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People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast

People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast

528 episodes — Page 3 of 11

PPP 409 | Beyond Blaming and Cutting Corners: The Leader's Guide to Managing Risk, with author K. Scott Griffith

Summary In this episode, Andy talks with K. Scott Griffith about his new book, The Leader's Guide to Managing Risk. The book explores the importance of building resilience and reliability in projects, teams, and life. The conversation delves into the social and technical aspects of producing results, the need for human-resilient systems, and the impact of at-risk choices and cutting corners. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing and addressing risks, as well as creating a culture of safety and employee engagement. In this conversation, Scott discusses the importance of managing risks in projects and organizations. He emphasizes the need to create a culture of psychological safety where team members feel empowered to identify and report risks. Scott explains the process of managing risks, including balancing risk and reward, understanding and managing risks, and considering performance shaping factors. He also highlights the importance of building reliable systems and applies risk management principles to parenting. Whether you're a project manager, a leader in your organization, or someone interested in the art and science of risk management, this episode is packed with thought-provoking insights and strategies to help you lead with confidence and navigate uncertainties more effectively. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:52 Start of Interview 04:54 Why Tend to Focus on the People Instead of Systems When Things Fail 06:41 How Much Should You Invest in Mitigating Risks? 10:39 The Difference Between a One Off and a Pattern 13:36 We Often Learn the Wrong Lessons From When Things Go Right 16:27 Defining At-Risk Choices 21:42 How Can We Help Reduce At-Risk Choices? 27:40 How We Can Inadvertently Make It Worse as Leaders 29:42 The Process Doesn't Start With Firing the Manager! 41:04 How This Applies to Parenting 45:07 Interview Wrap Up 45:48 Andy Comments After the Interview 50:19 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Scott and his books at LeadersGuideToManagingRisk.com. If you'd like more on this subject, here are some episodes to check out: Episodes 49 and 50, with Dr. David Hillson, the "risk doctor" Episode 240, with Jim Detert about speaking up when it feels risky Episode 379, with Angie Morgan Witkowski about how to look at risk differently Check out Beacon by Anvilyard! In risk management, anticipating problems is half the battle. Now imagine a tool that brings this foresight into everyday project tracking, where goals are updated automatically, risks are forecasted early, and you're equipped to navigate setbacks before they arise. Beacon, a Jira App offered by our sponsor Anvilyard, gives you this power. By integrating with your Jira instance, Beacon makes it seamless to track and forecast the health of your project goals. It flags any goals at risk, giving you the foresight to course correct before your team misses. With Beacon, your team stays aligned and on track, effortlessly navigating toward success. I've been impressed with the tool, so check it out. You can learn more and try it for free by going to PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com/beacon. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Ways of Working The following music was used for this episode: Music: On Point by Steven O'Brien Available at: https://www.steven-obrien.net/ License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Energetic & Drive Indie Rock by TaigaSoundProd Available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjeI1ViDB-c License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Mar 28, 202453 min

PPP 408 | When You Have to Deliver Bad News, Fire Someone, or Deal With A Dysfunctional Boss, with author Paul Falcone

Summary In this episode, Andy welcomes Paul Falcone to discuss his book The First-Time Manager: Leading Through Crisis. The conversation dives into common challenges faced by managers such as performance conversations, dealing with dysfunctional teams or bosses, and navigating situations like having to fire an employee or dealing with a younger (or older) manager scenario. Whether you're a new manager or been around for a while, there's insight in this episode for you. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:38 Start of Interview 03:02 Dealing with Performance Issues 10:10 Terminating Employment 13:54 Delivering Bad News 19:02 When You Have a Dysfunctional Boss 24:08 Empowering Leadership: Building a Creative and Innovative Team 26:04 Turning Around a Dysfunctional Team 28:15 The Fall Off the Planet Test 30:14 Earning Respect as a Young Manager 34:26 Addressing Profanity in the Workplace 37:24 End Of Interview 41:40 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Paul and his books at PaulFalconeHR.com/books. If you'd like more on this subject, here are some episodes to check out: Episode 360, with Janet Polach, about her book for first time managers Episode 368, with Jim Wetrich, on where good leaders go wrong Episode 358, with Donato Tramuto, on compassionate leadership Join us for LEAD52 I know you want to be a more confident leader--that's why you listen to this podcast. LEAD52 is a global community of people like you who are committed to transforming their ability to lead and deliver. It's 52 weeks of leadership learning, delivered right to your inbox, taking less than 5 minutes a week. And it's all for free. Learn more and sign-up at GetLEAD52.com. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Tranceverse by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5223-tranceverse License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Tuesday by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/2992-tuesday License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Mar 18, 202446 min

PPP 407 | How to Get Your Message Read, Understood, and Acted Upon, with author Ben Guttmann

Summary In this episode, Andy interviews Ben Guttmann about his book, Simply Put: Why Clear Messages Win and How to Design Them. They discuss how to design and deliver messages that not only capture attention but also evoke meaningful responses. They delve into concepts like simplicity, fluency, and minimal messaging. Ben demonstrates how linguistic complexity can impact a message's success. Additionally, he shares practical examples, shedding light on how to make your communication more effective, regardless of your role in a project. Overall, the conversation highlights the importance of clear and effective communication in all aspects of life and work. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:49 Start of Interview 02:10 Defining the Book in Two Sentences 03:53 What Does It Mean to Be Simple? 04:30 How About Fluency? 09:54 They Don't Want The Drill, They Want the Hole 12:20 How Constraints Can Actually Help You 18:11 The Biggest No-Brainer in the Book 23:23 Removing Fluff 27:27 About Using Big Words 29:03 How AI Can Help 32:00 Interview Wrap Up 32:37 Andy Comments After the Interview 36:04 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Ben and his book at BenGuttmann.com. If you'd like more on this subject, here are some episodes to check out: Episode 378, with Bill McGowan, about saying it right the first time Episode 349, with Tina Kuhn, on how to communicate with different personalities Episode 342, with Krister Ungerbock about his book TalkShifts--how simple changes to what we say can make a difference Episode 195, with Celeste Headlee about her book We Need to Talk Join us for LEAD52 I know you want to be a more confident leader--that's why you listen to this podcast. LEAD52 is a global community of people like you, who are committed to transforming their ability to lead and deliver. It's 52 weeks of leadership learning, delivered right to your inbox, taking less than 5 minutes a week. And it's all for free. Learn more and sign-up at GetLEAD52.com. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Brooklyn Nights by Tim Kulig Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11192-brooklyn-nights License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Quantum Sparks [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10996-quantum-sparks-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Mar 5, 202437 min

PPP 406 | How to Successfully Lead Teams and Deliver Projects: Career Lessons from Tara Miller

Summary In this episode, Andy interviews Tara Miller, a successful project manager and the founder of Artemis, a management consulting business. Tara shares her journey into project management and highlights the misconceptions about the role. She also discusses important lessons she has learned about leading people and delivering projects. Tara emphasizes the significance of building strong team dynamics and fostering individual connections. She provides practical management practices for leading and delivering projects, such as getting to know team members individually, creating team dynamics, and establishing a shared purpose. She also reflects on her personal journey to success, emphasizing the value of hard work and the support of others. Lastly, Tara provides advice for working parents and highlights the benefits of embracing chaos and taking risks. In the outtakes, Andy and Tara discuss the role of AI in project management and the potential impact on the future of work. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:29 Start of Interview 01:51 Tara's Journey to Project Management 04:49 Misunderstandings about Project Management 06:50 Lessons about Leading People and Delivering Projects 09:27 The Project Schedule is the Schedule for How the Project Will Not Occur 11:12 Practical Management Practices for Leading and Delivering Projects 16:24 POP: Personal Operating Profile 19:27 Corporate Mood Ring 20:29 Some of the Biggest People-Related Challenges 22:38 Navigating Change and Stakeholder Management 25:31 Lessons About Being a Successful Woman in Project Management 31:24 Thriving as a Working Parent 38:02 Interview Wrap Up 38:27 Andy Comments After the Interview 40:49 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Tara at ArtemisFactor.com. The Personal Operating Profile (POP) service that Tara mentions is available at HelloLLUNA.com/MakeAPOP. AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed our e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Ways of Working The following music was used for this episode: Music: Brooklyn Nights by Tim Kulig Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11192-brooklyn-nights License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Quantum Sparks [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10996-quantum-sparks-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Feb 24, 202445 min

PPP 405 | How to Deliver Better Results, with Gil Broza

Summary In this episode, Andy Kaufman interviews Gil Broza about his new book, Deliver Better Results: How to Unlock Your Organization's Potential. They discuss the importance of systems thinking in value delivery and the six aspects of system fitness. Gil shares practical strategies for improving value delivery and emphasizes the significance of mindset over tactics. He also provides examples of successful transformations and offers resources available on the book's website. Takeaways Value delivery should be viewed as a system, not a collection of practices. Systems thinking helps identify the cause and effect relationships within a value delivery system. Understanding the effects of choices and actions is crucial for making informed decisions. The Square model provides a framework for assessing system fitness and improving value delivery. Successful transformations require a sequential and incremental approach, focusing on mindset and values. Resources on the book's website offer additional support for implementing the strategies discussed. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:22 Start of Interview 03:18 Understanding the Value Delivery System 04:13 Key Ideas from Systems Thinking 07:05 Avoiding Oversimplification in Cause and Effect 08:03 Considering the Effects of Choices and Actions 10:30 Introducing the Square Model 11:55 The Six Aspects of System Fitness 13:50 The Backstory of the Square Model 19:04 Sequential and Incremental Strategies for Improvement 21:25 The Importance of Mindset in Change 22:52 Differentiating Values and Beliefs 25:16 The Significance of Mindset over Tactics 28:08 Helping People Navigate Change 29:47 The Role of Fear in Change 30:05 The Concept of 'Committed, but not Attached' 32:41 Case Study: Agile Transformation in a Startup 39:17 Andy Comments After the Interview 42:32 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Gil and his book at DeliverBetterResultsBook.com. The free chapter that Gil mentioned is available at HeardOnPodcast.DeliverBetterResultsBook.com. No Freaking Idea! Do you know someone who is in college or maybe recently graduated? My experience is there are a growing number of people who dread being asked the question, "So, what's the plan?" When it comes to their career, they have no freaking idea! I bring this up because we have a course entitled just that: No Freaking Idea: How to Navigate Career Uncertaity. It's a career guide for people who don't know what they want to do, and it has been so fun to hear the feedback on the course. Whether it's you who is wondering about next steps in your career or a son or daughter and you'd like to give them this as a gift, learn more by going to NoFreakingIdea.courses. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Ways of Working The following music was used for this episode: Music: Brooklyn Nights by Tim Kulig Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11192-brooklyn-nights License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Quantum Sparks [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10996-quantum-sparks-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Feb 17, 202446 min

