Hopewell Theater

Tuesday, November 1

• Hopewell Theater presents a live conversation and interactive discussion with co-authors Matt Kohut and Ed Hoffman about their new book, The Smart Mission: NASA’s Lessons for Managing Knowledge, People, and Projects.
• Kohut and Hoffman will be selling and signing copies of their book after the program.
• Choose the “Supper Club” ticket option to enjoy a chef-inspired dish prepared by RSC atelier (limited quantity available now). Details on the chef's choice dinner and dessert below. Please be advised there will be no substitutions for the meal. Meal includes coffee or tea and one complimentary water or soda per guest.
• $55 for Supper Club tickets (floor tables only, includes Supper & Live Interview) - supper begins at 6:00pm
• $15 for Book Discussion tickets (banquets and all other seating, includes Live Interview) - discussion starts at 7:00pm

Knowledge, learning, collaboration, teaming, and culture are intangibles, yet they are critical in any context that demands innovation or high performance. 

Ed Hoffman, NASA's first Chief Knowledge Officer, and Matt Kohut, an expert in communication, will share key insights from The Smart Mission: NASA’s Lessons for Knowledge, People, and Projects (MIT Press) in an interactive discussion that focuses on practical approaches to harnessing these intangibles for mission success.

Book Description:

The project is the basic unit of work in many industries. Software applications, antiviral vaccines, launch-ready spacecraft: all were produced by a team and managed as a project. Project management emphasizes control, processes, and tools—but, according to The Smart Mission, that is not the right way to run a project. Human skills and expertise, not technical tools, are what make projects successful. Projects run on knowledge.

This paradigm-shifting book—by three project management experts, all of whom have decades of experience at NASA and elsewhere—challenges the conventional wisdom on project management, focusing on the human dimension: learning, collaboration, teaming, communication, and culture.

The authors emphasize three themes:

• Projects are fundamentally about how teams work and learn together to get things done;
• The local level—not an organization’s upper levels—is where the action happens;
• And projects don’t operate in a vacuum, but exist within organizations that are responsible to stakeholders.

Drawing on examples and case studies from NASA and other organizations, the authors identify three project models—micro, macro, and global—and their different knowledge needs. Successful organizations have a knowledge-based culture. Successful project management guides the interplay of knowledge, projects, and people.


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Supper Club begins at 6:00pm. The live interview begins at 7:00pm.

Experience our Supper Club menu, prepared by RSC atelier:

• Sauerkraut Braised Beef with Natural Braising Jus served with some Beefy Kraut
• A side of German Style Red Skin Potato Salad with a Smoked BBQ and Mustard Dressing
• Caraway Cornbread

There are a limited quantity of Supper Club tickets left. Meal includes coffee or tea and one complimentary water or soda per guest.

Formerly the Rosemont Supper Club, RSC atelier is headed by two local chefs with over forty years of combined experience in professional kitchens all over America. RSC atelier takes pride in sourcing as much local product as possible, cooking memorable food, and providing new ideas and techniques to a receptive and adventurous clientele.


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AUTHOR BIOS

Dr. Edward J. Hoffman, Senior Lecturer at Columbia University, served as NASA’s first Chief Knowledge Officer and founder of its Academy of Program/Project and Engineering Leadership. He has co-authored three books, including Shared Voyage: Learning and Unlearning from Remarkable Projects, and numerous journal articles. 

Matthew Kohut, managing partner of KNP Communications, prepares executives, elected leaders, diplomats, and scientists for events ranging from television appearances to TED Talks. He is co-author of Compelling People: The Hidden Qualities That Make Us Influential, and his writing has appeared in publications ranging from Harvard Business Review to Newsweek.


The Art of Living Well series features inspiring films, speakers, and interactive discussions exploring ways of cultivating serenity, meaning, and a deeper connection to one’s self and the world.