Jean Kang

Path to PM

"Jean isn’t a program manager coach solely because she’s done the role. She’s a coach because she’s done both the role AND gone the extra mile to document what she’s researched and learned masterfully. 

“Jean’s the real deal, and I couldn’t recommend her more to someone questioning how to take the next step in their career."

Founder & CEO

LinkedIn

Instructor profile: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/jean-kang

LinkedIn Learning Instructor 

Business Insider

Contributing Writer

Figma

Focus on leadership strategy and helping Product Support operate with even greater agility, clarity and cohesion

Strategic Program Manager

First Program Manager on Product Support, leading some of our most strategic organizational and company initiatives in partnership with cross-functional leaders across Legal, Product and Eng, Marketing, Comm, and Security

Senior Program Manager

CX GTM program manager responsible for how CS goes to market with Product through scaled enablement such as training, communication, and playbooks for 200+ CSMs globally across 11 offices.

Global GTM Enablement Program Manager

Chief of Staff, Women at Linkedin

UN Women

Board Member

Pinterest

Advertiser Ops & Strategy

Facebook

Client Solutions Manager

Intuit

SMB Sales

✨ PM Career Coach, x7 pivoter, helping other pivoters land amazing Program Manager roles and 🔥 thrive on the job | Founder of 🚀 Path to PM | Senior Program Manager @ Figma • Ex-Linkedin, Meta, Pinterest, Intuit

Over the last decade, I led impactful programs at companies like LinkedIn, Pinterest, & Figma.

But here’s the part that surprises people:

- I didn’t have a PMP certification.
- I’m a proud career pivoter. 
- I didn’t check every box.

What I did have was strategy, storytelling, and a clear sense of how to articulate my value.

That’s how I landed multiple 6-figure Program Manager roles at top tech companies not by following the “traditional” path, but by leaning into my superpowers. 

Eventually, I had a spark to do something different..

What if I used the same skills that helped me thrive in Big Tech… to build something of my own?

So I left to bet on myself (again). 

And what served me well in my career also helped me as a solopreneur.

I owned my story, built with intention and shared learnings in public.

I started creating content in 2023 and in 2 years, built a community of 350K+ across LinkedIn, Instagram, and my newsletter.

Today, I’m the founder of the PM Accelerator, a career transformation program where I help senior professionals land high-paying PM roles without another certification or starting over. 

My mission is to democratize access to tech careers + empower folks to design a career, business & life they love especially in this era of AI.

The Results:

→ Partnered with Google, Hubspot, NVIDIA, Adobe, Kajabi, Notion, & more
→ LinkedIn Learning Instructor with 200K+ learners
→ 100M+ impressions over the last year
→ 230K+ follow my journey on LinkedIn
→ Built a $200K+ business in 1 year 
→ 32K+ read my newsletter 
→ (soon TEDx speaker 😱)

If you want to learn the exact framework I used to land dream PM roles + help others do the same… 

📌 APPLY TO THE PM ACCELERATOR (link in bio)

In this 5-week career acceleration program, I teach you how to get interviews, land dream offers and literally thrive on the job.  

I helped 100+ students land PM roles at Microsoft, SoFi, Scale.AI, Adidas, Workday and more (many in under 4–7 weeks)

→ GO HERE: pm-accelerator.com 

📧 jean@jean-kang.com for partnerships, collaborations, and speaking opportunities

📌 Media kit: jean-kang.com

Imposter syndrome is a silent killer.

5 tips to beat it (and change your life 🔥)

—
☝🏼 Step 1: Recognize Your Fixed Mindset

Negative self-talk sounds like:

↳ “I’m not good enough.”
↳ “I always mess up.”
↳ “I’m too quiet.”

These aren’t facts—they are negative thoughts. Recognizing them is the first step.

—
✌🏼 Step 2: Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

Growth lives outside your comfort zone.

↳ Want to improve public speaking? Say yes to that presentation.
↳ Want to become a program manager? Raise your hand to lead that project.
↳ Want to create content? Start posting 3x a week.