PPP 404 | How Project Managers Can Move Fast and FIX Things, with Anne Morriss

Summary In this episode, Andy interviews author Anne Morris about key concepts from her book Move Fast and Fix Things: The Trusted Leader's Guide to Solving Hard Problems. She emphasizes the importance of building trust and moving fast in change initiatives. Morris introduces the FIX Map, which illustrates the relationship between trust and speed. She also explores the significance of inclusion and the power of storytelling in driving successful change. Additionally, Morris addresses common misconceptions about speed and shares insights on applying Agile principles to change management. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:25 Start of Interview 02:44 Discussion on the Phrase 'Move Fast and Break Things' 04:18 Introduction to the FIX Map Model 12:30 The Trust Triangle 15:19 Looking at Change Through Different Eyes 21:10 The Role of Storytelling in Change Initiatives 26:10 Overcoming Skepticism and Maintaining Focus 27:26 The Dangers of Delay and the Need for Action 29:40 The Influence of Agile Principles in Leadership 34:04 The Intersection of Leadership and Parenting 35:57 Andy Comments After the Interview 39:26 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Anne and her book at AnneAndFrances.com. And catch her TEDx Talk at https://www.ted.com/talks/anne_morriss_5_steps_to_fix_any_problem_at_work. If you'd like more on this topic, check out my discussion with Anne's co-author Frances Frei in episode 294 where we talk about their book Unleashed. AI for Project Managers and Leaders If you're not actively using AI on a daily basis, you might just be missing out. Join us for our course AI Made Simple. It's specifically tuned to everyday use cases for project managers and leaders. Join other colleagues from around the world who have found it immensely helpful! Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Summer Morning [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11262-summer-morning-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Fashion Corporate by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11233-fashion-corporate License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Feb 1, 202443 min

PPP 403 | The Project Manager's Path to Freelancing Success, with Kayla McGuire

Summary In this episode, Andy Kaufman interviews Kayla McGuire, a seasoned project manager and coach who runs a boot camp to help people learn and prepare for becoming a freelancer. They discuss Kayla's journey to project management and freelancing, lessons in leading projects, practical tips for running projects, reasons for pursuing freelancing, common mistakes in freelancing, and the importance of mentors. Kayla also shares insights on using LinkedIn effectively and the value of continual learning and personal development. The episode concludes with information about Kayla's freelancer boot camp. Takeaways Consider the possibility of freelancing or becoming an entrepreneur to experience more fulfillment and freedom in your career. Recognize patterns in team dynamics and use pattern recognition to lead teams through projects more effectively. Empower your teams to get the job done by having conversations about their goals, providing resources for learning and development, and building strong relationships through one-on-one meetings. When considering freelancing, focus your energy on building your network and finding clients rather than spending time on non-essential tasks like website design or office remodeling. Chapters 00:00 Andy's Introduction to the Episode 01:57 Start of Interview 02:09 Kayla's Path to Project Management and Freelancing 06:00 Lessons in Leading Projects 12:06 The Lure of Freelancing: Freedom and Autonomy 15:03 Common Mistakes When Starting Freelancing 17:07 Introducing the Freelancer Bootcamp 19:10 The Importance of Finding Your Niche 19:39 Leveraging LinkedIn for Success 24:18 Continual Learning and Personal Development 31:05 Balancing Work and Personal Life 32:56 Final Thoughts Learn More You can learn more about Kayla and her boot camp at KaylaMcGuire.com. And connect with Kayla on LinkedIn at LinkedIn.com/in/KaylaMcGuire. Gift a Loved One a Head Start With Their Career Do you know someone dealing with career uncertainty? My experience is there are a growing number of people who dread being asked the question, "So, what's the plan?" When it comes to their career, they have no freaking idea! I bring this up because I want you to check out our new course entitled just that: No Freaking Idea: How to Navigate Career Uncertainty. It's a career guide for people who don't know what they want to do, and it has been so fun to hear the feedback on the course. Whether you are wondering about the next steps in your career or it's a son or daughter and you'd like to give them a head start as a gift, learn more by going to NoFreakingIdea.courses. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Business Acumen The following music was used for this episode: Music: Tranceverse by Sascha Ende Website: https://filmmusic.io/song/5223-tranceverse License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Tuesday by Sascha Ende Website: https://filmmusic.io/song/2992-tuesday License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jan 20, 202433 min

PPP 402 | Surprising Insights About the Growth Mindset that Project Managers Need to Know, with Eduardo Briceño

Summary In this in-depth discussion, Andy is joined by Eduardo Briceño, author of The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset Into Action, to delve into the concepts of a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset. The conversation covers how these mindsets are not as binary or mutually exclusive as we may think, but rather can be found within us at different times and in different contexts. The theme of maintaining a balance between having a growth mindset, which holds the belief in the potential for change and improvement, and knowing when to lean into a fixed mindset, is explored. Eduardo advises on how to apply deliberate practice to improve performance and suggests viewing ourselves as evolving and changing. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:00 Start of Interview 02:09 Eduardo's Personal Journey and the Performance Paradox 04:29 Understanding the Performance Paradox 04:33 The Difference Between Learning and Performing 13:40 The Misconception of the 10,000 Hour Rule 16:51 Understanding the Growth Mindset 22:44 Applying Growth Mindset to Personal Goals 24:25 The Role of Identity in Growth Mindset 27:15 Creating a Learning Zone in Teams 32:23 Implementing Growth Mindset in Parenting 35:51 Andy's Comments About the Interview 40:00 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Eduardo and his book at Briceno.com. And catch his TEDx Talk at https://www.ted.com/talks/eduardo_briceno_how_to_get_better_at_the_things_you_care_about. If you'd like more on this topic, check out: Episode 202, Morten Hansen, Great at Work Episode 236, Amy Edmondson about her book on Psychological Safety Episode 240, Jim Detert, also about psychological safety Gift a Loved One a Head Start With Their Career Do you know someone dealing with career uncertainty? My experience is there are a growing number of people who dread being asked the question, "So, what's the plan?" When it comes to their career, they have no freaking idea! I bring this up because I want you to check out our new course entitled just that: No Freaking Idea: How to Navigate Career Uncertainty. It's a career guide for people who don't know what they want to do, and it has been so fun to hear the feedback on the course. Whether you are wondering about the next steps in your career or it's a son or daughter and you'd like to give them a head start as a gift, learn more by going to NoFreakingIdea.courses. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Summer Morning [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11262-summer-morning-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Fashion Corporate by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11233-fashion-corporate License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jan 12, 202441 min

PPP 401 | Customer Service Secrets Every Project Manager Must Know, with Micah Solomon

Summary In this conversation, Andy Kaufman interviews Micah Solomon, author of the book Can Your Customer Service Do This? Create an Anticipatory Customer Experience that Builds Loyalty Forever. They discuss the importance of customer service and how it applies to project managers and leaders, not just people in hospitality or retail. They explore examples of good and bad customer service experiences, debunk myths about customer service, and provide strategies for improving customer service. They also discuss the concept of gold touch customer service and how it can be applied to internal customer service. The conversation concludes with insights on effective communication and developing a customer service mindset. Takeaways Customer service is important in all industries, not just hospitality or retail. Examples of good and bad customer service can provide valuable insights for improving customer service. There are common myths and misunderstandings about customer service that need to be debunked. Gold touch customer service involves going above and beyond to provide exceptional service. Effective communication and a customer service mindset are key to delivering great customer service. Chapters 00:00 Andy's Intro to the Episode 02:40 Introduction to Micah Solomon and his book 04:46 Myths and Misunderstandings about Customer Service 06:12 Improving Customer Service 09:28 Gold Touch Customer Service 10:51 Internal Customer Service 13:44 Difference between Function and Purpose 18:19 The Service Recovery Paradox 20:15 Dealing with Customer Service Failures 21:21 Phrasing and Language in Customer Service 25:02 Developing a Customer Service Mindset 27:00 Andy's Summary of Key Takeaways 32:03 Outtakes You can learn more about Micah and his book at MicahSolomon.com. Gift a Loved One a Head Start With Their Career Do you know someone who is in college or maybe recently graduated? My experience is there are a growing number of people who dread being asked the question, "So, what's the plan?" When it comes to their career, they have no freaking idea! I bring this up because I want you to check out our new course entitled just that: No Freaking Idea: How to Navigate Career Uncertainty. It's a career guide for people who don't know what they want to do, and it has been so fun to hear the feedback on the course. Whether you are wondering about the next steps in your career or it's a son or daughter and you'd like to give them a head start as a gift, learn more by going to NoFreakingIdea.courses. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: The Fantastical Ferret by Tim Kulig Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/12070-the-fantastical-ferret License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Fashion Corporate by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11233-fashion-corporate License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jan 6, 202436 min

PPP 400 | Celebrating Episode 400 with Adam Grant

Summary In this episode, Andy Kaufman celebrates the 400th episode of the People in Projects Podcast with special guest Adam Grant. They discuss Adam's new book, Hidden Potential, and the importance of assessing and unlocking potential in individuals. The conversation covers various topics, including keeping projects on track, the truth about hiring based on experience, a lesson Adam learned about feedback that he's a terrible writer, and overcoming criticism. Adam reflects on the past and future, including what he misses (and doesn't miss) about being Adam Grant in 2010 (when Andy and Adam first talked). Takeaways Assessing and unlocking potential is crucial in various aspects of life, and the judgments people make of our potential can have a significant impact. Perfectionism can hinder progress, and it is important to separate our identity from our work. The value of experience in hiring is often overestimated, and potential should be prioritized over years of experience. Saying no and setting boundaries is essential to avoid overcommitment and maintain focus on important projects. Even if initially difficult, receiving feedback can lead to valuable insights and improvements. A practical AI chatbot use case that Adam tries Expressing appreciation to those who have seen and nurtured our potential is important, and we should also assess the potential of others and encourage their growth. You can learn more about Adam and his book at AdamGrant.net. For More on This Topic To catch Andy's previous conversations with Adam, check out: Episode 31, where we talk about leading teams with meaning, and Episode 93, where we talk about his book Give and Take Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Celebration 02:50 Start of the Interview 03:12 What are You Glad is Getting Attention / Thought Would Get More Attention in Your Book 03:52 Lessons on Keeping Projects on Track 04:46 Something People Think Is True But Is Not Supported With Evidence 05:45 How Adam Decides on Saying Yes or No 06:16 How Does Adam Calm Nerves 07:27 You Suck at Writing, Adam! How to Receive Feedback and Overcome Criticism 08:37 What Adam Recently Used a Chatbot For 09:26 What Does Adam Miss About Being Him in 2010 / Not Miss 10:26 What Would You Ask Future Adam? 11:39 Adam Takes Over as the Host 12:50 Adam Asks About Podcasting 14:07 Adam Says Nice Things About Andy 16:04 Andy Comments after the Interview 20:19 Outtakes from Before We Started the Interview 21:32 Sample Intro from Episode 1 (Man, it was bad!) Gift a Loved One a Head Start With Their Career Do you know someone who is in college or maybe recently graduated? My experience is there are a growing number of people who dread being asked the question, "So, what's the plan?" When it comes to their career, they have no freaking idea! I bring this up because I want you to check out our new course entitled just that: No Freaking Idea: How to Navigate Career Uncertainty. It's a career guide for people who don't know what they want to do, and it has been so fun to hear the feedback on the course. Whether you are wondering about the next steps in your career or it's a son or daughter and you'd like to give them a head start as a gift, learn more by going to NoFreakingIdea.courses. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this anniversary episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Celebrate Your Wins [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10381-celebrate-your-wins-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Funky Life by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6040-funky-life License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Dec 30, 202322 min

