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Project sponsor When You Should Get Your Project Sponsor InvolvedIf there are decisions to be made on a project, the project manager may think he's helping by going directly to the customer to get her opinion. But project sponsors represent the organization, and they should be consulted before any significant decisions are made. Do you know when you should get the sponsor involved?
Conference 10 Strategies to Get the Most out of Attending a ConferenceAny time you get the opportunity to attend a conference, think of it as a chance to learn and bring some new ideas back to your team and company. It’s important to be intentional as you prepare and to know what you want to achieve. Here are ten strategies—and a worksheet—to help you get the most out of the experience.
Staying calm Tips for Staying Calm under PressureIf you've got a high-pressure situation coming up such as a job interview, a presentation, or an important meeting with your boss, it's normal to feel some stress. Preparation can help alleviate a lot of it, so be sure to get enough sleep, ask for help, and rehearse what you're going to say. Read on for more tips.
Self-managing team Who’s the Boss? Let Agile Teams Manage ThemselvesThis idea of a team in charge of itself is difficult for many people to accept. Traditional practices condition us to wait for someone to tell us what to do, and managers are accustomed to controlling everyone’s work and knowing everyone’s status. But agile teams can manage themselves—in fact, it's essential to agile.
Agile Teamwork Thanks to Agile, You Can No Longer Be a Selfish Tester

You achieve much greater things if you trust your testing team and focus on the entire software lifecycle rather than your own personal goals. Over the years, agile has made it difficult to be both selfish and successful as a tester.

Managers and leaders The Difference between Managers and LeadersYou often hear managers referred to as leaders, but the two terms are not synonymous. Managers can be leaders, but not always, and there are people who don’t have formal management positions who are leaders. Understanding the difference can help people in both roles—and their team members—be more effective.
Say no How to Say No to Work RequestsThere are times when you have so much to do that you just have to say no to new work requests. The trick is finding a way to decline politely so there are no negative repercussions. There are ways to turn down requests at work without also hurting your career. Be clear and firm but still respectful.
Data Test Your Data Quality to Increase the Return on Your QA InvestmentWith the high volume of data coming into your organization, it’s important that it be complete, correct, and timely. But considering the velocity at which this data is moving, how do you measure its current quality? You must be able to test it wherever it sits still enough to be viewable, without altering it.