Teams | Collaboration | Customer Service | Project Management

Program management is the management of multiple related projects at the same time. A program is a set of interconnected projects overseen by a program manager whose main goal is to ensure that all work ties back into company-wide goals and objectives. Learn more about how program management works, what a program manager does, and the potential benefits of using program management in your own work.

Ever feel like you're trying to cut down a tree with a Swiss Army knife? Welcome to the world of managing modern work with spreadsheets. Sure, that trusty little spreadsheet has useful tools, but when it comes to the heavy lifting of modern collaborative work, you need something with actual horsepower.

How much clarity do you have into your team’s workload? If you answered “not a lot,” you’re not alone. In fact, 1 in 4 businesses say they either have no process in place or rely on “gut feel” to distribute work. As a result, a whopping 80% of employees report feeling overworked and close to burning out.

The risk management process provides teams with a clear methodology to identify and tackle risks before they disrupt projects. A well-prepared risk management plan keeps your team focused on each step to keep the project steady and successful. A project is most successful when you plan and manage it effectively. Developing your project management skills and implementing tried-and-true project management mitigation strategies can help. But even the most well-developed projects will have risks.

Servant leadership is a leadership model developed by Robert K. Greenleaf. Servant leaders display characteristics such as strong listening skills, empathy, self-awareness, and the desire to create a healthy work environment. Read our tips on becoming a servant-first leader and find out what the pros and cons of this leadership style are. Finding the right leadership style is no easy feat. It has to feel natural to you, be accepted within your organization, and effective with your team members.

A product backlog is an ordered list of tasks, features, or items to be completed as part of a larger product roadmap. With an effective product backlog, you can assign developers daily, weekly, or monthly tasks that target your end goals and help you build a better product. Learn how to create a product backlog, plus tips on how to prioritize the items in your backlog. A product backlog is an ordered list of tasks, features, or PBIs (product backlog items) to be completed as part of a larger roadmap.

Concept maps are visual representations of information that help keep ideas organized and easy to understand. The different types of concept maps can help you visualize concepts and processes or illustrate systems. Depending on the complexity of what you're mapping, you can either use concept map templates, draw your maps by hand, or use mapping software for more advanced projects.

Organizational culture is more than just beer on Fridays. It defines and shapes your work environment, and it’s created by all of the programs, communications, and behaviors within your organization—not to mention your business goals and values. But building a good organizational culture takes time and effort. Read on for our culture-building tips, plus six things to focus on to develop a positive culture at your company.