PPP 399 | Don't Wait For Someone Else to Fix It, with Doug Lennick and Chuck Wachendorfer

Summary In this conversation, Andy interviews Doug Lennick and Chuck Wachendorfer about their book Don't Wait for Someone Else to Fix It! They discuss the importance of managing ourselves effectively, practicing self-awareness, and mastering our behavior. They also emphasize the significance of integrity and responsibility in leadership. The conversation explores barriers to better decision-making and the importance of continuous learning. The interview concludes with insights on how parents can apply leadership lessons in their role at home. Takeaways Managing ourselves effectively is crucial for effective leadership. Practicing self-awareness and using tools like the freeze game can help us make better choices. Integrity and responsibility are essential for leadership success. Emotional reflexiveness and biases can hinder decision-making. Continuous learning and letting go of what we know are key to personal and professional growth. Leadership lessons can be applied in the home to foster better relationships and decision-making. You can learn more about Doug and Chuck and their work at Think2Perform.com. For More on This Topic For more on this topic, check out: Episode 391, with Adam Bryant on his book about making the leap to leadership Episode 366, with Michael Timms on his book about accountability, and Episode 292, with Jeffrey Scott Miller about his book on leadership. Gift a Loved One a Head Start With Their Career Do you know someone who is in college or maybe recently graduated? My experience is there are a growing number of people who dread being asked the question, "So, what's the plan?" When it comes to their career, they have no freaking idea! I bring this up because I want you to check out our new course entitled just that: No Freaking Idea: How to Navigate Career Uncertainty. It's a career guide for people who don't know what they want to do, and it has been so fun to hear the feedback on the course. Whether you are wondering about the next steps in your career or it's a son or daughter and you'd like to give them a head start as a gift, learn more by going to NoFreakingIdea.courses. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: On Point by Steven OBrien Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11694-on-point License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Synthiemania by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11809-synthiemania License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Dec 22, 202350 min

PPP 398 | The Burnout Wake-up Call, with Dr. Neha Sangwan

Project Manager Burnout There is so much focus these days on getting more done with less. Delivering faster. Increasing efficiency. Being excellent at work while rocking it all well at home too, right? And though I'm all for staying focused and productive, here's something I've observed. One consequence of trying to stay hyper-productive and being everything you can possibly be--or feel like you should be--can be increased stress. Less downtime. More hours. More caffeine. Less sleep. And all of that can lead to burnout. So what can we do about that? Today I'm excited to introduce you to Dr. Neha Sangwan. She's the author of a new book entitled Powered by Me: From Burned Out to Fully Charged at Work and in Life. In this episode, you'll get a better idea of what leads to burnout, beyond just the typical drivers that come to mind, such as physical exhaustion. Neha provides practical ideas and techniques to help us catch when we're starting to drift towards burnout. It's a discussion I've been looking forward to sharing with you! You can learn more about Neha and her work at NehaSangwan.com. For more on this topic, check out: Episodes 106 and 132, with Tom Rath about his books on these themes. Episode 395, with Josefine Campbell about her book on helping when you and your team are low on energy, and Episode 397, with Dr. Julia DiGangi about her book on emotions. Gift a Loved One a Head Start With Their Career Do you know someone who is in college or maybe recently graduated? My experience is there are a growing number of people who dread being asked the question, "So, what's the plan?" When it comes to their career, they have no freaking idea! I bring this up because I want you to check out our new course entitled just that: No Freaking Idea: How to Navigate Career Uncertainty. It's a career guide for people who don't know what they want to do, and it has been so fun to hear the feedback on the course. Whether you are wondering about the next steps in your career or it's a son or daughter and you'd like to give them a head start as a gift, learn more by going to NoFreakingIdea.courses. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Summer Awakening by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10912-summer-awakening License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Fashion Corporate by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11233-fashion-corporate License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Dec 1, 202355 min

PPP 397 | Keeping Your Poise When Emotions are Rising, with Neuropsychologist Dr. Julia DiGangi

When Emotions Are Rising On Your Project Let's say you're sitting in a meeting tomorrow for a project you are leading. You're looking to get sign-off and, based on the pre-meetings you had with key stakeholders, the meeting should go smoothly. But seemingly out of the blue, a key stakeholder speaks up and starts sharing objections. Right there in front of everyone, which includes your boss, by the way. Things are starting to derail and you can feel some anger starting to build up. If we could see a thought bubble over you, you might be saying, "I can't believe they're sabotaging this! They didn't bring any of this up when we talked about it before the meeting! They're throwing me and my project under the bus!" That's a pivotal leadership moment right there. Maybe for you, it's a demanding boss. Or a deeply emotional situation outside of work. The critical issue is this: How do we respond? Does it help, or do we make it worse? How do we navigate the emotional rollercoaster of leading teams and projects—and families and friendships? Our ability to do that can make an enormous difference in our careers and life. In this episode, we're continuing a series of discussions on the topic of our emotions. And I'm excited to introduce you to Dr. Julia Digangi. For many years, Julia has worked with individuals who have endured the worst traumas, from survivors of domestic abuse to combat veterans, and helped them transform their energy and rise to powerful new heights. Based on her experience, she has recently published a remarkably insightful new book Energy Rising: The Neuroscience of Leading with Emotional Power. What I love about this book is that it gives a perspective on navigating the emotional challenges of our life in a way I've not seen in any other books. It's deeply based in research and practice but it's accessible to all of us, even if we don't know our amygdala from our anterior cingulate cortex. Ha! You can learn more about Julia and her work at DrJuliaDigangi.com/. For more on this topic, check out: Episode 394, with Joshua Freedman about his book on emotional intelligence. Episode 395, with Josefine Campbell about her book on helping when you and your team are low on energy, and Episode 396, with Thomas Curran about his book on perfectionism. Gift a Loved One a Head Start With Their Career Do you know someone who is in college or maybe recently graduated? My experience is there are a growing number of people who dread being asked the question, "So, what's the plan?" When it comes to their career, they have no freaking idea! I bring this up because I want you to check out our new course entitled just that: No Freaking Idea: How to Navigate Career Uncertainty. It's a career guide for people who don't know what they want to do, and it has been so fun to hear the feedback on the course. Whether you are wondering about the next steps in your career or it's a son or daughter and you'd like to give them a head start as a gift, learn more by going to NoFreakingIdea.courses. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Underground Shadows by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/12024-underground-shadows License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Energetic & Drive Indie Rock by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10443-energetic-drive-indie-rock License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Nov 23, 202359 min

PPP 396 | Do You Tend to Be a Perfectionist? Embracing the Power of Good Enough, with author Thomas Curran

Stop Saying You're a Perfectionist There's a classic question that is often asked somewhere during a job interview: "So, what's your biggest weakness?" Perhaps you've been asked that somewhere along your career journey. My favorite answer to that is from Michael Scott in the television show The Office: "I work too hard, I care too much, and sometimes I can be too invested in my job." Perfect, right? Oh wait. Did I say Perfect? I did. Because in a sense, the answer that Michael gave there is what a lot of us admit to being one of our biggest weaknesses: we struggle with being a perfectionist. It's like one of those flaws that, when you admit it, people will knowingly tilt their head, nod, and say, "Yeah, I understand. Me too." It's a socially accepted flaw that we might even think has some hidden advantages in driving us to higher performance. But if you think that, you would be wrong--at least about the higher performance part. I know that because I read Thomas Curran's new book The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough. It's a book that will challenge your thinking about perfectionism and, if you let it, begin to free you from the ways that it might be hurting you, your mental health, your relationships, and your performance far more than you realize. You can learn more about Thomas and his work at ThomCurran.com/. For more on this topic, check out: Episode 315, with Ethan Kross about his book Chatter. Gift a Loved One a Head Start With Their Career Do you know someone who is in college or maybe recently graduated? My experience is there are a growing number of people who dread being asked the question, "So, what's the plan?" When it comes to their career, they have no freaking idea! I bring this up because I want you to check out our new course entitled just that: No Freaking Idea: How to Navigate Career Uncertainty. It's a career guide for people who don't know what they want to do, and it has been so fun to hear the feedback on the course. Whether you are wondering about the next steps in your career or it's a son or daughter and you'd like to give them a head start as a gift, learn more by going to NoFreakingIdea.courses. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: On Point by Steven OBrien Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11694-on-point License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Synthiemania by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11809-synthiemania License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Nov 1, 202350 min

PPP 395 | Feeling Low on Energy? Ideas for You and Your Team, from Josefine Campbell

