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Margaret Meloni

Helping project managers be the best they can be - Helping human beings navigate impermanence. A human making sense of this world using Buddhism to guide me. Want to know more about leading your team to project success? Great! Dealing with loss and life and how to cope - let's talk.

Quiz Time for Project Managers!

Nobody told you there would be a quiz, but nobody told you there would not be a quiz. Wait what?Introducing Quiz Time for Project Managers, a new section over on the pmStudent YouTube channel. Do you know your work packages from your control accounts? What is a WBS Dictionary and when would you use it? And how does a WBS support estimating?Is there a type of estimating that relies more heavily on the WBS? These short quizzes are designed to test your knowledge or act as a refresher. Because,...

PACE Yourself. Finding Calm in Chaotic Times.

Welcome back to the Death Dhamma Podcast! In a time of change and chaos, it is important to pace yourself. You are not in a sprint, you are in a marathon, so do not burn out before you complete your work in this world. Well-developed equanimity does keep you centered in the midst of how things are. When you can see your situation without bias, you can be more strategic and effective in your response. To respond to impermanence and the rising and falling of things successfully and efficiently...

Contemplating Caterpillars and Metamorphosis

Caterpillars Change, or They Die. What About Us? Welcome back to the Death Dhamma Podcast! As we stand on the precipice of a shifting political landscape in the United States, feelings range from jubilation to despair, reflecting the diverse tapestry of human emotion and expectation. But beyond the immediate reactions to change, lies a profound philosophical question: How do we respond to the transformations that life imposes upon us? Drawing on the poignant metaphor of the caterpillar’s...

Great Leaders Don’t Wish Their Teams ‘Good Luck’—They Clear the Path to Success!

“If we always helped one another, no one would need luck.” – Sophocles ‘Good luck.’ How often has someone said this to you? How often have you said it to others? Of course, you mean well. Sometimes saying ‘Good luck,’ it is an automatic polite response. Not unlike, ‘Have a nice day.’ You might say it to someone who is going through a difficult situation, especially when you do not know how to help that person. It might be your parting phrase to someone as you walk away from them. There is...

Equanimity in Chaos

Season 5 is Live Welcome back to the Death Dhamma Podcast! This season promises to delve into the crucial theme of finding equanimity and balance during the turbulent times we live in. We face societal turmoil, climate change, and personal challenges. After exploring the profound themes of death, grief, impermanence, clinging, and aversion in previous seasons, let's engage with the broader context of our current reality, emphasizing the essential role of mindfulness and compassion in...

Let's Discuss Your Integration Project

A pmStudent Mini-Lesson How's Your Integration Project Going? Tr Hey Project Manager, how's your integration project going? Wait, maybe you're not running an integration project. How do I know what kind of project you're running? I don't. And don't go away, because what I'm really saying to you is how is integration going for you as a project manager. It's important that you are strategic and that you are looking out and running interference and looking for roadblocks and paying attention to...

2025: Being There Together

Please watch this short message from me to you. Margaret Meloni Death Dhamma Podcast MargaretMeloni.com 5318 East Second Street #413, Long Beach, CA 90803Unsubscribe · Preferences

Prisoners of Our Own Device: Understanding and Alleviating Suffering

As we conclude Season 4 of the Death Dhamma Podcast, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the theme of dukkha, or suffering, that has been a thread throughout our conversations. We've explored how individuals and their work can help us understand and navigate our own suffering, and I've had the privilege of sharing some of my own experiences and insights along the way. The Reality of Suffering: Until March 2020, I visited a California state prison with Venerable Dae Hong, a regular guest...

Was Your Project Successful?

A pmStudent Short Video How Do YOU Know Your Project Was Successful? Your project has ended. You report to your sponsor that your team was successful. There is a pause. Then your sponsor looks at you and says, "I think you did an acceptable job, I would not say successful." Now, you are shocked confused, and disappointed. How will you tell your team that there is no celebration party coming? And what happened? Did you and your sponsor agree on how success would be defined before the project...

Revisiting Connections: Who Do You Seek? Who Do You Avoid?

Reflections on Important Relationships: Who Matters Most? Clinging vs. caring; loving our friends and family is natural, but holding on too tightly can create suffering. How can we practice love while letting go of unhealthy attachments? Are we clinging to them out of fear? Or are we nurturing our relationships with love and mindfulness? Our interactions with others can be a core part of our mindfulness practice. By examining our attachments and aversions, we can begin to let go of unskillful...

Helping project managers be the best they can be - Helping human beings navigate impermanence. A human making sense of this world using Buddhism to guide me. Want to know more about leading your team to project success? Great! Dealing with loss and life and how to cope - let's talk.