Podcast
The Organized Chaos Café
Hosted by B Chan · EN
Welcome to the Cafe! This is where I host casual, no-filter conversations exploring how people from all walks of life — different industries, roles, and backgrounds — connect back to the world of project leadership. Fresh perspectives, unexpected insights, and real talk to spark new ideas for project leaders looking beyond the usual playbook to influence how we think and what we do. Bring your coffee and listen in!
12episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ep 60: Finding Your Voice - Christina Ho on Voice Acting, Accents, and Speaking with Confidence
Apr 2600:34:11Tap to summarizeVoice acting - Easy right?Christina Ho joins the Organized Chaos Cafe to give us her insight into her world! As a voice actor with over 15 years experience, she has recorded commercials, corporate e-learning, on-hold messaging, and audiobooks, after previously working in corporate finance and digital marketing.Listen to Christina's stories as shares how a coworker encouraged her to try anime dubbing, why cartoon character work felt overwhelming, and how she discovered she excelled at commercial and corporate reads! We'll even dive into a few of the touchier subjects of using accents and representation in the industry.Along with her amazing career journey from from a side hustle during maternity leaves to full-time voiceover, you'll get tips on how to get comfortable with using your voice during presentations, improving yourself as a speaker, and some practical preparation tips that you might see me use at my next public speaking event! (It might be a straw in my pocket...)If you're looking for an amazing voiceover - contact Christina through her website here: christinahovoiceover.com00:34 Meet Christina Ho 01:09 Anime to Auditions 02:13 Finding Her Niche 06:30 First Commercial Wins 08:08 Voice Skills at Work 13:49 Accents and Representation 19:16 Liking Your Own Voice 22:21 Stage Persona and Posture 25:49 Top Voice Tips Leaders 29:44 Voice Warmups and Preparation Tricks32:03 Closing Thanks
Transcribe →Ep 59: AI, Project Villains, and the Keys to Digital Transformation with John Hetherington
Mar 2200:32:35Tap to summarizeI got a chance to sit down with John Hetherington — AI strategist, tech leader, and the mind behind the AI Control Tower — and the time just flies by! We got into something I think a lot of orgs are quietly struggling with right now: nobody really knows who's using AI, what for, or what data they're touching — and that's a problem when costs are climbing and decisions are moving faster than anyone can review them. John walks me through how his Control Tower tackles that visibility gap.We also went deep on why AI rollouts look a lot like ERP implementations but move faster and need to stay tethered to the real problem (not the hype). He shared a story from early in his career where an AI product was considered a failure and a great reminder that metrics don't tell the whole story.We also talk about about project villains we've encountered including delegation, communication traps, founder mindset, and what it actually takes to lead projects without losing your mind.Grab a cup and come join us!Timestamps00:34 Meet John Hetherington02:32 Why AI Needs Visibility04:34 AI vs ERP Projects06:25 When AI Projects Fail10:59 Delegation Done Right13:28 Mentorship and Critical Thinking16:49 Communication Traps22:39 Startup Myths and Scaling26:06 Founder Mindset Shifts28:24 Project Manager Superpowers31:03 Final Thanks and WrapFind John Hetherington on LinkedIn here (and get your free roadmap to delivering AI projects!): https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhetherington1/
Transcribe →Ep. 58: A Chit Chat About Change with Jay Kiew
Feb 1400:30:27Tap to summarizeHey friends! Grab your coffee because this episode is a good one. We're hanging out with Jay Kiew, who's basically become a pro at rolling with life's punches. This guy's a change expert (15+ years in the game), keynote speaker, half-blind cancer survivor, and he's here to spill the tea on how to actually thrive when everything's changing around you.We get into his book "Change Fluency" – think of it as your field guide for when life (or work) throws you curveballs. Jay breaks down nine solid principles for dealing with uncertainty and sparking innovation. We chat about managing teams, what's happening in today's wild job market, and yeah, we definitely talk about AI because how could we not?If you're leading a team or just trying to level up your problem-solving game, this conversation's packed with real talk and practical gems.Get in touch with Jay Kiew here:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaykiew-change-fluency/Website - https://www.changefluency.com/What We Cover:00:34 Getting started and saying hey to JQ02:02 New year vibes and life updates02:55 Diving into the "Change Fluency" book06:11 Breaking down those nine principles11:13 What to do when people just... resist change17:15 AI and change (the combo we're all figuring out)26:13 Real advice for project managers in the trenches
