Groundhog Day in the life of a Project Manager

Every Project can be a Blockbuster Movie.
The stage is set for:
"Groundhog Day in the Life of a Project Manager"

And.....Action:
Ever feel like you're reliving the same project challenges over and over again?
After reliving the same day/project over and over again, what is stopping you from changing the outcome?
Are you able to recognize the repetition loops?
Then what is stopping you from utilising that absorbed knowledge and available tools to grow, improve, and make each day/project a better one?

In this engaging session, I will draw parallels between the iconic film "Groundhog Day" and the realities of project management, offering insights into how to break the cycle of repetition, where AI can and can't help, and evolve your leadership approach to avoid déjà vu in your projects.

Key Takeaways
1. Recurring challenges are common in project management — recognizing them is the first step toward improvement.
2. Patterns like scope creep, misalignment, and poor requirements often repeat due to organizational habits and a lack of reflection.
3. Emotional awareness helps project managers identify when they’re stuck in a cycle — frustration and burnout are signals, not weaknesses.
4. Breaking the cycle requires intentional change: change management, discipline, hard decisions, adaptive planning, and relentless stakeholder engagement.
5. Utilizing evolving tools like AI, Agile retrospectives, and lessons learned, drive decision-making and empower PMs to evolve and lead more effectively.
6. Project managers must be learners and leaders, not just executors — growth comes from reflection and increased emotional intelligence, not from repetition.

What kind of movie will your project be?
Comedy, Thriller, Horror, Drama... sometimes it depends solely on you!

Be the star role in the project you want to lead!

- Preferred Session Duration: 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Target Audience: This session is ideal for mid-to-senior level Project Management Professionals or project team members working in ERP environments, particularly those involved in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (D365 FO) implementations. This will spike the attendees' interest in the evolving role of technology in project delivery and a desire to enhance their leadership and emotional intelligence skills.

From Ruins to Wonders: Rising from the Ashes of ERP Failure

ERP failures are not the end, they're the beginning of a new story.
This session explores how even the most troubled implementations can be revived and transformed into success stories through resilience, leadership, and strategic change management.

This session blends real-world case studies, personal experiences, and actionable strategies to guide attendees through the project recovery journey. From broken partnerships to mistrust and low morale, I will demonstrate how to rebuild trust, re-engage teams, and deliver successful outcomes.

Through vivid storytelling and examples from actual client projects, including "The Kryptonite", "The Amazonian", and "The Alfred", you’ll gain insight into how to:
- Rebuild a motivated and resilient project team.
- Regain end-user trust and stakeholder engagement.
- Establish a new partner/client relationship based on quality, respect, and mutual understanding.

Key Takeaways:
- Why Do We Fall?
Understand the factors and early warning signs that lead to troubled ERP projects and failed implementations.

- How Can We Rise?
Discover practical recovery strategies, tips, and personal insights to overcome setbacks and drive project success.

- Find Your Superpower
Learn how to leverage your personal and professional experiences to strengthen project relationships and lead with authenticity.

Session Format = 1h with Q&A / intermediate-mid level

This session is designed for professionals involved in ERP projects, project recovery, and organizational change. Ideal attendees include:
• Project Managers and Program Leads overseeing ERP implementations
• Change Management professionals focused on user adoption and stakeholder engagement
• IT and Business Leaders responsible for digital transformation initiatives
• Consultants and Implementation Partners working on ERP recovery and turnaround
• End-users and team members impacted by ERP system changes
• Executives seeking to rebuild trust and collaboration after project setbacks

Ai Can't Cry but Project Managers Can

In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping project management, this session explores the irreplaceable value of human emotion and leadership. While AI can optimize plans and predict risks, it lacks empathy, intuition, and the ability to inspire teams through uncertainty. Join me on this session and have a glimpse of the future of Project Management. I will share real-world insights on how emotional intelligence drives successful projects in a tech-driven world and how AI can support and help immensely on this journey.

Key Takeaways Included:
1. Emotional intelligence is essential for leading teams through uncertainty.
2. How AI supports project delivery and real-life cases for its usage.
3. Success lies in balancing tech tools with human connection.
4. PMs must develop resilience, self-awareness, and communication skills.
5. The future of project management is human-led and AI-supported.

