Welcome to our weekly newsletter!

08 June 2025

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Hey friend,

I was away for a week and realised two things. 1. The systems and team I have around me kept things pushing while I was gone. No need to panic. 2. The human interaction needed in project management really suffers when I am not around (physically and virtually). The old truth remains true; technical details are easy, humans are tricky.

Some Thoughts

Non-attachment is a powerful mindset that frees you from the emotional highs and lows that can cloud judgment and hinder progress. It doesn’t mean indifference—it means staying engaged without being emotionally entangled in outcomes. Whether in work or life, success and failure are temporary, and clinging to either can slow growth.

By embracing non-attachment, you stay focused on the process rather than obsessing over results, allowing for clearer decision-making, resilience in setbacks, and greater adaptability.

It’s the key to moving forward with confidence, learning from experiences without being defined by them.

What you will learn this week:

☀️ How to move out of your comfort zone

🌍 The intersections of knowledge that create change

🍄 BONUS - How to specialise in being a generalist

If you Want to be a Great Project Manager, Generalise don't Specialise

I never set out to be a jack of all trades. In fact, when I first stepped into project management, I was convinced that specialization was the key to success.

“Find your niche,” they said.

“Become an expert in one field,” they advised.

But as I progressed through my career, I discovered the power of being a generalist.

I started my career fresh out of my project management certification program, I felt prepared. I had memorized every process in the PMBOK, could recite risk management strategies in my sleep, and had a toolbox full of shiny new project management software at my disposal. I was ready to conquer the world.

Or so I thought.

After a few days on the job it was clear that nothing was as clear as I had believed. There were a million interrelated (and often conflicting) things to understand.

And none of them fit neatly into the processes I had been taught.

I’m 100% confident that this sounds familiar to you.

Engineers spoke to architects who spoke to safety agents who spoke to software designers who spoke to UI/UX designers who spoke to designers I couldn’t even name.

I had my project management plans but it was paper in a hurricane.

...

You might enjoy this:

Postscript

I am opening up 5 FREE one-on-one coaching spots each month. We will spend an hour together working through exactly what you need to push your career forward and make the changes you desire. The general advice we publish each week is great, but nothing beats made-for-you specific interventions. If you are interested, simply reply to this email and we will setup a time. But don't delay, spots fill up fast. 😎

Until next time,

Jonathan (The Effective Project Manager)

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