Send us Fan Mail May is Mental Health Awareness Month. But awareness alone won’t fix what’s breaking project leaders. In this episode, Brittany Wilkins challenges the conversation around mental health in high-pressure environments and reveals the real issue: unmanaged pressure. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, delayed decisions, avoided difficult conversations, or questioned your ability to lead under pressure—this episode is for you. Because the truth is simple: Your projects don’t break first. You do. And until you learn how to manage pressure in real time, you will continue to hit the same wall—no matter how skilled or experienced you are. If you are ready to strengthen the skills that separate project managers from project leaders, explore the Power Skills Accelerator, a course designed to help professionals master the leadership capabilities needed to thrive in complex project environments. Enroll in the Power Skills Accelerator https://www.developpowerskills.com/sales-page
If you want to assess where execution may be breaking down in your current projects, take the Execution Intelligence Diagnostic to identify gaps across leadership, decision making, and team alignment. Start the diagnostic https://brittany-hxfhsf7t.scoreapp.co
To learn more about how organizations eliminate execution friction and turn strategy into measurable results, visit Makoway Consulting. www.makowayconsulting.com Support the show Every Organization Pays An Execution Tax. Discover Yours: https://brittany-vsiyzkkz.scoreapp.com/
31.How to Identify Execution Collapse Before It Happens (Spirit Airlines Case Study)
2026/05/07 | 24 mins.
Send us Fan Mail Every business is measured by its financial performance. Revenue. Profit. The bottom line. That’s what people look at when something collapses. But by the time the numbers reflect the problem, it’s already been there. There are other indicators that get overlooked. Decision speed starts to slow. Pressure builds in places no one is tracking. Options begin to narrow long before anyone calls it a risk. I didn’t look at Spirit Airlines and think this was sudden. I thought about how long it had probably been building. In this episode, I walk through what most people miss when they look at business failure. Not the outcome. The pattern behind it. Because collapse doesn’t start with financial results. It starts inside the system. And if you’re not paying attention to those signals early, you don’t get time to react. You get forced to respond. If you are ready to strengthen the skills that separate project managers from project leaders, explore the Power Skills Accelerator, a course designed to help professionals master the leadership capabilities needed to thrive in complex project environments. Enroll in the Power Skills Accelerator https://www.developpowerskills.com/sales-page
If you want to assess where execution may be breaking down in your current projects, take the Execution Intelligence Diagnostic to identify gaps across leadership, decision making, and team alignment. Start the diagnostic https://brittany-hxfhsf7t.scoreapp.co To learn more about how organizations eliminate execution friction and turn strategy into measurable results, visit Makoway Consulting. www.makowayconsulting.com Support the show Every Organization Pays An Execution Tax. Discover Yours: https://brittany-vsiyzkkz.scoreapp.com/
30. Why Hard Work Isn’t Moving You Forward | 4 Power Skills Every Project Leader Needs
2026/04/07 | 19 mins.
Send us Fan Mail You’re working hard. Delivering results. Doing everything right. So why are you still not moving forward? In this episode, host Brittany Wilkins break down the real reason so many professionals and project leaders feel stuck despite their effort. It’s not about working harder. It’s about developing the right power skills. You’ll learn: Why hard work alone is not enough to advance your career The hidden gap that keeps high performers stuck The 4 power skills every project leader needs to succeed How to position yourself for growth, recognition, and leadership If you’ve ever felt overlooked, undervalued, or stuck in execution mode… This episode will challenge how you think about success. And more importantly—it will show you what to do next. 👉 Ready to build the skills that actually move your career forward? Visit: www.developpowerskills.com
Support the show Every Organization Pays An Execution Tax. Discover Yours: https://brittany-vsiyzkkz.scoreapp.com/
29. Mastering Project Management-Why Change Fails: How the ADKAR Model Explains What Leaders Miss
2026/03/24 | 22 mins.