Your Power Barometer There is so much focus these days on optimizing our time, right? And though I'm all for staying focused and productive, here's something I've observed: one consequence of trying to stay hyper-productive can be increased stress. Less downtime. More hours. More caffeine. Less sleep. And all of that can lead to burnout. A lot of us are leading lives and teams with batteries that are low on power. And that's a losing proposition for all of us. In this episode, I'm excited to introduce you to Josefine Campbell, who is taking this problem head on. She's a top executive coach, former jujitsu champion, and now the author of a new book entitled Power Barometer: Manage Personal Energy for Business Success. In this episode, you'll learn about practical tools like the Energy Barometer and the Awareness Matrix. Josefine will explain how the opposite of professional is not personal—and why that matters. By the time we're done, you'll know how to detect if you're starting to get hijacked and how to get out of it if you're already there. And you'll be in better shape to stay mentally agile, which is one of Josefine's major messages in the book. I can't wait to share this discussion with you. NOTE: As of the time of this episode was published, Josefine's book was not available for sale. My understanding is there is a change in distribution partners. But you can learn more about Josefine and the book's resources at JosefineCampbell.com/. For more on this topic, check out: Episode 106, with Tom Rath about his book Eat Move Sleep. Just by the book name you can get a sense of what it's about. I highly recommend this episode! Episode 132, also with Tom, this time about his book Are You Fully Charged? Both of these books provide helpful insights aligned with this episode. BTW, we're thankful for being listed in the top 100 management podcasts on FeedSpot! Gift a Loved One a Head Start With Their Career Do you know someone who is in college or maybe recently graduated? My experience is there are a growing number of people who dread being asked the question, "So, what's the plan?" When it comes to their career, they have no freaking idea! I bring this up because we're rolling out a new course entitled just that: No Freaking Idea: How to Navigate Career Uncertainty. It's a career guide for people who don't know what they want to do, and it has been so fun to hear the feedback on the course. Whether you are wondering about the next steps in your career or it's a son or daughter and you'd like to give them a head start as a gift, learn more by going to NoFreakingIdea.courses. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: E.C.H.O by Alexander Nakarada Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9762-echo License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Funny by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11450-funny License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Oct 21, 202335 min

Ep 394PPP 394 | Practical Ways To Improve Your Emotional Intelligence, With EQ Expert Joshua Freedman

What Is Emotional Intelligence, Really? You've heard of emotional intelligence, right? You know it's important. But a lot of us haven't had formal training on the topic--or maybe it's been a while. In this episode, I'm excited to introduce you to Joshua Freedman, author of the international best-selling book At the Heart of Leadership: How to Get Results with Emotional Intelligence. Plenty of books can give you an academic understanding of emotional intelligence. But Joshua's book is immensely practical. It focuses on how to help us navigate situations, like that project meeting, because our lives are filled with situations where the stakes are high with our emotions. And Joshua is here to help us with that. I can't wait to share this discussion with you! Learn more about Joshua at JMFreedman.com/bio/. For more episodes on this topic, check out: Episode 148, with Daniel Shapiro about his book Negotiating the Nonnegotiable. It's a deeply insightful book that will help you navigate the emotional side of conflicts. I highly recommend this episode! Episode 108, with Doug Stone about his book Thanks for the Feedback, and Episode 185, with Mitch Warner from the Arbinger Institute about their book Leadership and Self-Deception. Gift a Loved One a Head Start With Their Career Do you know someone who is in college or maybe recently graduated? My experience is there are a growing number of people who dread being asked the question, "So, what's the plan?" When it comes to their career, they have no freaking idea! I bring this up because we're rolling out a new course entitled just that: No Freaking Idea: How to Navigate Career Uncertainty. It's a career guide for people who don't know what they want to do, and it has been so fun to hear the feedback on the course. Whether you are wondering about next steps in your career or it's a son or daughter and you'd like to give them a head start as a gift, learn more by going to NoFreakingIdea.courses. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Colossus by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10494-colossus License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Tropical Vibe by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10446-tropical-vibe License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Oct 8, 202348 min

Ep 393PPP 393 | Lessons On Leading And Delivering, With My Friend And Colleague Molly Beran

Inspiring Women in Project Management Most days, you can find me working with a group of people, helping them learn how to improve their ability to lead and deliver. If you've listened to this podcast for a while, you may recall hearing me saying this previously--in our project management courses, the majority of participants are women. It's characteristic of a trend we see week in and week out—project management is a rewarding and accessible career path for women to pursue. Because of that, I like to highlight women who are inspiring role models, particularly when it comes to leading teams and delivering projects. And in this episode, I'm excited to introduce you to my friend and colleague Molly Beran, who fits that description perfectly. Molly has not only spent extended time in the trenches, learning how to lead and deliver. Over the last couple of years, she's also been a valued member of my speaking team. And she has expertly taught some of our biggest clients how to improve their ability to lead and deliver. This episode is a conversation between friends who equally geek out about project management and leadership. I look forward to you hearing some of the lessons that Molly has learned about these topics--I know you're going to enjoy this. Learn more about Molly at ProjectsByMolly.com. Also, get your copy of (or give it as a gift) From Vision to Vows: Project Management Strategies for Weddings here. No Freaking Idea! Do you know someone who is in college or maybe recently graduated? My experience is there are a growing number of people who dread being asked the question, "So, what's the plan?" When it comes to their career, they have no freaking idea! I bring this up because we're rolling out a new course entitled just that: No Freaking Idea: How to Navigate Career Uncertaity. It's a career guide for people who don't know what they want to do, and it has been so fun to hear the feedback on the course. Whether it's you who is wondering about next steps in your career or a son or daughter and you'd like to give them this as a gift, learn more by going to NoFreakingIdea.courses. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Business Acumen The following music was used for this episode: Music: Brooklyn Nights by Tim Kulig Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11192-brooklyn-nights License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Quantum Sparks [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10996-quantum-sparks-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Sep 14, 202333 min

Ep 392PPP 392 | Leading When You Can't Know It All, With Wanda T. Wallace

Leading In The Age of Deep Expertise Not everyone aspires to be a VP or higher someday, nor should they. But could it be that some of us are held back because the deep expertise that got us to our current position isn't what is needed to get to additional levels of responsibility? Or, if that additional responsibility is given to us anyway, we struggle to thrive because the skills to succeed at that next level are different from what we're used to? I think so, which is why I'm excited to introduce you to Wanda T. Wallace. Wanda is the author of an insightful book You Can't Know It All: Leading in the Age of Deep Expertise. In this episode, you're going to hear Wanda describe the difference between being an expert leader vs a spanning leader. She'll explain how the way we add value is different when we're a spanning leader. Wanda will talk about how to deal with mistakes--both when others make them as well as when we do. She'll talk about how to better deal with ambiguity that comes along with greater responsibility as well as how to develop trust across a boarder base of people. Before we're done Wanda will talk about executive presence and share some advice specifically for women. It's an engaging discussion with someone who specializes in helping women and men get to the top, stick, and thrive. Learn more about Wanda and her book at Leadership-Forum.com/wanda-wallace. For more episodes on this topic, check out: Episode 75 and 76, with Keith Murnighan about his book Do Nothing. It's about how to not over-manage. Episode 122, with Shane Snow who has some surprising ideas about accelerating your career, and Episode 125, with Liz Wiseman about her book Rookie Smarts. No Freaking Idea! Do you know someone who is in college or maybe recently graduated? My experience is there are a growing number of people who dread being asked the question, "So, what's the plan?" When it comes to their career, they have no freaking idea! I bring this up because we're rolling out a new course entitled just that: No Freaking Idea: How to Navigate Career Uncertaity. It's a career guide for people who don't know what they want to do, and it has been so fun to hear the feedback on the course. Whether it's you who is wondering about next steps in your career or a son or daughter and you'd like to give them this as a gift, learn more by going to NoFreakingIdea.courses. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Cinematic Suspense Series Episode 008 by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7669-cinematic-suspense-series-episode-008 License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Energetic & Drive Indie Rock by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10443-energetic-drive-indie-rock License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Sep 7, 202349 min

Ep 391PPP 391 | How Ambitious Managers Make The Jump To Leadership, With Adam Bryant

Do You Really Want to Lead? Making the leap to leadership can be one of the most rewarding--and challenging--moves we can make. And I'm excited in this episode to bring you what I think is the best guide I've come across to date on how to make that jump. Adam Bryant joins us to talk about his new book The Leap to Leader: How Ambitious Managers Make the Jump to Leadership. In this episode, you'll learn the first question you should be asking about leadership--and why it's important. Adam shares a practical tool he calls a Leadership User Manual--I'm telling you, you're going to want to create one of these after listening to this. He discusses why a career pyramid might be a better metaphor than a ladder. Along the way you'll hear why you should learn to merge into traffic and go play in the traffic! And why some of the most valuable leadership lessons are playing out before your eyes every day. It's a conversation I can't wait to share with you. Learn more about Adam and his book at AdamBryantBooks.com/the-leap-to-leader/. For more episodes related to this topic, check out: Episode 360, with Janet Polach about her book The Seven Mistakes New Managers Make. Episode 307, with Ron Carucci about his book Rising to Power, and Episode 261, with David Epstein about his book Range. No Freaking Idea! Do you know someone who is in college or maybe recently graduated? My experience is there are a growing number of people who dread being asked the question, "So, what's the plan?" When it comes to their career, they have no freaking idea! I bring this up because we're rolling out a new course entitled just that: No Freaking Idea: How to Navigate Career Uncertaity. It's a career guide for people who don't know what they want to do, and it has been so fun to hear the feedback on the course. Whether it's you who is wondering about next steps in your career or a son or daughter and you'd like to give them this as a gift, learn more by going to NoFreakingIdea.courses. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Imagefilm 034 by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/2935-imagefilm-034 License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Another Good Day by chilledmusic Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8397-another-good-day License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Aug 31, 202343 min

Ep 390PPP 390 | From Brain Tumor Survivor To Leadership Expert: The Inspiring Journey Of Jen Dary

Introducing Jen Dary In most of our episodes, I'm introducing you to an author of a new book, looking for ways to apply key ideas from what they've written. But every once in a while, I come across someone who I just think is interesting--someone who brings a fresh perspective to the discussion that would help all of us who want to get better at leading teams and delivering projects. Today, I'm excited to introduce you to Jen Dary. Jen is the founder of a company that champions the concept that all humans are creative, resourceful, and whole… but sometimes they have a hard time moving forward. Jen and her team help people move forward through coaching and manager training. In this episode, Jen shares her insights on issues and situations that we often find ourselves in, like Struggles when moving into a management role Knowing what to hold onto and what to let go of Delivering bad news--as well as how to deal with it when bad news is delivered to us. Jen shares lessons she's learned about balancing work and life and gives some coaching insights for anyone who's recently lost their job and wants to move forward. And how about this? We've got some ideas for those of you who are still in your job but questioning whether you should stay. Jen shares some perspective on that as well. It's a fun discussion with an insightful human that I can't wait to share with you. Learn more about Jen and her company at BePlucky.com/About. AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed our e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Tropical Vibe by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10446-tropical-vibe License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: It's Funky by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8061-its-funky License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Aug 26, 202352 min

Ep 389PPP 389 | Your Past As An Asset: How Experiential Intelligence Empowers Leaders And Teams, With Author Soren Kaplan

