Peter Merrill is leading the development of the ISO Management System Standard on innovation management; Ron Young chaired the BSI Standard committee and was part of the ISO Working Group that developed the Management System Standard on knowledge management. In this episode of Center Stage, they talk with PMI Chief Customer Officer Joe Cahill about how you standardize such abstract concepts.They explain that the standards focus on establishing enablement systems that can be managed. “We’re not trying to hug an elephant,” as Merrill says, a system is a set of elements which we manage so that they link together. Young explained that standards are based on a set of principles of good leadership and management and contain critical success factors for managing innovation and knowledge. They discussed how organizations can evolve from simply identifying lessons from a project, to actually learning those lessons, changing behavior’s and truly deriving value from project knowledge. Beyond the standards, Merrill and Young discuss the value of diversity and inclusion, and the role of artificial intelligence in knowledge creation. They conclude by sharing the visionary idea that we are moving into a knowledge economy where scarcity of resources is no longer the primary driver and where collaboration begins to supersede competition. 

In this podcast, Jason Warnke and Joe Cahill discuss the impact of digital experiences on technology-enabled transformation. Jason Warnke serves as Senior Managing Director for Global Digital Experiences at Accenture. Digital Experiences is located within Accenture's internal IT leadership team and is responsible for driving technology-enabled experience transformation.Jason leads off by sharing examples of how technology in our business lives has not kept pace with what we have experienced in our lives as consumers.  Many companies build their internal capabilities with a “technology first” mindset that can sometimes inhibit workflows, productivity and engagement that drive business performance.Shifting to a focus on employee experience looks at the impact of making it easier for employees to get things done in a digital way.  Jason shares examples related to reducing multiple applications, making the user experience more intuitive, building applications into the flow of work and other tips.  From a project delivery perspective, Jason discusses shifting from a requirements focus on what the employee believes is needed to truly understanding the intended outcomes the employee wants to enable, the service experience they expect, etc..  It is also about prioritizing capabilities so employees get the functionality that is most useful for them.Social networking and creating a “culture of cultures” is another area Jason explores.  In a highly distributed organization, organizations need to recognize that employees can build community in ways that are different from approaches that work in highly centralized environments.  In addition to work networks, organizations can help connect employees via social networks where they already engage, such as clubs for exercise enthusiasts, XBOX players, photographers, etc.  This approaches recognizes that it is as important to build connections around interpersonal engagement, with people outside of the core team and among team members around the globe.Discussing new ways of working, Jason concludes with a focus on how digital transformation is changing project work and creating opportunities for leaner workflows.

In this podcast, Dr. Rodolfo De Acutis, Global PMO Lead R&D at Nestlé,  and Joe Cahill discuss the leadership of emotions and the critical role of power skills for PMO and portfolio organizations.  Dr. De Acutis shares that project leaders and change makers face a range of emotional triggers when engaging with stakeholders that they will need to manage.  These triggers increase stress and can affect a project leader’s performance. He suggests a range of techniques leaders can use to reframe emotional responses, such as reflection and explaining the “why.”Dr. De Acutis also discusses the challenges facing organizations as they recruit and build their project leaders and teams.  He believes that talent equals Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Emotional Quotient (EQ).  Thus, effective project leaders need to balance their technical and leadership/interpersonal skills.  He strongly believes that project leaders still need strong technical skills, especially risk management, and need to incorporate approaches like agile and lean to respond to project characteristics which do not fit well with highly predictive approaches.  But to rally a team to produce its best results requires building trust and being transparent.Dr. De Acutis closes with his focus on nourishing his own passion for knowledge and learning so he can continue to positively embrace the future of work. 

In this episode of the Center Stage podcast, Alan Richter and Joe Cahill discuss ethics in business and its impact on projects and organizations. As business becomes more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, organizations must address ethical considerations both internally and externally to stay relevant and reputable. To do so, they need leaders who can navigate the complexities of ethical decision making by understanding the impact of culture on ethics and the need for inclusivity. Dr. Richter is the Founder and President of QED Consulting, and the co-author of the Global Ethics & Integrity Benchmarks. He has consulted corporations for many years in multiple capacities, primarily in the areas of leadership, values, culture, and change. Dr. Richter has led teams in the development of leadership programs and processes and has designed pioneering instructional products in the areas of leadership, business ethics, workforce diversity, globalization, marketing, technology, and communications. He is a frequent presenter, has taught philosophy, psychology, and interdisciplinary courses, and is the author of several books and articles. 

In this podcast, Cali Williams Yost shares insights about how organizations and employees have adapted to remote work in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and how work flexibility is here to stay. Cali is the founder and CEO of Flex + Strategy Group, a firm that helps organizations unlock performance and engagement by reimagining how, when, and where work gets done. Cali is one of the world’s leading authorities on flexible workplace strategies. She is the author of two books, and her expertise is regularly sought by media outlets ranging from MSNBC to the Wall Street Journal. Her corporate and organizational clients include banks, governments, health care systems, and universities. Forbes named her one of “40 Women to Watch Over 40,” and the New York Times has called her “one of the most sophisticated minds” on the transformation of work.

In this podcast, we meet Liam Fahey who is the Cofounder and Partner at Leadership Forum LLC. The Forum allows intelligence and insight practitioners to learn from each other, hone their personal and professional skills, and augment their organizations’ thinking and decision capabilities.Liam is the author or editor of eight books and more than 50 articles or book chapters. His book, The Insight Discipline, provides a framework for organization analysis through enhanced intelligence and insight. He has won awards for his teaching (Teacher of the Year at Kellogg School of Management), research (six best paper awards), and professional service (the first winner of the Meritorious Award for Distinguished Service from the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals).His corporate clients include some of the world's best known brands, and he has delivered executive education to more than 10 universities around the globe. Prior to cofounding the Leadership Forum, Liam taught at Northwestern University's J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management and at Boston University. He serves as Professor of Management Practice at Babson College. Liam holds a Ph.D. degree from the University of Pittsburgh. 

In this podcast, Iain Hamilton, Head of Creative Industries for Highlands and Islands Enterprise, discusses the leadership of creative projects and initiatives. Iain is a senior leader who works with the Scottish Government’s economic development agency – Highlands and Islands Enterprise. At the core of his work is a successful global project, XpoNorth, a unique event bringing together the creative and tech sectors to explore opportunities, identify trends, and find new business opportunities. XpoNorth attracts delegates from around the world ranging from multi-nationals to micro-businesses. Due to COVID-19, it has transformed to a digital community with lessons to be learned for all leaders. This is a conversation about the human element, digital capacity, networks, and the creation of economic value when business and government collaborate. 

Our age of global collaboration has created a profound exchange of knowledge across the world. Knowledge, however, is still local and practiced in diverse ways. In this podcast, Naoki Ogiwara, Managing Director of Knowledge Associates Japan, will discuss the differences between Eastern and Western firms on knowledge. Naoki discusses with PMI COO, Joe Cahill, the latest trends in knowledge within organizations and the vital role of collaboration and knowledge assets. He explains the importance of “ba” (creation of spaces and places) for learning. Naoki also discusses the need for integration between operational standards and innovative approaches. 

Our world is one of ideas, thoughts, and technology. At the core are talented people who generate the ideas and products we desire. Sean Kelley, talent innovator, has worked across leading organizations responsible for creating this world.In this podcast, Sean Kelley is an advisor to leaders offering insights on change, talent acquisition, and women in technology.  Sean has served as a leader in Amazon as Director Talent Acquisition, Microsoft, Starbucks, and the US Naval Academy. He is currently working on issues related to finding a cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, veteran’s transition and employment in technology industry, and diverse representation in the technology field.

This story explores entrepreneurship, knowledge transfer and co-creating with a focus on PMI’s long-standing partnership with ENACTUS and its student teams. This episode features Lili Csorba, corporate relations executive for the ENACTUS Queen Mary student team, and Gavin Henderson, project management business advisor from the PMI United Kingdom Chapter’s London Branch.ENACTUS is a community of student, academic, and business leaders taking entrepreneurial action for social impact to create a better world.  ENACTUS has over 72,000 students across the globe who are entrepreneurial, values-driven social innovators representing 1,730 campuses in 36 countries who positively impact the lives of 1.3 million people each year.PMI enables partnerships between PMI Chapters and ENACTUS national chapters to provide project management mentors to student teams.  PMI is also a sponsor of several ENACTUS national competitions.