I just published my first of a series of short quizes I'm working on to help people prepare for the PMP and better understand Project Management as a practice.

If you manage supply chain projects, you’ve heard all the noise about AI by now.Some people call it a shortcut. Others treat it like Google with a personality. But the truth is: most people use ChatGPT wrong.They ask for answers instead of insight.They search when they could strategize. When used wisely, ChatGPT becomes the most versatile project assistant you’ll ever have — an analyst, writer, and coach rolled into one.Always available, always calm, never needs coffee. Here’s how to turn it into a real advantage. 🧠 1. Treat It Like a Team Member Before typing your first prompt, imagine you’re briefing a new project coordinator. Give context: - Project type — rollout, visibility, or integration? - Stakeholders — internal, vendor, or client mix? - Current challenge — missed milestones, unclear roles, data flow delays? Then define the role: “Act as a senior project analyst helping me design a communication cadence for a global implementation.” Why it works: context turns generic replies into project-specific intelligence. 🪜 2. Start With Structure — Then Let It Create ChatGPT thrives on structure before creativity.Give it a shape to fill — not a blank canvas. For planning: “Create a milestone plan for an API integration with dependencies, risk points, and checkpoints.” For meetings: “Turn this project update into 3 clear talking points for tomorrow’s steering committee.” For reporting: “Summarize this progress list into a one-page executive brief with traffic-light risks.” Pro tip: The clearer your inputs, the smarter your outputs. 🧩 3. Refine, Don’t Replace AI’s first answer is your starting point, not your finish line. Use the refinement loop: 1. Ask for a draft. 2. Revise: “Make it fit a 6-week timeline with limited resources.” 3. Polish: “Rewrite for non-technical stakeholders.” Each iteration sharpens both the response and your own thinking. 🛠️ 4. Build Your “AI Workbench” Save your best prompts like tools in a digital toolbox. Examples: - Risk register assistant: “Summarize top 10 risks by impact and likelihood.” - Stakeholder communicator: “Draft a professional update in under 150 words.” - Lessons-learned curator: “Turn these notes into five takeaways for future projects.”

Which system integration has caused you the biggest headaches — and what finally solved it?

Successfully leading supply chain projects—especially those focused on integrations, compliance, and visibility—takes a blend of the right skills, systems, and mindset. By strengthening the areas below, you’ll create smoother workflows, more aligned teams, and stronger project outcomes. 🔗 1. Integration Competence Build confidence in using integrated project management methods that keep everyone aligned on goals and deliverables. - Foster a shared understanding of project objectives among all team members. - Use visual modeling tools to clarify complex workflows and system connections. - Stay proactive in managing integration points to ensure smooth business alignment. 💡 Goal: Create connected systems that work together seamlessly toward shared outcomes. 🧠 2. Critical Thinking & Strategic Management Adopt a strategic, big-picture mindset that allows you to challenge the status quo. - Question assumptions and reimagine processes when needed. - Apply systems thinking to understand how one change affects the whole. - Approach each challenge with empathy for different business units and perspectives. 🧩 Result: Early identification of risks and smarter, more sustainable project decisions. 🌱 3. Compliance & Sustainability Make compliance and sustainability integral parts of every project. - Build systems that align with both regulatory standards and corporate values. - Conduct formal supplier assessments to ensure consistent sustainability practices. - Mitigate reputational and operational risks by enforcing clear standards from the start. ✅ Outcome: Ethical, compliant projects that stand the test of scrutiny and time. 💻 4. Technology Utilization Leverage technology to enhance visibility, efficiency, and compliance across your projects. - Integrate sales, operational, and capacity planning tools for transparency. - Use performance dashboards and tracking systems to monitor KPIs. - Automate repetitive tasks to improve reporting and reduce manual errors.

The Project Economy isn’t just about technical delivery. It’s about turning ideas into reality by aligning people, solving problems, and driving value. Power skills are not “soft” — they are hard drivers of project success. If you could only strengthen one power skill in your team this year, which would you choose?