The Digital Project Manager

If you've ever got yourself in a pickle on your projects because you didn't have written evidence of your discussions with your clients, then this episode is for you! Ben Aston talks to Robyn Reynolds about the often forgotten status report and how they can save your bacon. Find out what you should put in it, how you can make them less of a pain to create and make them useful for you, the client and your project team. 

We all know communication is a massively important part of our project manager role. But what are the tools we can use to be better at it? One of them is a communications plan. Ben talks to Natalie about how you can use a communication plan to manage expectations better - keep listening to find out how you can stop clients badgering you for information, and get the things you need from your clients! 

Do you feel like your team is making the same mistakes over and over again? It's probably because they are - and it's probably because you're not helping them change! Ben and Alexa talk about how we can use sprint retrospectives to highlight opportunities for change, generate process improvements, and move the team in the right direction. Listen to discover some practical applications to making sprint retrospectives as productive as possible.

Being productive isn't about doing more, it's about being smarter. Ben talks to Tucker to discuss how - the time management hacks we can use to be (nearly) as productive as Beyoncé! Listen up for for really practical tips and simple hacks that are going to save you stacks of time and get you back on top of your PM game. 

Starting new projects can be incredibly daunting, particularly if you're working on a new client, new in the agency, or on the receiving end of a shoddy handover. Ben Aston talks to Joanna Leigh Simon to discuss the questions to ask about the project plan, team, client and work to get your bearings and get a project in order. Listen up to learn how you can make your own project onboarding experience a whole lot less stressful. 

Karl Sakas, author of 'Made To Lead' and a consultant specializing in agency dynamics, shares his insights on effective leadership in project management. He discusses navigating agency challenges, including profit margins and operational efficiencies. Sakas emphasizes the power of tools and culture surveys in enhancing team engagement. He provides practical leadership strategies, focusing on communication and accountability. The conversation also highlights the importance of warmth in management and effective recruitment techniques for project managers.

Project managers are masters of getting stuff done. But what are the tricks for getting more stuff done, better? Ben Aston chats with Cédric Waldburger, founder of SendTask, to discuss everything from crypto currencies to founding companies, and how we can get more done by making our lives simpler.

Are you actually good at what do you do? Deep down, do you sometimes wonder if you're actually a project manager charlatan, or in the wrong career altogether? Ben Aston chats with Lina Calin to discuss how we can know if we're really doing a good job of this project management thing.

The pressure to do the right thing and be seen to do the right thing is immense. But should we be doing all those project management things, all the time? Ben Aston talks to Patrice Embry to discuss how you can save yourself time by cutting the extraneous things from your PM routine.

Beyond managing projects, how can we use our emotional intelligence to be project leaders? Ben Aston talks to Colin Ellis, author of The Conscious Project Leader to discuss building a positive project culture and leading our projects so that our teams are engaged and motivated to succeed.