Power Skills

  • PPP 003 | The Myth of Multitasking, with guest author Dave Crenshaw

    Total Duration: 23:52


    Download episode 3

    Dave Crenshaw author of The Myth of Multitasking, is our guest on this cast and shares insights on why multitasking actually hurts our productivity. 

    Here's to a very focused day for you! 

  • PPP 004 | Increasing Your Charisma, with guest Dr. Nick Morgan, author of "Trust Me: Four Steps to Authenticity and Charisma"

    Total Duration: 32:52

    Download episode 4

    Thanks for listening to The People and Projects Podcast!

    Talent Triangle: Leadership

  • PPP 005 | How Engaged Are Your Teams? Got Conflict? A conversation with Kenneth W. Thomas, author of "Intrinsic Motivation at Work"

    Episode Duration 32:42

    Download episode 5

     

    So take a look around you. How engaged would you say the people are in your organization?

    Each workplace is unique but here's a dose of reality: Some research shows only 29% of North American employees are fully engaged. That's a lot of productivity being left on the table.

    Particularly during challenging economic times, it's essential for our teams to be fully engaged and committed to project and organizational success. But how are they going to go the extra mile if they aren't engaged?

    One of my heroes in business over the years is Kenneth W. Thomas. If you've sat through any of my leadership or conflict management sessions, you've likely heard me refer to Ken. His research and writing on managing conflict has significantly impacted me. Ken is a co-author of the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI).

    Ken is also the author of the new book Intrinsic Motivation at Work: What Really Drives Employee Engagement, published by Berrett-Koehler and ASTD. This book is an easy read: informal yet packed with great insights to help you engage your teams.

    Whether it's Ken's work on conflict or engaging the workforce, Ken is a clear and strong voice that offers not only words of wisdom but also practical tools to help us lead through conflict with engaged teams.

    I had the opportunity to catch up with Ken recently to get his insights on all this, including the new Work Engagement Profile. This easy-to-use profile provides excellent insights to understand how engaged you and your team are to help put together a plan to re-engage.

    Most organizations could benefit from practical learning about how to manage conflict. Contact me today to learn about the TKI assessment. We can help you and your organization better understand how to productively navigate conflict. Learn more at http://www.i-leadonline.com/tki.asp. For hospitals who need to comply with the Joint Commission standard LD.2.40, I invite you to visit http://www.healthcare-conflict-management.com/tki-assessments.html to learn more how we can help you.

    Another way to take a next step from this podcast: contact me about Ken's new Work Engagement Profile. I can walk you and your team through the profile, and facilitate a plan to re-engage your workforce during these challenging times.

    Finally, don't forget the special offer in the podcast. It can be tempting to think "Andy's other listeners have already picked up those free books or assessments. I won't get in touch with him."

    Send me an e-mail at or call toll-free at 866-88 I-LEAD. You just might pick up a freebie!

    Thanks for listening to The People and Projects Podcast! Enjoy the interview!

  • PPP 006 | Getting More Done with Less Stress, with guest Jason Womack

    Total Duration 26:12

    Download episode 6


    When I'm looking for insights on managing my time, I head to my friend and colleague Jason Womack.
    Jason is a great source of inspiration and fresh ideas for me when it comes to personal productivity.

    To learn more about Jason, I invite you to visit his website at http://www.jasonwomack.com/. Or just Google Jason's name and you'll find helpful articles and videos online.

    Thanks for listening to the People and Projects podcast!Contact me at or toll-free at 866-884-5323 for ideas on how to help you and your team get more done with less stress.

  • PPP 007 | Leading and Delivering with Virtual Teams, with guest Dr. Karen Sobel Lojeski

    Total Duration 46:07

    Download episode 7

    Let's face it: it's challenging enough to lead and deliver when your team is all together in one location!The problems compound when team members are distributed across multiple locations and perhaps even time zones.

    When is the best time to meet? How often? How can we help this team truly work together and feel like a team? It's a real challenge for those who desire to excel at delivering projects and leading teams in today's virtual workplace.

    I've had to learn many lessons the hard way while managing distributed teams that include offshore development. What I've learned over the years is this: great teams, whether located together or spread out across the globe, don't just happen. We have to absolutely be intentional about forming, developing, and maintaining them. If we don't we always leave much needed productivity on the table.

    These days when I'm looking for fresh insights on virtual teams and leadership I turn to my colleague Dr. Karen Sobel Lojeski, author of Uniting the Virtual Workforce: Transforming Leadership and Innovation in the Globally Integrated Enterprise. Her views on leadership and team development in a virtual world are always timely and insightful. I look forward to your feedback on my interview with her in this episode.

    You can learn more about Karen and her company at http://www.virtualdistance.com/.

    A major part of team effectiveness comes down to relationships. In fact, just about everything in business and life comes down to relationships, which is the main point of our keynote presentation entitled The Dirty Little Secret of Business. Though the title sounds provocative, the message is clear: whether we're talking about your individual success or that of your company, chances are it is heavily dependent on the strength of relationships.

    Contact me at or toll-free at 866-884-5323 to learn more about how this keynote can put an exclamation point on your upcoming company or department gathering, offsite retreat, or association meeting.

    And here's a big thank you to you! Baseline magazine rated the People and Projects Podcast one of the Ten Must-Listen To podcasts regarding project management. If you're getting value from these episodes, take a moment to tell your friends and colleagues!

    Thank you for listening to the People and Projects Podcast!

  • PPP 010 | Managing Generation Y, an interview with author and speaker Bruce Tulgan

    Total Duration 34:01

    Download episode 10

    You've heard the terms Generation X and Generation Y. There are plenty of stereotypes associated with each term. Yet when you're responsible for leading a team that spans generations, it's easy to struggle with challenges that vary from attention spans to how to best motivate and recognize accomplishment.

    Or maybe you are working for a younger boss. He or she is the age of one of your adult kids! What are some ideas to keep in mind to help you manage your younger boss?

    When I'm looking for insights into leading across generations, I turn to one of the foremost experts on young people in the workplace: Bruce Tulgan. Bruce is the author of Not Everyone Gets a Trophy: How to Manage Generation Y. You'll find my interview with Bruce in this cast helpful as you seek to lead today's workforce.

    Click here to order Not Everyone Gets a Trophy on Amazon.com. Also, I invite you to check out Bruce's organization: Rainmaker Thinking. I enjoy getting Bruce's video newsletter each week and recommend it to you and your team.

    Talent Triangle: Leadership

  • PPP 011 | Fierce Leadership, an interview with author Susan Scott

    Total Duration 29:04

    Download episode 11

    Being an effective leader of people and projects can often come down to having a good nose...Being able to sense that something just doesn't smell quite right!

    Learning to develop your ability to "sniff out problems" or "spot the tells"--those indications there are issues needing attention--is a key leadership skill developed through years of experience.

    It's also a theme of Susan Scott's new book released just this week entitled Fierce Leadership: A Bold Alternative to the Worst "Best" Practices of Business Today. I'm an enthusiastic admirer of Susan's book Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time and had the opportunity to catch up with Susan during this busy week of launching her new best seller.

    Do you have a friend or colleague who would benefit from interviews such as this one with Susan Scott? I invite you to send them a link to our podcast home page or to subscribe on iTunes.

    Special thanks to Susan Scott for joining us today! You can learn more about Susan and her company at http://www.fierceinc.com/. And thank you for joining us for this edition of The People and Projects Podcast!

  • PPP 012 | Why Feedback Doesn't Work, with Charles Jacobs, author of Management Rewired

    Total Duration 27:25

    Download episode 12


    Charles Jacobs recently released a book entitled Management Rewired: Why Feedback Doesn't Work and Other Surprising Lessons from the Latest Brain Science. Whether it's giving feedback, leading change, or other challenges that face leaders, Charles has some helpful insights based on the most recent brain science.

    I was able to catch up with Charles recently while he was relaxing in the Caribbean! Enjoy the interview! To learn more about Charles, I invite you to check out his website at http://www.managementrewired.com/.

    Thanks for joining us for this edition of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 013 | Managing Politics and Conflict in Projects, with author Brian Irwin, PMP

    Total Duration 28:20

    Download episode 13

    Hello! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast.

    I'm over in Europe this week facilitating a project management workshop for a great international company. Though I'm thousands of miles from home in a culture and language that is notably different from my own, I find a couple things remain the same:if you want to deliver projects and lead teams anywhere in this world, you're going to have to deal with conflict and organizational politics.

    It's just a reality of working with people.

    When I think of politics with projects, I think of my colleague Brian Irwin, PMP. Brian is the author of Managing Politics and Conflict in Projects, published by Management Concepts and is a contributing author to the book The 77 Deadly Sins of Project Management (Management Concepts, 2009). I had the opportunity to talk with Brian recently and look forward to sharing that interview with you in this episode.


    How about letting your friends and colleagues know about The People and Projects Podcast! Send them a link to our web page here, or have them look us up on iTunes! It would be a privilege for me to help develop their ability to lead and deliver as well.

    Thank you for joining me today! Have a great week! We'll see you next time on The People and Projects Podcast!

  • PPP 014 | How to Know What You Don't Know, an interview with author Michael Roberto

    Total Duration 21:35

    Download episode 14

    I hear it all the time when people describe themselves in a work setting: "I'm a good problem-solver!" Are you a good problem-solver? I'm guessing you would say "Yes!"

    Well, guess what? According to Michael Roberto, author of Know What You Don't Know, maybe we're all focusing on the wrong thing. According to Michael, it's not about becoming better problem-solvers. We need to be better problem finders!

    I had the opportunity to catch up with Michael by phone recently and look forward to sharing that discussion with you in this cast.

    To learn more about Michael, I invite you to check out his blog at http://michael-roberto.blogspot.com/. Also, don't miss Michael's other highly recommended book, Why Great Leaders Don't Take Yes for an Answer: Managing for Conflict and Consensus.

    Before we wrap-up, may I ask you a favor? I invite you to tell a friend or colleague about The People and Projects Podcast. I continue to be amazed at how many people still haven't started using podcasts as part of the professional development strategy. Send them a link or tell them how to find us on iTunes. Thank you very much!

    Thanks for joining us for this episode. Enjoy the cast!

  • PPP 015 | Is Failure an Option? An interview with Ralph Heath, author of Celebrating Failure

    Total Duration 28:27

    Download episode 15

    OK, here's the situation....You're the security guard at a data center, giving a new security guard a tour of the facility. Near the end of the tour you point to a button on the wall. The button is labeled "Do Not Push". While looking back at the new guard you remark, "See this button? Make sure you never pu...."

    Oops. You accidentally push the button.

    What happens? I'll tell you what happens. Lights out. Systems go dead—immediately. No nice shutdown. You turn pale—you know this isn't good.

    There's more to the story. The systems people can't get the servers restarted right away. When they do, there are problems with the network. Your company is unable to process transactions.... not for 1 hour. Not for 2 hours. It's not until 15 hours later that transactions are flowing through the system.

    Sound scary? This isn't a made up story. It actually happened. Thankfully, you're not in it. But let's say you were... When you get called into the bosses' office, what do you expect them to say?

    What are the odds you'd hear them say, "Kelly, get in here. I want to thank you for helping us see how incomplete our disaster recovery plans were. If it wasn't for you, we would have gone on, maybe for years, falsely thinking we had everything buttoned up. You also helped us learn that our shutdown button is too accessible. We'll put together plans to fix that. Kelly, from all of us in senior management, thank you very much!"

    Not likely? You're right. In fact, in the real world version of this story, the accidental button-pushing security guard got fired. Enough money was lost that management decided "Someone must die! We need flesh!"

    Was this the best way to respond? Though normal, does it fix the problem by firing the guard? My guess is the new guy never pressed the button! But did it really fix things? Or did it just assign blame.

    Ralph Heath is the author of Celebrating Failure: The Power of Taking Risks, Making Mistakes and Thinking Big. Just the name of the book made me want to interview Ralph! How often do you hear Celebrate and Failure in the same sentence?

    When things go wrong--even in a big way--what's a leader to do? Can we really celebrate failure without creating a culture of complacence? Could the way we react--such as firing someone in the name of accountability--actually create additional dysfunction?

    These are issues that Ralph wrestles with in his book. I look forward to your feedback on the interview with Ralph in this episode.  Have a great week!

  • PPP 016 | World of Thanks, a special Thanksgiving podcast episode

    Download episode 16

    Thanksgiving is, indeed, one of my favorite holidays. Though celebrated this week in the States, many other countries have a similar holiday with essentially the same purpose: give us a chance to reflect on what we're thankful for.

    The People and Projects Podcast is all about helping you to deliver projects and lead teams. So, it's worth asking: how important is being thankful to helping you lead and deliver?

    It's critical. In fact, let's test that out for a second....

    Think back through bosses you've worked for in the past. Or consider teachers you've had over the years, and perhaps even your parents. Out of that list, who jumps out as someone who was stingy, so to speak, with their gratitude towards you? Whether in word or action, they just didn't dish out appreciation very often.

    Can you think of someone? Many people can. What consequences come to mind that resulted from that lack of gratitude?