This session is designed for Project Management Professionals who are:
• Experienced in ERP implementations,
• Interested in the intersection of technology and leadership, especially how AI is influencing project delivery
• Facing real-world challenges in managing teams, stakeholders, and complex projects
• Curious about emotional intelligence and its role in navigating uncertainty, conflict, and change
• Looking to enhance their leadership skills in a tech-driven environment

Whether you're a Project Manager, Program Lead, PMO Director, or Change Manager, this talk will resonate with professionals who understand that successful projects require more than just tools and timelines — they require empathy, resilience, and the ability to lead through complexity.

Attendees should have a strong interest in the evolving role of technology in project delivery and a desire to enhance their leadership and emotional intelligence skills.
Session Format - 1h Presentation and Q&A

Design Once, Argue Forever? Why Every Implementation Needs a Living Business Process Catalog

Most ERP implementations start the same way:

Document the AS‑IS
Design the TO‑BE
Argue about it endlessly, and eventually find ourselves back at the beginning

This roundtable‑style session creates a safe space for open and direct discussion around one of the most common ERP realities:

ERP implementations rarely fail at design.
They erode due to missing or undocumented business processes, a lack of process‑driven structure, and unclear ownership.

Together, we’ll explore how the Microsoft Business Process Catalog can serve as a living backbone for ERP implementations, not just during the project, but long after go‑live.
The discussion will focus on business‑process‑led implementations, rather than module‑driven, siloed designs, and how this shift impacts adoption, stability, and long‑term value.
This is not a product walkthrough or a methodology lecture.
It’s a real‑world, experience‑driven conversation, focused on:

Why AS‑IS processes are often outdated before the project even begins
How TO‑BE designs drift once delivery teams step away
Where process ownership disappears, both before and after go‑live
How a living Business Process Catalog helps close the gap between design and reality
Using Microsoft Business Process Catalog for stabilization, governance, onboarding, audits, and continuous improvement

Participants are encouraged to share examples, lessons learned, and good, bad, and ugly insights from their own ERP journeys.
Minimal slides.
Maximum participation.
No judgment, just shared learning.

Participants Will Leave With

A clearer understanding of AS‑IS vs TO‑BE limitations
Practical ideas for keeping business processes alive before and after go‑live
Stronger language to articulate process value to business owners and leaders
Patterns and insights learned from peers across the Microsoft ecosystem

Copilot Broke My D365 Implementation! And Then It Fixed It… Or Did It?

Copilot promises to accelerate delivery, improve productivity, and reduce cognitive load in Dynamics 365 implementations. But what actually happens when you introduce Copilot into a live ERP project with real deadlines, governance constraints, and delivery pressure?
In this interactive roundtable session, I will briefly share real‑world experiences from using Copilot during a Dynamics 365 implementation, including moments where it genuinely helped the team move faster, and moments where it introduced new risks, false confidence, or unexpected friction.
From there, the floor opens for discussion. This session is designed as a peer exchange, not a demo or sales pitch.
Together, we will explore questions such as:

- Where did Copilot deliver real value during analysis, design, and delivery?
- Where did it complicate decision‑making, documentation, or governance?
- How does Copilot change the roles of consultants, key users, and project managers?
- Are we improving quality, or just accelerating mistakes?

Whether you’ve already used Copilot in a D365 project, are cautiously experimenting, or are still on the fence, this session invites honest conversation about what’s working, what’s not, and what we need to rethink as AI becomes part of our delivery teams.
Come prepared to share, challenge, and learn from each other.

Key Takeaways:
- Practical examples of how Copilot has helped and hurt real D365 projects
- Clear signals on when to trust Copilot and when to challenge its output
- Awareness of new delivery risks introduced by AI‑assisted work
- Peer insights and shared lessons from multiple implementation perspectives

Session Format:
Roundtable / Facilitated Discussion

Audience:
Project Managers, Solution Architects, Functional Consultants, Delivery Leads, ERP Program Managers