You Can Do Hard Things: Behind the Scenes of Pulling Off a Major Event

There’s a quiet truth that lingers in the hearts of event planners, coordinators, and all the behind-the-scenes warriors: big things are hard. And beautiful. And exhausting. And worth it.

Planning a major event, whether it's a corporate conference, community festival, product launch, or large-scale celebration is a full-body, full-heart, all-hands-on-deck experience. From the first spark of an idea to the final round of applause, it demands more than logistics. It requires patience, flexibility, courage, and above all, belief.

The Planning: Dreaming Big (and Then Bigger)

It always starts the same way: a vision. The idea is usually ambitious and exciting and slightly terrifying. Meetings are filled with what-ifs, bold concepts, mood boards, spreadsheets, venue tours, and coffee. So much coffee.

And then the real work begins. Budgeting, timelines, vendor wrangling, last-minute changes, technology hiccups, permits, contingency plans, volunteer coordination, signage design the list is endless. For every moment that felt inspiring, there were just as many that felt overwhelming.

The Obstacles: When Things Go (Inevitably) Sideways

No major event happens without bumps in the road. Equipment fails. People cancel. Weather doesn’t cooperate. A key vendor runs late. There are moments you want to scream or cry (sometimes both).

There’s that pit-in-your-stomach feeling at 3 AM when you remember something critical that was almost missed. The panic of a backup plan needing a backup plan. The group texts flying at all hours. And yet you keep moving. One step at a time. One fire at a time. Because the only way out is through.

The Big Day: Show Time

Then the day arrives.

Suddenly, everything clicks into place. Lights turn on, people show up, music plays, and laughter fills the air. You look around and realize: It’s happening. What was once a scribbled idea on a notepad has come to life in front of your eyes. You catch a glimpse of someone smiling because of something you built and for a brief second, the exhaustion fades.

It’s a rush like no other. All the hustle, the stress, the late nights ... they melt into a single, surreal moment of pride. And just like that, the adrenaline carries you across the finish line.

The Afterglow: Gratitude, Reflection, and That One Powerful Reminder

When it’s all over, when the lights are down, the last chair is stacked, and the inbox is (temporarily) quiet, there’s space to breathe. And to feel proud.

Because even when it felt impossible, you did it.

You worked through the setbacks, the doubt, the sheer chaos — and came out stronger, wiser, and more resilient. It’s in these moments you remember something important:

“We can do hard things.”
— Glennon Doyle, Untamed

You’ve proven it, to your team, your attendees, your partners, but most importantly, to yourself.

So here’s to the hard things. The impossible-seeming deadlines. The moments of pure hustle. The exhaustion that ends in triumph.

And here’s to you ... for showing up, sticking with it, and delivering something incredible.

Until the next one.

Happy Thursday Lovelies,

-srt

Falling Back in Love with the Project Charter

As someone who teaches project management at the graduate level, I often find myself moving quickly through the "introductory" tools of the profession—scope statements, stakeholder registers, project charters. After all, my students are future leaders, already thinking about agile transformations, earned value management, and strategic portfolio alignment.

But recently, while revisiting core documents with my class, I found myself unexpectedly falling back in love with one of the most essential and underappreciated tools in the project manager's toolkit: the project charter.

It was The Project Management Tool Kit by Tom Kendrick (2013) that reminded me why the project charter deserves more attention—not less—at the graduate level. Kendrick doesn’t treat the charter as a checklist item or administrative requirement. He presents it as a strategic control document, one that establishes authority, aligns stakeholders, and serves as a living reference point throughout the project lifecycle. In doing so, he elevates its importance in ways I had admittedly started to overlook.

Why the Project Charter Still Matters—More Than Ever

So, what caused this renewed appreciation?

For one, I started looking at the project charter through a strategic lens rather than a procedural one. The charter is not just about initiating the project; it’s about establishing purpose, authority, and accountability. According to the PMBOK® Guide – Seventh Edition (Project Management Institute, 2021), the project charter formally authorizes a project and gives the project manager the authority to apply organizational resources. That’s foundational—especially in large or matrixed organizations where ambiguity can stall decision-making and delay progress.

Kendrick builds on this by positioning the charter as a baseline for control. When changes in scope, timeline, or budget arise (as they always do), the charter provides a reference point for evaluating whether those changes are justified. It reinforces project governance by defining who has decision-making authority and how changes should be escalated and approved.

Alignment, Not Assumption

One of the most common pitfalls I see in student projects (and in real-world consulting engagements) is misalignment of stakeholder expectations. Kendrick highlights how the charter can serve as an early and critical tool for stakeholder engagement. By clearly outlining the project's purpose, objectives, and constraints up front, the charter becomes a tool for consensus-building. It gets everyone, sponsors, team members, clients, on the same page before execution begins.

This early alignment pays dividends. A well-crafted charter reduces the risk of mid-project confusion, scope creep, or duplicated effort. It also supports stronger communication because all parties share a single source of truth for why the project exists and what success looks like.

Risks, Roles, and Responsibility

In addition to scope and objectives, the project charter captures preliminary risks, assumptions, and constraints. While this is not a substitute for a full risk management plan, Kendrick argues that acknowledging high-level risks early prepares the team for what may come and encourages proactive mitigation.

Equally important, the charter defines roles and responsibilities, clarifying who is accountable for what. In classroom teams and client-facing projects alike, I’ve found that unclear roles are often the root of frustration and inefficiency. The charter resolves that tension before it begins by making authority and responsibility explicit.

What a Strong Charter Includes

To be effective, a project charter should include the following elements (PMI, 2021; Kendrick, 2013):

• Project title and high-level description
• Business justification or strategic alignment
• Measurable project objectives
• Scope overview and major deliverables
• Assumptions, constraints, and high-level risks
• Timeline or key milestones
• Initial budget estimate
• Key stakeholders and their roles
• The name and authority of the project manager
• Sponsor authorization and sign-off

These components ensure the charter is more than a formality. It becomes a foundation for governance, communication, risk planning, and team cohesion.

Rediscovering the Basics

Teaching this material again and watching my students wrestle with the precision required to write a good charter, reminded me of something critical: mastery in project management doesn’t mean moving past the fundamentals. It means using them better. The charter is not a simple document. It is a strategic declaration. It sets the tone for disciplined execution, promotes shared understanding, and gives the project legitimacy in the eyes of the organization.

So yes, I fell back in love with the project charter. And I hope more project leaders do the same—not because it is basic, but because it is powerful.

Happy Thursday, my fellow project charter enthusiasts,
–srt

P.S.
Before I am called a heathen (or other) for suggesting a project charter is necessary for all project management methodologies, let me stop you. I believe that while not every project management methodology formally requires a project charter, most benefit from some version of it. Traditional and hybrid approaches rely on charters for authority, alignment, and governance, while agile methods often replace them with lighter-weight vision statements or product briefs. In frameworks like Lean Six Sigma, the charter is a standard tool used to define the problem and scope. Regardless of the methodology, a well-crafted charter—or its equivalent—serves a critical role in clarifying purpose, aligning stakeholders, and establishing accountability from the outset.

References
Kendrick, T. (2013). The Project Management Tool Kit: 100 Tips and Techniques for Getting the Job Done Right. AMACOM.
Project Management Institute. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition. PMI.

Not Planning to Be a Project Manager? Read This Anyway

I’m excited to be teaching Project Management again this year at William Jessup University. A few weeks ago, someone asked me a great question: “Is project management really necessary if I never plan to become a project manager?”

My answer? A resounding yes.

Let me explain. Even if you never step into a formal project management role, learning how to manage projects is one of the most valuable skillsets you can develop in your career. And I don’t mean that in some vague, “nice-to-have” kind of way. I mean that mastering the fundamentals of project management will genuinely change how you work, how you lead, and how others perceive your value.

Here’s why: no matter what field you’re entering:  healthcare, marketing, engineering, education, business, or nonprofit work your ability to plan, organize, communicate, and follow through is what drives results. That’s the heart of project management.

At some point, you’ll be the one responsible for pushing something forward. It could be a new initiative, a campaign, a policy rollout, a research study, or even just a complex task with lots of moving parts. If you don’t know how to manage a project, chances are someone else will do it for you, or worse, the project will run you instead of the other way around.

I’ve seen incredibly talented people struggle, not because they lacked intelligence or creativity—but because they didn’t know how to align timelines, manage expectations, or stay calm when things didn’t go according to plan. That’s where project management becomes a game changer.

It’s not just about charts or software tools. It’s about learning how to think clearly when things get messy. It’s about being able to communicate your ideas in a way that gets people aligned. It’s about leading even when you don’t have a formal title. And most importantly, it’s about finishing what you start.

I remind students that college is the perfect time to build this skillset. Students are already managing deadlines, group projects, research papers, and maybe even a job or family responsibilities. Every class assignment is a mini project. Every group presentation is an opportunity to practice real-world collaboration and time management.

So, if you’ve ever thought that project management is “someone else’s job,” think again. It’s not just for project managers. It’s for anyone who wants to make an impact and lead effectively in any professional environment.

Think of it as your secret weapon. The more comfortable you become with managing projects, the more doors will open and the more confident you’ll be in every challenge you take on.

Happy Thursday all,

-srt