The more you stretch, the more you grow.

—
🤟🏼 Step 3: Seek Meaningful Feedback

Feedback starts with you.

↳ Do a weekly retro: What worked? What didn’t? What’s next?
↳ Ask colleagues or friends: What should I do more of? Less of?

Feedback is a gift for growth.

—
🖖🏼 Step 4: Detach Your Self-Worth From Work

You are more than your job.

Grow in areas that align with your values:

↳ Nurture relationships.
↳ Pursue passion projects.
↳ Volunteer or give back.
↳ Prioritize hobbies that bring joy.

—
🖐🏼 Step 5: Add “…Yet” to Reframe

Turn self-doubt into self-belief with one word: “Yet.”

↳ “I’m not a great leader…yet.”
↳ “I’m not in my dream job…yet.”
↳ “I’m not a skilled writer…yet.”

If you can’t beat fear, just do it scared. If not you, then who?

What’s ONE step you can take today? 👇🏼

📌 P.S. And if you're into actionable tips, try out my newsletter.

I talk about leveling up your 9-to-5, building a fulfilling side hustle, and designing a life on your terms.

https://lnkd.in/gc2mu4yK

Repost to inspire someone who needs to hear it & follow Jean Kang for more 🙏🏼

Tech Creator (400k+) with 8M+ monthly views | Ex-LinkedIn, Meta, Figma | Solopreneur, TEDx Speaker & Angel Investor helping you thrive at work using AI

Stop telling yourself you’re not qualified, good enough, or worthy.

Growth happens when you start 
doing the things you’re not qualified 
to do.

Be the person people *want* to work with.

How you collaborate will define your career more than anything else.

Because let’s be real. 

No one wants to work with the person who’s genius but impossible to deal with.

Here are 6 traits that make you an invaluable teammate:

1. Be dependable ☝🏼

↳ Follow through on what you say you'll do.
↳ Show up on time. Physically and mentally.
↳ Be the person others know they can count on.

2. Communicate like a boss ✌🏼

↳ Get to the point (lead with a headline).
↳ Keep people updated before they have to ask.
↳ Listen with the intent to understand, not just to reply.

3. Make other people’s jobs easier 🤟🏼

↳ Offer solutions vs complaints
↳ Offer help before you're asked.
↳ Share resources, knowledge, and wins.

4. Take ownership of everything (Good or bad) 🖖🏼

↳ Give credit where it’s due.
↳ Don't wait for someone else to step up. Be that person.
↳ Say this: “I dropped the ball. Here’s what happened and what I’ll do next time …”

5. Show appreciation 🖐🏼

↳ Say thank you. A lot.
↳ Celebrate small wins. Not just big results.
↳ Recognize someone’s effort, not just outcomes.

People remember how you made them feel. Make them feel valued.

At the end of the day, the best career move isn’t just getting better at your job.

It’s getting better at working with people.

What’s one trait that makes someone amazing to work with? Drop it below 👇

P.S. I just hit 250K on LinkedIn 😭

Here’s how I built an audience of almost 400K followers in < 2 years. 

It’s a letter I wrote to my younger me (and harsh lessons I learned about building a personal brand)

Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eDWXTb3i

Be the person that everyone wants to work with. 

I love this story so much.

Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, owns a $4 trillion dollar company

And yet his LinkedIn profile lists just TWO jobs:

☝🏼 Dishwasher, busboy, and waiter at Denny’s
✌🏼 Founder & CEO of Nvidia

His profile went viral, and people started calling it “the most inspiring LinkedIn profile ever.”

Here’s why his story resonates:

1/ Your first job doesn’t define your success

We’ve all had jobs that felt small or irrelevant. That’s normal.

What matters is what you take from them.

2/ Every experience matters

Jensen doesn’t list every role he’s had.

But even working at Denny’s gave him lessons in grit, humility, and service.

These are traits that shaped how he leads today.

3/ Careers aren’t linear

He went on to earn a Master’s from Stanford, worked as a chip designer at AMD and LSI Logic, while raising 2 children.

