Episodes

Warren Buffett said it best: “Risk comes from not knowing what you're doing.” On today’s episode, How to Combine Project Risk Tools with Emergency Planning, we’re focusing on how project managers and public safety leaders can speak the same language when it comes to risk. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, created the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment—also known as THIRA—to help communities anticipate and plan for the unknown. In the same way, project risk regi...

In this Foundations Friday, Why Structure Must Come Before Action, we explore the importance of applying project structure to any event or initiative. Whether you're planning a community gathering, a training workshop, or a major deployment, structure is your best friend. Learn two quick strategies to lead with clarity and avoid chaos. What You'll Learn: Why structure should come before action How to define your event like a project charter Two simple ways to build a planning foundation A r...

Planning a public event without structure is a risk you can’t afford. In this episode, How to Treat How to Run Your Event Like a Successful Project, Kevin Pannell shares how to apply project management principles and ICS tools, like RACI matrices, project phases, SMART goals, and SitReps, to plan safer, smoother public safety events. Whether you're leading a 5K, a drill, or a community gathering, treat the event like a project—and lead with purpose. Topics Covered: event planning, project phase...

This week, we apply an EMT’s trauma checklist to project leadership. Using the DCAP-BTLS framework, we explore how to scan your project for failure symptoms—before they spiral. Key focus areas: • Spotting early signs of project breakdown • Clarifying roles and responsibilities • Responding with intention, not reaction Call to Action: Identify one “injury” in your project—like burnout, misalignment, or scope creep—and treat it today. People first. Combined process. Progress together.

Welcome to the second full episode in our All-Hazards Project Management series, What Project Managers Can Learn from EMTs. In this episode, we apply a trauma checklist used in emergency medicine—DCAP-BTLS—to assess and stabilize failing projects. Strategies shared include: Weekly workload balancing Stakeholder alignment checkpoints RACI ownership clarifications Real-world triage questions for team check-ins People first. Combined process. Progress together.

This week’s Foundations Friday, How to Start Small with AI in Your Projects, is a bit of a reset and reminder. If you’re in public safety or project management, you don’t need to become a coder. But you do need to understand where AI can help you lead smarter and deliver faster.

In this episode, How AI is Transforming Public Safety and Project Management We explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how we plan, respond, and lead in complex environments. Key takeaways: How to get your PEOPLE ready with an AI readiness assessment Where to fit AI into your organization's PROCESS When to measure PROGRESS with an AI impact dashboard People first. Process aligned. Progress together.

Welcome to the 20-episode run of the All-Hazards Project Management: Series Kickoff and What to Expect of the People, Process, Progress podcast. Since I was seventeen, I’ve been involved in public safety, emergency medicine, and planning events or incident responses. Across all these roles, one truth has stood out: effective planning connects them all. In public safety, it’s about saving lives and protecting property—but that only works when teams share a process and operate efficiently. In eme...

In this episode, How to Tackle Scope Creep with People, Process, and Courage we're diving into how to protect our projects, keep our sanity, and build stronger teams in the process. Episode outline Intro Core concepts The People Side: Assertiveness and Stakeholder Boundaries The Process Side: Change Control Systems (Hard Skills/PM Tools) The Progress Side: Leading with Clarity Under Pressure Summary & Closing Godspeed y'all, Kevin

This episode is an audiobook-like version of the The 7 Pillars Field Guide Audiobook, how to build a more balanced life distills the key, actionable tools and techniques from The Stability Equation into one-page summaries of each of the seven pillars: ownership, mindfulness, movement, boundaries, connection, sleep, and faith. Godspeed y'all, Kevin

Welcome back to the People, Process, Progress podcast, the podcast dedicated to fostering pragmatic optimism in your professional world. Today, in Project handoffs that work, how to receive and deliver with clarity we're tackling a universal challenge: the art of the good project handoff. Whether you're a healthcare professional transitioning patient care, a software developer handing off a project, or simply passing the baton in any collaborative effort, a smooth handoff is crucial for success...

In Portfolio management lessons from Skyrim for project leaders, I share how the choices made in the virtual fantasy world of Skyrim parallel the strategic decisions Portfolio Managers and leaders must make when planning, resourcing, and executing projects within their organizations' portfolios. Episode focus areas: Effective resource allocation and prioritization Effective stakeholder management Effective risk management Effective progress tracking and benefit realization Godspeed y'all, ...

