In 1985, forty-six of the biggest names in music walked into a studio on Sunset Boulevard after the American Music Awards. No press, no leaks, just purpose.

We Are the World was not just a song, it was a project. A one-night mission to create something that would feed millions of people suffering from famine in Africa.

In this episode of People, Process, Progress, Kevin revisits the story he first explored in a March 2024 Hope is NOT a Plan episode, this time through the lens of leadership, culture, and the Seven Project Pillars.

Through the calm and clarity of Quincy Jones and the creativity of Lionel Richie, this team turned ego into empathy and chaos into collaboration.

You will learn how thought leadership, intentional communication, and structured coordination helped them pull off one of the greatest overnight projects in history, and how those same lessons apply to your projects and teams today.

Episode Quote:

“Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie did not lead through control, they led through trust, and they showed us that people will rise to the mission when the purpose is clear and the tone is right.”

In The Right People on the Bus, I share how a Nick Saban clip popped up in my algorithm this week, and it hit home. His message about getting the right people on the bus, and the wrong people off, speaks directly to project leadership. As project managers, we build our own teams every day, and success depends on who is on board, how we support them, and when we recognize it is time for someone to move on.

In this episode, I share what Saban’s philosophy means for project teams: how to foster high performers, coach those who need direction, and help those who are ready to get off at their own stop. Leadership is about alignment, accountability, and care, not control.

???? Takeaway: Make every effort to keep everyone on the bus, but recognize when it is time for someone to find a different route.

???? Learn more about my books and podcast at https://peopleprocessprogress.com

???? The Stability Equation: 7 Pillars for a More Balanced Life

???? The People, Process, and Progress of Project Management

????️ Own your mind, move your body, anchor your spirit.

In Build the Sidewalk Where People Already Walk, we explore what happens when project teams design based on real behavior instead of assumptions. Drawing from a Lean Coffee discussion and PMI’s survey findings that the customer is the ultimate indicator of success, this episode challenges leaders to define “done” through the eyes of the end user. Kevin shares how observation, empathy, and feedback lead to better requirements, stronger outcomes, and lasting trust. Learn how to build projects that people actually use and appreciate.

We already know what to do and what not to do in our lives, but when our intent drifts, so does our progress. This Focus Friday builds on When Strategy Fails: Fix the Intent Gap by combining principles from The Stability Equation and The People, Process, and Progress of Project Management to help you reset your intent, align your people and process, and move forward with purpose.

Most failed strategies don’t collapse because of evil plans or poor execution. They fail because the intent behind them was never clear. In this episode of People, Process, Progress, I unpack what I call the Intent Gap: the disconnect between leadership vision and team understanding.

Drawing from The People, Process, and Progress of Project Management, I share how defining intent early gives teams direction, how to test for alignment, and how to fix the gap before it derails execution.

If your projects feel busy but not aligned, this episode will help you rebuild clarity and momentum from the top down.

Dive deeper in the book at https://a.co/d/eQKtRpI

One week ago I was crawling because I couldn’t walk. The pain reminded me of when a back injury led to discovering my kidney cancer. I panicked, then focused on my breath and what I could do with what I had. In Build Resilience Ahead of Time Not During the Emergency, I share how preparation, mindfulness, and PACE planning help us recover faster in life, leadership, and project management.

In this Focus Friday episode, Lead Early, Not Respond Later, I share a leadership lesson from the 2015 UCI Road World Cycling Championships, where I waited too long to give clear direction to the Resource Unit team checking in hundreds of first responders. By the time I acted, frustration had already built up, but once I owned it, spoke with the site lead, and led a layout change that separated check-in from briefings, we streamlined the process and made the operation safer. The experience taught me that leadership happens before the problem, not after. Lead early, not later.

In this episode, Program and Portfolio Leadership Under Pressure: Building Clarity and Confidence at Scale, Kevin Pannell shares how executive leaders can bring calm, clarity, and confidence to complex programs and portfolios. Learn how to think strategically, mentor effectively, and build operational excellence that drives lasting results.

Key takeaways:

• Clarity builds confidence and progress
• Strategic thinking connects every initiative to the mission
• Mentorship strengthens future leaders
• Operational rhythm turns chaos into consistency

Books and resources at peopleprocessprogress.com

These are my thoughts and experiences and do not represent any current or previous employers.

Own your mind, move your body, anchor your spirit, and keep making progress.