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Project Management Masterclass, we break down one of the most widely used change management frameworks, the ADKAR model. More importantly, we look at how change actually happens in real-world environments and why it often fails. If organizations don’t change and people do, then understanding how individual change happens is critical to delivering successful projects and real business outcomes. In this episode, you’ll learn: What the ADKAR model is and how it works Why awareness alone is not enough to drive change The difference between understanding change and wanting it How gaps in desire create execution friction Why training and knowledge do not guarantee adoption The difference between knowing and doing How to better align the people side and business side of change This episode also includes a real example from an ERP implementation to show how change can break down when desire is not established. If you are leading projects, managing change, or trying to improve execution within your organization, this episode will give you a framework you can apply immediately. But understanding change is only one part of it. Leading change requires strong power skills. How you communicate, influence, align teams, and drive execution under pressure. If you want to go deeper and strengthen those skills, you can explore the Power Skills course here: https://www.developpowerskills.com/sales-page
Support the show Every Organization Pays An Execution Tax. Discover Yours: https://brittany-vsiyzkkz.scoreapp.com/
28. 5 Reasons Change Management Is Necessary for Successful Projects
2026/03/05 | 10 mins.
Send us Fan Mail Change is inevitable in organizations — but successful change is intentional. In this episode of Project Management Masterclass, we explore five reasons change management is necessary for successful projects. Too often organizations focus on timelines, deliverables, and systems while overlooking the most important factor behind transformation: people. Project outcomes are ultimately determined by whether individuals adopt new behaviors. In this episode you’ll learn: • Why every organizational change begins with a clear purpose • Why organizational change requires individual behavior change • How project outcomes depend on adoption, not just execution • Why change management frameworks help guide the people side of change • How leaders ensure change initiatives deliver measurable business value Whether you're implementing a new system, launching a strategic initiative, or leading an organizational transformation, understanding the people side of change is essential for long-term success. If you're a project professional looking to strengthen your leadership influence and guide teams through change more effectively, this episode will give you a practical foundation. Power Skills Leadership Accelerator If you’re technically strong in project management but want to strengthen your leadership influence, communication, and executive presence, I created a program specifically for that. The Power Skills Leadership Accelerator helps project professionals move from managing projects to leading them with greater confidence and impact. You can learn more about the program here: 👉 https://www.developpowerskills.com/sales-page
Support the show Every Organization Pays An Execution Tax. Discover Yours: https://brittany-vsiyzkkz.scoreapp.com/
Project Management Masterclass is the podcast for project professionals who want to move beyond managing tasks and start leading projects with clarity, influence, and strategic thinking.Hosted by Brittany Wilkins, founder of Makoway Consulting, author of Letters to My Sisters in Engineering, and creator of the emerging philosophy known as Execution Intelligence, this show explores what truly drives project success in today's increasingly complex environment.Brittany built her career inside the gap between strategy and execution—the place where capable teams often struggle to turn plans into results. Through years of leading projects, advising organizations, and studying the leadership behaviors that separate successful initiatives from failed ones, she developed a simple belief:Project success is rarely limited by effort. More often, it is limited by execution.Each episode explores the principles, frameworks, power skills, and mindset required to navigate complexity, align teams, improve decision-making, and deliver meaningful outcomes. From leadership development and industry trends to lessons learned from real-world projects, Project Management Masterclass equips professionals with the tools needed to elevate their careers and lead with confidence.Listeners come for the insight and stay for the practical perspective.One listener shared:"I listened during a road trip from Arkansas to Texas and was completely hooked. The content is relevant, inspiring, and genuinely memorable."Another reflection from the same review:"Your calm, articulate cadence makes the content accessible even for listeners who speak English as a second language."Resources & Next StepsExecution Intelligence DiagnosticIdentify where execution may be breaking down across leadership, decision-making, visibility, and team alignment.https://brittany-hxfhsf7t.scoreapp.comExecution Intelligence Book WaitlistJoin the waitlist and receive updates on Brittany's upcoming book.https://brittany-vsiyzkkz.scoreapp.comMakoway ConsultingLearn how organizations eliminate execution friction and turn strategy into measurable results.www.makowayconsulting.comWhether you're leading projects, programs, portfolios, or organizational change, Project Management Masterclass is designed to help you strengthen the skills that separate project managers from project leaders.Tap into the insights. Strengthen your leadership. Execute with intention.
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