Your Past as an Asset Have you ever noticed how two people can go through something similar? For one person, it takes them under. And the other person? They seem to get past it—maybe even grow from it. I ask because going through challenging—even traumatic—experiences is part of the human experience. I'm not saying it's equally distributed. But clearly, life is not always up and to the right. And as you grow as a leader, it's only a matter of time before you're put into situations that can cause you to question your abilities, wonder if you're up to it, and maybe even back down from the challenge. Or, interestingly, those situations may be what propel you forward in your ability to lead and deliver. In this episode, we're exploring the role of experience and how it shapes us. And I'm excited to introduce you to a new book entitled Experiential Intelligence: Harness the Power of Experience for Personal and Business Breakthroughs by Soren Kaplan. In this discussion, you'll learn about XQ--Experiential Intelligence--and how it compares to IQ, EQ, and other attempts to understand our intelligences. Soren will talk about self-limiting beliefs and how we can identify them and—more importantly—get beyond them. It's a great discussion with a guy who has a passion for helping us turn our past experiences into assets for our good—as individuals and for teams. I can't wait to share this with you. Learn more about Soren and his book at SorenKaplan.com/ExperientialIntelligence. For more episodes on this topic, check out: Episode 185, with Mitch Warner about the Arbinger Institute's book Leadership and Self-Deception AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed our e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Ignotus by Agnese Valmaggia Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6273-ignotus License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Chillhouse by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11066-chillhouse License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Aug 18, 202345 min

Ep 388PPP 388 | PMeLa Interviews Abraham Lincoln: A Lesson On AI Automation

PMeLa Takes the Mic Hi! You will recall back in episode 384 I introduced you to an AI persona I had developed named PMeLa. She's an AI designed to be an expert in project management and leadership. It's been fun to hear the feedback from listeners from around the world who found the discussion to be somewhere between intriguing, hilarious, and frightening. I've been experimenting with automating AI processes and so I thought I would try another experiment with PMeLa. In today's episode, PMeLa is going to interview--wait for it--former US President Abraham Lincoln. As an AI, she comes up with the questions and an AI version of Lincoln responds. Let me be clear--I'm not just doing this to be clever. What's unique about this episode is that it was completely done using automation tools. I had no hand in the questions or the responses. Once I defined the personas and set up the automation, the interview was completely in the hands of the AIs and the automation tool. What you hear from PMeLa and Lincoln has not been changed by me at all. After the brief interview, I share some insights about what I've been learning through these experiments. And definitely listen to the end with a blooper from Lincoln! Learn more about the automation tool I used for this episode: Make.com. Also, check out Lovo.ai and ElevenLabs.io. What's a question you'd like to pass by PMeLa? Send them to [email protected]. I'd love to include your questions in a future episode! Thanks! AI for Project Managers and Leaders Take the next step to level up your AI skills. Check out our e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Business Acumen The following music was used for this episode: Lullaby of Light (feat. Cory Friesenhan) by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11174-lullaby-of-light-feat-cory-friesenhan License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Laughing Children [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10498-laughing-children-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Aug 8, 202318 min

Ep 387PPP 387 | How To Face Project Uncertainty And Still Deliver, With Decision Sprint Author Atif Rafiq

Progress Despite Uncertainty One of our recurring themes on the podcast is decision-making. The reality is you are likely facing some decisions you need to make right now. But one of our biggest challenges when facing forks in the road is how to decide when there are so many unknowns--so much uncertainty. Well, I have personally benefited from a new book that I wanted to introduce you to. The title is Decision Sprint: The New Way to Innovate into the Unknown and Move from Strategy to Action. This Wall Street Journal best-seller is packed with insights that have benefits for CEOs and senior leaders, for sure. But it's also applicable to all of us who are responsible for leading teams and delivering projects. Learn more about Atif and the Decision Sprint process at DecisionSprint.com/Book. AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed our e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Ways of Working The following music was used for this episode: Music: Fromage by Steven OBrien Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10409-fromage License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Laughing Children [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10498-laughing-children-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Aug 4, 202334 min

Ep 386PPP 386 | AI Insights From A CEO (Andy Tryba) And A Friend (John Chmela)

Introducing Andy Tryba and John Chmela When you think of artificial intelligence and tools like ChatGPT, what comes to mind? Do you find it intriguing for how it can help us as people who are focused on leading teams and projects? Or maybe you think it's overly hyped—entertaining for writing haikus and silly stories but not even close to being at a place where it can help us with our jobs. Or, maybe you're concerned that it's a threat to our jobs someday. I know people in each group, leading us to this episode. I'm joined by Andy Tryba who is the Co-Founder & CEO of Ionic Partners, and also CEO of Gigster. Andy is a nationally recognized Future of Work & Remote Work expert and his companies help some of the largest brands in the world integrate AI, ChatGPT, QA Automation and more. I'm also discussing AI with my friend John Chmela. John and I met when we worked together years ago and to this day, he's a valued friend. Beyond loving him as a person, I've always admired how John is quick to adapt new technologies and leverage them for good. But beyond our friendship and his tech skills, John is a savvy business leader and investor. In both discussions, you'll pick up on some ideas and perspectives that can guide your exploration of the tools. Learn more about Andy Tryba and follow him on LinkedIn at LinkedIn.com/in/AndyTryba. Learn more about John and his operation at Queenslake Farm at Queenslake.com. AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed our e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Business Acumen The following music was used for this episode: Lullaby of Light (feat. Cory Friesenhan) by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11174-lullaby-of-light-feat-cory-friesenhan License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Laughing Children [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10498-laughing-children-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jul 28, 202352 min

Ep 385PPP 385 | How To Say No When You Feel Like You Have To Say Yes, With Author Vanessa Patrick

"Why Did I Say Yes?" We've talked in past episodes about how, unless there's a compelling reason to say No, say Yes--that there are opportunities for growth and learning when we have a bias for Yes. Yet we've all ended up in a trap that was set by saying Yes when No would have been a better answer. So how do we navigate that? Well, I'm excited to introduce you to a fantastic new book entitled The Power of Saying No: The New Science of How to Say No that Puts You in Charge of Your Life. In this episode, you'll learn why we're tempted to say Yes when No would be a better answer. If you've ever told yourself you're a people pleaser, Vanessa will tell you why you need to stop saying that! By the time we're done, you'll know what a stadium proposal moment is, how the spotlight effect plays into this, and learn to recognize a pattern Vanessa calls "Hey, would you make your famous lasagna?" Even better, you're going to learn about a potentially life-transforming idea called an empowered refusal. I can't wait to share this discussion with you! Learn more about Vanessa and her book at VanessaPatrick.net/. AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed a new e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Summer Morning [Full version] by MusicLFilesbr>Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11262-summer-morning-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Fashion Corporate by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11233-fashion-corporate License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jul 21, 202349 min

Ep 384PPP 384 | Andy Interviews An AI: Introducing PMeLa

Introducing PMeLa It's impossible to avoid hearing about AI these days. From those who praise it to those who warn about an impending apocalypse because of it, there is no shortage of opinions or predictions about it. Instead of talking about the pros and cons or capabilities of AI, we're going to try something different in this episode. Today I'm going to interview an AI! To my knowledge, this is the first time a podcast focused on project management and leadership has had an AI guest so thank you for joining me on this inaugural experience! My guest today is PMeLa (PM for Project Management and L for Leadership). PMeLA is an AI persona that I've been developing for a while now. My goal has been to craft a persona with helpful insights into the world of leading and delivering and in this episode, we'll find out how she does! I think her best moments are actually in the outtakes so stay around until the very end! What's a question you'd like to pass by PMeLa? Send them to [email protected]. I'd love to include your questions in a future episode! Thanks! AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed a new e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Lullaby of Light (feat. Cory Friesenhan) by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11174-lullaby-of-light-feat-cory-friesenhan License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Laughing Children [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10498-laughing-children-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jul 6, 202325 min

Ep 383PPP 383 | Feeling Stuck? The Science Of Getting Unstuck, With Adam Alter

Feeling Stuck Can you think of situations when you felt stuck? I recently talked with someone who feels stuck in their career. Some of my MBA students feel stuck--unsure about what path to pursue in their career. I have dear friends walking through difficult medical issues and feeling stuck—unsure about what to do next. Whether it is major situations like those or the smaller ones that confront us as part of life, feeling stuck is a common experience for us, and today I'm excited to introduce you to one of my favorite new books. Adam Alter joined us back in episode 177 to discuss his book Irresistible. If you haven't listened to that, I highly recommend you go back and check it out--the challenges and the ideas are just as relevant today as they were 5 years ago. Adam returns in this episode to talk about his new book Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most. this book is packed with practical ideas that can help you with your current challenges and those you'll inevitably encounter in the years ahead. Learn more about Adam and his book at AdamAlterAuthor.com. AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed a new e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Tropical Vibe by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10446-tropical-vibe License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Energetic & Drive Indie Rock by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10443-energetic-drive-indie-rock License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Interview with Giannis Antetokounmpo available on: SBNation.com

Jun 23, 202338 min

Ep 382PPP 382 | Balancing The Now And The Future: How To Make Tomorrow Better Today, With Author Hal Hershfield

Balancing The Now and The Future Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of working with some amazing bosses. One was a woman named Cindy. What made her stand out? She constantly encouraged us to look beyond our day-to-day tasks. As a Vice President, I was under her guidance, and she, a Senior VP, was persistent in pushing us to plan for the future and break free from the firefighting of the present. This isn't just an issue for me and my colleagues at that time; it's something many of us encounter. Of course, it's important to be present and appreciate the moment, but in various aspects of our lives—be it projects, careers, health, or more—we often fail to look far enough ahead. This preoccupation with the present can hold us back from a better future. In this episode, I'm joined by Hal Hershfield, author of the insightful new book Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today. We all want a brighter tomorrow, whether for our projects, careers, relationships, health, or more. But evidence suggests that our relationship with the future can be a bit tricky. Sometimes we need a "Cindy"--someone to help us learn to look further down the road. Hal is that person, and his book is a valuable resource I'm confident you'll benefit from. I'm excited to share our conversation with you! Learn more about Hal and his book at HalHershfield.com/. For more episodes on this topic, check out: Episode 313, with Brian David Johnson about his book The Future You Episode 87, with Cecily Sommers about her book Think Like a Futurist AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed a new e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Time Is Now by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/395-time-is-now License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Time Of Change by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8915-time-of-change License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jun 15, 202345 min

Ep 381PPP 381 | How To Make Wiser Decisions, With Human Performance Expert Dr. Jim Loehr