In 1993, he co-founded Nvidia while sitting in a booth at Denny’s with “no idea how” to start a company.

30 years later, Jensen is one of the most influential leaders in tech.

Let this be your reminder:

Your resume does not define you.

Your background does not define you.

And no one else gets to define your story except for YOU 💙

image credit: entrepreneurshipquote

The CEO of Nvidia has a legendary LinkedIn profile

Me in my 20s:

- I want to buy a home
- I want to make 6 figures
- I want to work at big companies

Me in my 30s:

- I prioritize peace and presence
- I build products that actually help people
- I crave deep, tech-free time with the people I love

So, what changed?

After hitting my “big goals” by 27, I still felt... empty.

All the titles, salaries, and wins and yet, something was missing.

That’s when I knew I needed to shift my definition of success.

Now at 33, success looks a little different: 

🟢 Freedom > big salary
🟢 Meaningful experiences > status
🟢 Being aligned > being impressive

I’m blessed to partner with companies like Kajabi for making it possible to monetize my expertise so I can build my dream life. 

Kajabi’s new platform updates have made it ridiculously easy to:

↳ Personalize the student experience (hello, new coaching portal!)
↳ Track exactly what content’s performing best
↳ Scale without sacrificing connection

There’s only a a few months left before the year ends.

So, what’s 1 thing you’re doing to make it count? 

Remember, it’s never too late to start something 😉

#KajabiPartner

A career is great.

A meaningful life is better.

Surround yourself with people who fight for you in rooms you aren’t in.

I will never forget those who:

✔️ Advocated for me 
✔️ Believed in my worth 
✔️ Fought for opportunities 
✔️ Gave me credit for my work 
✔️ Praised my work to my manager 
✔️ Articulated my impact to leadership

Because of you, I’m dedicated to paying it forward.

And this is how you create a difference in someone’s life.
 __

6 ways to fight for someone (and leave a lasting impact)

☝🏼 Advocate for better terms

↳ Whether it’s pay, benefits, or recognition, use your voice to push for fairness.

✌🏼 Celebrate their successes

↳ Big or small, recognition will always be remembered.

🤟🏼 Offer nonjudgmental support

↳ Be the person they can lean on without fear of criticism.

🖖🏼 Speak on their behalf

↳ Share their achievements and advocate as though they’re in the room.

🙏🏼 Share resources or connections

↳ Share a simple introduction or resource that can make a difference in their work/life.

🤝🏼 Be their accountability partner

↳ Help them stay on track toward their goals by checking in weekly and celebrate milestones together.

Tag the people in your life who do this and show them your love 💙

P.S. I wrote down my dream of becoming a TEDx speaker (and then manifested it in just 3 months)

This Monday, I’m sharing the exact plan that made it happen. My friends called it genius.

Get it here → https://lnkd.in/gc2mu4yK

You will never forget those who took a chance on you when others rejected you.

Failing is actually a good thing.

But most people let it consume them…

Thank you Costas K. G. for this image 👌🏼 

(instead of building resilience to bounce back) 

I’ve failed A LOT in my life.

↳ got fired twice 
↳ bombed presentations 
↳ stayed too long in toxic relationships

But here’s what it taught me

↳ grit to keep going
↳ take failures as lessons 
↳ made space for something better

And because of these “failures”, I’m right where I need to be:

I met the love of my life.

I’m living my dream and & doing what I love. 

Allowed me to quit tech and create a life on my terms.

Try these 5 things to get back up (even when you don’t want to):

☝🏼 Feel the pain
   
  → Give yourself permission to feel it fully. 
  → Your emotions are valid (and it’s okay not to be okay)
   
✌🏼 Zoom out
   
  → You are not your worst moment.   
  → Recognize that this too shall pass 
   
🤟🏼 Find the lesson.
   
  → What is this trying to teach you?
  → What would you do differently next time?
   
🖖🏼 Rewrite the narrative.
   
  → Stop calling it failure. The only way to grow is through falling.
  → You are a beautiful work-in-progress.
   