    Some two years ago I was talking with a CEO about how I like to send Thank You cards to people. He actively tried to convince me that such expressions of gratitude--especially in writing--were a waste of time, much like "holding hands and singing." He said, "People don't need a boss telling them 'Thank You'. Rather, results speak for themselves."

    Wow. I can only imagine what he's like to work for!

    Go back to your list. Get that ogre out of your mind and replace them with someone who did a great job of making you feel appreciated. Once again, whether in word or deed or both, they oozed with gratitude.

    What difference did they make?

    In my experience, those leaders are able to accomplish so much more. Their teams are more engaged. They can be more innovative because they are working less out of fear and more out of self-motivation. Expressing gratitude and recognizing others for the work they do is a clear mandate for anyone who desires to deliver projects and lead teams.

    Maybe it's the economy... Maybe it's the growing discontent among many that our political leaders are out of touch. There's no shortage of things to be upset about.

    So here's what I've found. Being thankful is a choice. It's something we need to proactively pursue to avoid being sucked into the whirlpool of negativity and entitlement that surrounds us.

    In recent years my company has sponsored a gratitude project called the World of Thanks initiative. Each year people from around the world write in to answer a very simple question: "What are you thankful for?"

    Though the answers vary widely, I always get great feedback from people about how they find it refreshing to take a moment to participate in the project as well as read the results from young and old alike.

    As many of you know, this year we opened it up for people to call in with their message so we could include their thoughts in this podcast. For all that called in or just replied to the invitations with messages on LinkedIn, Facebook, or e-mail, thank you for participating.

    And now, it is my pleasure to share with you the voices of your fellow podcast listeners as they answer the question, "What are you thankful for?"

    Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

  • PPP 017 | Take Back Your Life! An interview with author John Wittry

    I was discussing how fast time flies by with my friend and colleague Kymme Lightfoot who is a consultant with McGhee Productivity Solutions. McGhee specializes in helping organizations with these very challenges and she hooked me up with partner John Witty. John is the author of Take Back Your Life! (Microsoft Press) and if you are looking for perspective to get a better handle on the demands of work and life, this episode's interview is especially designed for you.

    You can learn more about McGhee Productivity Solutions at http://www.mcgheeproductivity.com/

    Thank you for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Enjoy the discussion with John!

    Duration 27:10



    Download episode 17

  • PPP 019 | Making New Year's Resolutions StickK! An interview with Jordan Goldberg, CEO of stickK.com

    Total Duration 14:11

    Download episode 19

    Happy New Year!Thank you for joining us for this special New Year's episode of The People and Projects Podcast!

    Deliver the podcast by e-mail for free!Quick note: You can now receive notices of new podcast episodes via e-mail, allowing you to listen to them more conveniently and in a timely manner. Sign up here!

    How many times have you set a new years resolution only to have it hit head-on into the wall of reality of daily living? My experience? New Year's resolutions often don't last the day, much less the end of January!

    There are all kinds of resolutions you might consider, personally and professionally. On a professional level, for project managers that have not yet gotten certified, why not make this the year that you get that done? It's so easy to put it off. For others, there might be some habits you want to improve such as getting more sleep or going out on a date with a loved one more often.

    If you are a project manager and haven't yet pursued certification, click here to learn more about PMP®certification.

    There are countless ideas for resolutions but how do you make them stick? Well, on this special New Year's episode of The People and Projects Podcast, you'll hear from Jordan Goldberg, CEO of Stickk.com. Make sure to check their service out!

    Here's to this being your best year ever! Happy New Year!

  • PPP 020 | Accountability That Works! An interview with author and speaker John G. Miller

    Accountability.

    It's an easy word to say, but when it comes to practicing it, whether on a personal level or across an organization, it's often not practiced (or practiced well). A recurring theme I hear from project managers and leaders is that their organization struggles with accountability.

    John G. Miller is my "go to" person when it comes to the topic of personal accountability. John's book QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life has sold nearly a million copies since it hit the streets some years back. 

    Total Duration 21:36


    Download episode 20

  • PPP 022 | Who's Got Your Back? An interview with bestselling author Keith Ferrazzi

    Total Duration 25:26

    Download episode 22

    I got a call this morning from a former coaching client. Two years ago when I was working with Jerry he expressed interest in writing a book, which I enthusiastically encouraged him to pursue. Two years later he's made significant progress and now had questions about the publishing process. In roughly 20 minutes I happily downloaded lessons that were learned since I published my first book 8 years ago.

    Why do I share this story? What if Jerry hadn't surrounded himself with someone who cared enough to help him out? I don't want to over-state the value of my advice for certainly there are plenty of websites and services that have information that could help him achieve his goal. Yet there's something even more powerful about having close access to a circle of people you trust, who you know care about your success, and are eager to help you achieve it.

    Jerry has that in me. Who do you have in your inner circle or your "Go To Group" (a term I introduce in my keynote on relationships called The Dirty Little Secret of Business)?

    Who we surround ourselves with is critical, and it's an important lesson in Keith Ferrazzi's new book Who's Got Your Back: The Breakthrough Program to Build Deep, Trusting Relationships That Create Success--and Won't Let You Fail. I first heard of Keith when he wrote the best seller Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time back in 2005.

    I have to say this upfront: If you lead projects and teams, chances are your success depends far more than you realize on the relationships you build. If you haven't read Keith's books, get them today.

    I look forward to sharing a recent discussion I had with Keith in this cast.

    In addition to picking up a copy of Keith's books, I invite you to follow Keith's blog. You can find that, along with many additional resources, at KeithFerrazzi.com.

    Thanks for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 023 | Steve Martin and Andy Kaufman on Influence

    Total Duration: 44:34

    Download episode 23

    We all can benefit from developing our influence skills. One of my favorite influence books in the last couple years is entitled Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive. I had the opportunity recently to speak with the co-author of Yes!, Steve Martin, and look forward to your feedback on the interview in this cast. By the way, you'll hear Steve share his thoughts on how to deal with that boss with unrealistic timeframes!

    A practical next step to develop your influence skills is to get a copy of the book that Steve authored with Robert Cialdini and Noah Goldstein: Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive

    Steve puts out a very helpful newsletter entitled the Inside Influence Report. I encourage you to sign-up for it.

    Thanks for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 027 | How to Influence Without Authority, an interview with author Dr. Allan Cohen

    Episode Duration 29:53

    Download episode 27

    One of my leadership heroes is Ken Blanchard, who is on record of saying, "The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.

    I wholeheartedly agree with Ken, that developing your influence skills is critical to success in today’s business environment, especially when a growing number of project managers and other leaders have an increasing amount of responsibility but not necessarily a corresponding amount of authority to go with it.

    Many listening to this cast are in positions where they have to influence without authority and to help us improve our skills in that area I got in touch with the author of one my favorite books on the topic, Dr Allan Cohen, who wrote Influence Without Authority.

    In this cast we walk through the influence model that Allan developed with Stanford professor Dr. David Bradford. In the follow-up cast I have Allan walk through a couple specific scenarios relevant to our audience, to apply the model in practical ways.

    You'll notice part way through the cast that our recording system introduced some background interference due to a technical issue that occurred during my discussion with Dr. Cohen. I apologize for the annoyance, trusting you'll glean many lessons from the interview despite the distraction.

    I recommend you check out the accompanying website for Dr. Cohen's book, which you can find at www.influencewithoutauthority.com. Please join me in the next episode when Dr. Cohen applies his influence model to two specific scenarios that I’m confident you’ll find relevant to your role.

    And, one last thing! Would you take a moment to let a friend or colleague know about The People and Projects Podcast? I’d love to pour into them as well, to help them lead people and deliver projects.

    Thanks for joining us for this episode! Have a great week!

  • PPP 028 | Influence Without Authority Scenarios, Part 2

    It's one thing to know there's a model for influencing without authority. But how do we implement that model, as leaders and project managers? That's what we tackle in this second part of my interview with Dr. Allan Cohen, author of Influence Without Authority.

    I recommend you check out the accompanying website for Dr. Cohen's book, which you can find at www.influencewithoutauthority.com.

    Are you interested in learning how to develop your influence skills? How about your team's ability to influence? Give us a call to learn how we can help you become more influential, even in situations you don't have authority.

    Please join me in the next episode when I’m joined by Clint Padgett, President and CEO of Project Success Inc, and author of The Project Success Method: A Proven Approach for Achieving Superior Project Performance in as Little as 5 Days.

    Thanks for joining us for this episode! Have a great week!

    Duration 19:37

    Download the episode

  • PPP 030 | Wired to Care, with author Dev Patnaik

    Total Duration 25:50

    Download episode 30

    What comes to mind when you think of empathy?

    Do you think of someone who is highly sensitive and compassionate--maybe even too much? Or does that description sound more like sympathy, where empathy isn't quite as emotional?

    Empathy remains a hot topic in leadership. It's difficult to lead people without some measure of empathy in your approach. Yet I've observed from plenty of executive coaching clients that there's some opportunity to better understand what empathy is--and isn't as we seek to deliver projects and lead teams.

    Project mgt and empathyOne of the freshest voices on empathy today is Dev Patnaik, CEO of Jump Associates. Dev recently authored the book Wired to Care: How Companies Prosper When They Create Widespread Empathy. I had the opportunity to talk with Dev and look forward to sharing that interview with you in this cast.

    Make sure to get a copy of Dev's book Wired to Care. And check out the book's website (wiredtocare.com) and Dev's organization Jump Associates.

    Thank you for joining us for this episode of the People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 031 | Leading Teams with Meaning, with Dr. Adam Grant

    Total Duration: 29:30

    Download episode 31

    I'm in Las Vegas this week, speaking to leaders from hundreds of companies from around the world. Las Vegas is certainly an intriguing place on many levels. It's an economy that thrives on tourism and in order to keep those tourists happy and coming back, organizations out here need reliable, skilled, engaged workers.

    The truth is, the need for engaged, motivated employees isn't just a Las Vegas issue.

    I've long felt that the most dangerous employee was not the one who has left the company. It's the one who has left the company but they haven't left the company! It's the people who are just checking in and checking out, day after day, taking up space and leaving a huge amount of productivity on the table. Whether you lead a team of software developers, salespeople, accountants, or doctors, much of our organizational success comes down to how engaged and motivated our front line employees truly are.

    I'm staying at a very nice, well-known hotel in Vegas. To be honest, I'm not impressed with the front line service. And you know what? I intersect with enough companies to recognize this isn't just an issue at Caesar's Palace. Chances are your organization could use some insights on how to further engage your employees as well.

    In recent years I've enjoyed following the employee engagement research and writings of Dr. Adam Grant from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. I had the opportunity to catch up with Adam recently and look forward to sharing that interview with you in this episode.

    Project management podcastIn the interview, Adam recommends the following books for follow-up:

    I strongly recommend each of them as well.

    A proven way to help engage your team members is to invest in their development.Budgets don't always allow for you to send them away for training but that doesn't mean training has to be put off for a year.

    Clearly you already know the benefits of podcasts. Some of the best free learning available these days comes from what you're doing right now—listening to casts such as The People and Projects Podcast.

    Well, starting in July of this year we are launching Premium Subscriptions for our podcast. You and your teams will still have access to our free episodes. But we are going even further with the Premium Subscriptions to help you develop and engage your teams.

    Project management podcastHere's an example of how you can use our Premium Subscription: Have members of your team listen to an episode of The People and Projects Podcast before a team meeting. Prior to that meeting, you download the premium content for the episode. This will typically be questions you can use to facilitate a discussion on the topic. In addition, there are usually links to additional resources such as recommended books or articles for follow-up learning. All this makes it easy for you to develop practical project management and leadership skills on your team without breaking your budget.

    Beyond that, Premium Subscribers are automatically entered into drawings for books and other resources throughout the year. And, as a special bonus, you get free admission to webinars that I lead throughout the year. Visit here to learn more about how to develop your team with a Premium Subscription.

    One last thing! Would you take a moment to let a friend or colleague know about The People and Projects Podcast? I'd love to pour into them as well, to help them lead people and deliver projects.

    Thanks for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 032 | Become a More Effective Leader Using the Latest Brain Science

    Total Duration 35:48

    Download episode 32

    It's so easy to get into a rut. Whether it's on a personal basis, a project team, or even an organization, it's easy to keep doing things the way we've always done them.

    Actually, the brain kind of likes it when we go on auto-pilot. This allows the brain to focus on the more important matters before us, like the stare your boss is giving you when you're trying to reply to a message on your Blackberry during her staff meeting!

    Each year we learn more about how the brain works and how we can use that knowledge to better meet the challenges we face. In this episode I interview Madeleine Van Hecke and Brad Kolar, co-authors of the book The Brain Advantage: Become a More Effective Business Leader Using the Latest Brain Research. Make sure to check out the website for their book at www.TheBrainAdvantage.com.

    You can get your copy of Madeleine's book Blind Spots: Why Smart People Do Dumb Things on Amazon. It's a great read!

    One way to snap out of the old way of doing things is to bring new thinking into your organization. Do you have an upcoming company meeting or retreat? We have keynote presentations that can inspire and motivate your teams to successfully deliver the projects and lead their teams. Give us a call at (866) 884-5323 to learn more.