Making Wise Decisions Think about some past decisions. Can you recall one that turned out well and another that, in hindsight, didn't go as planned? It's important to analyze these instances - what factors influenced those outcomes? We all make countless decisions in our daily lives, both personally and professionally. Recognizing the patterns behind our successful and unsuccessful decisions can be a powerful tool in enhancing our decision-making skills. Jim Loehr joins us in this episode to discuss his new book Wise Decisions: A Science-Based Approach to Making Better Decisions. It's such a different book than I expected, and I mean that as a compliment. If you take even a couple of ideas from today's discussion and Jim's book, you will be a step ahead on your upcoming decisions. I can't wait to share this discussion with you! Learn more about Jim and his books at Jim-Loehr.com/books. For more episodes on this topic, check out: Episode 372, with Annie Duke about her book Quit Episode 295, with Don Moore about his book Perfectly Confident AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed a new e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is specifically designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Quantum Sparks [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10996-quantum-sparks-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Energetic & Drive Indie Rock by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10443-energetic-drive-indie-rock License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jun 3, 202353 min

Ep 380PPP 380 | How To Navigate Stressful Conversations With That Friend (Or Stakeholder) You Don't Agree With, With Guest Mónica Guzmán

Dangerously Divided Times I'd like you to think of some examples of divides in your life. It could be with a friend or relative that has radically different beliefs about politics or social causes. Or it could be someone at work that you just strongly disagree with. The differences have created a divide. The reason I want you to think about them is because we're having an important discussion today about how to have fearlessly curious conversations in dangerously divided times. Mónica Guzmán joins us to talk about her deeply insightful book I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times. If you feel the polarization in culture and in the workplace is just too daunting to do anything about, Mónica's book is packed with practical ideas that you can start implementing right away. This remarkable woman is on a mission to help us address the divides in our life--and she's been making a difference. I consider this a must-read book and can't wait to introduce some of the ideas in today's discussion. Learn more about Mónica and her work at BraverAngels.org/. Project Management for Students If you've listened for a while, you've heard me talk about our e-learning program entitled Getting Stuff Done: Project Management for Students. The feedback from the program has been fantastic but here's what I want you to know. We radically reduced the price to just $49 US. We want to make it available to as many people as possible. If you have a high school or college-age student in your life and want to invest in their ability to lead and deliver, you can do that now for an even better price. Give them a head start to more confidently lead and deliver. Learn more and get a copy for them at PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com/GettingStuffDone. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: The Gigantic Epic Day After Tomorrow by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/413-the-gigantic-epic-day-after-tomorrow License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Fantastic World by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7042-fantastic-world License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

May 23, 202356 min

Ep 379PPP 379 | Overcoming Fear And Uncertainty: A Guide To Risk-Taking, With Author Angie Morgan Witkowski

"What's A Risk You're Glad You Took?" I asked this question to my LinkedIn network recently, and it led to a long thread of responses. The two most mentioned examples were job changes and moving to a new place to live. Maybe one of those might be your answer as well. An opportunity came up, you said Yes, and it turned out to be a great decision. Yet changes like these are a risk. Even if you don't like your current job, you might land in a worse situation by leaping into a new role. The uncertainty associated with risk is why many people stay stuck in situations that are sucking the life out of them. Chances are there is a risk you've been considering. Whether it's with risks on your projects at work, with your career, or with something at home, I'm excited to introduce you in this episode to Angie Morgan Witkowski. She's the author of a new book entitled Bet On You: How to Win with Risk. It's a great read that helps us reframe how we look at risk and give us the courage to move forward when faced with uncertainty. Learn more about Angie and her work at AngieWitkowski/. Join our Global LEAD52 Community Ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? LEAD52 is your 5-minute weekly pass to leadership intelligence. You get 52 weeks of learning, delivered right to your inbox, taking less than 5 minutes a week. And it's all for free. Join us at https://GetLEAD52.com. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Romantic Interlude [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10421-romantic-interlude-full-version License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Whiskey on the Mississippi by Kevin MacLeod Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/4624-whiskey-on-the-mississippi License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Apr 8, 202331 min

Ep 378PPP 378 | How To Say It Right The First Time, With Pitch Perfect Author Bill McGowan

Say It Right the First Time So much of what we do when leading teams and projects comes down to communication. Whether it's written or spoken, with a large audience or an informal conversation or email, much of our success comes down to how effectively we understand others and are understood by them. I'm joined in this episode by one of the foremost communication coaches in the world. Bill McGowan is hired by corporate leaders, athletes, and other celebrities to prepare them for media interviews and significant presentations. And he's the author of a book we'll discuss in this episode entitled Pitch Perfect: How to Say It Right the First Time, Every Time. Learn more about Bill and his company at ClarityMediaGroup.com/. Join our Global LEAD52 Community Ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? LEAD52 is your 5-minute weekly pass to leadership intelligence. You get 52 weeks of learning, delivered right to your inbox, taking less than 5 minutes a week. And it's all for free. Join us at https://GetLEAD52.com. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: One Small Rover by Alexander Nakarada Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5107-one-small-rover License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Tuesday by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/2992-tuesday/a> License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Mar 13, 202348 min

Ep 377PPP 377 | Happier Hour: How To Focus On What Really Matters, With Author Cassie Holmes

Focusing On What Really Matters When you don't have enough time, what's the first thing that gets cut from your schedule? Now, of course, the answer is "it depends." But I asked this question recently on LinkedIn and got a flood of responses. The most common category was self-care: exercising, sleeping, even eating. Two other big categories were time with others and time to think. Maybe you can relate to these. Left to my own devices, I sure can. But when you think about it, you would never design your life that way, right? Each of those represents areas that are critical to our success. And I'm not just talking about success with our projects or at work. If we're not taking care of ourselves, taking time to think and reflect, and investing in others, it impacts nearly every dimension of life. And it can lead us to hitting a birthday and wondering, how did I get here? If that sounds like a depressing start to this episode, I have good news. I'm joined today by the author of one of my favorite new books. Cassie Holmes joins us to discuss her book Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most. What I expected to be just another time management guide turns out to be a book on happiness that I consider a must-read. Learn more about Cassie and her book at CassieMHolmes.com/. For more episodes related to focusing on what matters most, check out these episodes: Episode 174, with Amy Blankson about her book The Future of Happiness. Episode 136, with Michele Geilen about her book Broadcasting Happiness. Episode 309, with Ashley Whillans about her book Time Smart. These authors are not just writers--they are researchers who make their work accessible and actionable to us all. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Emotionalism by Alexander Nakarada Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5867-emotionalism License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: Music: Road Trip by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9761-road-trip License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frank.schroeter.52

Feb 19, 202346 min

Ep 376PPP 376 | How To Help Your Team Stop Drowning In Work, With Author Nick Sonnenberg

Stop Drowning At Work Have you ever heard someone say they are drowning at work? Maybe you feel like that even right now as you start this episode. If a sink is broken and water is overflowing, there are at least two options: you can mop faster or you can fix the sink. Using that as a metaphor for work, many of us are trying to mop faster. Today, we're going to talk about how to fix the sink. I'm excited to introduce you to Nick Sonnenberg, author of a new book, Come Up for Air: How Teams Can Leverage Systems and Tools to Stop Drowning in Work. The single biggest benefit of Nick's book is he doesn't just talk about the problem. Or provide vague generalities about how to address them. He gets into detailed recommendations with specific tools and loads of case studies and examples to help you and your team come up for air. He's already helping me and my team and I can't wait for you to be introduced to his ideas. Learn more about Nick and his company at GetLeverage.com. Join our Global LEAD52 Community Ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? LEAD52 is your 5-minute weekly pass to leadership intelligence. You get 52 weeks of learning, delivered right to your inbox, taking less than 5 minutes a week. And it's all for free. Join us at https://GetLEAD52.com. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Cry by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10346-cry License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.sascha-ende.de Music: Happy Summertime by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9096-happy-summertime License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Feb 10, 202336 min

Ep 375PPP 375 | Navigating The Fear Of Offending: A Guide To Living (And Leading) Unafraid

Permission to Offend Is it possible to be too nice? We have a vigorous discussion around this question in our Essentials of Project Management workshop. There's almost always a resounding response of "Yes! It is possible to be too nice." That discussion is based on an idea we covered in episode 320 with Greg Githins. Greg says, "Leadership is a practice of kindness, but it's not always a practice of niceness." Hmmm... We're going to build on that idea in this episode. I'm joined by Rachel Luna. She's the author of a new book entitled Permission to Offend: The Compassionate Guide for Living Unfiltered and Unafraid. Are there times when you feel like you should be speaking up but are afraid to do so? Or when you worry perhaps too much about what other people think? Have you found yourself confounded about why someone reacted the way they did? Stay with us because Rachel will share some insights that you can start putting to work immediately. Learn more about Rachel and her work at RachelLuna.biz. Also, for more on this topic, check out episode 371 with Amanda Ripley and her book High Conflict. It's a great follow-up to this discussion. Do You Have a High School or College Age Student in Your Family? If so, check out our e-learning program entitled Getting Stuff Done: Project Management for Students. It provides practical skills to reduce the stress of their school work and help jumpstart their career. Learn more and get access at https://i-leadonline.com/GettingStuffDone. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Tarantino 1 by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9573-tarantino-1 License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Road Trip by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9761-road-trip License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Feb 4, 202340 min

Ep 374PPP 374 | Building A Strong Personal Brand Without Being A Self-Promoting Jerk

Building Your Brand Without Being Pushy What comes to mind when you think of personal branding? Some feel that personal branding is superficial. Or inauthentic. Instead of focusing on our brand, we should focus on developing expertise. Doing good work. And that good work will stand on its own. In this episode, we're taking this topic of personal branding head-on, and I'm joined by one of the most influential voices on the subject. Catherine Kaputa is recognized as one of the top 30 Global Branding Gurus and the author of five books on the topic. Today's discussion focuses on ideas in her new book, The New Brand You: How to Wow in the New World of Work. By the time we're done with this discussion, you'll see how personal branding applies to you, whether you're a student preparing for the workplace, someone trying to change industries, or someone feeling like you're just not getting the opportunities or promotions you deserve. Learn more about Catherine and her work at SelfBrand.com. Do You Have a High School or College Age Student in Your Family? If so, check out our e-learning program, Getting Stuff Done: Project Management for Students. It provides practical skills to reduce the stress of their school work and help jumpstart their career. Learn more and get access at https://i-leadonline.com/GettingStuffDone. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Bouncy Gypsy Beats by John Bartmann Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3189-bouncy-gypsy-beats License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: End Titles (Romeos Erbe) by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3149-end-titles-romeos-erbe License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jan 20, 202348 min

Ep 373PPP 373 | Supporting Parents In The Workplace: Tips And Strategies, With Julie Foubert

