Michelle LaBrosse, CCPM, PMP, PMI-ACP, RYT Ever since I created Cheetah Negotiations, I often hear from others they perceive any encounter with me is a negotiation.  But,  for me, a negotiation is a very deliberate, well planned out exchange where there is a mutual exploration of how we can create more value together – beyond […]

Michelle LaBrosse, CCPM, PMP, PMI-ACP I’m working on a really exciting project with Dylan Kasch, an Environmental Scientist and food security expert.  After graduating from UC Berkley and then riding his bike from California to New England he found his way to studying small-scale food production year round in cold climates – at an aquaponics

Michelle LaBrosse, CCPM, PMP, PMI-ACP, RYT When I was an Air Force Officer, I was stationed at the Aeronautical Systems Division and worked in the office for Electronic Warfare and Countermeasures.  We were responsible for upgrading the electronic warfare systems on existing aircraft.   Part of our duties were to write Request for Proposals (RFP’s)

Michelle LaBrosse, CCPM, PMP, PMI-ACP, RYT Estimating is a crucial element of my project success.   It is the early assumptions made that set most projects in motion. I was thinking about this after the first weekend of my property in Portland being on the market. The first estimate that even started this was with observing

Michelle LaBrosse, CCPM, PMP, PMI-ACP, RYT Expediency in completing projects is my main goal.  I find I can move fastest with kindness as the foundation.  Projects are about people working together towards completing a significant goal.  The key words here are “people working together.”   Kindness and consideration in the planning phase goes a long

Michelle LaBrosse, CCPM, PMP, PMI-ACP, RYT It’s only March 3rd and the fruit tree’s are in full bloom all around me here in the Pacific Northwest.  The rain clouds have cleared for a moment and the sun is peaking through.  It’s days like today that fill me with vim and vigor to start planning my

Michelle LaBrosse, CCPM, PMP, PMI-ACP, RYT I first heard the term “mojo” about ten years ago.  I was doing a live radio show and the interviewer asked me about the “mojo of accelerated learning.”   I managed to contrive a suitable answer, as I had never heard the term “mojo” before.  When the interview was

Michelle LaBrosse, CCPM, PMP, PMI-ACP, RYT Working together over a period of time, a group of people will create a collective identity of who they are as a team.   At Cheetah Learning – we call our team – Team Cheetah.  This means something very specific to us.  Team identities foster a sense of “we”

Michelle LaBrosse, CCPM, PMP, PMI-ACP, RYT I’m a big fan of using the Japanese technique of the 5 S’s to improve productivity with my project teams. The 5 S’s are a way to get your workspace organized.  Do these tasks in the following order: 1. Sort – this means go through and get rid of

Michelle LaBrosse, CCPM, PMP, PMI-ACP, RYT I recently met a young engineer with an exciting job where he gets to travel to remote villages all over Alaska.  He was telling me about the challenge of being in the office – meetings.  I shared with him my standards for meetings – and thought it might be