The Cranky PM

The Cranky PM

PM with a grudge. If it’s broken, I’ve already yelled about it.

Process Optimization

Agile Without Scrum: Is That Even Allowed?

Aug 18, 2025

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11 min read

Agile Without Scrum: Is That Even Allowed?

Your scrum theater kills productivity while ignoring agile principles. Focus on outcomes over ceremonies to build software that actually matters.

The Cranky PM

Process Optimization

Story Points: The Exhausting Philosophy of Fake Precision

Aug 11, 2025

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10 min read

Story Points: The Exhausting Philosophy of Fake Precision

Here's why agile estimation is broken, what story points actually measure, and better ways to plan work that doesn't insult everyone's intelligence.

The Cranky PM

Remote Team Management

3 Remote Retrospective Anti-Patterns That Kill Progress

Aug 4, 2025

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2 min read

3 Remote Retrospective Anti-Patterns That Kill Progress

3 remote retrospective anti-patterns keep distributed teams stuck in dysfunction cycles. Here's how to recognize and fix them before they kill progress.

The Cranky PM

Remote Team Management

5 Signs Your Remote Retrospective Is Just Video Call Theater

Aug 4, 2025

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2 min read

5 Signs Your Remote Retrospective Is Just Video Call Theater

Is your remote retrospective fixing problems or just making everyone feel heard? 5 warning signs you're running video call theater instead of driving change.

The Cranky PM

Remote Team Management

Advanced Remote Retrospective Psychology: When Basic Techniques Fail

Aug 4, 2025

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7 min read

Advanced Remote Retrospective Psychology: When Basic Techniques Fail

Stop running remote retrospectives that change nothing. This complete framework creates timezone accountability, surfaces real distributed work issues, and drives measurable improvement.

The Cranky PM

Remote Team Management

How to Assign Remote Retrospective Action Items That Actually Get Done

Aug 4, 2025

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2 min read

How to Assign Remote Retrospective Action Items That Actually Get Done

Your remote retrospective action items never get implemented because they're too vague and ignore timezones. Here's how to create distributed accountability.

The Cranky PM

Remote Team Management

Remote Retrospectives That Actually Work

Aug 4, 2025

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6 min read

Remote Retrospectives That Actually Work

Stop running remote retro theater (it's not working). Your distributed team deserves better than polite complaining sessions. Here's how to fix real problems.

The Cranky PM

Remote Team Management

The 5 Whys Technique for Remote Work Problems

Aug 4, 2025

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2 min read

The 5 Whys Technique for Remote Work Problems

Surface the root causes of your remote team's recurring problems with this adapted 5 Whys technique designed specifically for distributed work dysfunction.

The Cranky PM

Remote Team Management

The Remote Retrospective Questions That Surface Real Problems

Aug 4, 2025

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2 min read

The Remote Retrospective Questions That Surface Real Problems

Stop asking "how was async communication?" Start asking questions that surface real remote work problems. These 6 uncomfortable questions drive improvement.

The Cranky PM

Remote Team Management

The Uncomfortable Questions That Actually Fix Remote Retrospectives

Aug 4, 2025

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3 min read

The Uncomfortable Questions That Actually Fix Remote Retrospectives

Start asking questions that surface real remote work problems. Here are the uncomfortable conversations your distributed team needs to have.

The Cranky PM

Remote Team Management

Remote Retrospective Dysfunction Repair Kit

Aug 4, 2025

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2 min read

Remote Retrospective Dysfunction Repair Kit

Ready to stop running remote retrospective theater and start fixing distributed team dysfunction? Here's how to create conversations that drive real change.

The Cranky PM

Quick Wins

Jul 28, 2025

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1 min read

Requirements That Work

"Make it user-friendly" isn't a spec. "Improve the experience" isn't actionable. You build different mental models then act surprised when they don't match.

The Cranky PM

Stakeholder Management

Your Stakeholders Have No Clue What They Want. Here's What to Do.

Jul 28, 2025

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5 min read

Your Stakeholders Have No Clue What They Want. Here's What to Do.

Your stakeholder management is failing because they communicate in buzzwords. Learn effective requirements gathering techniques to extract real needs from confused stakeholders and protect your project scope.

The Cranky PM

Stakeholder Management

5-Step Framework for Real Requirements from Confused Stakeholders

Jul 28, 2025

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9 min read

5-Step Framework for Real Requirements from Confused Stakeholders

Stop playing guessing games with confused stakeholders. This 5-step framework helps you extract real requirements from people who communicate in buzzwords.

The Cranky PM

Stakeholder Management

Jul 28, 2025

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5 min read

Advanced Stakeholder Management Tactics When Nice Doesn't Work

When stakeholders won't make decisions and keep changing requirements, you need advanced tactics. Here's how to handle chaos with direct confrontation.

The Cranky PM

Quick Wins

Jul 28, 2025

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1 min read

Scope Creep Defense

Don't eliminate scope changes. Handle them intelligently with clear boundaries protecting what matters while allowing flexibility where it adds value.

The Cranky PM

Quick Wins

Jul 28, 2025

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1 min read

Stop Manually Updating Reports

Copying data between spreadsheets. Manually updating reports. Sending the same emails weekly. You're a human API with terrible error handling.

The Cranky PM

Quick Wins

Jul 28, 2025

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1 min read

OKR Reality Check

You're measuring your way to irrelevance. Spending more time tracking metrics than improving what gets measured.

The Cranky PM

Quick Wins

Jul 28, 2025

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1 min read

Process Bullshit Detector

You've got processes for creating processes. Forms to request forms. Meetings about having better meetings. It's bureaucracy performing bureaucracy.

The Cranky PM

Quick Wins

Jul 28, 2025

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1 min read

Priority Defense Framework

Stakeholders calling everything "critical" isn't strategic thinking—it's decision paralysis with corporate jargon. You need a defense system.

The Cranky PM

Quick Wins

Jul 28, 2025

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1 min read

The Backlog Cleanup Method

Every feature request becomes a ticket. Every meeting generates three more "good ideas." Your backlog is digital hoarding disguised as planning.

The Cranky PM

Quick Wins

Status Updates That Executives Actually Read

Jul 28, 2025

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1 min read

Status Updates That Executives Actually Read

You're burying "we're 3 weeks behind" in paragraph seven. Executives scan for one thing: should I be worried?

The Cranky PM

Quick Wins

Jul 28, 2025

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1 min read

Standup Questions That Actually Work

"What did you do yesterday?" isn't project management; it's surveillance disguised as teamwork. Teams waste 15 minutes daily on status that belongs in Slack.

The Cranky PM

Stakeholder Management

Jul 27, 2025

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1 min read

Stakeholder Sanity Survival Kit

Get the free Stakeholder Sanity Survival Kit and turn confusion into clarity. Templates, frameworks, and tactics that actually work with difficult stakeholders.

The Cranky PM

Guides

The Complete Guide to Fixing Broken Project Management Processes

Jul 23, 2025

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13 min read

The Complete Guide to Fixing Broken Project Management Processes

Tired of project chaos? Fix your status updates, timeline planning, and stakeholder communication with frameworks that actually work.

The Cranky PM