Navigating Parenting As a dad of 5 kids, I think back to when we had our first child. Those early days were a blur for both my wife and me. And as more kids came along, and then we adopted two more when our oldest three were teenagers, we have lived through the challenges and joys of the project known as parenting. We're talking about parenting today because it brings some unique challenges to us as leaders. How can we navigate parenting in a way that aligns with who we are and what is meaningful to us? And how can we, as leaders, support parents on our teams in a way that reinforces that we value their commitments and responsibilities at work and home? I'm excited to welcome a new friend to the podcast. Julie Foubert's life project is to support individuals, future and young parents, perinatal professionals, and organizations to evolve toward a more fulfilled and enlightened parenthood. And her passion for leadership and project management informs how she goes about this. Learn more about Julie and her work at be-the-change.fr/. And contact Julie at [email protected]. Do You Have a High School or College Age Student in Your Family? If so, check out our e-learning program entitled Getting Stuff Done: Project Management for Students. It provides practical skills to reduce the stress of their school work and help jumpstart their career. Learn more and get access at https://i-leadonline.com/GettingStuffDone. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: A Picnic With My Family by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6644-a-picnic-with-my-family License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Love Beyond Gravity [Original] by German Tretyakov Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9803-love-beyond-gravity-original License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jan 13, 202342 min

Ep 372PPP 372 | How To Quit Bad Decisions Faster: Knowing When To Walk Away, With Annie Duke

Winners Never Quit? It's an overused cliche that winners never quit, and quitters never win. The only problem with that, of course, is that it oversimplifies the reality of the world we live and lead in. So much of what we do as leaders of projects and teams is to make decisions. And could it be our inability to quit a project, a vendor, a tool, or a team member--could it be that even our career is being hindered because we're persisting instead of quitting? In this episode, I'm joined by one of my favorite voices on decision-making. Annie Duke is the author of a new book entitled Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away. You may know of Annie because of her previous books on decision-making, such as Thinking In Bets. In this episode, we're going to discuss something that wasn't elaborated on in her earlier books. We're going to talk about quitting--and, assuming you keep listening--you don't quit--you're going to walk away with some practical ideas that you can start using this week. Learn more about Annie and her book at AnnieDuke.com/. Do You Have a High School or College Age Student in Your Family? If so, check out our e-learning program entitled Getting Stuff Done: Project Management for Students. It provides practical skills to reduce the stress of their school work and help jumpstart their career. Learn more and get access at https://i-leadonline.com/GettingStuffDone. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: The Gigantic Epic Day After Tomorrow by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/413-the-gigantic-epic-day-after-tomorrow License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: Music: Road Trip by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9761-road-trip License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frank.schroeter.52 "Rudy (4/8) Movie CLIP - Fortune's Truth (1993) HD" On YouTube at YouTube.com/watch?v=Qoh3YkxuwVo "Jerry Maguire (2/8) Movie CLIP - Who's Coming With Me? (1996) HD" On YouTube at YouTube.com/watch?v=6ZZI6-zh0GM

Dec 21, 202255 min

Ep 371PPP 371 | Why We Get Trapped In High Conflict And How We Get Out, With Amanda Ripley

Help for Getting Out of High Conflict When you think of the word conflict, what comes to mind? I ask because I've had the opportunity to pose that question to groups around the world. How would you respond? What I hear most often is words like Stress. Arguments. Tension. Avoid! Rarely do I hear Opportunity. Or disagreement. I'm excited to welcome Amanda Ripley to the podcast. Amanda is the author of one of my favorite books from this last year. It's entitled High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out. It's not just a book about the brain. It's a book that introduces you to your brain. For those of us responsible for leading teams and projects, learning how to avoid the traps of high conflict--and how to get out of them if we're there--is critical to our success. And in a world of increased political and social polarization, we have a real opportunity to be a force for good instead of just adding fuel to the fire. I consider this book a must-read and I look forward to your feedback after you listen to the episode! Learn more about Amanda and her book at AmandaRipley.com/. For more insights related to this episode, check out: Episode 284 for my conversation with Peter Boghossian about his book How Have Impossible Conversations Episode 276 for my conversation with Buster Benson about his book Why Are We Yelling? Do You Have a High School or College Age Student in Your Family? If so, check out our e-learning program entitled Getting Stuff Done: Project Management for Students. It provides practical skills to reduce the stress of their school work and help jumpstart their career. Learn more and get access at https://i-leadonline.com/GettingStuffDone. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: The Inner Conflict by The New Geometry YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoeccLie1DU License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: RetroFuture Clean by Kevin MacLeod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWjCZ60gxfI License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Everybody Loves Raymond Uses Active Listening - from Parent Effectiveness Training available on YouTube at YouTube.com/watch?v=4VOubVB4CTU

Dec 4, 202248 min

Ep 370PPP 370 | The Smartest, Clearest, And Funniest Book On The Brain, And Why It Matters, With Dr. Chantel Prat

Hi! Meet Your Brain Have you ever looked at how someone made a decision and wondered, "What were they thinking?" For me, it's not just even watching other people. Sometimes I reflect on how I felt about something or a decision and wonder, "Huh… I wonder what was going on there?" Chantel Prat is one of today's most important researchers and voices in the field of neuroscience. And she's the author of a fascinating and entertaining new book entitled The Neuroscience of You: How Every Brain Is Different and How to Understand Yours. It's not just a book about the brain. It's a book that introduces you to your brain. If you've ever wondered how the brain works but instantly found your eyes rolling back because the material was too boring, you'll want to get a copy of this book. Chantel is as funny as she is brilliant--I'm looking forward to sharing today's discussion with you. Learn more about Chantel and her book at ChantelPrat.com/. For more insights related to this episode, check out: Episode 188 for my conversation with Dr. John Medina about his Brain Rulesbooks Do You Have a High School or College Age Student in Your Family? If so, check out our e-learning program entitled Getting Stuff Done: Project Management for Students. It provides practical skills to reduce the stress of their school work and help jumpstart their career. Learn more and get access at https://i-leadonline.com/GettingStuffDone. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Crime Time by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9136-crime-time License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frank.schroeter.52 Music: Everybody Up by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9244-everybody-up License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.sascha-ende.de Young Frankenstein Abby Normal available on YouTube at YouTube.com/watch?v=C9Pw0xX4DXI

Nov 23, 202254 min

Ep 369PPP 369 | Is That Influence Or Manipulation? How To Know The Difference, With Andres Lares

Influence and Manipulation Where's the line between influence and manipulation? Well, I'll save the answer for when you hear from today's guest. Andres Lares is the Managing Partner at the Shapiro Negotiation Institute and author of a book entitled Persuade: The 4-Step Process to Influence People and Decisions. In this episode, Andres talks about the difference between influence and manipulation, and how to persuade in an ethical way. He explains why persuasion doesn't just start with logic--or emotion. Rather, it's with building credibility, and Andres shares some ideas on what that means and how to do it. Along the way, you'll learn about Borrowed Credibility, Belief Biases, salary negotiating, and more. It's a discussion that I've been looking forward to sharing with you. Learn more about Andres and his book at ShapiroNegotiations.com/. For more insights related to this episode, check out: Episode 157 for my conversation with Dr. Robert Cialdini about his books on influence Episode 194 for my conversation with Tim David about his book on influence Episode 347 for my conversation with Zoe Chance about her book Influence is Your Superpower Do You Have a High School or College Age Student in Your Family? If so, check out our e-learning program entitled Getting Stuff Done: Project Management for Students. It provides practical skills to reduce the stress of their school work and help jumpstart their career. Learn more and get access at https://i-leadonline.com/GettingStuffDone. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Crime Time by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9136-crime-time License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frank.schroeter.52 Music: Lofi Chill Hip-Hop by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6347-lofi-chill-hip-hop License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://linktr.ee/taigasoundprod

Nov 12, 202241 min

Ep 368PPP 368 | Where Good Leaders Go Wrong, With Author Jim Wetrich

Leadership Lessons Over the years of hosting the People and Projects Podcast, we've heard from authors from all kinds of backgrounds. I enjoy bringing you insights from researchers and professors and authors from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. But I particularly enjoy talking with people who have been in the trenches--they've had to lead in daunting situations, and they have the stories--and the scars--that come from being in the arena. In this episode, you're going to hear from someone just like that. Jim Wetrich has led teams on three continents for more than 40 years. Jim, who also goes by the name Big Red, has put his top lessons about leading into a new book entitled Stifled: Where Good Leaders Go Wrong. In this episode, Big Red talks about how failing fast is easy to say--and important--but can also be difficult emotionally. He talks about why self-awareness is critical for leaders--and why we probably struggle with it more than we realize. We talk about hypocritical leaders and what we can do to make sure we don't come off that way to our teams. Big Red shares how he manages the tension between getting his hands dirty but not micromanaging. Before we're done, we'll talk about the importance of staying positive, office politics, and more. I can't wait to share this discussion with you. Learn more about Big Red and his book at JimWetrich.com/. Do You Have a High School or College Age Student in Your Family? If so, check out our e-learning program entitled Getting Stuff Done: Project Management for Students. It provides practical skills to reduce the stress of their school work and help jumpstart their career. Learn more and get access at https://i-leadonline.com/GettingStuffDone. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Inspiring Advertising by Rafael Krux Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5515-inspiring-advertising License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.orchestralis.net/ Music: Pop Cinematic Credits by Rafael Krux Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5586-pop-cinematic-credits License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.orchestralis.net/

Oct 28, 202232 min

Ep 367PPP 367 | What If They Don't Follow Your Advice? How To Amplify Your Influence, With Rene Rodriguez

Influencing Skills for Project Managers One of the constant challenges for those of us who lead teams and projects is influencing people around us. Whether it's a boss, our team, clients, or other stakeholders, we're often in situations where we're trying to influence an outcome, yet running into a brick wall while doing so. In this episode, we continue a series of discussions we've had over the years on the topic of influence. We're joined by Rene Rodriguez, author of a new book entitled Amplify Your Influence: Transform How You Communicate and Lead. In this episode, Rene discusses what we often don't get right about influence. He shares a simple way to learn more about influence just by paying attention to the people around us. You'll get an understanding of how the brain can help us be more effective at persuading or others--and how ignoring it can get in the way. And relates ideas from his AMPLIFII process to give us a taste of how we can communicate more effectively while persuading those around us. I'm looking forward to sharing this discussion with you! Learn more about Rene and his book at MeetRene.com/. For more insights related to this episode, check out: Episode 157 for my conversation with Dr. Robert Cialdini about his books on influence Episode 194 for my conversation with Tim David about his book on influence Episode 347 for my conversation with Zoe Chance about her book Influence is Your Superpower Do You Have a High School or College Age Student in Your Family? If so, check out our e-learning program entitled Getting Stuff Done: Project Management for Students. It provides practical skills to reduce the stress of their school work and help jumpstart their career. Learn more and get access at https://i-leadonline.com/GettingStuffDone. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Lofi Chill Hip-Hop by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6347-lofi-chill-hip-hop License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://linktr.ee/taigasoundprod Music: Crime Time by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9136-crime-time License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frank.schroeter.52