✋🏼 Start slowly
   
  → Commit to taking 1 tiny step (any step) 
  → Raise your hand at work. Post 3x a week. Have one hard conversation.
   
I look back and realize:

My collection of failures added up to a far more meaningful life.

What’s one thing you’ve learned from failure that made you stronger? 👇🏼

Helping you land a 6-figure Program Manager job you love | Ex-Big Tech PM → Founder & Creator (375K+) | Solopreneur sharing insights on Careers, AI, & Project Management

FAILURE
Fall
Acknowledge
Investigate
Learn
Understand
Realign
Evolve

Stop waiting for your work to speak for itself.

In 2025, that's not enough.

You can be amazing at what you do.

You can have the degrees, experience, and referrals.

But if no one knows you exist… none of it matters.

We’re not in a job market anymore.

We’re deep in an attention market.

Here’s the reality:

↳ People are Googling you before they meet you
↳ They’re judging your value before you even show up
↳ Recruiters aren’t just checking your resume (they’re scrolling your LinkedIn)

So if you’re doing what you’ve always done and expecting different results...

It’s time to switch it up.

Here’s how to go from invisible → visible:

1️⃣ Share what you're learning.

Example: “Just wrapped up a speaking cohort and learned more in 8 weeks than I thought possible. Here are 3 things that surprised me…”

2️⃣ Post about your job search journey.

Example: “Applied to 12 roles this week. Got 2 interviews. Got 5 referrals. Here’s what helped me land the referrals:”

3️⃣ Comment with insight on posts in your field.

Example: On a post about remote leadership —
“Totally agree. I’ve seen async tools make or break team culture — especially for introverts.”

4️⃣ Let people know what you’re great at and what you’re looking for.

Example: “If you need someone who can translate big ideas into action steps, I’m your person.

Looking for my next role in project management and GTM strategy for a mission-driven AI startup.”

Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.
And that’s power.

You weren’t meant to feel stuck, underpaid, or overlooked.

You were meant to lead, to be respected, and thrive not just survive.

If you're ready to own your voice and land a role where you're paid well, valued deeply, and excited to show up…

I’d love to help. I work with senior professionals to level up their leadership and land strategic program management roles they love.

✔️ Apply now to chat with me + my team: https://lnkd.in/eN_pc9rX

I would bookmark this 🔖

Google launched a free AI learning tool

(and it’s so cool) 😱

It’s part of their new AI experiment called Learn Your Way,

and it’s one of the most intuitive tools I’ve seen for modern learners.

A few standouts:

☝🏼 It adapts to your grade level and your interests
✌🏼 It converts material into formats you’ll actually use (audio, mind maps, slides, etc.)
🤟🏼 It checks in with quizzes and memory boosters so the info actually sticks

Say you’re learning physics.. it’ll literally teach you with rocket examples if you’re into space.

No more boring, generic explanations (bye to old textbooks)

This is still early (and in testing) but this is what I call learning BEYOND the classroom.

You’re not just learning new things.

You’re learning in a way that works BEST for YOU.

And I’m so HERE 👏🏼 FOR 👏🏼 IT👏🏼

📌  Here’s the link to try it out: https://lnkd.in/eB6J6CeF

What do you think?

Agile Admiral - Weekly Project Managment Newsletter

I share my passion about Project Management. 
It will come in a form of discussing Agile Project Management, Certifications, Career, Learnings, Lessons Learned and more. 
If you wanted to stay ahead of the PM game this is for You

Owner

Nokia

*Managing 3 main programs, including 14 Project Managers and 40+ projects in scope

Program Manager

*Part of Nation wide Three UK Digital Cloud Transformation. Leading VNF migrations into a new cloud. 
*Various Telecommunication Network Elements (eg HSS, DRA, STP, SMSC, VMAS, MMSC, OCS, PCRF, PDN GW, IMS, SBC, ARC, OAM, MRF, UTP, NetAct, GiLAN, EMS, Infoblox, F5, Mavenir, Affirmed) and interdependency between elements.
*Working closely with external Vendors and Third parties.
*Managing external resources and contracts.
*Senior Project Manager at Three UK Digital Cloud Transformation Program

Senior Project Manager - Growth Engine for Nokia

Providing PMP preparation training courses to Nokia PMs. Each group has 30-40 participants.

