin Pannell. If you’ve been with me since the early days, thank you. And if you’re new here, you’re in the right place. I’ve spent over two decades in project leadership — from military medicine and public safety response to healthcare IT. And if there’s one thing I know, it’s this: no matter the tool, framework, or timeline... it always comes back to the people, the process, and how we progress together. This new chapter is about clarity, relevance, and action. In each episode, we’ll tackle what you need to lead projects well in today’s complex world — from AI tools and remote teams to stakeholder politics and burnout. Let’s get to work.
Episodes
In this episode, Tackling Scope Creep: People, Process, & Courage, we're diving into how to protect our projects, keep our sanity, and build stronger teams in the process.
Episode outline
- Intro
- Core concepts
- The People Side: Assertiveness and Stakeholder Boundaries...
This episode is an audiobook-like version of the 7 Pillars Field Guide. This 7 Pillars Field Guide distills the key, actionable tools and techniques from The Stability Equation into one-page summaries of each of the seven pillars: ownership, mindfulness, movement, boundaries, connection, sleep, and faith.
Godspeed y'all,
Kevin
Welcome back to the People, Process, Progress podcast, the podcast dedicated to fostering pragmatic optimism in your professional world. Today, we're tackling a universal challenge: the art of the good project handoff.
Whether you're a healthcare professional transitioning patient care, a software developer handing off a project, or simply passing the baton in any collaborative effort, a smooth handoff is crucial for success. So, le...
In Lessons in Project Management from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, I share how the choices made in the virtual fantasy world of Skyrim parallel the strategic decisions Portfolio Managers and leaders must make when planning, resourcing, and executing projects within their organizations' portfolios.
Episode focus areas:
- Effective resource allocation and prioritization
- Effective stakeholder management
- Effective risk management
- Effectiv...
Restarting the Fix It Friday series with the March 2024 episode from the Hope is NOT a Plan podcast. This episode delves into the crucial skill of asking objective questions to drive clarity and problem-solving. We explore how unbiased inquiries can empower teams and improve processes by drawing parallels to the host's diverse podcasting journey and the principles in his book The Stability Equation. Learn practical techniques to fo...
Hey everyone!
I'm excited to officially announce the launch of my book, The Stability Equation: 7 Pillars for a More Balanced Life! This subreddit was created to discuss the principles and practices outlined in the book, and I'm so grateful to have you all here.
This book is deeply personal, born from my struggles with anxiety, trauma, and the journey to find lasting mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. It shares the roadmap I...
Today's episode, The Stability Equation: 7 Pillars for a More Balanced Life, is all about building a balanced life, a life that honors the miracle you are while acknowledging the human imperfections that come along with the ride. We're talking about the seven pillars that, when stacked carefully, create a life that's not just planned – it's thriving.
Welcome back to People, Process, Progress podcast. Today, on Five Benefits of Family Time Off, I'm diving into something I believe is essential for well-being and something that often gets pushed down the priority list amidst our busy schedules: family vacations.
The benefits:
- Stress reduction
Episode Objectives:
- Historical overview of political manipulation tactics used throughout America’s history
- Five key examples of manipulation spanning different eras
- Six actionable strategies for navigating today's complex political landscape
Godspeed y'all.
In this episode, The People, Process, & Progress of Public Health, I talk about what public health is, why it matters, and why it's crucial to protect it from political whiplash, ensuring that the critical work of keeping communities healthy continues regardless of who's in office.
Hello everyone and welcome back to The People, Process, & Progress Podcast, I’m your host Kevin Pannell. On today’s episode, How Technical Should Project Managers Really Be? | S4Ep17 I’m speaking to Project Managers, aspiring PMs, team leads, and anyone involved in software or technical projects. My goal is to talk through the optimal level of technical understanding for project managers, emphasizing the value of technical lite...
As a Project Manager I'm always seeking new knowledge, skills, and abilities to help me empower my team members and project partners. In Five Focus Areas for Project Managers in 2025, I'm sharing focus areas I will be diving deeper into and that I've gotten questions about from my teams and the internet.
On today’s episode, How we Should Reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency, I’ll examine the critical role of FEMA in disaster relief and explore strategies to improving its effectiveness
How we can improve FEMA:
- Thorough After-Action Report/Improvement Plans (AAR/IPs)
- Direct engagement with FEMA employees and the public
- Streamline Local and State assistance processes
- Enhance pre-disaster collaboration at all levels
Godspe...
In this audio from my video, I share lessons learned from the book Extreme Ownership written by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin and from my completion of the Echelon Front course Extreme Ownership Framework and how Project Managers can apply them when leading teams.
Find a course and sign up at https://academy.echelonfront.com/
Over the past few years, I’ve pulled together seven focus areas for my life that I call the “7 Pillars”, of ownership, mindfulness, movement, boundaries, connection, sleep, and faith. Today on Seven Powerful Quotes to Help You Balance Your Life in 2025, I’m sharing quotes from seven of the most influential people I’ve heard speak, read books from, and worked with and how I apply these concepts in my life.
Quotes from:
- Jocko Willi...
The Challenger disaster serves as a stark reminder of the importance of rigorous risk assessment and the potential consequences of ignoring or downplaying warnings. In Risk Management Lessons from the Challenger Disaster, I'm paralleling takeaways from the Challenger disaster with how Project Managers can reduce project risk through effective risk management.
Godspeed to the Challenger Astronauts Sharon Christa McAuliffe, Michael J....
The Challenger disaster serves as a stark reminder of the importance of rigorous risk assessment and the potential consequences of ignoring or downplaying warnings. In Risk Management Lessons from the Challenger Disaster, I'm paralleling takeaways from the Challenger disaster with how Project Managers can reduce project risk through effective risk management.
Godspeed to the Challenger Astronauts Sharon Christa McAuliffe, Michael J....
In Moving Past Paralysis During Analysis I'm sharing five considerations for leaders who need to move their teams to a decision point and out of an analysis rut whether planning a disaster response or a technology project.
On today’s Framework Friday, Eight Steps to Effective Strategic Communication, I’m going to share the National Incident Management System (NIMS) 8-step process that many Public Information Officers (PIO) use to effectively communicate before, during, and after disasters.
Reference: page 20 of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Basic Guidance for Public Information Officers (PIOs)
In this episode, How NOT to Brief the Public After a Disaster, I’ll share insight from my time on an All-Hazards Incident Management Team (AHIMT) on what not to do when briefing the public and press after a critical incident and proposed solutions to improve crisis communication in the future.
Lessons learned:
- Not overcrowding the room
- Not using basic manners
- Not being honest with the public
- Not letting Operations speak
- Not briefing ...
Popular Podcasts
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!