Oct 12, 202240 min

Ep 366PPP 366 | Want More Accountability With Your Teams? Here's Where To Start, With Author Michael Timms

Accountability on Project Teams In this episode, we're taking on the subject of accountability. And though fostering accountability among our team members is something we'll talk about, you're going to see that developing a culture of personal accountability might have a lot more to do with us than we realize. My guest today is Michael Timms. He's the author of a fantastic leadership book entitled How Leaders Can Inspire Accountability: Three Habits That Make or Break Leaders and Elevate Organizational Performance. In this episode, Michael helps us get a better understanding of what accountability is--and isn't. He explains how looking at accountability through the lens of systems thinking can help us better understand why we're getting the behaviors we're experiencing. Michael shares his litmus test of whether or not someone is a leader. And he introduces us to some habits that, when done well and consistently, can develop transforming levels of impact on you, your team, and your organization's results. Learn more about Michael and his book at MichaelTimms.com. For more insights related to this episode, check out: Episode 213 for my conversation with Christopher Avery about his book The Accountability Process Episode 20 for my conversation with John G. Miller, author of The QBQ Do You Have a High School or College Age Student in Your Family? If so, check out our e-learning program entitled Getting Stuff Done: Project Management for Students. It provides practical skills to reduce the stress of their school work and help jumpstart their career. Learn more and get access at https://i-leadonline.com/GettingStuffDone. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Soft Interlude by Alexander Nakarada Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7766-soft-interlude License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ Music: Road Trip by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9761-road-trip License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frank.schroeter.52 "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility" Scene – Spider-Man (2002) Movie CLIP HD On YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuS5NuXRb5Y

Sep 30, 202244 min

Ep 365PPP 365 | The Top Skill For Women (And Men) To Develop To Take Your Career To The Next Level

Career Advice for Women (and Men) Most days you can find me working with a group of leaders, helping them learn how to improve their ability to lead and deliver. This last Thursday I looked around the room that was filled with people in a project management exam prep program. Interestingly, all of the participants were women. That's characteristic of a trend we see week in and week out--project management is a rewarding and accessible career path for women to pursue. And though that is true, there are barriers that women encounter that can hinder their ability to maximize their career potential. I'm excited to introduce you to the work of Christie Hunter Arscott. Christie is the author of a new book entitled Begin Boldly: How Women Can Reimagine Risk, Embrace Uncertainty, and Launch a Brilliant Career. In this episode, Christie talks about what she means when saying we should reimagine risk. She talks about her research-based, highly practical framework for navigating career risks in a balanced, even agile way. We discuss why the phrase "Good things come to those who wait" is a myth--and why a different way of looking at that phrase can make an enormous difference in your career. Christie talks about courage--being bold--including what it means to take micro-acts of courage. It's an engaging discussion that I've been so looking forward to sharing with you for many weeks. Learn more about Christie and her book at ChristieHunterArscott.com. For more insights related to this episode, check out: Episode 314 for my conversation with the authors of the book Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace Episode 347 for my conversation with Zoe Chance about her book on influence, which includes content for women Do You Have a High School or College Age Student in Your Family? If so, check out our e-learning program entitled Getting Stuff Done: Project Management for Students. It provides practical skills to reduce the stress of their school work and help jumpstart their career. Learn more and get access at https://i-leadonline.com/GettingStuffDone. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills The following music was used for this episode: Music: Love by Ketsa Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7581-love License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://ketsa.uk/ Music: Tuesday by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/2992-tuesday License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.sascha-ende.de

Sep 14, 202247 min

Ep 364PPP 364 | Helping Students Prepare For Their Future (And Pass Their Chem Exam Next Week)

Your Kids Are Project Managers As I've often joked on this podcast, I don't think I've ever heard of an 8-year-old child telling their parent, "Mommy, someday I want to be a project manager!" On the contrary, it's something that they got into almost accidentally. They were good in their particular area of expertise and were given the opportunity to lead initiatives in that area. But what if we learned about project management earlier? In fact, what if high school and college students developed expertise in leading and delivering projects? What difference could that make in their schooling and early careers? That's what we're talking about in this episode. I'm joined by Grant Johnson, who also happens to be a team member at the company I run. Finding a way to help develop project management capabilities for high school and college-aged students is something he has been tasked with over the last year. And he's learned a lot in the process. In today's discussion, Grant talks about why students in this age group should even care. He talks about examples of projects that students take on and how they can start those projects with momentum. Grant shares some tips he's learned about project management as someone in his early 20s and how it has helped him personally. It's a discussion I'm looking forward to sharing with you. And let me add that if you're the parent of someone in this age group, you're invited to have them listen along with you--or send them a link so they can benefit from this episode as well. Learn more about Getting Stuff Done: Project Management for Students at PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com/GettingStuffDone. Podcast listeners can use a coupon code of gsd100 to save $100 USD. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Technical Project Management The following music was used for this episode: Music: Funky Upturn by chilledmusic Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7472-funky-upturn License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Funky Life by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6040-funky-life License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Sep 8, 202225 min

Ep 363PPP 363 | Lessons From One Of The Top Management Thinkers, Roger L. Martin

A New Way to Think Over 300 episodes ago we were joined by Roger L. Martin to talk about ideas from his book The Opposable Mind. In the years since I have personally benefited from Roger's insights in books such as The Design of Business and Creating Great Choices. Roger joins us again in this episode to talk about his newest book entitled A New Way to Think: Your Guide to Superior Management Effectiveness. If you just glanced at the book, you might think it's only relevant to CEOs and other top leaders. But there are ideas in this book that anyone leading projects and teams would benefit from. In this episode, Roger discusses the value and pitfalls of following popular models. He shares insights on why we need to get closer to the customer and how one of his friends and co-authors did that as CEO of Proctor & Gamble. You'll hear Roger explain why the familiar solution usually trumps the perfect one and why we just might make better decisions if we focus on what must be true instead of what is true. We talk about all that and more--it's a conversation I've been looking forward to sharing with you for many weeks. Learn more about Roger and his books at RogerLMartin.com. For more insights related to this episode, check out: Episode 54 for my previous conversation with Roger about his book The Opposable Mind Episode 47 for my conversation with Henry Mintzberg, the revered and curmudgeonly expert on management Join our Global LEAD52 Community Ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? LEAD52 is your 5-minute weekly pass to leadership intelligence. You get 52 weeks of learning, delivered right to your inbox, taking less than 5 minutes a week. And it's all for free. Join us at https://GetLEAD52.com. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Leadership The following music was used for this episode: Music: Hip Hop Flute Chill(loopable} by chilledmusic Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8531-hip-hop-flute-chillloopable License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Funky Life by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6040-funky-life License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Sep 1, 202246 min

Ep 362PPP 362 | Surprising Lessons From The Science Of Motivation

Staying Motivated to Get Things Done How do we stay motivated when we're pursuing our goals? And what can we learn from motivational science to help us both at work and at home? We're joined today by one of the most important voices in motivational science, Dr. Ayelet Fishbach. Ayelet is the author of a new book entitled Get It Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation. In this episode, Ayelet will talk about some of the biggest myths or misunderstandings about motivation--some that I think you'll recognize. She'll talk about the importance of how we frame goals and how putting a number to them makes a big difference. She'll explain the planning fallacy and how that impacts us individually and with our projects. Ayelet will help us better understand if we should reflect on the progress we've made--or how far we have to go yet. And throughout the discussion, we'll apply the learning to goals like project delivery, team motivation, earning a certification, exercising, losing weight, and even parenting! It's a conversation I'm looking forward to sharing with you. Learn more about Ayelet and her book at https://AyeletFishbach.com/. Join our Global LEAD52 Community Ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? LEAD52 is your 5-minute weekly pass to leadership intelligence. You get 52 weeks of learning, delivered right to your inbox, taking less than 5 minutes a week. And it's all for free. Join us at https://GetLEAD52.com. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Leadership I Am Running with Temporary Success from a Monstrous Vacuum in Pursuit by Chris Zabriskie Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heo0oXDa8ck License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Early Riser by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2315niU5WBY License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Aug 2, 202236 min

Ep 361PPP 361 | Leading Virtual Teams Across Cultures—In The Trenches With Yasmina Khelifi

In The Trenches With Yasmina Khelifi Every once in a while we have a type of episode that we call In the Trenches. It's an episode that interviews someone who is actively working in a project leadership role, allowing us to benefit from the lessons they have been learning over the years. I'm glad to welcome our guest today, Yasmina Khelifi, from Paris, France. Yasmina has been a leader in the telecom industry for many years and is an active blogger on projectmanagement.com. She has extensive experience working with international teams, providing her unique insights into how culture factors into leading and communicating. Learn more about Yasmina on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasminakhelifi-pmp-telecom/ and on ProjectManagement.com. Join our Global LEAD52 Community Ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? LEAD52 is your 5-minute weekly pass to leadership intelligence. You get 52 weeks of learning, delivered right to your inbox, taking less than 5 minutes a week. And it's all for free. Join us at https://GetLEAD52.com. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Strategic and Business Management Le Baguette by Alexander Naka Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4784-le-baguett License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Let Me Be Free by Sascha Ende® Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/164-let-me-be-free License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jul 4, 202244 min

Ep 360PPP 360 | How Hands On Should You Stay? Mistakes That Managers Make, With Dr. Janet Polach

Mistakes (New) Managers Make If you are currently in a management role, do you remember what it was like when you first took on that new position? Do you remember what your struggles were? Janet Polach joins us today to talk about her book The Seven Mistakes New Managers Make: How to Avoid Them and Thrive. Though it's a book for new managers, my take is that we could all benefit from being reminded about the traps we can easily fall into as we seek to become more effective leaders. Learn more about Janet and her book at InTheLead.co. Join our Global LEAD52 Community Ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? LEAD52 is your 5-minute weekly pass to leadership intelligence. You get 52 weeks of learning, delivered right to your inbox, taking less than 5 minutes a week. And it's all for free. Join us at https://GetLEAD52.com. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Leadership Crime Time by Frank Schröter Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/9136-crime-time License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license It's Funky by Frank Schröter Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/8061-it-s-funky License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jun 14, 202229 min