PMP Exam Preparation Trainer and Coach

*End-to-end CORE VNF validation - Interworking of IMS/Packet core/HSS VNFs and cloud platforms.
*Managing PoC's and Customer Pilot project: TMO, Orange
*Working closely with external Vendors and Third parties: Spirent, IXIA

NSW - Nokia Software

Program Manager - 5G Core Solution

Owner of the 5G E2E solution verification activities which includes full end-to-end testing(CORE-RAN-UE). Responsibilities includes product compatibility testing, overall solution behavior, test automation and release based test execution. 
*Planning of Laboratory environment(multi location), interconnectivity between sites and competence development between cross business groups. 
*Support E2E Customer Projects and Trials. Report to Senior Leadership teams and Key Stakeholders.
*Estimation, risk management, communication, managing local and remote teams.
*Working closely with external Vendors and Third parties.

Senior Project Manager - 5G E2E Solution Verification

Responsible for Nokia AirFrame Data Center Solution system testing(server/switches - Rack Mount and Open Compute). Responsible for planning, resource allocation, scheduling testing activities, monitoring and controlling progress, risk management, managing quality, reporting to Senior Leadership.
*Effort estimation and procurement of testing environments.
*Report status, approve test strategy documents and testing phases(sanity, entity, regression, robustness, performance).
*Managing scrum teams, including verification, technical support and test automation
*Manage external vendor relations. Coordinate vendor management tasks. Ensure to track, measure, report and evaluate vendor performance. Identify and implement continuously enhance efficiencies associated with vendor management.

Data Center Project Manager

ProjectCertifications.com

Providing solutions to candidates who wanted to be certified PMI CAPM/PMP/PMI-ACP.
Project management mentoring - 1 on 1 and group level.

Toastmasters International

VP of Education - Nokia Budapest Toastmaster Club

ExxonMobil

Lead and coordinate testing team(20+) to contribute software development activities to the success of a global B2B e-Commerce project for ExxonMobil Fuels, Lubricants & Specialties Marketing Company.
*Responsible for overall planning(OPEX)/execution/monitoring/reporting testing activities.
*Managing onshore and offshore teams(Global team/5 countries/3
continents) - matrix organization, multiple time zones, dynamic resources
*Manage external vendor deliverables. Troubleshoot all vendor problems and present to management as required.
*Owner of sprint, end-to-end, user acceptance, regression, compatibility, performance, load and security testing.
*Tools: expert in HP QC, HP ALM, Atlassian-JIRA, MS Project, MS Sharepoint and Office suite.

Project Manager / Project Test Lead

*Track Project Schedule, Cost, Issues and Deployment;
*Manage delivery of projects from initial concept to in-life support, as well as the go live processes;
*Coordinate Procurement process with Local Ops (LO) and vendors;
*Work with LO and Business contacts to agree deployment approach and timing
*Supervise network project resources(17+) and tasks, delegated by the PM.
*Intermediate knowledge in data networking, understanding of the following:
TCP & IP protocols, IP networking/subnetting, Routing protocols, Switching vs routing, hardware platforms, Structured cabling systems, MPLS, Voice, PBX, Bolt-on's, Cisco products - Voice Gateways

Project Manager / EAME Voice Projects

*Coordinating IT infrastructure implementation(servers and network) at 60 sites, worldwide. Managing Infrastructure design, order, rack & stack and installation of devices. Dealing with site specific issues.  
*Oversee the Infrastructure portion of the project.Collaborate planning, design, implementation and maintenance of Infrastructure hardware.
*Supervise infrastructure project resources(15+) and tasks, delegated by the PM.
*Estimates and stewards infrastructure costs, work effort, and timeline.
*Managing cost and budget.

