PPP 422 | Project Manager Productivity Hacks, with Nigel Creaser

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Published: Friday, 05 July 2024 02:00

Written by Andy Kaufman

Total Duration 57:19

Download episode 422

Summary

In this episode, Andy interviews Nigel Creaser, an active project professional and author of the book Project Manager Productivity Hacks. Nigel shares insights from his career and discusses strategies for managing interruptions and improving productivity. They also touch on the use of mobile devices and AI tools in project management.

Overall, the conversation emphasizes the need for project managers to go beyond technical skills and prioritize the human aspect of their work. If you're looking for practical insights on how to lead teams and deliver projects, this is a great episode for you!

Sound Bites

• "Productivity isn't about winning. It's not like a sport... It's more like yoga and that you can always be a bit more stretched."
• "Project management, I think, is messy, and we try to control the mess rather than go with the flow with the mess and kind of direct it."
• (Nigel, about being a podcaster) "I try to be that person who's being cheeky and getting free consultancy."

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:23 Start of Interview
• 01:58 Nigel's Backstory
• 06:26 How Nigel Seeks to Minimize Interruptions
• 11:18 Nigel's Advice About Email
• 16:45 Mobile Devices and Productivity
• 21:38 How Nigel and Andy are Using AI
• 31:02 Project Management Lessons Nigel Has Learned
• 36:29 Career Advice from Nigel's Journey
• 45:31 About the Sunday Lunch Project Manager Podcast
• 49:15 Wrap-Up
• 49:34 Andy Comments After the Interview
• 51:55 Outtakes

Learn More

You can learn more about Nigel, his books, and his Sunday Lunch Project Manager Podcast at NigelCreaser.com.

If you’d like more on this subject, check out:

• Episode 346 with Donna Gregorio. It's another in the trenches episode, and
• Episode 169 with Emily Luijbregts. She is also a practicing project manager and we discuss challenges and lessons about leading virtual teams.

Project Management for Students

You know how valuable it is to know how to lead and deliver projects. But students often aren't taught these skills. We've taken some of our best content on project management and put into a course Getting Stuff Done: Project Management for Students. The feedback has been so positive. Give the gift of a headstart to a student you know by going to PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com/GettingStuffDone

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
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Funny by Frank Schroeter
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

PPP 421 | A Leader's Guide to More and Better Sleep, with sleep specialist Dr. Bijoy John

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Published: Tuesday, 02 July 2024 16:54

Written by Andy Kaufman

Total Duration 37:48

Download episode 421

Summary

In this episode, Andy dives deep into the world of sleep with Dr. Bijoy John, author of Nobody's Sleeping: Seven Proven Sleep Strategies for Better Health. Dr. John shares his personal journey with sleep issues, discusses the widespread impact of poor sleep on health and performance, and offers practical advice for improving sleep quality.

Do you have trouble getting to sleep? Or do you wake up in the night and have trouble getting back to sleep? From the importance of naps to the dangers of screen time before bed, this episode covers a wide range of sleep-related topics relevant to professionals and parents alike.

Sound Bites

• "Society as a whole is operating on sleep debt and the main culprit there is your phone."
• "A workforce that is well rested performs better, makes less mistakes, tends to have better mental health so they're less anxious, and less defensive."
• "So the key here is the nap should be only for 30, maximum 40 minutes because you're following your biorhythm. This is a bio hack."
• "The bedroom is only for sex and sleeping, not for snoring or worrying."
• "I believe by sleeping better, the world can be a better place."

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 02:36 Start of interview
• 02:49 Even NFL teams should know about naps
• 03:50 How lack of sleep impacts areas of our life
• 05:13 Cardiologists often don't realize sleep might be the problem
• 06:21 Dr. John's struggles with sleep
• 09:06 Ineffective Sleep Aids
• 11:11 Power Naps and Sleep Debt
• 12:32 Why a consistent sleep schedule is challenging
• 14:13 Having a consistent shutdown routine
• 19:37 What about when you wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep?
• 22:38 Try Dr. John's Vivid Imagination technique
• 24:07 Resources on Dr. John's website
• 25:00 Tips for better sleep, for parents and kids
• 30:39 Wrap-up
• 31:58 Andy's comments after the interview
• 35:24 Outtakes

Learn More

You can learn more about Dr. John and his Sleep Fix Academy at SleepFixAcademy.com.

If you’d like more on this subject, check out episodes 132 and 106 with Tom Rath. Tom is the author of Eat, Move, Sleep and other books with a similar theme.

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: The Fantastical Ferret by Tim Kulig
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Fashion Corporate by Frank Schroeter
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

PPP 420 | Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager, with FranklinCovey's Kory Kogon

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Published: Thursday, 27 June 2024 17:49

Written by Andy Kaufman

Total Duration 53:55

Download episode 420

Summary

In this episode, Andy interviews Kory Kogon, FranklinCovey’s Vice President of Content Development, about her updated book, Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager. They discuss the prevalence of unofficial project managers in various industries, especially post-pandemic, and the unique challenges they face. Kory shares insights on foundational behaviors, clarifying expectations, stakeholder management, and risk management.

The conversation also delves into the significance of accountability and performance discussions, particularly for those leading without formal authority.

If you lead projects, regardless of your title, this discussion is for you!

