Project management that helps humans do their best work.

I help teams and organizations work better together through human-centered project leadership, consulting, coaching, and speaking.

Author of Project Management for Humans
Founder of Digital PM Summit
Speaker at SXSW, Future of Web Design, and more
Black-and-white portrait of Brett Harned in a blue paper collage with a project board and workshop photo

New shop

You manage the chaos. You deserve the merch.

For the humans wrangling scope creep, herding cats, and resisting the urge to reply all. You’ve earned a little attitude.

Shop the collection
Vintage robot sipping from a nope mug, wearing the professional cat herder shirt, and carrying a Project Management for Humans tote

Better work starts with the right support.

I help agencies, creative teams, and service organizations improve delivery, support their people, and build healthier ways of working.

Consulting & diagnostics

Identify delivery problems, process gaps, communication issues, and operational bottlenecks that are slowing your team down.

Explore Consulting & diagnostics →

Fractional leadership

Operational and delivery leadership support for growing agencies and teams who need senior leadership without the full-time hire.

Explore Fractional leadership →

Coaching for people who lead

From your first project to leading a business. Practical support for clearer decisions, stronger communication, and getting things done.

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Speaking & workshops

Engaging keynotes and workshops on PM, leadership, AI, communication, and building healthier, high-performing teams.

Explore Speaking & workshops →

What it’s like to work with me

I was able to translate Brett's advice, team building exercises, and management lessons in my daily work and saw immediate benefits. The opportunity to speak with someone with so much knowledge was a massive value add to my professional development.
— Jennifer Antunes
Vice President of Delivery, Paper Leaf
Brett helped us identify and untangle organizational and delivery challenges that were quietly slowing the business down. His ability to diagnose issues across teams, build trust quickly, and coach leaders through meaningful change had an immediate impact on how we operate.”
— Ben Cash
CEO, Reason One
Beyond improving process, Brett helped strengthen leadership confidence, improve communication across teams, and create a healthier operational foundation for the future.”
— Becca Post
CEO, Helen + Gertrude
TRUSTED BY TEAMS AT
The Stelter Company Reason One
Brett Harned smiling at his desk against torn pink paper

WHY WORK WITH BRETT

20+ years of making work work better.

I've spent more than two decades helping teams navigate complicated projects, improve the way they work, and become better leaders. Along the way, I've led project management teams, advised agencies and organizations, founded Digital PM Summit, and written Project Management for Humans.

I bring a mix of operational experience, practical problem-solving, and a healthy appreciation for the messy human side of work. My goal is to help teams build better habits, stronger relationships, and ways of working that actually stick.

Project Management for Humans, second edition, resting on a scattered pile of grayscale sticky notes

Project Management for Humans, second edition

The human side of project leadership, put into practice.

Practical help for the human side of projects: difficult conversations, shifting expectations, and working better together. The expanded second edition adds fresh perspectives on leadership, AI, and the modern PM toolkit.

Second edition · Coming January 2027

Explore the second edition Read Crystal Richards’s foreword (free)

Put the book to work · February 2027

Read it. Talk it through. Try it.

Ten weeks of practical exercises and honest conversation. Tuesdays, noon–1 p.m. ET. Just 16 people.

Explore the book club

Speaking & workshops

Give your audience something they can put to work.

Keynotes and team workshops about project leadership, account management, and working better together.

Explore speaking & workshops
LATEST WRITING
When “just following up” becomes your entire job
Nov 10

When “just following up” becomes your entire job

4 min read
So, I made a shop.
Nov 09

So, I made a shop.

3 min read
Pre-orders are open for Project Management for Humans (2nd Edition)
Nov 06

Pre-orders are open for Project Management for Humans (2nd Edition)

2 min read
Human-centered project management: A practical guide
Nov 04

Human-centered project management: A practical guide

10 min read

Let's make your team work better.

Work With Me
Let's make your team work better.