PMFH #001: On belonging
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Now, on to the good stuff.
Hey friend,
Belonging is a pretty powerful thing.
Most people just want to be part of something. They want to contribute, feel respected, make meaningful connections, and know that they matter. Whether it's at home, among friends, or at work, that feeling changes everything.
The best teams I've worked with weren't necessarily the smartest or most talented (did I actually just say that??). But they were the teams where people felt comfortable speaking up, asking questions, sharing ideas, and showing up as themselves. That kind of environment creates trust. Trust creates better communication, better collaboration, and better work.
That's one of the reasons Pride Month matters.
At its core, Pride is a celebration of belonging. It's a reminder that everyone deserves the opportunity to be seen, respected, and accepted for who they are.
The good news is that creating that kind of environment isn't complicated. It doesn't require a grand gesture. It requires kindness, empathy, acceptance, and a little humanity.
If more workplaces focused on those things, we'd solve a lot more problems than any process, framework, or AI tool ever could.
Happy Pride. 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
Brett
Every week, I'll share a new post along with one from the archives. I've been blogging at brettharned.com since 2009, which means there's a lot of content worth revisiting. Some of it has aged surprisingly well. Some of it may need a little editing, updating, or quiet deletion. That'll be my little secret.
The latest
Brett Harned
TL;DR: "I thought they were handling that" might be the most expensive sentence in agency life. The teams that consistently deliver great work aren't perfect. They've just learned to surface assumptions before they become problems.
The deep cut
Brett Harned
Published May 15, 2025 TL;DR: Clients rarely leave because your project plan wasn't beautiful. They leave because trust breaks down. Whether you split AM and PM responsibilities or combine them, someone still needs to own the relationship.
The Project Management for Humans, Second Edition project chugs along...
The technical review process is wrapping up, and I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who volunteered their time to review the manuscript. Their feedback is already helping make the book better, and now I have a stack of edits waiting for me.
In other PMFH2 news, there's a little irony at play. The illustrator for the first edition famously ran well past deadline, and unfortunately has now disappeared entirely. The publisher is finding a new illustrator, which feels like an oddly fitting project management lesson to encounter while updating a project management book.
I've officially become Team Delivery.
For years I thought the hybrid AM/PM role was the ideal setup for boutique agencies. Then I started looking honestly at my own experience.
I wasn't bad at account management. I just rarely had enough time to do it as well as it deserved to be done.
Over the past year, I've worked with a few agencies that have moved toward clearer separation between account management and project management. In most cases, I've seen stronger client relationships, healthier teams, and better operational performance as a result.
That doesn't mean I think every agency should immediately split the roles! It means the AM versus PM debate is probably the wrong debate. The real question is whether your delivery model supports your clients, your team, and your business.
Every agency is different. The structure matters less than whether people understand their responsibilities, communicate effectively, and work together well. There isn't one perfect model.
There is, however, a model that constantly creates confusion, frustration, and conflict. That's the one I'd avoid.
Listening
As a lifelong Madonna fan, I'm fascinated by everything she's doing right now. The music is one thing. The rollout strategy of her next album has been fun to watch and experience. I'd love to learn more about planning in the music industry.
Reading
Victor Tangermann
If you read my post about students booing at AI comments at commencement, you'll like this one. Be sure to watch the video, too!
Watching
Hacks (HBO Max)
Y'all I am not just watching, I am bingeing! Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder are incredible. The writing is sharp. The relationships are messy, complicated, and surprisingly heartfelt. If you've somehow missed it, start immediately.
Take a minute to think about it.
What made that team different? Was it the people? The culture? The way you communicated? The trust? The sense that you could show up as yourself?
Hit reply and let me know. I'd love to hear your answer.
The older I get, the more I appreciate community.
The best opportunities in my career, the strongest friendships, and many of the biggest lessons I've learned came from finding people who shared my interests, challenged my thinking, and made me feel like I belonged.
Your people are out there.
Keep looking for them.
Until next week,
Brett
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