The Digital Project Manager

Latest Episodes:

How to Manage Projects Like Investments (Not Just Deliverables) Dec 09, 2025

Show notes

Project managers are often tasked with delivering “on time and on budget”—but what if that’s not enough? In this episode, Galen Low sits down with Stephen Devaux, a longtime project management theorist and the mind behind techniques like critical path drag and value breakdown structures. Together, they unpack why project leaders need to start managing their work like investors—not just builders—and why this mindset shift matters more than ever in the AI era.

From projects that save lives to projects that launch products, Stephen explains how understanding a project’s value profile—not just its deliverables—is the key to smarter decision-making. They cover real-world applications of treating projects as investments, explore the bridge-building metaphor that will stick with you for life, and discuss how AI could (and should) support project managers in this paradigm shift.

Resources from this episode:

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Connect with Stephen on LinkedIn
Stephen’s books:
- Managing Projects as Investments: Earned Value to Business Value
- Total Project Control: A Practitioner’s Guide to Managing Projects as Investments

Why Tracking Time Won’t Save Your Agency’s Margins Dec 02, 2025

Show notes

Feeling behind on your agency's data game? Marcel Petitpas, CEO of Parakeeto, joins Galen Low to reframe what it really takes to build profitable, data-driven operations. Hint: it’s not about buying software or pushing for time tracking compliance. Marcel breaks down why starting with metrics, models, and meaning—not tools—is the real shortcut to operational clarity.

With real-talk on utilization myths, data fluency for PMs, and how AI can actually drive measurable impact (without overwhelming your team), this episode is a field guide for agency leaders who want to do more than just keep up. It's about building a smarter foundation for the long haul—and doing it in a way that doesn’t burn you out.

Resources from this episode:

Join the Digital Project Manager Community
Subscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcasts
Connect with Marcel on LinkedIn
Check out Parakeeto
Agency Profit Podcast
Parakeeto Profitability Framework & Toolkit

A Privacy-First AI Strategy: What It Looks Like and Why It Matters Nov 25, 2025

Show notes

What if regulation wasn’t a blocker to AI transformation—but a strategic advantage? Galen sits down with Lauren Wallace—former Chief Legal Officer at RadarFirst and a veteran in legal, product, and AI governance—to explore how regulated industries can harness their existing compliance muscle to lead responsibly in the AI era.

They get into the practicalities of building privacy-first AI strategies, setting clear ethical baselines, and creating internal momentum across cross-functional teams. If you’re navigating digital transformation in a high-stakes, high-compliance environment, this episode delivers grounded advice and hard-won insights you can act on.

Resources from this episode:

Join the Digital Project Manager Community
Subscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcasts
Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn
Check out RadarFirst
NOYB - None of Your Business (Max Schrems' privacy rights organization)
AI Incident Database

Why Listening to Your Body Is a Leadership Superpower Nov 18, 2025

Show notes

Work sometimes triggers our fight‑or‑flight responses—especially in agency life. In this episode, Galen sits down with leadership coach and operations strategist Abigail Jones and project manager/coach Matthew Fox to explore what happens when we ignore the signals our bodies are giving us, and how tapping into our “body intelligence” can help us lead more consciously in a technology‑driven world. They unpack how our nervous systems get hijacked by stress in modern work, how noticing our physical responses becomes a tool (not just a symptom), and how teams and agencies can shift culture to reclaim better performance and wellbeing.

This is a grounded, real‑world conversation—no fluff—about how our bodies, our minds, and our projects intersect.

Resources from this episode:

Join the Digital Project Manager Community
Subscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcasts
Connect with Abigail on LinkedIn and Instagram
- Check out Southleft
Connect with Matthew on LinkedIn and The Bureau
The Leadership Circle Profile assessment
- What it is: The most comprehensive 360-degree leadership assessment that measures both competencies (what you do) and internal assumptions (how you think)
- Why I use it: It's the only tool I've found that measures both reactive leadership patterns (controlling, protecting, complying) and creative leadership capacities (relating, self-awareness, authenticity, systems thinking)
- Visual profile shows leaders exactly where they're operating from fear vs. trust
- I'm certified to administer and interpret this assessment
Somatic & Body Intelligence Practices
- Window of Tolerance (from Polyvagal Theory): there's a "window" where you can think clearly and respond consciously. When stress pushes you outside that window, you go into survival mode.
- Concept from Dr. Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory
  - Understanding your nervous system's capacity to handle stress before going into fight/flight/freeze
- Helps leaders recognize when they're dysregulated and need to pause
- Links to learn more
  - https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/whatispolyvagaltheory
  - https://www.stayingsane101.com/post/polyvagal-theory-enhancing-the-window-of-tolerance
- Body Scan Practice
  - Simple 60-second practice: scan from head to toe and notice sensations without judgment
  - Before big decisions, difficult conversations, or anytime you feel activated
  - Brings you into present-moment awareness and accesses somatic intelligence
  - Free guided meditations
  - Tech solutions
    - Headspace body scan guide: https://www.headspace.com/meditation/body-scan
    - Calm bo

How to Pivot into Healthcare Project Management (Without Starting Over) Nov 11, 2025

Show notes

Healthcare is hiring — and not just for clinicians. As digital health systems expand and AI transformation efforts ramp up, there’s a growing demand for technical project professionals who can bring experience from tech, product, and government IT into healthcare environments. But if the opportunities are there, why aren’t more people making the pivot?

