Project Management Happy Hour

PM Happy Hour is the place for frank and honest discussion about real world issues in project management. We do it in a way that’s not too dry, though it may get a bit salty from time to time.

Each episode, your hosts Kim Essendrup and Kate Anderson we will cover a problem faced in project management today, and share practical advice, real-life examples and the occasional project horror story.

Not only that, but every podcast is also an online class! Our host is a PMI Registered Education Provider, who has structured each podcast as an easy-to-listen-to lesson. To get credit, go to our web site at PMHappyHour.com, purchase your class, take the test (based on the content from our podcast) and you get your PDU certificate instantly!

115 - Top Shelf Replay: Trust Bricks

Dec 16, 2025

As project managers, we spend a lot of time talking about tools, processes, and delivery frameworks—but far less time talking about the invisible structure that holds projects together: trust.

In this Top Shelf Replay episode of Project Management Happy Hour, Kim Essendrup and Kate Anderson revisit one of the show’s...

114 - Happy Hour Chatter: What PMs Really Do, Fear in Decision-Making, and Lessons from Going solo

Dec 9, 2025

Kim and Kate settle in for a classic PM Happy Hour episode — the kind where the drinks are metaphorical, the conversation is wandering in the best way, and the insights sneak up on you. This one covers three big themes that hit close to home for project managers, leaders, and anyone who’s ever had to keep a project...

113 - Top Shelf Replay: Stage direction in the boardroom

Nov 20, 2025

What happens when you drop a senior project manager into a room full of attorneys, tribal leaders, political operators, and massive personalities?

In this Top Shelf Replay, Kate & Kim revisit one of the most beloved—and re-listened—episodes in PM Happy Hour history: “Stage Direction in the Boardroom” featuring...

112 - Burnout: when a 500k job isn't worth it, with Norlander Wilson

Nov 11, 2025

Kate didn’t plan to measure their burnout by the number of bags of pink-and-purple Mother’s animal cookies consumed at their desk…but here we are. Kim’s clue was a rotating cycle of stomach aches and “maybe these aren’t panic attacks but the room is definitely spinning.” And our guest, Norlander Wilson,...

111 - Top Shelf Replay: How do you start a hard conversation?

Oct 29, 2025

Ever freeze up in a tough project conversation? Or worse—blow it up? In this episode of Project Management Happy Hour, Kim and Kate revisit their all-time favorite: Crucial Conversations by the team at VitalSmarts (now Crucial Learning). This book completely changed how they lead, negotiate, and manage conflict. Learn...