    I invite you to join me next time when I talk with Harvard Professor Dr. Richard Hackman. Richard is world renowned expert on how teams work, and we'll discuss his excellent book entitled Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great Performances. Thanks for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 033 | Leading Teams, with Harvard Professor Dr. J. Richard Hackman

    Episode Duration 34:39

    Download episode 33

    I can easily recall the days before I became a manager.

    I started my career as a software developer, which by nature of how software gets created, usually meant work being done in teams. When my team leader or manager would mess up in some way, I would occasionally think, when I finally get to lead a team, I'm going to do things differently! How hard can this be?

    Then I became a manager! It was then that I truly realized that it's one thing to talk about leading teams--it's a whole different deal when you have to be the leader and your team members aren't necessarily as motivated as you want them to be, or priorities change, or your senior management seems dim-witted, and you feel overwhelmed.

    The truth is that leading teams well is difficult work, often under-estimated by those who haven't had to hold the reins. One of my favorite experts on this topic is Harvard professor J. Richard Hackman. In this cast I look forward to sharing a recent discussion I had with Dr. Hackman based on his book Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great Performances. In addition, check out Dr. Hackman's book Senior Leadership Teams: What It Takes to Make Them Great.

    Thank you for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 033.1 | Premium: Discussion Questions for Leading Teams, with Harvard Professor Dr. J. Richard Hackman

    We previously had a Premium Podcast stream only available to subscribers. We've now removed that restriction. Over time we are releasing those former episodes, including this one.

    Attached you will find a file you can use to facilitate a discussion about the interview with Dr. J. Richard Hackman. I recommend you have your team listen to the podcast episode ahead of time for maximum benefit. Please don't hesitate to contact me at with any questions. Thank you for being a premium subscriber!

    Click here to open a PDF of the file

     

  • PPP 035 | Delivering Projects Through People, with author Dave Po-Chedley, PMP

    Total Duration 32:12

    Download episode 35

    If you've followed this podcast or attended one of my keynotes on project management or leadership, you've likely caught onto my bias that the biggest successes, the biggest joys, the biggest failures, and the biggest stresses often come down to the same thing: people. Project management is ultimately people management.

    Success with people management--and thus project management--can significantly depend on our effectiveness in areas such as communication, influence, and building relationships. One of the freshest voices on the people side of project management is consultant Dave Po-Chedley, PMP, author of Client Relationship Management: How to Turn Client Relationships into a Competitive Advantage. I had the opportunity to catch up with Dave recently and look forward to sharing that interview with you in this episode.

    I invite you to learn more about Dave and the work of Cambridge Consulting (http://www.cambridgeconsult.com and http://www.pminsight.us).

    One last thing: I received a message from a listener that I wanted to share with you:

    Hi Andy,

    I attended your 1-day tutorial at Better Software in June. That session was worth the price of the whole trip. Great, transformative stuff! I have since changed my listening habits in the car: I listen to management podcasts now. I decided to propose the Outlaw Team idea to my boss who leads an entire division in my company. He liked the idea and had me present it to his weekly leadership meeting. All the VPs liked the idea, with some suggestions. I then suggested action items to move it forward. My boss volunteered me to carry the ball. Yikes! Now I have to try and be the Andy Kaufman of our company. Nah. I'll just be me and see where we get. Never thought I'd go from eager student to mentoring others in leadership skills.

    Thanks for your great work! Charlie

    Well, congratulations to Charlie for taking action on the learning

    Thanks for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 036 | Engaging Your Employees, with author Brad Federman

    Episode Duration 32:24

    Download episode 36

    Research would indicate that they may be less engaged than you think, which is why we're spending time in this episode with Brad Federman. Brad is the President of Performancepoint, a leading performance improvement company. Brad recently authored Employee Engagement: A Roadmap for Creating Profits, Optimizing Performance, and Increasing Loyalty. I had the opportunity to talk with Brad recently and look forward to sharing that interview with you in this episode.

    Thanks for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 037 | Making Better Decisions through 10-10-10

    Total Duration 6:35

    Earn free PDUs while learning how to increase accountability Download episode 37

    Hello! Welcome to the 10th month of this 10th year in this century! In this episode, I'm sharing insights from a book I've recently read: 10-10-10: A Fast and Powerful Way to Get Unstuck in Love, at Work, and with Your Family, by Suzy Welch.

    The title sounds more like a subject for an Oprah audience than project managers and leaders! However, I think you'll find the ideas in the book helpful with your projects, with your team, and in your personal life.

    Let me know what questions you have after listening to the cast. And be sure to share the ideas from 10-10-10 with your team.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast!

    Talent Triangle: Power Skills

  • PPP 038 | How to Manage Your Boss, an interview with author and speaker Bruce Tulgan

    Total Duration 29:10

    Download episode 38

    I have the true privilege of helping professionals from hundreds of companies develop their ability to lead people and deliver projects. A common question I hear from leaders as they progress higher in their organizations has to do with their boss.

    In effect, they're asking, "How do I manage the person who is supposed to be managing me?"

    A clear lesson as you grow in responsibility is that managing is not just something you do with your subordinates--what a terrible word that is! Rather, to be effective you also have to lead and serve peers, stakeholders, and yes, bosses. Managing up is an important part of your ability to successfully deliver. But how do you go about doing that?

    For this episode I'm bringing back Bruce Tulgan who was a guest on our show last year (click here to listen to that episode). Bruce recently published Its Okay to Manage Your Boss: The Step-by-Step Program for Making the Best of Your Most Important Relationship at Work. I had the opportunity to speak with Bruce recently and look forward to sharing that interview in this episode.

    Learn more about Bruce and his organization at http://www.rainmakerthinking.com. I also recommend you get a copy of his book Its Okay to Manage Your Boss: The Step-by-Step Program for Making the Best of Your Most Important Relationship at Work. While you're at it, check out another one of Bruce's books It's Okay to Be the Boss: The Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming the Manager Your Employees Need. You'll find both helpful in the development of your management skills.

    In recent episodes I've been telling you about our growing list of Premium Subscribers. I want to invite you to join! You'll get additional materials with each episode to help you and those around you get even more value out of the topic we talk about. You'll not only be automatically enrolled in freebies, you'll also have the opportunity to actually participate in upcoming interviews with experts.

    Sometimes as a year ends there's a little extra training budget that needs to be spent. Whether that's true or not, how about investing in your learning for the year ahead? Click here for details and join as a Premium Subscriber.

    Thanks for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 042 | The Way We're Working Isn't Working, Part 1

    Episode Duration 20:30

    Download episode 42

    Let me take a guess... You don't have time to listen to this podcast episode. Oh, you're listening to it, but perhaps you're driving or trying to do e-mail--hopefully not both--while you do it!

    We're so busy, and the overall toll on us and our productivity can be overwhelming, which made me think of Tony Schwartz's book The Way We're Working Isn't Working. Tony is a gifted writer and speaker and an expert on helping us perform at our best. I had the opportunity to spend some time talking with Tony and have divided the interview into two podcast episodes.

    Thank you for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast!

  • PPP 043 | The Way We're Working Isn't Working, Part 2

    Episode Duration 16:55

    Download episode 43

    Hopefully you've already had a chance to listen to the first part of my interview with Tony Schwartz. In this second part, Tony talks about the concept of pulsing, and gets very transparent about his struggle to implement these ideas.

    Thank you for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 044 | Think Small! An interview with Phil Simon, author of The New Small

    I have to tell you: I love running a small company.

    In today's interview I'll tell the story of a small company that doesn't act small. You may work for yourself, for a small company, or for a huge multinational organization. I'm convinced that your ability to act like a small company is more about how you look at things than it is the number of employees.

    And that's just one of the themes of my friend and colleague Phil Simon, who recently released his latest book entitled The New Small: How a New Breed of Small Businesses Is Harnessing the Power of Emerging Technologies. For years I've found Phil's insights to be fresh, on target, and actionable. Enjoy the interview

    Thank you for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Duration: 22:15

    Download episode 44

  • PPP 047 | Management: It's Not What You Think! An interview with Henry Mintzberg

    Total Duration 18:23

    Download episode 47

    If you've ever sat through one of my workshops or keynotes on leadership or project management, you've likely clued into the fact that I have a rather low tolerance for the purely academic. By that I mean ideas, models, and theories that sound great on a white board but are seemingly impossible to be practically applied in the real world.

    When it comes to management, it's easy to find books that pontificate theory. But every once in a while you come across one that is a breath of fresh air, where the author says it how it is instead of how it should be.

    An example of one of those books is the latest from Professor Henry Mintzberg, entitled Management? It's Not What You Think! It's a thought-provoking, at times irreverent look at this craft we call management.

    To give you a taste of what you'll find in this new book, I'm excited to share a recent discussion I had with Henry in this episode.

    Learn more about Henry at http://www.mintzberg.com and http://www.coachingourselves.com.

    Thank you for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 051 | Great on the Job, with author and Harvard blogger Jodi Glickman

    Total Duration 30:48

    Download episode 51

    Last week I facilitated a tutorial and delivered a new keynote to over 800 people at the STAREAST conference in Orlando. It had been a while since our family had visited Florida so I had the opportunity to bring my wife and three children along, which was great! Between speaking engagements we had the opportunity to spend time at Disney and if you've spent any time at a Disney park, chances are customer service and quality come to mind. People at Disney know how to be great on the job. They are patient with demanding customers and seemingly cool under the heat of the Florida sun.
    What does it take to be great on the job?As it turns out, there's a book by that name out this week by Jodi Glickman. I had the opportunity to catch up with Jodi recently and look forward to sharing that interview about her book with you this week.

    Learn more about Jodi's organization at http://greatonthejob.com. You can also find her HBR posts at http://blogs.hbr.org/glickman.

    Thank you for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 052 | Leading Change, an interview with John Kotter

    Total Duration 26:35

    Download episode 52

    When was the last time you wanted to make a change at work? Maybe it was an approach on a project or something bigger, like wanting to introduce a new way of doing projects, such as using principles from agile project management. Chances are you faced some resistance to your proposed changes.

    Yet one of our key responsibilities is to lead change, even when our ideas are getting shot down. Well, to give us insight on this topic, you could argue one of the best people in the world to talk to is Professor John Kotter. John's most recent book is entitled Buy-In: Saving Your Good Idea from Getting Shot Down and is a great follow-on to his classic books on change.

    I had the opportunity to spend some extended time talking with John earlier this year and look forward to sharing that discussion with you over the course of two episodes.

    For our premium subscribers, your extra coaching podcast episode will come out with the second cast. In this first cast, John and I focus on the topic of change. Enjoy the interview!

    To learn more about John's organization, check out http://www.kotterinternational.com/. You can follow John's Harvard Business Review blog at http://blogs.hbr.org/kotter/.

    By the way, my two favorite (and highly recommended) John Kotter books on change include:

    Join me in our next cast when John tells us more about how to avoid letting our ideas get shot down. Thank you for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 053 | Saving Your Good Ideas From Getting Shot Down, with John Kotter

    Total Duration 23:55

    Download episode 53

    In this episode I continue my conversation with Professor John Kotter. If you haven't listened to the first part of this interview, make sure to check that episode out! Our focus in this cast is on John's most recent book entitled Buy-In: Saving Your Good Idea from Getting Shot Down.

    To learn more about John's organization, check out http://www.kotterinternational.com/. You can follow John's Harvard Business Review blog at http://blogs.hbr.org/kotter/.

    You know, if you were a premium subscriber to the People and Projects Podcast, you could now listen to some special coaching advice that I share after each interview with my guests. Each premium episode is designed to help you improve your ability to lead and deliver by taking the next step in applying the learning from our standard podcast episodes.

    Thank you for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 054 | Become a Better Problem Solver, an interview with author and management thinker Roger L. Martin

    Total Duration 40:48

    Download episode 54

    I recorded this episode on the road this week, while in Las Vegas speaking at the Agile Development Practices and Better Software Conference. I greatly enjoy talking with the people from many different companies about the challenges they face on their projects and teams.

    Here's a recurring them I hear from leaders who are responsible for delivering projects.... "Should we ship or delay?" "Keep trying or ask for help?" "Invest in a new product or milk the existing cash cow another year?"

    Whether you're leading teams or projects, we're often faced with what seems like unpleasant trade-offs. It's not a matter of which option is the best. Sometimes it feels like we need to figure out which option is the least evil! Success with a project, team, or even organization can come down to how effectively we lead when we're seemingly stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place.

    To help us navigate these situations I turned to Dr. Roger L. Martin. Roger has been named one of the top 50 management thinkers in the world and is the author of two thought-provoking books, entitled The Opposable Mind and The Design of Business.

    Want to be a better problem solver or improve your ability to innovate? This episode is for you!

    To learn more about Roger L. Martin and to get links to his articles, books, and blog, visit http://rogerlmartin.com.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 055 | Change Anything, with best-selling author Kerry Patterson

    Total Duration 27:07

    Download episode 55

    So let me ask you a question: How strong is your willpower? When you want to make a change, how successful are you at not only making it but also sustaining it?

    Whether at work or outside, whether personally or with a group of people, learning how to effectively change is critical. And it needs to start with us individually.

