Everything's a Project.... That's not only a great name for a book--which it is--but it's also a great way to look at many things at work and in life. Looking for a job? It's a project. Need to create a report for your boss? It's likely a project. Looking for ways to develop your skills? You guessed it--your personal development is a project.
Now, of course, not everything is a project. But most leaders would benefit if we thought of our work as projects and applied lessons that we've learned from the world of project management.
Well, Everything's a Project: 70 Lessons From Successful Project-Driven Organizations is the title of a book published earlier this year by my friend and colleague Ben Snyder. In this episode I look forward to sharing with you a recent discussion I had with Ben about his new book. Don't miss the normal end of episode outtakes!
Hey, I have a quick idea for you: Many organizations hold department or company meetings in the last half of the year or to kick off a new year. It could just be that someone in your company is planning one of those right now! I invite you to recommend one of our keynotes or workshops for that meeting. We have a series of sessions designed to help you and your organization lead and deliver. They are practical, interactive, motivating, and ultimately results-oriented. If you like what you hear on this podcast, it's even better live! And if you reserve a session before the end of September, I'd be glad to extend a 20% discount to the fee for podcast listeners. Visit https://www.i-leadonline.com/documents/AndyKaufmanBrochure.pdf to learn more.
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Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!
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Follow-Up to the Tom DeMarco Interview
I trust you had the opportunity to listen to both episodes of my interview with Tom DeMarco. He's a guy who has uniquely impacted the world of projects, and it was certainly a pleasure for me to talk with him. His books are insightful, practical, and even a bit a quirky (in a good way) at times. But I'm confident that if you're in the software development side of project management or leadership, you'll get value from his books.
In this premium episode, I follow-up on some issues that Tom and I touched on that are relevant whether or not your projects are related to software development. Tom's ideas truly span further than that domain. I cover topics such as:
The myth of "The more pressure, the better"
Why having only a 50%-70% likelihood of success could be a good thing
Why stressed brains do not learn the same way as non-stressed brains
Where the line crosses between stress being a good thing and it becoming a dangerous thing
One additional factor that impacts workplace stress and productivity (and it's none of your business!)
Why it can help to realize that all your team members are volunteer employees
Max DePree's secret for learning how effective of a leader you are
"It's not what you don't know that kills you. It's what you know that just isn't so."
Are we changing people or just amusing them?
Resources
Resources that I refer to during this premium episode include:
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Thank you for being a Premium Subscriber to The People and Projects Podcast! I greatly appreciate this opportunity to be part of your personal development strategy. Have a great week!
In this episode I continue my discussion with Tom DeMarco, with insights related to his writing in books such as The Deadline. If you didn't listen to the first part of my interview with Tom, I recommend you listen to that one before continuing. In this episode Tom addresses topics such as knowing what we don’t know, dealing with jerk bosses, and what he writes and speaks about but has trouble doing himself. Make sure to stay tuned after the interview for a very transparent story from Tom about his career.
Tom DeMarco Resources
Want more from Tom DeMarco? Here are some recommended resources:
A couple months back I was teaching a PMP®Exam Prep workshop. One of the participants mentioned that he was reading Tom DeMarco's book entitled The Deadline: A Novel About Project Management. It's a book that I had wanted to read many times since it was originally published in the late 1990's but it never bubbled up to the top of my book list. But when this workshop participant continued to rave about the book, it ended up on my iPad Kindle Reader before the day was done. And in the coming days I couldn't put the book down.
If you're not in the software side of project management or leadership, you might not have heard of Tom DeMarco before. But if you do work on that side of the house, Tom DeMarco has likely impacted you and your job more than you know. He's been a leading thinker and practitioner in this space for decades, and in the next two episodes, you have a great opportunity to hear from this industry giant. Even if you're not in the software development arena, you'll get some practical insights from this exceptionally insightful thinker on how to deliver your projects and lead teams.
More Tom DeMarco
To get your copy of The Deadline, click here Join us in the next episode when Tom will address topics such as knowing what we don't know, dealing with jerk bosses, and what he writes and speaks about but has trouble doing himself.
Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!