Galen chats with Rachel M. Keyser — healthcare IT consultant and founder of Project Elevation Partners — about what’s holding project professionals back, how to navigate the complexity and pace of healthcare work, and why your existing skills might be more transferable than you think. Whether you’re burned out by big tech or just curious about how to break into health tech, this conversation offers grounded, practical guidance for taking the leap.

Resources from this episode:

Join DPM Membership
Subscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcasts
Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn
Check out Project Elevation Partners

How Building AI Products is Different—and Why Product Teams Need to Evolve Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

AI is fundamentally reshaping how digital products are conceived, built, and delivered—and the shift isn’t just technical, it’s cultural. Jyothi Nookula, a seasoned AI product leader with experience at companies like Netflix, Meta, Amazon AWS, and Etsy, joins Galen to unpack what makes AI-native products so different from conventional ones, why building them demands new evaluation frameworks, and how product teams can evolve their skills and mindset to keep pace.

Whether you're dealing with unpredictable model outputs, shifting success metrics, or a team with uneven comfort levels around emerging tech, Jyothi offers grounded, real-world strategies for staying user-centered, experiment-driven, and confidently collaborative in the face of rapid change.

Resources from this episode:

Join DPM Membership
Subscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcasts
Connect with Jyothi on LinkedIn
Check out Next Gen Product Manager and Jyothi’s website

How Empathetic Communication Unlocks Innovation at Speed Oct 28, 2025

Show notes

Empathy isn't just a feel-good buzzword; it's infrastructure. In this episode, Galen Low chats with Andrea Goulet, communication systems architect and long-time software entrepreneur, about how empathy can act as a technical tool for collaboration, innovation, and high-performance in the age of AI.

Drawing from her experience building a $4M consultancy and translating complex human dynamics into actionable frameworks, Andrea breaks down the mechanics of empathy, why it matters more than ever, and how we can cultivate it in our teams to drive better outcomes. This isn't about being soft—it's about being strategic.

Resources from this episode:

Join DPM Membership
Subscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcasts
Connect with Andrea on LinkedIn
Check out Andrea’s website
The Diversity Bonus by Scott E. Page
Self-Compassion Research by Kristin Neff

How Project Leaders Can Run Projects Like Founders Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

Project delivery leads at agencies and consultancies are being called to do more than just manage timelines and budgets—they’re being tapped to think like business leaders. But how do you actually make that leap from tactical execution to strategic influence? Galen sits down with Mark Orttung (CEO of Projectworks) and Pam Butkowski (SVP of Delivery at Horizontal Digital) to unpack the real shifts in mindset, behaviors, and expectations that define this evolution.

They explore what “thinking like a founder” really means in a delivery context, why hybrid roles are becoming the norm, and how to identify who’s ready to step up. Whether you’re trying to grow your own career or help your team level up, this conversation brings clarity to a path that’s often vague and unspoken.

Resources from this episode:

Join DPM Membership
Subscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcasts
Connect with Pam and Mark on LinkedIn
Check out Horizontal Digital and Projectworks
Mark’s podcast: The Z Suite

How to Lead AI Organizational Change in a Complex Enterprise Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

When AI enters the enterprise, the work isn’t just about the tech—it’s about culture, collaboration, and courage. In this episode, Galen chats with Deborah Ketai, a program and change management leader who helped a Fortune 5 healthcare organization align its people, systems, and culture around AI. Together, they unpack how she built a community of practice that broke down silos, reduced knowledge debt, and created space for cross-training, collaboration, and smarter risk management.

From talent strategy to trust and transparency, Deborah shares what it really takes to sustain AI-driven change inside complex organizations—and what PMs need to learn now to stay ahead as their roles evolve.

Resources from this episode:

Join DPM Membership
Subscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcasts
Connect with Deborah on LinkedIn

How Project Leaders Can Close The Trust Gap In AI-Powered Projects Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare—but it’s not just about smart algorithms or automated diagnoses. It’s about earning trust in high-stakes environments where lives are on the line. Galen sits down with David Doan, Director at Kyndryl and former registered nurse, to explore how delivery leaders can navigate the clinical, technological, and ethical challenges of implementing AI in healthcare.

From preserving human judgment and connection to aligning regulators, executives, and frontline clinicians, this conversation digs into the realities of AI-powered healthcare delivery—and what project leaders can do to make it actually work.

Resources from this episode: