Project Manager as Translator

In this episode, we sit down with Kristina Curtiss to discuss the unique role of project managers as translators—bridging the gap between technical teams, stakeholders, and business objectives. Kristina shares her journey from office management to leading large-scale healthcare and IT projects. Timestamps & Topics: 2:12 Kristina’s early career at Home Depot 3:00 Transitioning from office management to construction projects – similarities in organizational skills 3:35 The role of time management, operational logic, and communication in project management 4:30 Entering the healthcare project management space 5:41 Implementing EPIC healthcare information systems 6:00 Moving into IT project management and navigating the transition 7:30 How leaders identify and nurture talent within their teams 8:20 The challenge of relocating IT teams across 5 hospitals and 28 clinics 9:42 The importance of change management—engaging stakeholders and addressing resistance 10:15 Using emotional intelligence to understand and address concerns 10:55 Managing scope creep and keeping projects aligned 11:15 The unique skill of translating technical details into business impact 11:45 Preparing organizations for transformation—from paper-based health records to digital systems 14:45 How Emotional Intelligence 2.0 helped Kristina refine her ability to translate across teams 🔗 https://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Intelligence-2-0-Travis-Bradberry/dp/0974320625 15:45 Building strong workplace relationships for career success 18:00 Level Up Your Leadership—the role of emotional intelligence in advancing leadership skills 19:00 PMI San Diego and the value of professional communities 🔗 https://pmi-sd.org/ 20:20 Relationship management as a key leadership skill 21:00 Getting the PMP Certification and its impact on her career 🔗 https://www.pmi.org/certifications/project-management-pmp 22:30 How great leaders recognize untapped potential and open new career opportunities 23:00 Accepting constructive feedback and authentic compliments to grow professionally 23:50 The debate: Are project managers born or made? 25:00 Coaching and consulting—helping others shine in their careers 26:00 Finding fulfillment through volunteering and mentoring 27:15 Team assessments—recognizing individual strengths to build high-performing teams 28:00 Kristina’s role as VP of Communications and its impact on her leadership journey 📖 Kristina’s Featured Book: Unstoppable: The Rise of Female Global Leaders 🔗 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7L6PX7N 🌐 Resources & Links: 🔗 Project Insight Website: https://www.projectinsight.com 🔗 Watch the Video Podcast:https://projectinsight.com/wearyourcapetowork 🎧 Subscribe to Wear Your Cape to Work Podcast: YouTube / @projectinsightpmsw Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/5WMdTji... Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... RSS https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2419669.rss