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.
How a Stuffed Frog Taught Me Dharma
The other day, I found some odd, sand-like substance on my dresser. At first, I thought it was termite droppings. I live in an area that is well-loved by termites, and I have some familiarity with termite droppings. I quickly realized that this was something different. A quick scan of the dresser showed me the source of the sand. My beloved purple and green frog had been torn open. This little guy was a cross between a stuffed animal and a cheerful decoration. At first, I wondered how this...
Are YOU Powerful?
"Use power wisely and kindly, because the human spirit is fragile." - Anonymous Click Here for: When and How to Use Your Power. As a project manager, you deal with the authority versus responsibility dilemma. You are responsible for the success of your project, yet you have limited authority. You are the boss, but you are also not the boss. Many of your team members will be motivated professionals. They are going to step up and do the right thing. Once in a while, you find that you need to...
Cultivating Equanimity in Daily Life
.🚗 Imagine three scenarios of people broken down by the roadside. Your emotional responses vary significantly based on your connection to them. A stranger? Mild compassion. A neighbor? More involvement. A best friend? Deep emotional turbulence. 😰💔 Consider how equanimity functions as a stabilizing force in your emotional life. It allows you to experience deep compassion, loving-kindness, and joyousness without being overwhelmed by your feelings. In a recent episode of the Death Dhamma...
What Would You Do?
What is it like to be a project manager? We spend quite a bit of time thinking about planning. And when you take project management courses, or study for an exam, you see that there is a strong emphasis on planning. And rightly so. Does that mean when the planning has completed, and your sponsor approves the plan, you can sit back and kick your feet up? No, no, and no. There is plenty for you to do when your team is executing your project plans. Your days are interesting. Some days you are...
Remorse Is Holding You Back
Welcome back to the Death Dhamma Podcast! Last week, while on my walk, I thought about regret. I was not experiencing regret, rather I was contemplating some statements I had heard from others who were experiencing remorse. One was a friend having second thoughts about moving into a relationship too quickly, and another felt let down by someone on whom he had relied. It seems pretty normal for each of us to look at choices we have made in our lives and think that perhaps we could have done...
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...
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.