Diaries of Project Managers
Diaries of Project Managers:Real Problems, Real People, Real Projects
Cohort 1 — Navigating Complex Problems Like a Pro
An in-person working session where project and community managers work through real challenges together.
The challenges don't come with a manual.
Projects change direction. Teams disagree. Communities have competing needs. People working in project and community management navigate difficult decisions every day—often without a straightforward answer.
Diaries of Project Managers moves beyond the traditional conference format. Rather than another set of lectures, it brings experienced practitioners into a room to examine real situations, challenge assumptions and learn from how others solve problems.
“You don't have to have the perfect answer to ask a better question.”What Diaries of Project Managers is built around
What happens in the room.
The day follows a simple progression: bring your experience, unpack the problem, explore different approaches and decide what you will take back to work.
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01
The Room
An informal space where people can discuss real challenges openly, without the pressure of being evaluated.
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02
The Problems
Participants share project and community challenges anonymously. These become the starting point for practical group exercises.
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03
The Conversations
Small groups interrogate each situation: What is happening? What are we missing? Who is affected? What would we do first?
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04
The Reflection
Every participant identifies ideas to apply, assumptions to reconsider and people they want to continue learning with.
Who should be in the room?
We're looking for professionals with practical experience managing people, programmes, projects, communities or partnerships—people who can contribute as much as they learn.
- Project, product & programme managers
- Community managers & leads
- Operations leads
- Ecosystem builders
- Startup & NGO professionals
This is not a beginner career seminar. Participation is intentionally limited to 25 people.
Sessions worth showing up for.
Real challenges take the lead, supported by structured exercises, facilitator input and open peer conversations.
- Facilitator-led conversation
- The Problem Lab — real-world cases
- Hands-on workshop
- Peer discussions & reflection
What you take with you.
The value isn't in the number of talks you attend. It's in what you can approach differently afterwards.
Better questions
Learn to identify underlying problems before jumping to solutions.
Practical approaches
Build confidence in navigating ambiguous project and community challenges.
Fresh perspectives
See how peers in other organisations work through difficult decisions.
Meaningful connections
Meet professionals to exchange ideas and build future collaborations with.
Ideas to apply
Leave with at least one approach you can bring back to your own work.
A community beyond the event
Connect with InnovBorders' growing network for continued peer learning.
Bring the problem. Let's work through it.
Diaries of Project Managers — Cohort 1 is planned for 31 October 2026 in Akure. Spaces are limited to a small, experience-led group.
The exact venue will be shared with selected participants.
