Project Management Happy Hour

*SO* much about project success is dependent on communication that we love to have communication experts on the show. Today’s guests, authors of the new book, “How to avoid a huge Leadersh*t,” will talk us through practical methods and examples for how to use narrative to effectively communicate - from introducing yourself to a group of people, to trying to justify projects and get stakeholder buy-in. We all relate to stories, so it’s only natural to communicate with them!   ABOUT OUR GUESTS, Brian Harman and Stephanie Taglianetti Stephanie M Taglianetti, MFA, is an Italian-American writer from Long Island, NY. She has studied creative writing at the distinguished California Institute of the Arts, earning her Master’s degree. Her specialized work in storytelling has pointed her career towards professional screenwriting, copywriting, and education. Outside of her career, she focuses on painting, singing, and guitar.   Brian M Harman, MBA, is an American businessman that has been working in corporate leadership and supply chain management since 2004. He has studied global finance and management science at the University of Oxford and Pepperdine University, earning his MBA degree and currently finishing his PhD in Global Leadership and Change. His specialized work in strategic sourcing, negotiation, and leadership has driven his career in biotechnology. Outside of his corporate career, he is a Professor at San Francisco's Golden Gate University and Universidad ESAN's Graduate School of Business in Lima, Peru. His research focus is leadership psychology and humor.   CHECK OUT THEIR NEW BOOK ON AMAZON: "How to avoid a huge Leadersh*t" : https://goo.gl/hX6LCy   The website for their consulting business is: https://www.bmhallmark.com And Brian’s linkedin is: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianharmanspsm/   JOIN OUR HAPPY HOUR MEMBERSHIP! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our new membership! https://pmhappyhour.com/membership   JOIN US FOR HAPPY HOUR! Come by and say “hey!” at our Facebook page https://facebook.com/pmhappyhour   STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour.

In today’s episode, Phoenix-based head of The PMO Squad, Joe Pusz (also known in the PM community as PMO Joe) will share his knowledge on Mentorship with us. In addition to his deep experience on the topic, his organization partners with Vets to PM, a mentorship program which pairs US Veterans with experienced PMs to help them enter the PM field. PMO Joe is a master of Mentorship, and helps us understand the benefits to both the Mentor and Mentee, and shares some valuable tips for getting engaged. Not only are there short-term benefits from mentorship, but you will be building long-term relationships. You may even start a podcast together one day :-)    ABOUT OUR GUEST, Joe Pusz (PMO Joe) As Founder & President of THE PMO SQUAD, Joe is the driving force and initial SQUAD member. THE PMO SQUAD focuses exclusively on Project Management Solutions covering client needs with Project Management Resources, Processes, and Technology.  Known as PMO JOE, he leverages his experience from leading corporate PMOs to provide services which satisfy real world Project Management needs. Joe has lead Project Management functions in several industries including Aerospace & Defense, Aviation, Finance, Healthcare, and Technology organizations with budgets up to $600MM+. Joe is also a strong supporter of Veterans services which lead to starting the Veterans Project Management Mentoring Program which pairs Veterans with PMP Mentors across the United States. Need PM? Or want to get engaged in Vets 2 PM? See below for Joe's contact information   Read about and follow Joe’s organization, PMO Squad www.thepmosquad.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-pmo-squad/ https://www.facebook.com/THEPMOSQUAD https://twitter.com/THEPMOSQUAD   To learn more about the Veterans to PM mentorship program: www.thepmosquad.com/veterans-project-management-mentoring    PMO Joe’s Radio Show www.thepmosquad.com/project-management-office-hours  http://businessradiox.com/phoenix-business-radio/     MEMBERSHIP COMING SOON! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our new membership! Construction is still in progress, but you can sign up to be notified when it’s live at https://pmhappyhour.com/membership   JOIN US FOR HAPPY HOUR! Come by and say “hey!” at our Facebook page https://facebook.com/pmhappyhour   STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour.

In today’s short-format “Appetiser” episode, we have a tasty little nugget to share about building trust. Trust is essential for building effective working relationships with your team, sponsors and stakeholders. But how do you do it? In today’s show, we talk about a couple specific techniques you can use to build - or repair- trust.   TIMESTAMPS (A new feature, highlighting timestamps of key topics): 1:23 Why does building trust matter? 1:50 Why build trust with you team? 2:22 What is the value of building trust with sponsors and stakeholders? 3:00 What happens if you don't have trust 3:25 How are Trust and Predictability linked? 4:00 Trust is like a brick building 4:45 Baby steps, predictability, and the Palace of Trust 6:22 Commitment and consistency in establishing trust 7:23 What if trust is already broken? 8:08 One brick at a time!   MEMBERSHIP COMING SOON! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our new membership! Construction is still in progress, but you can sign up to be notified when it’s live at https://pmhappyhour.com/membership JOIN US FOR HAPPY HOUR! Come by and say “hey!” at our Facebook page https://facebook.com/pmhappyhour STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour.

Everyone has something go wrong on their projects at some point. As much as we dread breaking the news, how we communicate these problems to our stakeholders can have a greater impact on our project and long term business relationships than the problems themselves. In today’s episode we share our own horror stories about project calamities, and share some lessons learned and tips for communicating with our stakeholders and sponsors through these issues. Do it right, and you can come out the other side with an even stronger relationship. BTW, yes, we are talking about Christmas in this episode J It’s one we’ve been looking forward to publishing for a long time!  MEMBERSHIP COMING SOON! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our new membership! Construction is still in progress, but you can sign up to be notified when it’s live at https://pmhappyhour.com/membership  JOIN US FOR HAPPY HOUR! Come by and say “hey!” at our Facebook page https://facebook.com/pmhappyhour STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour.

Although touched on in the PMBOK, most of us have little exposure to Monte Carlo analysis – which is a shame! Monte Carlo analysis can add a new level of credibility to our planning when the stakes are high by backing it with real science and statistical models. In this episode, we demystify this tool, discuss its benefits, when it is appropriate, and why math is our friend J From mining to professional services, contact centers and orbital battle stations, we discuss how Monte Carlo can help you run your business.  We also discuss photon versus proton torpedoes. Our special guest is Luc Vandamme, who has been in the mining industry for more than 25 years and is now a Senior Director in his organization’s Enterprise Project Management Office.  Luc’s career has taken him from mining technology research and development to business optimization, organizational development, and now to project management.  Luc has a Civil and Geological Engineering degree from the University of Louvain in Belgium (he is NOT related to Jean-Claude!) and a Ph D in rock mechanics from the university of Toronto. And of course he knows Monte Carlo simulations inside and out!   MEMBERSHIP COMING SOON! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our new membership! Construction is still in progress, but you can sign up to be notified when it’s live at https://pmhappyhour.com/membership    JOIN US FOR HAPPY HOUR! Come by and say “hey!” at our Facebook page https://facebook.com/pmhappyhour    STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour.

There is enough to deal with in project management without gender issues making it even tougher. So, today we openly talk about challenges women can face in the workplace. Rather than hit you with a bunch of statistics (which are also important), Kate will share some real-life examples of challenges she’s faced, and we talk openly about ways to address them. Guys, you should listen - you might be surprised what kind of challenges women have to deal with sometimes. MEMBERSHIP COMING SOON! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our new membership! Construction is still in progress, but you can sign up to be notified when it’s live at https://pmhappyhour.com/membership JOIN US FOR HAPPY HOUR! Come by and say “hey!” at our Facebook page https://facebook.com/pmhappyhour STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour.

This episode, we talk about an old stand-by in the PM world, the RAID Log. RAID Logs (Risks, Actions, Issues and Decisions) are an essential tool that every PM needs in their toolbox. Heck, you can effectively run an entire project from one! If you have never heard of them before, you need to check in – whether you have a small project or a major program, RAID logs can save your bacon. And if you’ve used them in the past, tune in for some tips to be super effective with them.  FREE RAID LOG! Why not download a copy of our free RAID log? Go get it at https://pmhappyhour.com/raidlog    MEMBERSHIP COMING SOON! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our new membership! Construction is still in progress, but you can sign up to be notified when it’s live at https://pmhappyhour.com/membership  JOIN US FOR HAPPY HOUR! Come by and say “hey!” at our Facebook page https://facebook.com/pmhappyhour  STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour.

Microsoft Project Professional client is a staple in the industry, and is probably where most of learned what a GANTT chart is. But what about the online version for teams, Project Server? It seems to be the default PPM solution organizations think about when considering PPM, but Is it really all that? Anecdotally, a lot of organizations fail with the product. But is it the product’s fault? And why is that failure so ironic? And what other options are there out in the market?    GREAT USER MAIL QUESTION User mail this week is from Mark K, who asks how to manage and get alignment on “big” personalities – Kim and Kate share their tips on how to   MEMBERSHIP COMING SOON! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our new membership! Construction is still in progress, but you can sign up to be notified when it’s live at https://pmhappyhour.com/membership   JOIN US FOR HAPPY HOUR! Come by and say “hey!” at our Facebook page https://facebook.com/pmhappyhour   STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour.

We all run into those little “Yellow Lights” on projects – those moments when you think, “wait a minute… that’s not right.” All too often, we “floor it” and try to get through the light before it gets red - only to end up in a head-on collision! Today, we take a lesson from Mahan Khalsa’s great book, “Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play” for how to handle these critical moments when we realize that something is definitely not right.   PM HAPPY HOUR MEMBERSHIP COMING!` We are going to be moving to a membership model! Of course you will always get your PM Happy Hour podcasts, but what if you want more? PDU’s? PDU’s reported for you to PMI? Bonus content? Webinars? Personal Q&A sessions? Yes! We are working on developing a new Membership for PM Happy Hour listeners. More to come on this in the next month – if you are interested and want to know more when we have it ready, please sign up for our waiting list here: https://pmhappyhour.com/membership      JOIN US FOR HAPPY HOUR! Come by and say “hey!” at our Facebook page https://facebook.com/pmhappyhour   STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour.

Today we have our first Appetizer episode. What’s an appetizer? These are short format episodes – 15 minutes – in between our main shows where we hit on short, informative topics. These topics are too small to fill up a full show, or we want to see if there is enough interest from you, our PM Happy Hour listeners , to turn them into full episodes. So, if you hear an Appetizer and think, “they should make a whole meal out of that!” please let us know and we’ll be happy to do that.   PM HAPPY HOUR MEMBERSHIP COMING!` We are going to be moving to a membership model! Of course you will always get your PM Happy Hour podcasts, but what if you want more? PDU’s? PDU’s reported for you to PMI? Bonus content? Webinars? Personal Q&A sessions? Yes! We are working on developing a new Membership for PM Happy Hour listeners. More to come on this in the next month – if you are interested and want to know more when we have it ready, please sign up for our waiting list here: https://pmhappyhour.com/membership     PM HAPPY HOUR MEETUP 19 OCTOBER IN LONDON! If you are in London, come hang out at our open meetup – details are on our Facebook page https://facebook.com/pmhappyhour    JOIN US FOR HAPPY HOUR! Come by and say “hey!” at our Facebook page https://facebook.com/pmhappyhour   STUMP THE PM’S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com and we’ll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we’ll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour.