Lessons on Strategy, Community, and Clarity with Kellie Swart
When we first connected over a virtual coffee, I knew Kellie Swart had a unique perspective worth sharing. What began as a casual conversation about career paths quickly evolved into one of the most insightful episodes we've recorded so far.
In this episode of Project Management Matters, Kellie walks us through her journey from discovering project management almost by accident to becoming a global advocate for the profession. Along the way, we talk about what the field has given her: a language to lead, a platform to grow, and a mindset to navigate complexity.
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Here are a few moments that stood out:
* Project management as a shared language. Kellie moved across continents and cultures, often before mastering the local language. But project management gave her a way to connect, contribute, and lead no matter where she was.
* Why virtual coffees matter. In a world obsessed with conversion and calls to action, Kellie has embraced old-school networking. Her simple invitation “let’s talk” has led to some of the most meaningful connections of her career.
* Redefining the profession. Project management isn’t just a toolkit, it’s a strategic function. Kellie reminds us that the role now blends change leadership, strategic alignment, and even sustainability. It’s about delivering value, not just closing a project.
* PMI as a global home. As a board member in the Netherlands chapter and part of a global next-gen committee, Kellie has seen firsthand how the PMI community can shape careers. “It’s rare,” she says, “to walk into a room of leaders and start hugging people you’ve never technically met.”
* Advice for new professionals. Don’t rush to be the expert. Instead, listen well, ask better questions, and stay curious. Your impact isn’t measured by how much you know, it’s in how well you connect the dots for others.
Kellie’s story is a reminder that behind every methodology and metric is a human being trying to move something forward with purpose. That’s why project management still matters.
About Kellie
Kellie is a strategy facilitator and perspective partner to leaders navigating change. After more than a decade of leading complex projects across industries and continents, she noticed a pattern: Behind every strategic challenge is a person carrying the weight of whether their decisions will deliver the value that truly matters. Today, her work lives at the intersection of strategy, leadership, and decision-making, helping leaders cut through complexity and move forward with clarity. Kellie’s vision is simple yet bold: a world where people think with intention, act with confidence, and build with purpose, even when the path forward is unclear.
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