    One of my favorite books of the year just came out. It's entitled Change Anything: The New Science of Personal Success and it is from the authors of Crucial Conversations, Crucial Confrontations, and Influencer: The Power to Change Anything. I had the real pleasure of talking with author Kerry Patterson earlier this month and look forward to sharing that interview with you in this episode.

    You can learn more about Kerry's organization by visiting http://www.vitalsmarts.com.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 056 | Improving Your Success through Little Bets, with author Peter Sims

    Total Duration 25:33

    Download episode 56

     

    One of the great challenges of business is how to go from idea to delivery. It's easy to talk about ideas but turning those into a finished product requires much more than talk. It can be daunting to deliver. There's the risk of failure. There's the fear of unknowns--of surprises that can create obstacles to success. Going from idea to delivery is truly challenging!

    Ultimately project management is about how to deliver results but leaders of projects and teams need more than just work breakdown structures and Gantt charts. One of my favorite books of this year provides great insights for all of us who seek to lead and deliver. I recently had the real privilege of spending some time with Peter Sims, author of a great new book entitled Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries, and look forward to sharing that discussion with you in this episode.

    You can learn more about Peter by visiting http://petersims.com.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 058 | How to Lead Your Boss, with author John Baldoni

    Total Duration 24:21

    Download episode 58

    One of the lessons that eventually becomes clear is that managing is not just managing down: leading those people who report to us. In fact, the higher I got in organizations, the more I found I needed to manage up: in many ways, to lead my boss. That's a lesson I don't remember being taught in a textbook.

    Whether you're a project manager, team member, or senior leader, we all have a boss and learning to lead that boss is a key skill that must be developed. Earlier this year I had a conversation with leadership expert John Baldoni. John is the author of many books, including Leading Up: How to Lead Your Boss So You Both Win. In this episode you'll see what John has to say about how you can more effectively lead your boss.

    You can learn more about John by visiting http://www.johnbaldoni.com/. John recommended you check out his previous book Lead by Example: 50 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Results. Also, I recommend you check out the other book John mentioned in the interview: Lead Your Boss: The Subtle Art of Managing Up.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 059 | How the Brain Science of Attention Changes Everything, with Cathy Davidson (Part 1)

    Episode Duration 16:52

    Download episode 59

    So let me guess.... While you're listening to this cast right now, I'm guessing you're also doing something else as well, right? Maybe driving a car or checking e-mail or working out. Or perhaps you're checking out what's going on with your Facebook friends. Hey, if you're doing that, look up The People and Projects Podcast on Facebook and Like us!

    Oops. Sorry. I got a bit distracted there for a moment!

    Anyway, there are seemingly an endless number of stimuli that are vying for your attention right now. Which do you focus on? Why? There are many great minds that are putting a lot of effort into these questions for it could reasonably be argued that time is not the scarcest resource any more: it's attention.

    As we strive to focus in a world clamoring for our attention, I wanted to share one of my favorite books that is just coming out this week. It's entitled Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn, by Cathy N. Davidson. I had the opportunity to talk with Cathy earlier this month and look forward to sharing that discussion over the course of two episodes.

    You can learn more about Cathy and read her blog by visiting http://www.cathydavidson.com/.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 060 | How the Brain Science of Attention Changes Everything, with Cathy Davidson (Part 2)

    Episode Duration 25:21

    Download episode 60

    In our last episode you heard the first portion of my discussion with Cathy N. Davidson, author of Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn Cathy's book is just coming out this week and has already been named one of the top 10 science books of this fall season.

    Is technology making it more difficult to focus? Cathy and I talk about that in this second portion of the interview.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 061 | Be a Better Problem Finder, with author Michael Roberto

    Total Duration 22:23

    Download episode 61

    Have you ever heard this quote?"There's an inverse relationship between your level in a company and your ability to see reality." We joke about that at times when it seems like the people above us are out of touch.

    But why is it more difficult to see reality, the higher you get in an organization? Sometimes it's just because the people higher up are focusing on longer term issues. By virtue of their scope of responsibility, they're not in the day-to-day. But that's not always it. I was facilitating a project management workshop at a company a couple years ago discussing this very topic. A participant said it this way: "Around here, it's crap down at our level but it's fertilizer up there! It's not a problem, it's an opportunity!"

    Information gets filtered as it travels up and down and around an organization. What gets through and why can make all the difference between making good, informed decisions or barreling over a cliff with what we thought was an accurate map.

    Those of us who have the privilege of leading people and delivering projects need to understand filtering and my favorite expert for how this works is Dr. Michael Roberto. Michael's book Know What You Don't Know: How Great Leaders Prevent Problems Before They Happen continues to be one of my highly recommended books for project managers and leaders. In this episode I talk with Michael about Chapter 2 of his book: Circumvent the Gatekeepers.

    You can learn more about Michael and read his blogby visiting http://michael-roberto.blogspot.com/.

    By the way, don't miss the free Premium Episode that I'm including with this feed. Normally these extra episodes are only available for Premium Subscribers but I wanted to give you a flavor for the additional coaching you can receive with each episode when you become a Premium Subscriber. Visit http://bit.ly/PremiumSubscribe to learn more about premium subscriptions.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 061.1 | Premium: Follow-up on the Michael Roberto interview on Filters

    Total Duration 7:11

    Download the premium episode

    (NOTE: This Premium Episode is being included in our free podcast stream this week. It gives you a sense of the extra coaching that is available each episode for our premium subscribers. Learn more about becoming a Premium Subscriber at http://bit.ly/PremiumSubscribe).

    There are many things I love about hosting this podcast. One of them is the opportunity to interact with the experts we interview. You probably notice that I normally include some behind the scenes cuts at the end of interviews to try and give a sense of who these people are. Most are very gracious. There's something about Michael Roberto that truly stands out though. He has great energy, a quick wit, and is everything I would have wanted in a college business professor.

    In this premium episode I want to highlight some points from the interview with Michael to help you put the learning into action.

    First, filtering isn't bad, right? We need it for efficiency. People say we need to over-communicate but, to an extreme, that can be a bad idea! If you listened to my interview with Cathy Davidson or read her book Now You See It, it's clear that we are wired up to put our attention on that which requires it. We would literally go nuts if we tried to take it all in. So filtering of information can be the equivalent of a corporate attention window: what is it that is most important. Let's focus on that.

    So let me ask you: how do you filter for efficiency? What do you do to make sure the most important information gets to you? From a learning perspective, I focus on a relatively small number of blogs and podcasts. I find those give me regular doses of learning without trying to read everything or attend every learning opportunity. For example, I get great value out of HBR's blog. I use CIO Magazine's “What Are You Reading” section as a starting place for new and interesting books and authors to consider as guests. I use a number of Google's filtering capabilities to give me just the news I'm most interested in. I try to surround myself with diversely interesting people who help keep me informed of their viewpoint. If you are feeling overwhelmed, you might want to think about your filtering systems today.

    But secondly, of course, filtering isn't always done for efficiency. And it isn't always done intentionally or for our good. As Michael says, we might by our actions and words unwittingly put pressure on those on our teams to conform to our way of thinking. We have to be careful for how we advocate for certain decisions or positions because our advocacy could cause some who know better to keep their mouths shut--to not speak up because they'll think you are not open to a contrary point of view. A key characteristic of your team must be that every member knows that if they have information or insights that can help you, they can bring it to you without fear of rejection or judgment. That doesn't mean that you will always agree with them or follow their advice. I read a case study from Michael years ago that, in effect, said that people can usually put up with decisions that you make as long as they had a fair say in the process. As long as they're heard, they can better accept what you decide. But if you explicitly or subtly make it clear that you're not open to their point of view, not to mention even giving them the opportunity, you risk making a poorly informed decision that can often surface compliance at best instead of commitment from your teams. Be careful how you may be pressuring people to conform.

    Third, make sure you're aware of the power and dangers of advocacy. This filter says that the information is presented in such a way as to advocate for a certain position. Information that might not reinforce the position is held back. Whether from politicians, your senior management, advertisers, a supplier, or someone on your team, keep your eyes wide open for not just what is presented but also for what is not being presented. I've learned to deal with this by asking questions, digging into the data that is presented, and watching for influence techniques such social proof. It's not that I don't trust people when they're making a pitch. But whether it's a resume, a request for something to buy, or an argument for why we should take action, there's almost always some advocacy going on. Make sure you look for dissenting or alternative points of view.

    Fourth, remember that sometimes it's the other person advocating. Other times it's you and me only taking in the data we want. Confirmation bias is an easy trap to fall into. Make sure to not fall in love with an approach or decision because it is ours. Cathy Davidson's collaboration by difference is her solution to this, which basically recommends we surround ourselves with diverse points of view that are intentionally looking at different aspects of what's going on. Confirmation bias can be deadly to decision-making. Beware.

    Fifth, and to many of the previous points, remember Michael's suggestion about getting out to the periphery. One way to help know what's important is to get out of your office and spend time with customers, or people in remote offices, or with stakeholders. I interviewed Todd Williams earlier this summer about rescuing problem projects. You may recall his advice that, with troubled projects, your team knows the answers. They know how to help you but you need to spend time with them. Extended time. Michael Roberto is obviously a big Churchill fan and his story about Churchill going out and spending time with the frontlines provided helpful insight that had less filtering through the ranks. Of course you have to be careful to not undermine your direct reports or senior management, but getting to the edges or periphery, spending time with those who don't normally have a voice, such as the younger people as Michael talked about. In my interview with Dev Patniak regarding his book Wired to Care, he basically said we don't have to be innovative if we have an intense understanding of our customers--what he refers to as empathy. Stop trying to live off your own wisdom and insights. Get to the edges and you'll get fresh insights.

    Finally, remember Michael's suggestion about talking to the Non's. That means spending some time with people who aren't currently using the services or your team or company but potentially could. Or maybe they're not fans of you or your team or your project. Why is that? Don't write them off. Insights from the Non's could just help you turn them.

    I trust it's obvious that I really like Michael's bookKnow What You Don't Know: How Great Leaders Prevent Problems Before They Happen. Get a copy and enjoy it--it's a great read.

     

    You can learn more about Michael and read his blogby visiting http://michael-roberto.blogspot.com/.

    Hey, take a minute to stop by our podcast Facebook page! I invite you to Like it and the join the discussion.

    Thank you for being a premium subscriber to The People and Projects Podcast.Please let me know what questions you have and if there's anything I can do to help you lead and deliver. Thank you for joining me for this premium episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 062 | How to Gain Credibility, Part 1 of an interview with leadership author and expert Jim Kouzes

    Total Duration 21:06

    Download episode 62

    I'm recording this episode on the road this week, delivering a keynote on leadership at a Project Management Institute Professional Development Day. Since I have leadership on the brain today, let me ask you: Think of one of the best leaders you've ever had the privilege of working with.... What was it about that person that made them such an effective leader?

    Though the details of your answer could be different from what others might say, chances are we would all agree that the best leader that came to mind for us shared one thing in common: credibility.

    Credibility is fundamental to being a leader, and in this cast I'm excited to share the first of two episodes from a conversation with Jim Kouzes. Jim, along with his co-author Barry Posner, are some of the foremost researchers and voices on leadership, including works such as their best-selling book The Leadership Challenge.

    In these next two episodes, I talk with Jim about their newly updated book Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It.

    Don't miss the next cast where Jim and I talk about what to do when you're given an assignment that's over your head. How does that impact credibility? And what about when you have to execute against a decision you don't agree with? Does that mean your credibility is on the line? Jim shares his expert coaching with those questions and more so don't miss it!

    You can learn more about Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner online athttp://www.leadershipchallenge.com/.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 063 | How to Gain Credibility, Part 2 of an interview with leadership author and expert Jim Kouzes

    Total Duration 20:58

    Download episode 63

    In our last episode I started a conversation with Jim Kouzes about their newly revised book Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It. We continue that conversation in this episode, where I ask Jim for insights such as "How do you keep your credibility when being asked to support a decision you don't agree with?"

    You can learn more about Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner online athttp://www.leadershipchallenge.com/.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 064 | Find Your Focus and Master Distraction with Peter Bregman, author of 18 Minutes

    Total Duration 27:37

    Download episode 64


    One of my favorite writers and voices on the topic of productivity is Peter Bregman. Peter recently released his newest book entitled 18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction, and Get the Right Things Done. I had the opportunity to spend some time with Peter recently and look forward to sharing that discussion with you in this episode.

    You can learn more about Peter at his website http://www.PeterBregman.com.

    Quick note: I'm always encouraged to hear from listeners and received this recently from Cheryl, who said,

    "I've been listening to your informative and inspiring podcasts and have found value in each one. I like your passion and sincerity. I benefit from the coaching delivered through your discussions with your engaging guests regarding leadership attitudes, skills and practices. I love that you call it the People and Projects podcast. My personal #1 rule is to take care of the people, and your podcasts cover the many dimensions of pursuing that objective. Thank you again for your great podcasts. I look forward to hearing more of them!"

    I certainly appreciate Cheryl's kind words. Her personal #1 rule is a good one, and is the heart of this podcast. If you get find these discussions valuable I invite you to take a moment and let some friends and colleagues know about The People and Projects Podcast. You can find us on the web, iTunes, and on Facebook.