Sound Bites

• "We often find that at least 80% of the participants in our project management workshops don't have the word project in their title. Yet you could argue that, in many ways, we're all project managers."
• "The top reasons why projects fail are unclear scope, key stakeholders wanting different things, lack of communication, not knowing the roles, having the wrong people in roles, and scope creep."
• "Accountability takes on a different lens. It's not punitive. It's mutual accountability."
• "A cadence of accountability sets up a team that is inspired to want to do the work."

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 02:23 Start of Interview
• 02:41 In What Ways Are We All Project Managers?
• 05:09 The Top Reasons Why Projects Struggle
• 07:45 Clarifying Expectations in Projects
• 14:06 Identifying and Managing Stakeholders
• 18:40 Managing Risks in Projects
• 24:20 The Importance of Accountability
• 26:36 The Essence of Accountability in Leadership
• 28:03 Creating a Cadence of Accountability
• 31:54 Navigating Informal Authority and Performance Conversations
• 37:26 Clarifying Project Scope and Managing Change
• 43:36 Interview Wrap-Up
• 44:25 Andy's Comments After the Interview
• 47:44 Outtakes

Learn More

You can learn more about Kory and her book (and download a sample chapter) at FranklinCovey.com.

If you’d like more on this subject, check out:

• Episode 405, with Gil Broza about scaling good project practices across the organization
• Episode 376, with Nick Sonnenberg about his book Come Up for Air
• Episode 129, with Kory about her book The Five Choices

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
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Chillhouse by Frank Schroeter
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

PPP 419 | How to Fix Your Boss (and Your Team), with Molly McGrath

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Published: Tuesday, 25 June 2024 10:00

Written by Andy Kaufman

Total Duration 39:10

Download episode 419

Summary

In this episode, Andy interviews Molly McGrath, author of the book Fix My Boss: A Simple Plan to Cultivate Respect, Risk Courageous Conversations, and Increase The Bottom Line. They discuss practical ways to improve the relationship between bosses and employees, including having courageous conversations, setting clear expectations, and implementing accountability measures.

Molly emphasizes the importance of focus management and prioritization to combat the feeling of being busy. She also shares insights on empowering women in the workplace and applying project management principles to family life. Overall, the conversation provides actionable strategies for both managers and employees to cultivate respect and increase productivity.

Sound Bites

• "Blaming your boss fixes nothing. And by the way, it's easy for bosses to do the same thing."
• "We don't speak up because we're afraid it'll create conflict. And by not doing it, it creates conflict."
• "Busy is usually a focus problem. It might be lack of clarity or an unrealistic amount of workload. But it's often a matter of focus."

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:36 Start of Interview
• 02:09 Molly's Backstory and Influences
• 04:16 Understanding Fixed vs. Growth Mindset
• 06:25 The Power of the Pause for Managers and Employees
• 10:38 The Importance of Courageous Conversations
• 15:04 Daily Progress Reports: Not Micromanaging, But Empowering
• 22:11 Challenging the Concept of Being 'Busy'
• 25:11 Empowering Women in the Workplace
• 28:39 Applying Project Management at Home
• 30:30 Interview Wrap-Up
• 31:00 Andy comments after the interview
• 34:30 Outtakes

Learn More

You can learn more about Molly and her book at FixMyBossBook.com.

If you’d like more on this subject, check out:

• Episode 410, with Ryan Hawk about his insightful book on excellence (I consider it a must-read)
• Episode 366, with Michael Timms about his book on accountability, and
• Episode 209, with Ron Lovett about his book on empowering your teams

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: Echo by Alexander Nakarada
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Tropical Vibe by MinneTheMoog
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

PPP 418 | How to Be Unoffendable, and Other Leadership Lessons About Excellence, with Randy Fox

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Published: Tuesday, 18 June 2024 11:36

Written by Andy Kaufman

Total Duration 39:26

Download episode 418

Summary

In this episode, Andy Kaufman interviews his friend Randy Fox about his book The Call to Excellence: Influential Leadership for Impactful Results. Randy shares the backstory of his signature story, the Silver Platter Service, and how it can apply to leadership. They discuss the pursuit of excellence and the difference between being perfect and pursuing our highest and best. They also talk about the importance of being unoffendable and open to feedback, as well as the basics of leadership, such as kindness, communication, and consistency. Randy emphasizes the need for intentional self-improvement and even how these principles apply to parenting.

Sound Bites

• "The art of listening is hearing what the person is not saying."
• "When you watch yourself, the film doesn't lie."
• "The silver platter isn't about how we collect the trash, it's how we serve someone else and how we lead them through those projects, through those outcomes, through life."
• "There's a difference between being kind and nice."

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:01 Start of Interview
• 01:11 The Silver Platter story
• 03:58 What does pursuing excellence NOT mean?
• 06:32 The difference between surviving and thriving
• 07:56 Being unoffendable
• 14:34 Lessons from refs
• 17:39 About sincerity and truth
• 21:56 Be brilliant with the basics
• 24:27 How to be a better communicator
• 26:46 How to not get complacent with our learning
• 31:17 Applying these lessons as parents
• 33:08 Interview Wrap Up
• 33:40 Andy Comments After the Interview
• 36:49 Outtakes

Learn More

You can learn more about Randy and his book at FoxPoint.net.

If you’d like more on this subject, check out:

• Episode 301, with Peter Kozodoy about his book on honesty
• Episode 345, with Darren Reinke about his book about being a savage leader

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: Echo by Alexander Nakarada
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Fashion Corporate by Frank Schroter
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license