Back in 2006, LinkedIn was only three years old, the global economy was growing fast before the 2008 crisis, and social media influencers were just starting to appear. In the middle of all these changes, Pluto got a big surprise – it was “demoted” and lost its planet status. It was in this rapidly changing world that the first PMI Poland Chapter Congress took place, bringing together professionals ready to face new challenges.
For some people, last year’s conference was their 15th time attending. For me, it was my very first. Here’s how I remembered it, what I enjoyed most, and why I truly admire this event. Instead of covering the entire agenda, I decided to structure my reflections around eight sections highlighting my key takeaways.
C like Communication
From the very first seconds until the final minutes of the event, I felt well informed. Besides the keynote talks, all other sessions were organized in min. three separate rooms running in parallel. This meant everyone had to choose their preferred path before the congress and follow the thread that suited them best. The timing was also very well planned. The balance between session length and break time made it easy to meet new people – people I had never seen or met before, but always hoped to talk to. Thanks to this, networking felt natural, not forced.
A special word of appreciation goes to Daria Biskup, the Project Manager of the congress. Her clear communication and excellent coordination were visible everywhere. Thanks to her and her Team work, everything felt smooth and well designed.
O like Operating Model
Michał Reda delivered a close‑to‑stand‑up performance during the “How Will a Product Operating Model and AI Improve The Way Your Organization Works” workshop. I learned who Marty Cagan is and what the Gleicher Formula for change looks like (Pic.1). Great speech, great examples, and great energy – straight from Gdańsk.
Pic.1 Gleicher Formula
N like Next
The opening keynote by Ike Nwanko set the tone for the entire congress. He spoke about what truly defines project success today, and introduced the audience to PMI:Next, PMI’s refreshed vision for the future of the profession. His message was simple: if you want something to get done, frame it as a project. A project creates focus, clarity, and the discipline needed to deliver real outcomes. But success is no longer measured only in timelines, budgets, and deliverables. The value a project creates should exceed the sum of its effort and cost. To achieve that, he encouraged us to think and deliver M.O.R.E. (Pic.2). In a nutshell, talk less and walk more (a.k.a. walk the talk). One example stayed with me longer: building a hospital without sustainability or social impact in mind ends up with just a building with beds.
Pic.2 M.O.R.E. Source: https://www.pmi.org/learning/delivering-more
G like GenAI
Many workshops covered AI topics, of course. I enjoyed the Bielik Team (Aleksandra Tomaszewska & Sebastian Kondracki) talking about what really feeds AI, and especially loved terms like Eskadra or Spichlerz. It was also a pleasure to discover later in the evening Marcin Żmigrodzki’s tool supporting innovation with AI. Despite the fact that I would like to test it in my organization, who would have guessed that an animal cemetery in Wrocław has so many business opportunities (you had to be there to understand).
As we all know, the second day of such great event can be tough (because of the amount of knowledge absorbed during the first one), it was a very good idea to start day 2 with the energetic Artur Kurasiński and his topic about how a three‑headed unicorn – three people together with AI – can build a company worth a billion dollars. Sounds like a wake‑up speech, doesn’t it?
R like Risks
You can be sure that going to a session led by Grzegorz Szłajko is always a good idea. Taking the Right Risks in Product Development Projects sounded exactly like something I came to Warsaw for. Starting with a kind of KANO-style model showing the impact on customer sentiment and the quality of risk response in four dimensions (deep love, rage mode, ignorance, and amazement) made me look at risk management from a completely different perspective. For example, he explained how double‑edged swords cut both ways: something that is “amazing deep love” can quickly become “rage mode ignorant.” His four rules on how to protect yourself felt like a shield in the daily battles we face in our projects.
E like End 2 End
Susanne Madsen (you can also find her article in the 29th edition of StrefaPMI) spoke about the art of project leadership and described an end‑to‑end journey – from acting like a “hero” to becoming an empowered and empowering leader (Pic.3). She explained the strengths and weaknesses of the classic “hero leader.” On one hand, such leaders are known for getting things done quickly, which is often appreciated by senior management. But on the other hand, being the “savior” of every situation can lead to stress, burnout, and very little room for creativity or innovation. She also shared three common mistakes many leaders make:
- Focusing on tasks instead of leading people
- Focusing on the urgent rather than the important
- Believing we have to know it all and do it all
These points strongly supported the main message being simple but powerful: Let go of the superhero mentality.
Pic.3 From Hero to Leader
S like Skills
Peter Ivanov (see his interview in 51st edition of StrefaPMI) explained some practical AI skills to show that people and computers can be connected so that – collectively – they act more intelligently than any person, group or computer has ever done before. He asked a valid question (referring to shown case study): if AI saves lives, what can it do for your projects and business? We learned The 4 Roles of AI (tool, assistant, peer and manager), meet the AI CEO, and were told that AI is like a…teenage sex:
- Everyone talks about it.
- Nobody really knows how to do it.
- Everyone thinks everyone else is doing it.
- Everyone claims they are doing it.
This comparison became my favourite quote of the day and that was only the beginning of the speech.
S like Success
The 20th congress was definitely a success – both for the people who prepared it and for those who had the pleasure to participate. The celebration on the 11th floor of the congress hotel on day one was just the cherry on top. I didn’t mention all the great people we saw on stage, as that was only a small portion of the content. I truly wish the event lasted four days so I could attend every session. But since life is the art of choice, I’m choosing to do everything I can to attend the 21st International Congress PMI Poland Chapter on 19–20 November 2026, again in Warsaw. Indeed, it’s the biggest project management event in Central Europe.
Fot. Agnieszka Wanat
Na co dzień ratuje życia jako etatowy PgM w branży Automotive Safety. Uważa, że jakość jest za darmo i że zawsze istnieje rozwiązanie problemu. Propaguje niestety wciąż rzadkie podejście do ryzyka mówiące, że to nie jest z góry, tylko złe. Lubi zmiany i kreatywne zadania. W StrefaPMI łączy praktykę z luźnym podejściem do tematu zarządzania projektami. Wierzy, że każdy PM ma wiele twarzy, niekoniecznie tylko 50.
Saving lives for a living by working for an automotive company with such a mission. Believing that good quality management cuts costs and is basically free. Promoting an approach to risk that sees it not only as a threat but also as an opportunity. In StrefaPMI, combining practice with a relaxed approach to project management. Convinced that every Project Manager has many faces, not necessarily just 50.