    Speaking of Facebook, please take a minute to stop by our podcast Facebook page! I invite you to Like it and the join the discussion.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

     

  • PPP 065 | Leading Under Pressure, with Justin Menkes author of Better Under Pressure


    In this episode, I talk with Justin Menkes
    , author of Better Under Pressure: How Great Leaders Bring Out the Best in Themselves and Others. Let's learn together from Justin as we talk about leading under pressure. You can learn more about Justin and his book at http://www.BetterUnderPressure.com.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 33:08

    Download episode 65

    P.S. Here's an entertaining and informative video on how stress impacts how the brain works, from Dr. John Medina. Enjoy!

  • PPP 067 | The Single Biggest Factor for Increasing Productivity, Creativity, and Commitment: The Progress Principle

    Total Duration 37:45

    Download episode 67

    The Gift That Keeps on Giving

    This is a season when giving gifts takes center stage for most of us. Many of us have the gift of some time off before a new year begins. And when that new year gets into full swing, what is one of the biggest gifts you can give those you lead?

    I'll give you a hint: it doesn't require shiny wrapping or a pretty bow. One of the best gifts to those we lead is the gift of Respect. Encouragement. Clear goals. Autonomy. The resources they need.

    Creating environments where people love to work is a gift that keeps on giving. And my gift to you this Christmas is an interview with the co-author of one of the most respected business books of 2011. The book is entitled The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work, and the author is Steven Kramer. I actually gave a copy of The Progress Principle as a Christmas gift to a close friend, and I recommend you get yourself a copy as well. Learn more about the book at their website http://www.progressprinciple.com.

    You may also enjoy reading the article that Steve mentions in the interview regarding managers as heroes. You can find that on HBR's website at http://blogs.hbr.org/hbsfaculty/2011/07/in-a-comment-on-our.html.

    Well, thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Make sure to check out our upcoming New Year's episode with author and goal expert Heidi Grant Halvorson. For all my listeners who are celebrating Christmas and Hannakuh, have a very relaxing and joy-filled holiday!

    P.S. Here's a video of co-author Teresa Amabile talking about The Progress Principle at TEDx.

  • PPP 068 | Reaching Your Goals with Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson (Part 1)

    Total Duration 25:04

    Download episode 68

     

    Additional Episode

    My interview with Heidi is split between two episodes. Make sure to listen to the second portion where we cover additional practical insights to help us reach our goals this year. For my premium subscribers, you're extra coaching episode will be published along with the second half of the interview.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 069 | Reaching Your Goals with Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson (Part 2)

    Total Duration 24:39

    Download episode 69

    In this episode I continue my interview with Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson, author of Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals and Nine Things Successful People Do Differently. If you happened to miss the first part of the interview, I definitely invite you to check that out as well.

    In this episode Heidi shares insights on the difference between Be Good and Get Better Goals. Also, she addresses some myths regarding willpower, visualization, and positive thinking: topics that are often miserably mishandled in popular self-help books.

    I can't tell you how much I appreciate the evidence-based insights that Heidi brings to these topics. I highly recommend your next steps include getting a copy of her Harvard Business Review e-book single entitled Nine Things Successful People Do Differently. It's a very quick read and enormously practical. It's under $4 on Amazon in a Kindle format (and if you don't have a Kindle, you can download one on your computer or other device to read it).

    For my premium subscribers, make sure to listen to your premium episode which includes free access to a planning worksheet to help you reach your goals this year. If you're not currently a Premium Subscriber, visit http://bit.ly/PremiumSubscribe to learn how to become one.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 070 | The Introvert's Guide to Success in Business and Leadership

    Download episode 70

    Total Duration 27:48

    People Don't Listen To Me

    Some years back I was sitting across the table from a coaching client. We were talking about what she thought was her inability to influence as effectively as she wished. In her soft-spoken manner she said, "I just feel like people don't listen to me."

    I have to admit that the mischievous side of me wanted to say, "Um, what was that you said?"

    Now, of course, I didn't say that, but let me ask you this.... Since she is quiet it's rather obvious she's an introvert, right? And it's probably fair to say that introversion is likely to hold her back from climbing the ladder, wouldn't you say?

    Well how about this? The coaching client was a C-level executive in a highly successful organization. Though she very well may be an introvert, making that assessment so quickly without learning more is any easy mistake to make.

    Can Introverts Be Effective Project Managers?

    Can introverts be effective project managers and leaders? In this episode we talk about that with Lisa Petrilli, author of The Introvert's Guide to Success in Business and Leadership. To learn more about Lisa, please visit her website at LisaPetrilli.com.

    P.S. BTW, if you haven't listened to my interview with Devora Zack, author of Networking for People Who Hate Networking, make sure to check it out!

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 070.1 | Premium Follow-up on Lisa Petrilli Interview

    There's a big appetite these days for advice for introverts. Lisa Petrilli's e-book shares some helpful insights. I trust you found the interview with Lisa was helpful, whether you consider yourself and introvert or if you lead a team that has one or more as members.

    In this premium episode, I'm going to share some additional thoughts to help us personally apply this learning.

    Check your Premium Feed for the People Styles material that I mention in this cast. Let me know what questions you have.

    Thank you for being a premium subscriber to The People and Projects Podcast!

    Total Duration 8:42

    Download the premium episode

  • PPP 071 | Critical Questions for Becoming a More Effective Leader and Reaching Your Potential

    Another Day in the Salt Mine!

    One of the many things I love about my job is that I get to intersect with hundreds of organizations. As I walked into the office of one my large financial services customers recently, I took a moment to watch the body language of the people as they walked through the doors to start their day. I've learned you can tell a lot about a company by watching the employees.

    Do you want to know what I saw? In words it might sound like this: "Well, it's another day. I'm going to be working on another project. Hopefully it will be successful so I can get another promotion (which sounds a lot better than looking for another job!)."

    Engaging Our Teams

    For those who lead teams or departments or even companies, you know there are people who walk into your organization each day that just aren't as engaged as they could be. What can we do as leaders of people and projects to more effectively engage our teams?

    In this episode I interview author and Harvard Business professor Robert Steven Kaplan. Rob is the author of What to Ask the Person in the Mirror: Critical Questions for Becoming a More Effective Leader and Reaching Your Potential. I've learned that getting better results doesn't always come down to knowing answers. Rather, it can come from asking better questions. In this interview you'll hear from Rob what questions can help us be more effective leaders.

    Join our Facebook Page

     

    Please take a minute to stop by our podcast Facebook page! I invite you to Like it and the join the discussion.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 27:33

     

    Download episode 71

  • PPP 072 | Lead Better Meetings, with Steven G. Rogelberg

    There's some newly published, compelling research that has now found that--are you ready--many meetings are a waste of time!

    Oh, I know you might find that shocking! More likely, you might be shocked that research time had to be invested to figure that out. But in today's episode, you're going to hear from Dr. Steven G. Rogelberg who not only researches things like meetings, he's a great voice to help us make them better.

    Links to Resources

    For Steven's contact information, check out his website at http://belkcollege.uncc.edu/directory/steven-g-rogelberg. Here are some links to additional resources mentioned in the interview:

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 29:31

    Download episode 72

  • PPP 072.1 | How to Lead Better Project Meetings

    Free Premium Episode

    Thank you for joining me for this premium episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Did you know that many of your colleagues invest their development by becoming a premium subscriber to this podcast?

    To give you a sense of the extra coaching they get each month, I'm including this premium episode into our standard free podcast feed. You can learn more about Premium Subscrptions at bit.ly/PremiumSubscribe. 

    Meetings!

    Oh, how we love to hate meetings! In this premium video episode I share 10 keys to lead more effective project meetings. At the end you're invited to join the conversation! What are the most important lessons you've learned? Leave your response in a comment here or on our Facebook page.

    Thank you for subscribing to The People and Projects Podcast!

    Total Duration: 23:45

    Download the video episode

  • PPP 074 | How Agile Are You? An interview with author Andy Crowe, PMP, PgMP, PMI-ACP

    Agile is getting plenty of attention these days and for good reasons. When done well on aligned projects, great customer value can be delivered.

    Many people who listen to this podcast are certified PMP’s or are at least considering certification in the future. You may be aware that Project Management Institute has a relatively new agile certification: the PMI-ACP℠. One of the best new books available to help people pass the ACP exam is from Andy Crowe. You likely know Andy as the author of the popular book entitled The PMP®Exam: How to Pass on Your First Try. Andy recently released The PMI-ACP Exam: How To Pass On Your First Try.

    In this episode, I talk with Andy about agile, about the certification, and about project management overall.

    Links to Resources

    To learn more from Andy, check out his blog at http://www.velociteach.com/blog/. I invite you to check out his books on Amazon, including

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 23:54

    Download episode 74

    "PMI", "PMBOK, "PMP®" and "PMI-ACP" are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

  • PPP 075 | Be a Better Leader: Do Nothing! An interview with Keith Murnighan

    Total Duration 20:51

    Download episode 75

     

    Is it possible that we make difficult situations worse by overmanaging them? Keith Murnighan responds with a resounding "Absolutely!" In the next two episodes I talk with Keith about his new book Do Nothing!: How to Stop Overmanaging and Become a Great Leader, which hits the shelves this week. Earn free PDUs while hearing Keith talk about how we can, perhaps surprisingly so, be more successful when we Do Nothing!

    Make Sure to Listen to The Rest of the Interview

    Join us in the next episode when Keith will talk about such heresy as ignoring performance goals and de-emphasizing profits. I trust you'll find it helpful in your quest to more effectively lead and deliver.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Talent Triangle: Leadership

  • PPP 076 | Do Nothing! Part 2 of interview with Keith Murnighan

    Total Duration 19:00

    Download episode 76

    Beware: Management Heresy Ahead!

    In this episode I continue my discussion with Keith Murnighan about his new book entitled Do Nothing!: How to Stop Overmanaging and Become a Great Leader. In this episode Keith talks about why some long accepted management practices might just get in the way of our team successfully delivering. And you’ll find that he offers some intriguing alternatives to help you become a more effective leader. You can find the first part of the interview with Keith here.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 076.1 | Premium Follow-Up on the Keith Murnighan Interview

    I trust you were able to take away an idea or two from the discussion with Keith Murnighan. Between his book Do Nothing!: How to Stop Overmanaging and Become a Great Leader and the forthcoming interview with the author of How Will You Measure Your Life? these are two of my favorite books in some time. In this premium episode I call out some specific ideas from Keith's book that I got benefit from, with the intention to help you grow in your ability to lead and deliver.

    There is so much from Do Nothing! that you’ll find helpful to your calling of leading people and projects. I strongly encourage you to add this book to your personal or team library. And if you'd like to help develop the leaders in your organization, I invite you to contact me! Between our keynotes, workshops, and executive coaching, we can help you and your organization learn how to more effectively lead and deliver.

    Thank you for being a premium subscriber to the People and Projects Podcast! It is a privilege to be part of your personal development strategy. Please let me know what questions you have and if there's anything I can do to help you lead and deliver. Thank you for joining me for this premium episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 7:14

    Download the premium episode

  • PPP 077 | How Will You Measure Your Life, Part 1, with author Karen Dillon

    Total Duration 17:33

    Download episode 77

    Sara Adam: Making a Difference With Her Life

    I am recording this episode from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where I have the privilege of speaking at a conference this week. Since this is a very special destination, my wife and family have joined me on the trip, which included prior stops in London, Nairobi, and Doha. If all goes as planned, we hope to go all the way around the world as a family over the course of three weeks.

    While in Nairobi we had the opportunity to spend time with some very close family. And one of the real treats was spending time with my niece Sara Adam. Sara will soon be starting up her senior year at Duke, but she's not waiting until graduation to make a difference. Despite her age, Sara is building an amazingly cool clothing and accessory business that is based in Kenya. Along with her business partner Anna, they are growing a business they name Judith and James. They are developing marketable sewing skills for vulnerable women, most of whom live in a Nairobi area slums. As these skills are developed, they begin working on merchandise that will be sold in the U.S. and other countries. In turn, the proceeds from that merchandise will produce a sustainable income stream for the women.

    It's an inspiring model being driven by an inspiring young lady. Sara is in the process of making a remarkable difference in this world.

    How Will You Measure Success?

    How do you measure success in life? As professionals who lead projects, we know that defining measurable success criteria for projects is a very important and helpful practice. But what about life? There will be a day when you've finished your last project at work. Whether it's when you hang up your Gantt charts, so to speak, or come to the end of your life, how will you measure it?

    It's an intriguing question that is also the title of one of the most anticipated business books of this year. How Will You Measure Your Life? is authored by Clayton Christensen, James Allworth, and Karen Dillon. I recently had an opportunity to have a discussion with Karen and look forward to sharing that interview with you over the next two episodes. By the way, if you're a premium subscriber, your extra episode will show up in the podcast stream when the second part of my discussion with Karen goes live. For now, let's hear from Karen about her work with the book entitled, How Will You Measure Your Life?

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 078 | How Will You Measure Your Life, Part 2, with author Karen Dillon

    Total Duration 20:18

    Download episode 78

    How Will You Measure Your Life?