Transcribe →Ep. 57: Navigating the "Work-Life" Balance
Oct 1900:36:28Tap to summarizeWe welcome John Connolly into the Organized Chaos Cafe! He's an accomplished project manager, author, consultant, and educator with over 15 years of experience.He his shares insights from his work, including his focus on organizational leadership, knowledge retention, and project management but also how his experience in librarianship has bridged his work in project management and the importance of institutional knowledge within organizations and PMOs.Then we dive into the heart of the conversation about the deep into the nuances of work-life balance, exploring how to find meaning in work and set boundaries to avoid burnout.Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the interplay between work, life, and meaning.Connect with John on:LinkedInScaling Strategies00:00 Introduction01:27 Current Projects and PhD Journey04:31 Exploring Knowledge Management12:23 Work-Life Balance Insights17:42 Philosophical Perspectives on Work25:30 Practical Advice for Finding Meaning34:52 Conclusion
Transcribe →Ep 56. Linda Raynier - The Quiet Achiever
Sep 1400:36:54Tap to summarizeEmpowering Quiet Achievers with Linda Rayner.In this episode of the Organized Chaos Cafe, Linda Raynier joins me in the cafe to tell us all about her new book 'The Quiet Achiever’!Linda shares insights into redefining confidence, communication, and leadership for introverted professionals. With an impressive social media presence and a background as a CPA and career strategist, Linda discusses the challenges and strengths of 'quiet achievers,' offering practical advice on overcoming self-doubt and societal expectations. We conversation explores the importance of mindset, the concept of the 'bamboo ceiling,' and strategies to foster self-worth and authentic leadership.We'll also discuss the different frameworks in addressing fear-based beliefs and overcoming these fears!Listen to the end so you can learn about the exciting bonuses for her book's pre-orders as we discuss how we can help introverted professionals unlock their potential and excel in their careers.Pre-order 'The Quiet Achiever' here! (www.lindaraynier.com/book)To find out more about Linda, you can visit her on LinkedIn or YouTube 00:30 - Welcome and Guest Introduction01:48 - Defining the Quiet Achiever03:20 - Challenges Faced by Quiet Achievers06:07 - Overcoming Fear-Based Beliefs08:34 - Cultural and Societal Expectations10:27 - Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling15:29 - Building Confidence and Value27:35 - Practical Tips for Quiet Achievers32:54 - Book Launch and Final Thoughts
Transcribe →Ep. 55: Dungeons & Deadlines - The RPG Approach to Project Leadership
Jul 2200:42:24Tap to summarizeAre you ready to face the dungeons and dragons of your project? My guest this month is Ann Campea where she discusses her passion of Role-Playing Games (RPGs) and how it can be used as a metaphor and thought tool for how we can unlock the potential of our teams in project management!Coming from a seasoned strategic operations and project management background, she shares her journey and learnings from companies like Apple and Amazon!We'll dive deeper into into comparing project management to role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) and highlight how you can better support your team despite the stats and luck that might be stacked against you!We chat about building your team character profiles while leveraging the strengths of a diverse team!Grab a coffee and tune in to learn how the principles of role-playing games can offer valuable insights into improving your project management practices.01:38 Journey into Project Management04:19 Role Playing Games and Project Management08:15 Understanding Role Playing Games18:04 Building Effective Teams24:50 Handling Challenges and Luck in Projects38:51 Key Takeaways for Project ManagersWant to get in touch with Ann?Connect with Ann Campea on LinkedInYou can also check out her podcast, The Everyday PM
Transcribe →Ep 54: The AI PM and Ethics Hot Seat
Jun 2200:21:01Tap to summarizeAI in PM and the ethics around it. Are you prepared to be able to use AI effectively AND ethically? This is a really deep topic that I hope to explore a bit deeper. Unfortunately for this episode, I've been bogged down in so much of my work that I've invited to AI experts into the discussion to talk about AI's use in the PM space and the ethical concerns it brings up.My special guests Harry Dingleschmidt and Hillary Sweat will dive into the details, nuances, and pitfalls of AI and it's concerning impact in the PM space. Come join this conversation and let's debate!
