General Slim and the 14th Army: A master class in agile resilience
📅 Date: March 12, 2026
🕒 Time: 7:00 pm - 8:30pm EST
🌐 Venue: via Zoom
🎟 Registration: Open to members and public
December 7th, a day that will live in infamy, is best known for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. What is less well known is that the Japanese launched attacks throughout the Pacific and were victorious everywhere. European colonial powers were temporarily driven out of Asia.
Out fought both physically and mentally, the British Empire forces were driven from Burma. (Modern day Myanmar) This presentation is the story of General William Slim who took this defeated and demoralized, multi racial force, and moulded it into the confident and competent 14th Army.
He achieved this against a backdrop of continuing Japanese success and the rising aspirations for Indian independence. The enemy was not just the Japanese, but the jungle, the monsoon, and disease. By coupling meticulous strategic planning and Agile tactical implementation the 14th Army first halted the Japanese, in the bloody fights on the Imphal plain, then drove them from Burma in a series of mobile offensives.
Join us for a master class in agile resilience.
Learning Objectives:
- How to weld together a multi-ethnic team
- How to build resilience and confidence
- Combining traditional and Agile techniques
JIM BENVIE, PMP - "THE HISTORY PM" Jim Benvie transforms historical wisdom and critical thinking techniques into powerful leadership tools for today's business professionals. With 40+ years managing multi-million-dollar projects across multiple continents, "The History PM" delivers thought-provoking presentations on pivotal historical events, structured skepticism for excellence, and the evolving nature of leadership. A recognized industry leader whose exceptional expertise earned him an L1 visa—reserved for professionals with specialized skill. Throughout his career, he was specifically recruited for key leadership positions, including the Martin Decker Totco Service Manager (Europe) role, based on his outstanding reputation. Jim served on the PMI Houston board for 6 years, maintained his PMP certification for over 20 years, and earned the Distinguished Toastmaster Award.
Jim's presentations have earned enthusiastic praise from audiences at conferences nationwide:
- "Should be on the History Channel"
- "This was my favorite presentation of the day!"
- "You made me a history lover today!"
As a speaker with TyauvinOn Solutions and dedicated PMI Houston volunteer for over two decades, Jim challenges conventional thinking by connecting historical insights with contemporary challenges. His philosophy of "Some assembly required" encourages leaders to think deeply rather than seeking simplistic solutions. Invite Jim to deliver a presentation that will inspire your audience while providing actionable insights drawn from history's great leadership and decision-making lessons