    In this episode I continue my discussion with Karen Dillon about her new book
    entitled How Will You Measure Your Life? In this episode Karen talks about success with the important relationships in our life as well as a powerful concept they refer to as "Just This Once."

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 078.1 | Premium Follow-Up to the Karen Dillon Interview

    I seem to be encountering a lot of favorite books these days, and the one we’re talking about today is no exception. I really like How Will You Measure Your Life?

    Perhaps my favorite thing about the book is how it takes business practices and ideas and applies them to life. Frankly, if you haven't read much of Clayton's work or just haven't had much training in topics such as strategic planning, the book is worth the price just for the business concepts. But then applying those concepts to life is powerful.

    Thank you for being a premium subscriber to the People and Projects Podcast! It is a privilege to be part of your personal development strategy. Please let me know what questions you have and if there's anything I can do to help you lead and deliver. Thank you for joining me for this premium episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 7:56

    Download the premium episode

  • PPP 082 | Contented Teams Deliver Better Results, with author Bill Catlette

    Total Duration 20:59

    Download episode 82

    Could You Use Some Extra Hands On Deck?

    Could you use some extra staffing on your teams these days? I’m glad to say that I'm seeing more organizations hiring, which is a refreshing change from when our economy was at its worst a few years ago. But even those who are hiring typically aren’t planning on doubling their staff any time soon.

    So what if you need more staffing but your company isn’t hiring? How can you keep up with the demands when the capacity of your team seems to be tapped out?

    Contented Cows Give Better Milk

    What about tapping into the discretionary effort reserve that most people have but leave untouched in the day-to-day grind of work? What is discretionary effort and how does that relate to the capacity of your team? In this episode I share a recent discussion with Bill Catlette. This last summer Bill and his co-author Richard Hadden released their new book entitled Contented Cows Still Give Better Milk, Revised and Expanded: The Plain Truth about Employee Engagement and Your Bottom Line, and there are some lessons for all of us about how we can better engage our teams.

     

    Join our Facebook Page

    I invite you to stop by our podcast Facebook page! "Like" it and the join the discussion.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

  • PPP 082.1 | Premium Follow-up to the Interview with Bill Catlette

    Contented Teams

    OK, I have another confession to make in this episode! Once again, you'll have to listen to this premium episode to catch it.

    Beyond what I think about Bill and Richard's book title, this premium episode includes additional coaching on topics from the book and the interview. Enjoy!

    Make sure to let me know if you're interested in the free license to our Advanced Project Management workshop!

    Join our Facebook Page

    I invite you to stop by our podcast Facebook page! "Like" it and the join the discussion.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 7:07

    Download the premium episode

  • PPP 083 | Extreme Productivity, with author Bob Pozen

    Too Much To Do, Not Enough Time To Do It!

    Can you relate to that? This is a common theme that I hear from participants in our keynotes and workshops as well as the participants in our Leadership Fast Track Program.

    What is the Scarcest Resource?

    In my interview with Cathy Davidson last year regarding her book Now You See It!, we talked about the scarcest resource. What would you say is the scarcest resource?

    Most people respond with time--that the most constrained resource we have to deal with is the clock on the wall. Or sometimes I hear people respond that money is the scarcest resource.

    In Cathy's opinion, it's neither. Rather, it's attention. We all get the same 24 hours. It's what we do with those 24 hours--what we put our attention to--that makes all the difference.

    The Attention Habits of the Highly Productive

    So, what is most worthy of our attention? How can we use the limited time that we have to be most productive? I'm really excited about a new book released just this week. It's entitled Extreme Productivity: Boost Your Results, Reduce Your Hours. I caught up with the author Bob Pozen last week and look forward to sharing that interview with you in this episode.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 23:47

    Download episode 83

  • PPP 085 | Team Turnarounds, Part 1, with author Joe Frontiera

    Time to Reflect

    As we near the end of the year, it's a great time to reflect. What's going well with your teams? What's not so stellar? As you consider the year ahead, what changes do you want to see? What needs to be turned around?

    Time for a Turnaround?

    Joe Frontiera and Daniel Leidl released a book this year entitled Team Turnarounds. It's a helpful playbook for taking an underperforming team to a new level. I had the opportunity to talk with Joe and look forward to sharing that interview over the course of two episodes.

    What Do These Have in Common?

    In this episode we talk about the power of denial and how that holds us back from team turnarounds. We also talk about the value of tough goals. But we start the conversation with this: What do Domino's Pizza, Indianopolis Colts, State of Michigan, and the Broadway Musical Spiderman have in common?

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 18:36

    Download episode 85

     

  • PPP 086 | Team Turnarounds, Part 2, with author Joe Frontiera

    Team Turnarounds, Part 2

    In the last episode I started the conversation with Joe Frontiera, co-author of Team Turnarounds: A Playbook for Transforming Underperforming Teams. If you haven't already listened to Part 1 of the interview, I invite you to do that first.

    In this episode we talk about how Domino's Pizza went from admitting their pizza tasted like cardboard and did a team turnaround. We also talk about team culture and how you can increase your odds of turning it around. And we start out with an important conversation about threats and opportunities.

    You can learn more about Joe and his organization at menoconsulting.com.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 17:46

    Download episode 86

     

  • PPP 088 | Selling Skills for Project Managers, with author Dan Pink

    You're a Salesperson. Seriously.

    So, when you think of a salesperson, who comes to mind? For many people, it's someone closer to Kenny the Sales Weasel from Dilbert (see the video below).

    Good thing you and I aren't salespeople! We're project managers. Team leads. Department heads. Scrum Masters. But salespeople? No way!

    Or are we? Though we may not be salespeople by title, we spend concerted time on a weekly basis trying to move people--influence people--getting them to take action or agree to something or sign off on a document or hire you or show up for a meeting, or finish a task on time.

    To Sell is Human

    Our guest in this episode is Daniel Pink, author of the new book entitled To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others. Dan's new book can help us all be much more successful at helping move people without resorting to sleazy tricks.

    Help Getting Your PMP®Certification

    Whether you need contact hours for PMP®certification or PDUs, we can help! Our e-learning is engaging, informative, and even fun. Go to http://courses.i-leadonline.com/courses/advanced-project-management to get 20 PDU's for a great price. If you need contact hours to prepare for your PMP, check our PMP®Prep e-learning at http://courses.i-leadonline.com/bundles/pm-certification-exam-prep.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 38:58

    Download episode 88

     

    A Little Fun

    In Dan's book he refers to the Dilbert character Kenny the Sales Weasel. Here's a video version of the cartoon!

    In the book, Dan talks about the benefits but also limitations of psyching yourself up. Interrogative talk is more powerful. The discussion on positive affirmations reminded me of my favorite Stuart Smalley skit on Saturday Night Live. Enjoy!

    Finally, here's Dan with one of my favorite past podcast guests, Dr. Adam Grant. Adam and Dan provide a great 20 minute summary of To Sell is Human.

     

    ANYTHING BUT THE TRUTH by Phil Reavis is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

    IF I COULD CHANGE YOUR MIND by Sloan is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

  • PPP 089 | In the Trenches with Ryan Endres

    In The Trenches.... Like You

    A month or so ago I was talking with listener Mike Settlemire. Mike was participating in our Advanced Project Management e-learning program and we were talking about the podcast. Mike had a suggestion: what about interviewing practitioners? People who are leading and delivering in the real world?

    Insights from Your Peers, Not Authors

    Hey, I love bringing you discussions with people like John Kotter, Dan Pink, Kerry Patterson, Adam Grant, and the many other guests we have had thus far. And we will continue to deliver interviews from authors of books that can stretch and inform us to better lead and deliver.

    But I think Mike is exactly right! Some times it can be just as effective to hear from a peer. What does he or she do to help them lead and deliver? What has led to their success and what would they do over?

    Introducing Ryan Endres

    Our first installment of our In the Trenches series is with Ryan Endres, PMP. In the interview Ryan shares insights and lessons that have helped him successfully lead and deliver.

    During the discussion, Ryan mentions the following resources:

    In the interview, Ryan mentions a status report that he loves to use. Ryan was gracious enough to share it with us. Click the icon below to download the Microsoft Word file:

    20 PDUs for a Great Price!

    Whether you need contact hours for PMP®certification or PDUs, we can help! Our e-learning is engaging, informative, and even fun. Go to http://courses.i-leadonline.com/courses/advanced-project-management to get 20 PDU's for a great price. If you need contact hours to prepare for your PMP, check our PMP®Prep e-learning at http://courses.i-leadonline.com/bundles/pm-certification-exam-prep.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 24:13

    Download episode 89

     

    JARDINS DU LUXEMBOURG by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License.

  • PPP 090 | Life Lessons for Leaders, with author Karl Pillemer

    When it comes to the stuff of life, there is no shortage of people and resources who offer insights on how to be successful, get a job, have meaningful relationships, and more. The experts range from celebrities to academics to anyone with a blog.

    Our guest in this episode is Karl Pillemer, author of 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans. There are all kinds of reasons why Justin Bieber or other celebrities aren't the best sources for life lessons!

    But what if we talked to people who have lived much of their life and had a bit of a retrospective or lessons learned with them? That's the idea behind Karl's book, which we discuss in this episode.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 40:24

    Download episode 90

     

    30 Lessons Trailer

    For more about Karl and his book, check out this trailer:

    QUADRILLE LAURIER (6EME PARTIE) by Isidore Soucy is licensed under a Orphan Work License.

    TROUBA by Steve Gunn is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

  • PPP 092 | In the Trenches, with Kiron Bondale, PMP

    Introducing Kiron Bondale, PMP

    We continue our In the Trenches series of episodes, with this interview with Kiron Bondale, PMP. Kiron runs the Project Management Office at Agricorp. Make sure to check out Kiron's insightful blog at http://kbondale.wordpress.com.

    Kiron has graciously offered to share a risk register template with listeners of The People and Projects Podcast. Click the icon below to download the Microsoft Excel file:

    20 PDUs for a Great Price!

    Whether you need contact hours for PMP®certification or PDUs, we can help! Our e-learning is engaging, informative, and even fun. Go to http://courses.i-leadonline.com/courses/advanced-project-management to get 20 PDU's for a great price. 

     

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 15:54

    Download episode 92

     

    FIREWORKS by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License.

  • PPP 093 | Givers, Takers, and Matchers, A Discussion About Success with Dr. Adam Grant

    Free PDUs while learning how to influence

    Can I Ask You a Favor?

    So let's say someone asks you for help. For a favor, let's say. What's your first reaction? Is it, "Sure! No problem! I'd love to help!"

    Perhaps most of us would like to think that's how we respond. Could your response vary, based on the situation?

    Let's modify the scenario. Let's say this person who is asking for help seems, in your mind, to have very little potential to help you in any meaningful way--now or in the future. Regardless of how you made that assessment, in economic terms, this favor would appear to have very little perceived return on investment.

    So, would you still help? Or would you scramble for an excuse to step away?

    Welcoming back Dr. Adam Grant

    My guest in this episode is Dr. Adam Grant. We talk about his new book released just this week entitled Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success. In this episode you'll hear Adam talk about givers, takers, and matchers, three reciprocity styles that form the basis of the book.

    I invite you to visit the book's website at at http://www.giveandtake.com. You can take his self-assessment on that site to learn your preferred style. Also, Adam mentions work done by Alison Fragale at University of North Carolina. Here's a link to an article summarizing her work regarding powerless communication: http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/news/2010/07/the-power-of-powerless-speech

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 44:25

    Download episode 93

     

    Adam Grant on Success

    Here's a 5 minute clip of Adam summarizing the reciprocity styles.

    How can you avoid being a doormat?

    Magic of Fog by Rushus is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

    The Giving and the Taking by Dolly Parton from the album Kenny & Dolly

    Additional music from Music Alley.

  • PPP 094 | How to Motivate Your Project Team, with Heidi Grant Halvorson and Tory Higgins

    Total Duration 42:54

    Download episode 94

    What Does It Take To Motivate Your Team?

    One of the common concerns I hear from those who lead projects and teams has to do with motivation. What does it take? An inspirational speech (see the video below!)? Money? Time? All the above, depending on the person?

    Motivating Project Teams

    In this episode I talk with Heidi Grant Halvorson and E. Tory Higgins.. They are the authors of a book just released this week entitled Focus: Use Different Ways of Seeing the World for Success and Influence. The underlying research behind the book finds we each tend to have a primary motivational focus or mindset: either promotion or prevention. You'll learn more about what these mean in this episode.

    I invite you to visit Heidi's website at at http://www.heidigranthalvorson.com/. You can take an assessment to learn your motivational style by visiting http://www.yourfocusdiagnostic.com.

    Need Some Motivation

    Hey, you promotion-minded listener! Need a little pick-me-up that will speak right to your promotion-minded heart? Check it out!

    BIG BAND from April 1992, from The Music Bakery

    MILITARY PROCESSION from April 1992, from The Music Bakery

    GRATITUDE from the album PEACE & QUIET, from The Brain Store.

  • PPP 096 | In the Trenches, with Paul Weber, PMP

    Introducing Paul Weber, PMP


    We continue our In the Trenches series with this discussion with Paul Weber, PMP.
    Paul shares insights and lessons he's learned in his years of leading teams and delivering projects.

