Experience Is The Best Teacher

A THOUGHT FROM JENNIFER

This Meeting Could Save Your Next Project

When I took my Project Management Professional (PMP) exam in 2006, I did well on most sections except one: Project Closure.

In retrospect, it makes sense. By the time a project finished, I was already so busy that I just moved on to the next one! Why spend time rehashing what went wrong?

I’ve since learned the tremendous value of an objective, intentional debrief (aka a “postmortem,” but I find that term kinda depressing ????). A focused debrief involving teams and stakeholders is gold! You’ll learn what to repeat and what to improve for next time.

Why don’t we hold these more often?

Excuse #1: I don’t have time; there’s too much work.

When I hear this, I think of: “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.” (Prov. 26:11)

If you don’t learn from what you’ve done, you’ll likely repeat the same mistakes, and they’ll only get worse.

Excuse #2: People won’t be honest (or they’ll be too honest!).

This is the ONE time I focus on process over people. Why? A debrief reviews the process, not the people. You discuss:

• How did the process go?
• Were the communication lines effective?
• Did the tools and systems work well?

Although the PM often leads debriefs, having someone outside the team do so can help all team members share their observations more freely.

If one of your projects is ending soon, please download our free Project Closure Meeting Template. Or get in touch if we can help you!

On the journey with you,

Jennifer Hamel, PMP

POINT TO PONDER

• What has kept you and your team from running debriefs in the past?

• How can you start laying the ground work now for your team to have a debrief at the end of your current project?

A RESOURCE WE LOVE

Fathom AI: Your Smart Assistant For Effortless Note-taking + Insights

By Brandon Primeaux, MBA, PMP , Project Manager

Fathom AI is an incredibly useful tool for anyone who manages Zoom meetings. Not only can you record your meetings with Fathom (without time limits on the paid plan), but you also can?simplify (and elevate!)?your post-meeting tasks.?Here's how:

• Customizable note templates:?choose from templates for a variety of meeting types, including sales calls, project planning meetings, and candidate interviews. You can even switch between summary styles after your meeting has ended.
• Search function:?quickly locate specific words or topics in your meeting transcripts.
• Interactive features:?manually activate features like highlights, bookmarks, and action items to enhance your AI-generated summaries.

With Fathom, capturing critical details is simple and efficient, making it an invaluable tool for improving note takers like me!

What’s one of your favorite resources? Leave a comment. We’d love to learn from you.

BRAIN BREAK

Your 60-Second Reset

By Carolyn Wildermuth , Project Coordinator

Feeling overwhelmed? Here's a powerful technique to restore calm in just one minute.

Box Breathing: Your Stress-Relief Tool

This simple breathing exercise can help you:

• Reset your nervous system
• Regulate your emotions
• Find instant calm

The 4-4-4-4 Method:

1. Inhale deeply for 4 seconds
2. Hold your breath for 4 seconds
3. Exhale slowly for 4 seconds
4. Hold empty lungs for 4 seconds

Repeat this cycle for one minute to experience a natural shift toward relaxation. It’s perfect for use at your desk, before meetings, or even as part of your bedtime routine.

What’s your favorite brain break? Share it in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

Your friends and fans,

Way Forth Collective

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