Transcribe →Ep 53 : Mark Rozner - Navigating Grief: A PM Perspective
May 26, 202500:35:22Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Organized Chaos Cafe with Ben Chan, we welcome Mark Rozner, a project management expert with over four decades of experience in healthcare, financial services, and corporate environments.Mark shares his unique journey from aspiring chef to leadership roles in project management and we shift our conversation into personal and emotional topics, focusing on managing grief.We discuss how he applied project management principles to navigate these difficult experiences, highlighting the importance of stakeholder management, decision frameworks, and servant leadership.While this is a hard topic, we hope that this episode provides some insight for those looking to understand and manage their own grieving process or helping others navigate through theirs.Connect with Mark Rozner on LinkedIn00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome02:24 Mark's Journey into Project Management03:36 From Chef Aspirations to Healthcare Programming06:58 Core Philosophy in Project Management and Mentorship12:38 The Intersection of Project Management and Grief14:03 Personal Experiences with Grief and Caregiving19:07 Practical Tips for Managing Grief29:12 Supporting Others Through Grief
Transcribe →Ep 52: Galen Low - It Takes A Community to Raise a PM
Apr 25, 202500:40:14Tap to summarizeDoes Project Management sometimes feel lonely? With new emerging technologies and industries, (and even with existing ones) it can like no one understands your struggles.In this episode of the Organized Chaos Cafe, Galen Low, co-founder of the Digital Project Manager (DPM) community joins me on the podcast to shares his journey with project management and community creation!From accidental project manager to digital transformation specialist, Galen highlights the challenges he faced and lessons learned along the way. We then dive into the essence of the DPM community, its mission to support digital project professionals, and some of our own thoughts on the dynamic between generalist and specialist PM roles.Come listen to our light-hearted talk on building a supportive network and how the importance of relationships and shared knowledge in navigating the ever-evolving digital landscape is key for PMs to thrive!You can find Galen Low on LinkedIn.Go check out the The Digital Project Manager here: https://thedigitalprojectmanager.com/01:30 Welcome to the Organized Chaos Cafe02:53 Galen Low's Journey into Project Management04:27 Overcoming Challenges in Project Management07:39 The Birth of the Digital Project Manager Community14:50 Defining the Digital Project Manager19:01 Specialist vs. Generalist Project Managers21:21 Curiosity and Problem-Solving in Engineering22:52 Challenges in Project Management22:18 The Crisis in Project Management Roles25:50 The Value of Community Support28:42 Sustaining a Community31:54 Adapting to Rapid Changes in Project Management31:52 Success Stories from the Community
Transcribe →Ep 51: Daniel Zitter - The Project Management Game is Afoot
Mar 24, 202500:33:22Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Organized Chaos Cafe, we welcome Daniel Zitter, partner at PMZone, where he shares his journey of transforming project management training through interactive board games!We'll talk about the inception and development of a project management board game as a PM learning experience and hear about thethe challenges faced, the unique dynamics of the game, and how it incorporates both fun and serious elements crucial for effective project management!Daniel and I also discuss the differences between their Agile and Waterfall game versions and outlines how these tools can help project managers enhance their skills in a practical, engaging environment.Tune in for insights on innovative project management learning and the story behind PMZone’s popular board games.For more information, check out:Daniel Zitter on LinkedInThe PMZone Board Game01:05 Meet Daniel Zitter: Project Management Enthusiast01:20 The Journey to Creating a Project Management Board Game06:05 Challenges and Insights in Game Development11:25 Understanding the Game Mechanics28:57 Agile vs. Waterfall: Different Game Versions
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