Restarting the Fix It Friday series with the March 2024 episode from the Hope is NOT a Plan podcast. This episode delves into the crucial skill of asking objective questions to drive clarity and problem-solving. We explore how unbiased inquiries can empower teams and improve processes by drawing parallels to the host's diverse podcasting journey and the principles in his book The Stability Equation. Learn practical techniques to formulate effective objective questions and unlock better organizat...

Hey everyone! I'm excited to officially announce the launch of my book, The Stability Equation: 7 Pillars for a More Balanced Life! This subreddit was created to discuss the principles and practices outlined in the book, and I'm so grateful to have you all here. This book is deeply personal, born from my struggles with anxiety, trauma, and the journey to find lasting mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. It shares the roadmap I developed – the 7 Pillars – that helped me reclaim my balanc...

Today's episode, The Stability Equation: 7 Pillars for a More Balanced Life, is all about building a balanced life, a life that honors the miracle you are while acknowledging the human imperfections that come along with the ride. We're talking about the seven pillars that, when stacked carefully, create a life that's not just planned – it's thriving.

Welcome back to People, Process, Progress podcast. Today, on Five Benefits of Family Time Off, I'm diving into something I believe is essential for well-being and something that often gets pushed down the priority list amidst our busy schedules: family vacations. The benefits: Stress reduction Family bonding and connection Enhanced problem-solving skills Positive impact on physical health Creating memories together Godspeed.

Episode Objectives: Historical overview of political manipulation tactics used throughout America’s history Five key examples of manipulation spanning different eras Six actionable strategies for navigating today's complex political landscape Godspeed y'all.

In this episode, The People, Process, & Progress of Public Health, I talk about what public health is, why it matters, and why it's crucial to protect it from political whiplash, ensuring that the critical work of keeping communities healthy continues regardless of who's in office.

Hello everyone and welcome back to The People, Process, & Progress Podcast, I’m your host Kevin Pannell. On today’s episode, How Technical Should Project Managers Really Be? | S4Ep17 I’m speaking to Project Managers, aspiring PMs, team leads, and anyone involved in software or technical projects. My goal is to talk through the optimal level of technical understanding for project managers, emphasizing the value of technical literacy without overstepping into solution design, and balancing tactica...

As a Project Manager I'm always seeking new knowledge, skills, and abilities to help me empower my team members and project partners. In Five Focus Areas for Project Managers in 2025, I'm sharing focus areas I will be diving deeper into and that I've gotten questions about from my teams and the internet.

On today’s episode, How we Should Reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency, I’ll examine the critical role of FEMA in disaster relief and explore strategies to improving its effectiveness How we can improve FEMA: Thorough After-Action Report/Improvement Plans (AAR/IPs) Direct engagement with FEMA employees and the public Streamline Local and State assistance processes Enhance pre-disaster collaboration at all levels Godspeed y'al

In this audio from my video, I share lessons learned from the book Extreme Ownership written by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin and from my completion of the Echelon Front course Extreme Ownership Framework and how Project Managers can apply them when leading teams. Find a course and sign up at https://academy.echelonfront.com/

Over the past few years, I’ve pulled together seven focus areas for my life that I call the “7 Pillars”, of ownership, mindfulness, movement, boundaries, connection, sleep, and faith. Today on Seven Powerful Quotes to Help You Balance Your Life in 2025, I’m sharing quotes from seven of the most influential people I’ve heard speak, read books from, and worked with and how I apply these concepts in my life. Quotes from: Jocko Willink Andy Puddicombe Emma McAdam Jackson Baynard Johan Harri M...

The Challenger disaster serves as a stark reminder of the importance of rigorous risk assessment and the potential consequences of ignoring or downplaying warnings. In Risk Management Lessons from the Challenger Disaster, I'm paralleling takeaways from the Challenger disaster with how Project Managers can reduce project risk through effective risk management. Godspeed to the Challenger Astronauts Sharon Christa McAuliffe, Michael J. Smith, Judith A. Resnik, Ronald E. McNair, Ellison S. Onizuka,...