Junior Project Manager / Infrastructure Track Lead / IT Business Projects

Support the Incident Management function, including arranging update meetings, writing regular communications, organizing incident reviews and managing all actions from them to completion, all in support of the Incident Manager.
Monitor performance of the service lines and create detailed trend analysis to highlight rooms for improvement. 
Interacts with the client and provides internal escalation communications during major incidents.Ensure the customer SLA is achieved
Help the Services to create lessons learned and recommendations, use Key Performance Indicators, root Cause Analysis (RCA).

Problem and Change Management Coordinator

Club President - BEAT - Budapest ExxonMobil Associates Toastmasters club

Toastmaster International

VP of Public Relations and VP of Mentoring - BEAT - Budapest ExxonMobil Associates Toastmasters club

Mobiline Ltd

*Responsible for technical support operations in high-volume, 7 days a week environment, including supervision of 3-member technical support team. 
*Coordination of technical issues involving network, hardware, and operating systems, oversee network connectivity, implementation, integration, and troubleshooting for servers, routers, remote access. 
* Provides all supervision, training, and development for employees working directly with distributors to diagnose and resolve technical product and/or service issues. 
* Collects, analyses, and reports statistics to improve product quality and maintain a high level of customer satisfaction. 
* Communicate with product development, product management, sales, operations and 
accounting to resolve issues. 
* Establishes department goals and objectives.

Technical Support Team Lead

Eurest

I was responsible for the supervision and co ordination of all staff, stock control and provide general support and assistance to management. Assist the management team in overseeing the every day operation of the outlets, as well as assisting with the training of new and existing team members. 
Duties included stock control, managing, receiving & delivering stock, fulfilling stock orders, money handling and administrating.

Restaurant Supervisor

Eurest Staff restaurant. My duties included: customer service at the café and sandwich bar, hot counter service and working on the till.
(Quality Through Hygiene and Quality Through Safety exam 2oo5)

Service Assistant

My passion is Project Management | Program Manager | 15 yrs of experience = Sharing my thoughts on LinkedIn | 8 Weeks Study Plan CAPM/PMP ⬇️ | On the mission to help 10.000 People Pass CAPM/PMP by 1st Try

Gabor has 14+ years of experience in Program/Project Management.
Worked in the Oil & Gas and Telecommunication industry. Through his experience he managed small to mid size(50 ppl) teams.
Got the exposure to deliver projects using traditional plan based and agile based approaches.
PMP certified since 2018.
In his spare time he likes to be engaged with the project management community. Author of Agile Admiral weekly project management newsletter which has 1500+ subscribers.
His weekly articles have been featured in IIL website and weekly newsletters.
Besides his 9 to 5 activities, his helping people to pass CAPM/PMP exam through his 1-on-1 tutoring service(200+ success stories since Jan 2022)

Gabor Stramb

I saw a job post today that said:

“Junior Project Manager → must have 8 years of experience, a PMP certification, and proven success leading enterprise transformations.”

Let’s pause right there.

”Junior.”

8 years of experience.

Enterprise transformations.

Somewhere, an HR team sat in a meeting and said, “Yes, this sounds reasonable.”

This is the new reality on LinkedIn: every Project Manager job post reads like a wish list from someone who has never actually done the job.

They want you to be: 
→ A certified PMP. 
→ A Scrum Master. 
→ A budget analyst. 
→ A people whisperer. 
→ A part-time therapist for stressed stakeholders. 
→ And, somehow, still “junior.”

Let’s be honest the Project Management role has turned into a corporate catch-all.

Companies don’t want a manager.

They want a miracle worker who can juggle chaos with a smile and still update the Gantt chart on time.

If you’re a real PM, you know: the real skill isn’t in using Jira or managing timelines. It’s managing expectations, mostly your boss’s.

To every Project Manager reading this:
you deserve better than a “junior” title for senior-level chaos.

Stay strong. And maybe skip the job that asks for a PMP and a magic wand.

