The Good Old Sources of Inspiration for Project Managers

Surfing the Internet for inspiring project management blogs, you will most likely get confused because there are so many options to choose from. Authors who pile up those lists usually pursue a commercial or SEO purpose, advertising more than giving true value to the reader (believe me, I’ve been there). If you’re sick and tired of those snappy titles saying ‘more than fifty project management blogs just for you,’ you’re in the right place.

At this point, I recommend referring to these trusted project management sources where you’ll definitely find what you’ve been looking for — pure inspiration, joy, knowledge, and words of encouragement. Apart from the list of these good old sources below, you’ll find PM articles worth reading right here, right now. So here’s my top six.

CIO | Project Management | News, how-tos, features, reviews, and videos

For me, there’s no better place to go hunt for a solid piece of project management news or advice than CIO. Its project management column is written by the word wizards whose messages are clear and recommendations relevant. There you can find leadership lessons, digital transformation tips, and beautifully crafted reviews of project management applications. If you don’t feel like reading, you can go watch their expert videos or listen to the interviews with top project performers.

Must-read: How AI could revolutionize project management

Harvard Business Review | Project Management Digital Archive

HBR is one of my favorite professional project management sources I read when I feel that my level of motivation gets depleted. It honestly reveals the challenges of project manager’s role in a simple but witty manner. The only downside of HBR, in contrast to CIO, is a limited number of articles you can read without a paid subscription. But even reading three free articles a month can fill in your reservoir of inspiration and motivate you. It’s mesmerizing how HBR’s contributors can fit an impressive amount of information into their clear-cut recommendations.

Must-read: Why Agile goes awry — and how to fix it

McKinsey | Project Management Blog

There’s still time in our lives when we want to dip our toes in the waters of research and stay away from lyrics about project management. In this case, McKinsey sounds like a perfect choice. With a thousand of experts and consultants around the world, this group of researchers creates different types of content worth even your single minute of free time. McKinsey’s project management podcasts, articles, and white papers are always backed up by their own research and real experience gained through cooperation with the world’s top companies. What I like most about McKinsey is their way to present content — making it exclusively readable. This website won’t get you irritated with advertisements or irrelevant news. Vice versa, McKinsey prefers that you stay focused on what you’re reading.

Must-read: Managing big projects: The lessons of experience

Project Manager Today

PM Today is one out of many editions focused on project management that sees the world in a printed version. It’s a good old source of inspiration for project managers who prefer the smell of printing ink to computers and smartphones. Generally, PM Today uncovers current project management trends and analyses how digital transformation affects the domain. What makes it one of the best sources of inspiration for project managers is loyalty to the subject and its target audience.

Must-read: 4 core questions to analyze project maturity

A Girl’s Guide to Project Management

Written by Elizabeth Harrin, this source is probably one of the liveliest project management blogs on the web and the first in a class of its own speaking to the audience of women. A Girl’s Guide to PM regularly offers valuable information to its readers in the form of independent software reviews, project management books, PM conferences to visit, and other practical information you need to thrive in the domain of project management.

Must-read: 15 tested and practical tips from women in project management

The Digital Project Manager

Enriched with the power of over 40 professional certified project management contributors, this platform is one of the newest and fastest growing digital project management websites in the world. It offers how-to guidelines, reflects light upon PM tools and presents insights key to project success. What distinguishes DPM from other listed sources of inspiration is a beautiful, modern, and user-friendly design.

Must-read: How to identify and avoid scope creep

You might also like to check books project managers have been reading in 2018 and an easy-peasy explanation of Agile to children.

What’s your favorite project management source of inspiration? Share it in the comments below and don’t forget to sign up! 

Illustration: Copyright © Anastasiia Shcherban