Every year, Thanksgiving shows up with the same goal and sometimes a wildly different execution plan. For those of us on Team Cheetah, we often have new guests, with unique preferences, preparing our meals in different kitchens, with new contributors who don’t do things “our way.” Yet, somehow, it all comes together. That’s because, this is a project with multiple deliverables, a hard deadline, limited resources, and a very emotional group of stakeholders. Our Thanksgivings (probably like yours) are more real than the curated instagram feed of a wanna be Martha Stewart influencer.
For us, project management isn’t just something we do at work and teach – it’s embedded in how we live. Prioritizing what matters most (connection, gratitude, a meal that brings people together), we delegate where we can, and we adapt in real time when we forget to make the cranberry sauce, the gravy needs a reboot, or the turkey fry-o-later goes on the fritz. The real skill isn’t in perfection – it’s in staying calm, adjusting as needed, and keeping our eye on inclusion and appreciation.
This season, we’re especially grateful for our students and alumni who inspire us to adapt and proceed with calm confidence into every part of life. Whether we’re scheduling the same collective dinner in November for the 40th time or our 1500th accelerated PMP Exam class, moving forward with good humor is what turns welcome novelty (aka chaos) into something memorable. So, here’s to good timing, flexible thinking, and the kind of leadership that knows when to plan, and when to let it go and let it flow.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Cheetah Learning. May our timelines be smooth, our risks manageable, and our gratitude overflowing.