    To learn more about Paul and to contact him about the free EVM and PERT calculators mentioned in this episode, go to http://www.pmpguy44.com.

     

    Join our Facebook Page

    I invite you to stop by our podcast Facebook page! "Like" it and the join the discussion.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 21:50

    Download episode 96

     

    Bob Sutton on Power Poisoning

    Paul warned us to make sure we don't think of leadership as being the boss, or being bossy. Here's one of my favorite authors talking about power poisoning, the effect that happens when someone gets power.

    NO GOOD LAYABOUT by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

  • PPP 096.1 | Premium Follow-up to the Paul Weber Interview

    Finger Tapping and Cookie Crumbs

    In this premium episode, I follow-up on some points from my interview with Paul Weber. You'll learn about:

    • Elizabeth Newton's finger tapping experiment
    • How cookies flushed out some bossy characteristics

    Click here to watch an interview with Bob Sutton that goes into the bossy issue more. Also, here's the HBR article with Bob.

    Thank you for joining me for this premium episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Total Duration 5:57

    Download the premium episode

     

    NO GOOD LAYABOUT by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

  • PPP 097 | Why Managing Sucks, with author Jody Thompson

    Download episode 97

    Total Duration 25:59

     

    Does Your Work Suck?

    So how would you describe your excitement level about your job? Would you say, "It's awesome Andy! I love my job!" Or would you be more on the side of...

    "Work Sucks."

    Insights from Jody Thompson

    In this episode you'll hear from Jody Thompson, co-author of Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It: The Results-Only Revolution and Why Managing Sucks and How to Fix It: A Results-Only Guide to Taking Control of Work, Not People. Looking for fresh insights on how to look and work and leading teams? You'll get it in this episode!

    Join our Facebook Page

    I invite you to stop by our podcast Facebook page! "Like" it and the join the discussion.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

     

    PIECE FOR DISAFFECTED PIANO TWO by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

    BATTY MCFADDIN by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

  • PPP 098 | How to Make More Persuasive Presentations, with author Nancy Duarte

    Total Duration 30:21

    Download episode 98

     

    Insights from Nancy Duarte

    If you don't particularly enjoy giving presentations, I understand. Though 1994 was a near-death experience for me, 19 years later I make a living doing it. There's hope for us all and Nancy Duarte is a great leader for us all to learn from.

    In this episode, Nancy shares ideas from her recent book HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Talent Triangle: Leadership

    Nancy on Presentations

    BLAH BLAH BLAH NEXT SUBJECT by Seven5Seven is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

  • PPP 099 | How Project Managers Make Better Decisions, with Michael Roberto

    Total Duration 30:38

    Download episode 99

     

    Don't Take Yes for an Answer!

    Yes men. Yes women. People who say Yes. Leaders who only want people to say Yes. There are countless decisions required to deliver projects and lead teams. We make the job significantly more difficult if we fall into the trap of surrounding ourselves with Yes people. Or shooting the messenger who brings bad news. Or any of the dozens of cognitive biases that can cloud our decision-making judgment.

    My guest today is author and professor Michael Roberto. Mike just released a second edition of his book on decision-making entitled Why Great Leaders Don't Take Yes for an Answer: Managing for Conflict and Consensus.

    When someone doesn't agree with you, is it just a disagreement that leads to a vigorous and healthy debate? Or, as far as you're concerned, they're just wrong? In this episode you'll hear how we can make better decisions through conflict and consensus.

    Follow Michael on his blogor check out his offerings at The Great Courses.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT I DISAGREE WITH YOU IT'S THAT YOU'RE WRONG by The Gentlemen is licensed under a Public Domain Mark 1.0 License.

    YES by Hecuba is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

    A Video Overview of the Book

  • PPP 101 | In the Trenches, with Mike Durbin, PMP

    Episode Duration 20:29

    Download episode 101

    Introducing Mike Durbin, PMP

    We continue our In the Trenches series with this discussion with Mike Durbin, PMP.Mike shares insights and lessons he's learned in his years of leading teams and delivering projects.

    Get PDUs or Contact Hours For Less!

    Want to get 35 PDUs or contact hours for a great price? Check out our PMP®Exam Prep e-learning at http://courses.i-leadonline.com/bundles/pm-certification-exam-prep. This is a great option, whether you're preparing for the exam or want to refresh your knowledge for PDU's.

    Add Your Voice to Our Podcast!

    Are you a regular listener to The People and Projects Podcast? I'd love to have your voice added to the beginning or end of the cast. Just send me an e-mail saying "I'd love to help!" I would love to have the opportunity to talk with you directly so contact me today and we'll set up a time to record your piece.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

     

    Drive by Management

    Some Zig Quotes

    Mike mentions a Zig Ziglar quote during the interview. Here's a sampling of the wisdom of the late Zig Ziglar.

    GOODWILL COWBOYS RIDE AGAIN by Michael Chapman & The Woodpiles is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License.

    MARATHON MAN by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License.

    ACOUSTIC BLUES by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License.

    CHIADO by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License.

    LEARNED MY LESSONS by Jenny O is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

  • PPP 104 | The Thankful Project Manager

    Total Duration 20:25

    Download episode 104

    A Disposition of Gratitude

    One of my favorite holidays in the United States is Thanksgiving. Many other countries have a similar sort of day, but whether or not your country celebrates the holiday is not the main point here today.

    The bigger deal is the idea. Being thankful. Having a disposition of gratitude. That's what we're talking about in today's cast.

    Are You a Thankful Project Manager?

    In some of our leadership workshops we'll ask a team to answer this question: "Who is the best among the team at giving out honest and sincere appreciation?"

    Team members usually find it rather easy to answer this question. Would your name be the one that gets the most hits?

    In this episode we talk about some research behind expressing appreciation. You'll find it's not just your team that benefits.

    Join our Facebook Page

    I invite you to stop by our podcast Facebook page! "Like" it and the join the discussion.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great Thanksgiving Day (whether you're in the US or not)!

    GATHERING TIME by Digital Juice StackTraxx. is licensed under a royalty-free license.

    FLUTTERBEE by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License.

    BUMBLE BEE BOSSA by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License.

    CATERPILLAR TUNNEL by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License.

    FILAMENTS by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License.

    GOOD VIBES OVERFLOW by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License.

    HAPPYTIME by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License.

    I HEART THANKSGIVING by The FuMP is licensed from Mevio's Music Alley.

  • PPP 105 | Influencing the Impossible Stakeholder, with author Donny Ebenstein

    Total Duration 35:28

    Download episode 105

     

    I Hear You!

    In this cast I talk with Donny Ebenstein, who just published I Hear You: Repair Communication Breakdowns, Negotiate Successfully, and Build Consensus . . . in Three Simple Steps. This is a must-read book for anyone leading projects and teams. We inevitably get stuck with the impossible team member, boss, or stakeholder. Progress on the project requires us to get past stuck.

    Learn more about Donny athttp://www.ebensteinconsulting.com.

     

    Join our Facebook Page

    I invite you to stop by our podcast Facebook page! "Like" it and the join the discussion.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    LA by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License.

    HEARTS AFLUTTER by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License.

  • PPP 106 | How to Fuel the Effective Project Manager

    Total Duration 37:35

    Download episode 106

    Happy New Year!

    I love new things! I love the start of a new project. Working with a new team or new client. Trying out a new tool or a new gadget.

    I love new.... It's a chance to start over, to learn from the past and apply it to the future.

    As we fire up another year, it's a great time to look for a fresh start. To consider what we'll do differently. And my advice for you this year? Well, you'll have to listen to the episode to get the answer!

    Our New Year's Guest: Tom Rath

    You've likely heard of Tom and his books. He's a senior scientist and advisor to Gallup, where he led their research and consulting on employee engagement, strengths, and well being. If you read How Full Is Your Bucket?, Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements, StrengthsFinder 2.0 or took the StrengthFinders assessment, you're among the millions of people who have been impacted by his work.

    Tom's most recent book is Eat Move Sleep: How Small Choices Lead to Big Changes. As we head into a new year, your ability to lead and deliver starts with you! How can you sustain the energy needed for all the stress and demands you'll face this year? How can you not only survive the year but set yourself up for perhaps even decades of better health?

    How about this? What if we forgot about coming up with big, hairy, audacious New Year's resolutions this year? What if your New Year's resolutions were actually attainable this time around--you know, still relevant two months from now.... Or two days from now!

    What if we did that by identifying small changes to make? Small changes about how you Eat. Move. And Sleep.

    In this episode, Tom Rath will tell you how to do that.

    Resources from Tom

    Learn more about Tom and Eat Move Sleep: How Small Choices Lead to Big Changes by visiting the book's website at http://www.eatmovesleep.org.

     

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    {youtube}YKqrMkDNba8{/youtube}

    IN A DREAM WHERE I'M SLEEPING by Shatterfreak is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

    HOW TO GO TO SLEEP by Mr. and Mrs. Smith is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

    GOOD VIBES OVERFLOW by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.

  • PPP 107 | Negotiating Skills for Project Managers

    Total Duration 49:52

    Download episode 107

    Introducing Steven P. Cohen

    In this episode you'll hear from Steven P. Cohen. Steve’s latest book is entitled The Practical Negotiator: How to Argue Your Point, Plead Your Case, and Prevail in Any Situation. It’s not your typical business book, actually. It’s more of a Q&A format, covering a wide range of topics, related to work and to home, from a guy who knows his stuff about negotiation.

    You’ll hear Steve talk about some important negotiation principles and then get his coaching on some situations that are quite close to home for many project managers.

    Learn more about Steve and The Practical Negotiator: How to Argue Your Point, Plead Your Case, and Prevail in Any Situation by visiting the book's website at http://www.practicalnegotiator.com/.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    NERVES by Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com) is licensed under creative Commons by Attribution 3.0.

    A THOUGHT by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.

    COVERT AFFAIR by Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com) is licensed under creative Commons by Attribution 3.0.

  • PPP 108 | How Project Managers Can Deal With Stupid Feedback

    Total Duration 40:07

    Download episode 108

    "Feedback is a Gift?"

     

    Our guest for this episode is Doug Stone. Doug and his co-author Sheila Heen teach negotiation and conflict negotiation at Harvard Law School and they've written a terrific new book entitled Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well. They were also co-authors of a previous best-seller entitled Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most

    Learn more about Doug and Sheila and their company by visiting http://triadconsultinggroup.com.

    I Want to Hear From You!

    Speaking of feedback, I'd love to hear from you! I'm inviting you to call our podcast listener feedback line and leave a message!

    Why do you listen to this podcast? What have you found helpful? And how about this question, straight from the Thanks for the Feedback book: "What do you hear me doing, or failing to do, that is getting in my own way of producing a podcast that best helps you?"

    There are two ways to leave me a message:

    • First, you can call our Podcast Listener Feedback Line at (847) 550-3747.
    • Or you can call me on Skype and leave a message. My Skype ID is andy.kaufman.i-lead.

    Make sure to leave your name and where you're calling from. 

    So give me a call and leave your feedback! I can't wait to hear it! Thanks!

    Project management keynote speaker Andy Kaufman on feedback

     

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    NETHERLAND by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.

    OPERATIVES by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.

    WALLPAPER by Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com) is licensed under creative Commons by Attribution 3.0.

  • PPP 109 | The Funny Thing About Project Management

    Total Duration 45:13

    Download episode 109

    Laugh While Learning

    I love to laugh.

    Whether it's a podcast episode, a keynote presentation, or an e-learning workshop, I like to keep it light-hearted. I've just found that it's easier to learn when we're enjoying the experience.

    Yet though I share the name of the famous, albeit dead, comedian Andy Kaufman, I'm not really that funny! I have to work at it. And because of that, there are times when a joke not only isn't particularly funny--it's counter-productive. Perhaps someone is the butt of the joke, so to speak, and they don't like it. Or it was making light at a time or subject that wasn't appropriate.

    The Humor Code

    Our guests in this episode are Pete McGraw and Joel Warner. They are the authors of a clever new book entitled The Humor Code: A Global Search for What Makes Things Funny.

    Why is it that some things are funnier than others? When can humor help us and when can it get in the way? Pete and Joel traveled the world to dissect humor across cultures to learn what makes us laugh.

    Learning about humor is not just for stand-up comics and class clowns. Since we are in the business of delivering projects and leading teams, we would all benefit from learning how to use this important tool for mutual benefit, while avoiding the landmines of inappropriate use.

    Learn more about their book by visiting http://humorcode.com/.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    I LOVE TO LAUGH from Mary Poppins: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack (1964 Film).

    BOOP by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.

    LAUGHTER by Kirk Pearson and Julia Egan is licensed under creative Commons by Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

  • PPP 110 | How to Get Your Ideas to Catch On, with author Jonah Berger

    Total Duration 34:23

    Download episode 110

    Why Do We Share What We Share?

    We are constantly sharing. It could be social media status update. An uploaded picture. A recommendation about a restaurant. A praise or criticism about an organization.

    This applies in the workplace as well. We relate how a meeting went. How a leader handled a situation (or not). We spread some buzz about a new project release (or fall victim to the growing resistance).

