On April 8, 2025, PMI Orange County gathered members and guests for its April Dinner Event, where seasoned project management veteran Mike Sanders delivered the evening’s keynote, “Rules to Successfully Navigate Organizations.” Sanders’s presentation was a dynamic session built around five of his 14 proven “rules,” which were accompanied by a brief, interactive exercise to engage the audience.
Mike Sanders framed his “14 Rules” as a playbook for navigating the “sometimes hazardous waters of an organization,” offering a foundation for realistic expectations, relationship-building, and ultimately, career success and happiness. Due to time constraints, Sanders focused on five key rules. Here’s an overview:
Rule #1: Set the Bar Low
Realistic expectations drive better project outcomes. Sanders pointed out that we need to be realistic in our expectations and plan for possible, even probable, low-bar results and performance. He stated that setting the bar low doesn’t mean compromising one’s standards, but rather planning for less than 100% success so that even modest achievements become pleasant surprises.
Rule #4: Champion the Worth of Others
Genuine recognition builds stronger teams. “There is a compliment shortage in the workplace,” Sanders noted, urging participants to “catch others doing things right” and offer honest, meaningful praise.
Rule #6: Executives Are Different
Understanding executive motivations can demystify decision-making. Drawing on McClelland’s framework of motivational needs, Sanders contrasted typical employee needs (affiliation and achievement) with executives’ primary need for power and minimal need for being liked or for task completion. He stated that executives’ need for power explains a lot of their inexplicable decisions.
Rule #7: Don’t Fall in Love with Your Company
Your work, not your employer, is your most reliable asset. Companies and teams can change “overnight—in an instant,” potentially leaving loyal employees feeling betrayed. Sanders recommended focusing emotional investment on one’s own craft, which remains firmly within one’s control and provides lasting returns on effort and expertise.
Rule #13: Have Difficult Conversations
The most important discussions are often the hardest to start. Although we often delay tough talks for fear of conflict, Sanders outlined a clear process: self-assessment, issue unpacking, realistic goal-setting, meticulous planning, and repeated practice. Each part should be done with safety and mutual respect in mind.
Mike Sanders closed by asking everyone, “What do you want?” The answer became everyone’s goal, and challenges everyone to align it with their playbook. Although only five rules were covered in depth, his full book, detailing all 14 with real-world examples and prescriptions for success, is available for purchase.