On the mission to help 10,000 People Pass CAPM/PMP by 1st Try ⬇️ | Available for 1:1 Coaching | Best Practice Into Action

Here’s the truth about project management no one tells you early on:

Your certification might get you the job.
But these 9 skills will keep you in the room when things get tough. 👇

✅ Stakeholder alignment — You’ll learn how to get everyone moving in the same direction, not just talking in circles.

⚠️ Risk mapping — You’ll learn to see problems before they explode, not after deadlines slip.

🔗 Dependency management — You’ll learn to spot the dominoes that can bring down your project if ignored.

🚨 Effective escalation — You’ll learn how to raise issues strategically, not emotionally and actually get support.

⏳ Eisenhower matrix — You’ll learn to prioritize what matters, not drown in what’s loud.

🛤️ Critical path method — You’ll learn to protect the timeline by focusing on what truly drives delivery.

🧭 RACI framework — You’ll learn how to create clarity, not chaos, when everyone’s pointing fingers.

🔁 Retrospective facilitation — You’ll learn to turn mistakes into momentum instead of repeating them.

🌍 Influence without authority — You’ll learn how to lead without a title and earn respect in every room you enter.

For decades, we told PMs:
📌 “Stick to the plan.”
📌 “Follow the process.”
📌 “Hit the deadline.”

We trained robots. Not leaders.

But here’s the truth I teach every PM I coach:
✅ You’re not a task tracker.
✅ You’re not a meeting scheduler.
✅ You’re a project manager

Today’s most effective PMs don’t just manage scope, they manage humans in chaos. Let’s look at the shift:
🛠 1950s: Obey the plan
📄 1960s: Follow the process
📈 1980s: Hit the KPIs
⚡ 2000s: Deliver value (Agile!)
🧠 2010s: Adapt and include
🤖 2025: Lead with empathy + AI

We’ve gone from control freaks to change facilitators and some people still haven’t caught up.

💬 If you still think project management is about Gantt charts and checklists…You’ve already lost your team.

🧠 The future?PMs who coach, care, and co-create with tools AND empathy.

What do you think?
Are we managing projects or managing people?

Everyone thinks a $10M project is just a “bigger” $1M project.

That’s a lie.

At $1M, things move fast.
→ One PM
→ One designer
→ One exec who signs off

Three people.
One direction.

At $10M, things slow down.
→ 17 stakeholders
→ 4 directors
→ 3 execs who want to “align”

Everyone’s talking.
No one’s deciding.

A $1M decision:
“Should the button be blue or green?”
PM asks the designer.
Designer picks blue.
Done.

A $10M decision:
“Should the button be blue or green?”
Marketing wants blue (brand consistency)
Sales wants green (conversion data)
Legal wants neither (accessibility)
CEO wants red (personal preference)

Now there’s a committee.
Three meetings.
User research.
A two-month delay. Same deliverable.
10x the politics. Because more money doesn’t just add scale.
It adds opinions.

→ More money = more attention
→ More visibility = more input
→ More risk = more oversight
→ More people = more coordination

The gap between a $1M and a $10M project isn’t complexity; it’s politics.

The work doesn’t get 10x harder.
The coordination does.

whats the difference between 1M and 10M

Looking forward to seeing you guys on the upcoming IPM Day :-)

View company: International Institute for Learning

Get ready to elevate your project management game at #IPMDay2025!

The Project, Program, and Portfolio Development Learning Track this year dives deep into real-world challenges and cutting-edge strategies that will shape the future of delivery and leadership in every organization.

Hear from powerhouse speakers leading transformation in project excellence including Gabor Stramb, Natalie Berkiw-Scenna, PMP, Markus Kopko ✨, Al Zeitoun, Dusan Stamenkovic, PMP®, ITIL®, Dr. Leon Herszon, Sarbaja Adhikari, CSM, MS, and Blanka Pillár.

📅 Live Event: November 6, 2025
 📺 Streaming Access: Through February 8, 2026
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The Battle

Jean Kang

Gabor Stramb

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Performance ScoreJean Kang's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreGabor Stramb's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Jean Kang

Gabor Stramb

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Jean Kang's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreGabor Stramb's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreJean Kang's LinkedIn Performance