    We are sharing all the time. But why do we share? More to the point for this episode for us as leaders of projects and people, how can we understand how ideas spread across groups of people?

    Get Contagious

    Our guest in this episode is Jonah Berger, author of an intriguing book entitled Contagious: Why Things Catch On. Though this would appear to be a book for your friends in Marketing, you'll find in this episode there ideas for those of us who lead projects and teams.

    Learn more about Jonah and his book by visiting http://jonahberger.com/books/contagious/.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    FIVES by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.

    A LITTLE SHARE by The Banana Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

  • PPP 111 | When Consultants are the Problem, Not the Solution

    Total Duration 37:47

    Download episode 111

    Pulling Back the Curtain on Management Consultants

    Our guest in this episode is Karen Phelan, author of an entertaining book entitled I'm Sorry I Broke Your Company: When Management Consultants Are the Problem, Not the Solution. Karen pulls back the curtain on an industry from the perspective of an insider. This book is a fun read that, in truth, goes beyond just management consultants. It looks at the ridiculousness of what we call best practices in organizational leadership and management. I look forward to your feedback after you listen to this discussion with Karen.

    Learn more about Karen and her book by visiting http://imsorryibrokeyourcompany.com/.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    Talent Triangle: Leadership, Strategic and Business Management

    I'M SORRY by Ian Sutherland is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

    I'M SORRY by Los Llamarada is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

  • PPP 112 | How to Read Your Stakeholder's Mind, with Dr. Nick Morgan

    Total Duration 37:57

    Download episode 112

    What They're Really Thinking

    In this episode, Dr. Nick Morgan shares how we often get in the way of our own communication. There are two conversations: the content and the non-verbals. Want to improve your ability to lead and deliver? Learn to harness the power of the non-verbals, when getting your message out and when listening to others.

    Nick Morgan returns to our podcast to talk about his new book Power Cues: The Subtle Science of Leading Groups, Persuading Others, and Maximizing Your Personal Impact

    What if we could get better at getting our message across? What if we could improve our ability to read other people, to make sure we understand their message? That's what Nick Morgan says is available, if we apply the lessons in Power Cues. I look forward to your feedback after you listen to today’s discussion with Nick.

    Learn more about Nick and his book by visiting http://publicwords.com/.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    DAYDREAM HEARTBEAT by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.

  • PPP 113 | The Invisible Project Manager (Who Loves Their Job), with author David Zweig

    Total Duration 53:49

    Download episode 113

    The 'Me Monster'

    We live in an age of relentless self-promotion. Some people in the workplace remind me of comedian Brian Regan’s sketch entitled I Walked On The Moon (see below).

    Ever worked with the 'Me Monster?' Whether we realize it or not, we might actually be on the way to becoming one of those 'Me Monsters' as we struggle to stand out in the noise of those who are trying to out do each other.

    The Invisibles

    Yet not everyone is trying to out do others. In this episode author David Zweig shares his research into those he calls Invisibles. They love their job. Their satisfaction is in the work itself, not the volume of praise the comes with it.

    Have you ever felt invisible? That the work you do goes unnoticed? Or at least that there's a lack of appreciation for all that it takes for you to successfully deliver a project?

    One of the joys of hosting this podcast is finding resources to help you that might not otherwise have come up on your radar screen. I've found David Zweig to be one of those up-and-comers that will inspire us to do our craft better. Enjoy today's discussion with Dave about his book Invisibles: The Power of Anonymous Work in an Age of Relentless Self-Promotion.

    Learn more about Dave, his book, and his music by visiting http://davidzweig.com/.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    REPEAT AND FADE by David Zweig is licensed by permission.

    GOODBYE by David Zweig is licensed by permission.

  • PPP 114 | People and Projects Podcast Webinar Replay: Power Cues and Invisibles

    On a regular basis, we invite listeners of The People and Projects Podcast to gather for a follow-up webinar. These webinars allow us to go into more detail on the content from one or more previous episodes.

    This video episode is a replay of our follow-up webinar on Power Cues and Invisibles. Please join us for future webinars!

    Total Duration 55:19

    Download episode 114

    COVERT AFFAIR by Kevin McLeod is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.

  • PPP 115 | Hire the Younger or Older Project Manager? Does Age Matter?

    Total Duration 7:10

    Download episode 115

    Introducing Our Coach Cast Episodes

    With this episode we introduce a new type of episode that we're calling Coach Casts. Instead of a 30-45 minute episode centered around a book or author, I'll be sharing a 5-10 snapshot of something that I've been learning and what to share with you.

    In this first Coach Cast, we start with what can be a controversial subject. We're not really supposed to talk about age when it comes to hiring. Or promoting. Or delegating responsibility. But biases can exist. Whether it's a bias that someone seems too old or too young, it's easy for that bias to keep us from making the best decision.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    SUNDAY AFTERNOON by Podington Bear is licensed by Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.

    BLANKS by Podington Bear is licensed by Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.

  • PPP 116 | Why Projects Fail (and How We Can Fix That), with Jim Johnson from The Standish Group

    Total Duration 27:05

    Download episode 116

    Never Had a Failed Project?

    Have you ever had a project that failed? Be careful--this is a truth test! If someone tells you they always deliver on time, on budget, with all the specified scope, be wary! Delivering projects successfully every time sounds great in an interview but a challenge in the real world.

    My guest today is Jim Johnson, Founder and Chairman of The Standish Group. Jim has a passion to understand why things break and how to fix them. In this discussion we talk about why projects break, and some ideas on how to improve the likelihood of successfully delivering.

    You can learn more about Jim and The Standish Group at http://www.StandishGroup.com.

    Call Me!

    Why do you listen to The People and Projects Podcast? What has helped you? What questions do you have for me? I love hearing from listeners and I want to hear from you! So call me! You can leave a message on our Podcast Listener Feedback line by phone or Skype. You can leave a message by phone at 847-550-3747 or by Skype at andy.kaufman.i-lead. Thanks!

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    SKIPPY by Podington Bear is licensed by Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.

    LIES by Devora Clark is licensed under a Creative Commons License Agreement.

    CANDLEPOWER by Chris Zabriskie is licensed by Attribution License.

  • PPP 118 | The Remarkable Ways We Gain Insights, With Dr. Gary Klein

    Total Duration 45:09

    Download episode 118

    Seeing What Others Don't

    How is it that we can so easily not see things? When making decisions, we can be blind to better options. When planning a project, we can be blind to risks that are lurking. When listening to a problem from a team member, we can be blind to the fact there's actually a problem!

    My guest today is Dr. Gary Klein, author of Seeing What Others Don't: The Remarkable Ways We Gain Insights. Gary has written a wonderful book that we explore in this discussion.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    SEARCHING by Emily Lacy is licensed by Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

    DIVIDER by Chris Zabriskie is licensed by Attribution License.

    BAILE by Podington Bear is licensed by Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.

  • PPP 119 | How to Be a More Influential Project Manager, with Alfonso Bucero, MSc, PMP, PMI-RMP, and PMI Fellow

    Total Duration 34:17

    Download episode 119

    Do You Feel Influential?

    Project managers are influencers, though we often think of other sides of the business as the ones who influence the most: senior executives, lawyers, salespeople, etc.

    Our guest today is Alfonso Bucero, MSc, PMP, PMI-RMP, and PMI Fellow. He is the author of a new book entitled The Influential Project Manager: Winning Over Team Members and Stakeholders (Best Practices and Advances in Program Management Series). Alfonso shares insights to help you improve your ability to influence your boss, sponsor, team, and other stakeholders.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    MODERN JAZZ SAMBA by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

    NOTANICO MERENGUE by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

  • PPP 120 | Mentoring for Project Managers, with Mark Goulston

    Total Duration 34:17

    Download episode 120

    Who is an example of someone that has significantly impacted who you are today? Whether they were a formal mentor or not, who is someone that has notably contributed to the person you are and the success you enjoy today?

    My guest today is Dr. Mark Goulston. You may recognize Mark as the author of a very special book entitled Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone. With the recent death of one of his mentors, the concept of mentoring is top of mind so we spent some time together discussing the topic. Make sure to check out Mark's website at http://www.MarkGoulston.com

    15 PDU's

    Are you preparing for certification? Or need some PDU's? Check out our Essentials of Project Management e-learning program. You can earn 15 contact hours or PDU's for a great price! Use a coupon code of ESS-199-FALL14 to save $100. That offer is good through end of September 2014.

    I'd Love to Listen To You!

    Who has impacted you as a past mentor? What feedback do you have about the podcast? I want to hear from you! So call me! You can leave a message on our Podcast Listener Feedback line by phone or Skype. You can leave a message by phone at 847-550-3747 or by Skype at andy.kaufman.i-lead. Thanks!

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    CROSSING THE DIVIDE by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

    MAMBO BATIRI by Orquesta El Sabor de Nacho is Licensed under a Attribution License.

  • PPP 121 | We're Not Family. But Free Agency Doesn't Work. How to Have Career Discussions with Your Team, with Ben Casnocha

    Total Duration 36:57

    Download episode 121

    We are Family?

    Most companies no longer feel like 'family'. But the 'free agent' approach has limitations as well.

    My guest today is Ben Casnocha. He is the co-author of a new book entitled The Alliance: Managing Talent in the Networked Age. Ben and his co-author Reid Hoffman (co-founder of LinkedIn) discuss a new model for managing talent in this new age. Learn more about Ben by checking out his blog at http://casnocha.com/blog.

    Helping Your Organization Deliver

    We help organizations around the world improve their ability to deliver projects and lead teams. Who in your organization is responsible for planning out next year's training? Have them contact me at . We have training classes designed for helping every role in your organization to get better at successfully delivering their work. I look forward to hearing from you!

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    BLACK VORTEX by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

    CAREFREE by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

  • PPP 122 | Smart Ways to Accelerate Your Success as a Project Manager, with author Shane Snow

    Total Duration 42:05

    Download episode 122

     

    Smartcuts, Not Shortcuts

    We go to 'work', not 'play'. Success typically takes work, not sitting back and visualizing wonderful things. But what if there were ways to hack the 'pay your dues' route? What if there were recurring themes from those who accelerated their success?

    My guest today is Shane Snow, author of Smartcuts: How Hackers, Innovators, and Icons Accelerate Success. Learn more about Shane by checking out his Contently blog at https://shanesnow.contently.com/.

    20 PDU's for a Great Price

    If you are aiming for certification or need PDU's, check out our Advanced Project Management e-learning. 

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    THE SMALL by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

    HAPPY ALLEY by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

    Other piano music played by Zachary Kaufman.

  • PPP 123 | How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done, with Procrastination Expert Piers Steel

     

    Total Duration 48:05

    Download episode 123

    Stop Procrastinating!

    I have so looked forward to sharing this episode with you! It's just that.... I kept finding other things to do! But the wait is over!

    My guest today is Piers Steel, author of The Procrastination Equation: How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done. Learn more about Piers by checking out his blog at http://procrastinus.com/.

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    SOME OTHER TIME by Tony Bennett and Bill Evans

    PUT IT OFF UNTIL TOMORROW by The Kendalls

    DEAD by They Might Be Giants

  • PPP 124 | How Adam Smith Can Make You a Better Project Manager, with guest Russ Roberts

    Total Duration 49:15

    Download episode 124

    Adam Smith, Project Manager

    If you studied economics at some point you most likely learned about Adam Smith. He's often revered as the Father of Modern Economics, but could it be that project managers could learn more than economics from Adam Smith? Is it possible that his lesser known book The Theory of Moral Sentiments, published in 1759, could help us become better project managers and leaders?

    My guest today is Russ Roberts, author of How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness. I'm a big fan of Russ' EconTalk podcast, and I think you're going to find his new book about Adam Smith very intriguing!

    Please e-mail me ( or leave a message on our Listener Feedback Line (847-550-3747), letting me know what you think about this conversation with Russ. How do you implement these ideas? What questions do you have? I look forward to hearing from you!

     

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    "Nothing Broken” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

    "The Path of the Goblin King v2” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • PPP 125 | Why Project Managers Who Learn Faster Beat Those Who Know More, with guest Liz Wiseman

    Total Duration 44:58

    Download episode 125

    Expert Judgment

    In the Project Management Body of Knowledge--the PMBOK® Guide--there's a recurring tool and technique entitled Expert Judgment. How can you develop a more effective project charter? Come up with more accurate cost and time estimates? Identify risks? Project Management Institute (PMI) says we should use expert judgment.

    Their point is that you can develop better plans and estimates if you tap into the wisdom of those with established expertise. Makes sense, right?

    Put Your Rookie On

    My guest today is Liz Wiseman, author of Rookie Smarts: Why Learning Beats Knowing in the New Game of Work. Liz suggests there are times when having a rookie mindset trumps expert judgment.

    Give Me a Call!

    Please e-mail me ( or leave a message on our Listener Feedback Line (847-550-3747), letting me know what you think about this conversation with Liz. What questions do you have? I look forward to hearing from you!

     

    Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

    SILVER by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License.

    LUXE by Jahzzar is licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike License.

    CANDLEPOWR by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Attribution License.

Be the first to hear about new episodes, livestreams, webinars, and more!