Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Charlie Gilkey, author of Team Habits: How Small Actions Lead to Extraordinary Results. They discuss how small, often overlooked habits shape team culture and performance. The conversation explores practical approaches for enhancing team dynamics, instilling a sense of belonging, improving decision-making, and addressing everyday 'broken printers' in both professional and familial settings. Charlie shares personal insights from his military upbringing and passion for team-based success, emphasizing that effective change and leadership start at the local team level. This is a practical and engaging discussion that will help you lead your team to the next level of success. Sound Bites "Time in, erodes awareness of." "Be the teammate you want your teammates to be." "Belonging is a macro word that includes feeling appreciated at work, feeling like your contributions and perspective matter, that you have moral and functional trust." "We do it because it's the right thing and because this is how we want to be together and, oh by the way, it has these amazing other benefits." "I would rather over-index on caring." "So many families have a daily 'broken printer' that's called the 'getting to school runaround'." "None of us show up at work and opt-in to the CC thread from hell." Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:44 Start of Interview 05:36 The Broken Printer Metaphor 08:43 How We Encourage the CC Thread from Hell 12:21 Team Dynamics 14:56 What If You're Not a Senior Leader? 19:27 Number One Rule of Being a Great Teammate 21:18 Building Belonging Habits 30:14 The Importance of Small Gestures 38:34 Applying Team Habits to Families 44:48 Wrap-up 45:24 Andy Comments After the Interview 50:17 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Charlie and his books at ProductiveFlourishing.com. Contact Charlie to learn how to buy a box of books for you and your team. If you’d like more on this subject, check out: Episode 366 with Michael Timms about his book on accountability Episode 252 with Marcus Buckingham about the episode we discuss in this interview, and Episode 342 with Krister Ungerbock, who uses the term TalkSHIFTS instead of habits. Though the terminology is different, the ideas are complimentary.   Project Management Courses I would love to help you and your team level up your ability to lead and deliver. Join us for an upcoming project management masterclass! They are instructor-led, super engaging, and fine-tuned to help you and your team more confidently lead and deliver. Learn more at courses.i-leadonline.com. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills   The following music was used for this episode: Music: Echo by Alexander Nakarada License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Laughing Children Full Version by MusicLFiles License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Andy interviews Nigel Creaser, an active project professional and author of Project Manager Productivity Hacks. They discuss managing interruptions, improving productivity, using mobile devices, AI tools in project management, and prioritizing the human aspect of project management. Nigel emphasizes the need to control the messy nature of project management and shares career advice.

Summary In this episode, Andy dives deep into the world of sleep with Dr. Bijoy John, author of Nobody's Sleeping: Seven Proven Sleep Strategies for Better Health. Dr. John shares his personal journey with sleep issues, discusses the widespread impact of poor sleep on health and performance, and offers practical advice for improving sleep quality. Do you have trouble getting to sleep? Or wake up in the night have trouble getting back to sleep? From the importance of naps to the dangers of screen time before bed, this episode covers a wide range of sleep-related topics relevant to professionals and parents alike. Sound Bites "Society as a whole is operating on sleep debt and the main culprit there is your phone." "A workforce that is well rested performs better, makes less mistakes, tends to have better mental health so they're less anxious, and less defensive." "So the key here is the nap should be only for 30, maximum 40 minutes because you're following your biorhythm. This is a bio hack." "The bedroom is only for sex and sleeping, not for snoring or worrying." "I believe by sleeping better, the world can be a better place." Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:36 Start of interview 02:49 Even NFL teams should know about naps 03:50 How lack of sleep impacts areas of our life 05:13 Cardiologists often don't realize sleep might be the problem 06:21 Dr. John's struggles with sleep 09:06 Ineffective Sleep Aids 11:11 Power Naps and Sleep Debt 12:32 Why a consistent sleep schedule is challenging 14:13 Having a consistent shutdown routine 19:37 What about when you wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep? 22:38 Try Dr. John's Vivid Imagination technique 24:07 Resources on Dr. John's website 25:00 Tips for better sleep, for parents and kids 30:39 Wrap-up 31:58 Andy's comments after the interview 35:24 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Dr. John and his Sleep Fix Academy at SleepFixAcademy.com. If you’d like more on this subject, check out episodes 132 and 106 with Tom Rath. Tom is the author of Eat, Move, Sleep and other books with a similar theme.   AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed our e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills   The following music was used for this episode: Music: The Fantastical Ferret by Tim Kulig License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Fashion Corporate by Frank Schroeter License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Summary In this episode, Andy interviews Kory Kogon, FranklinCovey’s Vice President of Content Development, about her updated book, Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager. They discuss the prevalence of unofficial project managers in various industries, especially post-pandemic, and the unique challenges they face. Kory shares insights on foundational behaviors, clarifying expectations, stakeholder management, and risk management. The conversation also delves into the significance of accountability and performance discussions, particularly for those leading without formal authority. If you lead projects, regardless of your title, this discussion is for you! Sound Bites "We often find that at least 80% of the participants in our project management workshops don't have the word project in their title. Yet you could argue that, in many ways, we're all project managers." "The top reasons why projects fail are unclear scope, key stakeholders wanting different things, lack of communication, not knowing the roles, having the wrong people in roles, and scope creep." "Accountability takes on a different lens. It's not punitive. It's mutual accountability." "A cadence of accountability sets up a team that is inspired to want to do the work." Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:23 Start of Interview 02:41 In What Ways Are We All Project Managers? 05:09 The Top Reasons Why Projects Struggle 07:45 Clarifying Expectations in Projects 14:06 Identifying and Managing Stakeholders 18:40 Managing Risks in Projects 24:20 The Importance of Accountability 26:36 The Essence of Accountability in Leadership 28:03 Creating a Cadence of Accountability 31:54 Navigating Informal Authority and Performance Conversations 37:26 Clarifying Project Scope and Managing Change 43:36 Interview Wrap-Up 44:25 Andy's Comments After the Interview 47:44 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Kory and her book (and download a sample chapter) at FranklinCovey.com. If you’d like more on this subject, check out: Episode 405, with Gil Broza about scaling good project practices across the organization Episode 376, with Nick Sonnenberg about his book Come Up for Air Episode 129, with Kory about her book The Five Choices   AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed our e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Ways of Working   The following music was used for this episode: Music: Brooklyn Nights by Tim Kulig License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Chillhouse by Frank Schroeter License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Summary In this episode, Andy interviews Molly McGrath, author of the book Fix My Boss: A Simple Plan to Cultivate Respect, Risk Courageous Conversations, and Increase The Bottom Line. They discuss practical ways to improve the relationship between bosses and employees, including having courageous conversations, setting clear expectations, and implementing accountability measures. Molly emphasizes the importance of focus management and prioritization to combat the feeling of being busy. She also shares insights on empowering women in the workplace and applying project management principles to family life. Overall, the conversation provides actionable strategies for both managers and employees to cultivate respect and increase productivity. Sound Bites "Blaming your boss fixes nothing. And by the way, it's easy for bosses to do the same thing." "We don't speak up because we're afraid it'll create conflict. And by not doing it, it creates conflict." "Busy is usually a focus problem. It might be lack of clarity or an unrealistic amount of workload. But it's often a matter of focus." Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:36 Start of Interview 02:09 Molly's Backstory and Influences 04:16 Understanding Fixed vs. Growth Mindset 06:25 The Power of the Pause for Managers and Employees 10:38 The Importance of Courageous Conversations 15:04 Daily Progress Reports: Not Micromanaging, But Empowering 22:11 Challenging the Concept of Being 'Busy' 25:11 Empowering Women in the Workplace 28:39 Applying Project Management at Home 30:30 Interview Wrap-Up 31:00 Andy comments after the interview 34:30 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Molly and her book at FixMyBossBook.com. If you’d like more on this subject, check out: Episode 410, with Ryan Hawk about his insightful book on excellence (I consider it a must-read) Episode 366, with Michael Timms about his book on accountability, and Episode 209, with Ron Lovett about his book on empowering your teams   AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed our e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills   The following music was used for this episode: Music: Echo by Alexander Nakarada License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Tropical Vibe by MinneTheMoog License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Summary In this episode, Andy Kaufman interviews his friend Randy Fox about his book The Call to Excellence: Influential Leadership for Impactful Results. Randy shares the backstory of his signature story, the Silver Platter Service, and how it can apply to leadership. They discuss the pursuit of excellence and the difference between being perfect and pursuing our highest and best. They also talk about the importance of being unoffendable and open to feedback, as well as the basics of leadership, such as kindness, communication, and consistency. Randy emphasizes the need for intentional self-improvement and even how these principles apply to parenting. Sound Bites "The art of listening is hearing what the person is not saying." "When you watch yourself, the film doesn't lie." "The silver platter isn't about how we collect the trash, it's how we serve someone else and how we lead them through those projects, through those outcomes, through life." "There's a difference between being kind and nice." Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:01 Start of Interview 01:11 The Silver Platter story 03:58 What does pursuing excellence NOT mean? 06:32 The difference between surviving and thriving 07:56 Being unoffendable 14:34 Lessons from refs 17:39 About sincerity and truth 21:56 Be brilliant with the basics 24:27 How to be a better communicator 26:46 How to not get complacent with our learning 31:17 Applying these lessons as parents 33:08 Interview Wrap Up 33:40 Andy Comments After the Interview 36:49 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Randy and his book at FoxPoint.net. If you’d like more on this subject, check out: Episode 301, with Peter Kozodoy about his book on honesty Episode 345, with Darren Reinke about his book about being a savage leader   AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed our e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills   The following music was used for this episode: Music: Echo by Alexander Nakarada License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Fashion Corporate by Frank Schroter License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Dr. Mary Crossan and Bill Furlong to discuss their book, The Character Compass. They explore the concept of character and its importance in leadership. Mary and Bill debunk myths and misconceptions about character and highlight the interconnected nature of its dimensions. The framework they introduce consists of 11 dimensions of character, including integrity, courage, humility, and temperance. They emphasize the importance of developing these dimensions to enhance leadership effectiveness and well-being. The conversation also touches on the role of character in decision-making and the need for character development in organizations. The conversation concludes with a discussion on how parents can cultivate a culture of character in their families. Do you want a better understanding of what character actually is? And how to develop it for you and your team? This episode is for you! Sound Bites "Character is actually built in these tiny decisions that we make every single day. And then it's more revealed than it is built in those moments of challenge." "We need leaders of character, whether it's leaders of countries or organizations or project teams. Leaders of character stand out and make a difference." "People think character is the same as personality. Character is really around observable habits of behavior." "Anyone can learn this. Anyone can change those habits of behavior. You are not doomed to your circumstances and you are not doomed to your personality." "Who have I become while I've been busy doing? Who am I becoming while I'm busy doing? Who do I want to become while I'm busy doing?" "I have to find ways to be in a position where I can feel vulnerable and I can experience what it's like to make mistakes." Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:28 Start of Interview 01:39 What are some ways you saw character demonstrated in your family? 05:25 Myths and misconceptions about character 10:35 What is leader character? 12:42 Could be when instead of if someone has character? 17:17 Introducing the character framework 23:07 Can you have too much of an element of character? 30:01 Is nervousness before a presentation a matter of courage? 33:25 Finding our own Achilles heel with character 38:52 The power of micro-moments 44:39 Developing character at home 36:28 Three questions to ask 49:45 Interview Wrap Up 50:26 Andy Comments After the Interview 53:38 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Mary at Ivey.UWO.ca. If you’d like more on this subject, check out Episode 139, with Fred Keil about his book on leadership and character. AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed our e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills   The following music was used for this episode: Music: Imagefilm 034 by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/2935-imagefilm-034 License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Synthiemania by Frank Schroter License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Summary In this episode, Andy is joined by Veijo Hytti and Timothy Bull from Keto Software. They explore the impact of AI on project management and the integration of AI into enterprise software. The discussion addresses the hype and misconceptions surrounding AI, as well as the practical applications and benefits of AI in project management. The discussion also delves into the capabilities of Keto Software and the ways in which AI is seamlessly integrates into their strategic portfolio management software. The conversation explores the challenges, benefits, and ethical considerations of AI integration, as well as the impact of AI on human behavior and decision-making. Wondering what the future implications are of AI in project management? You won't want to miss this discussion. Sound Bites "Nearly every software company feels compelled to mention how they had AI integrated into their tools." "You just can't get away from the hype." "We are still humans. Let's stay like that. If we keep it like that, if we treat each other like humans, I wouldn't be that worried." "Be open-minded, be curious, and I would also say, I'd also encourage people to try out some of these systems themselves." "You don't know that until you actually play with it." "The internet democratized information. And now that's what AI is doing, I mean, without having your own kind of insights or data, it will do the same thing for all of us because it's great." Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:20 Start of Interview 08:00 Practical Applications of AI in Enterprise Software 10:21 Seamless AI Integration in Project Management Software 27:06 Challenges and Benefits of AI Integration 31:46 Ethical Considerations and Human Impact of AI 35:00 The Future Implications of AI in Project Management 36:42 End of Interview 37:12 Andy Comments After the Interview 40:46 Andy asks PMeLa about the Episode 45:16 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Keto Software at KetoSoftware.com. If you’d like more on this subject, here are some episodes to check out: Episodes 384 and 388, with PMeLa, our project management and leadership persona Episode 386, with Andy Tryba about how he is leveraging AI in the companies he leads AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed our e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Ways of Working   The following music was used for this episode: Music: Lullaby of Light Feat by Cory Friesenhan License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Laughing Children Full Version by MusicLFiles License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jim Kouzes, an expert in leadership development, discusses timeless leadership principles in his book The Leadership Challenge. He emphasizes the importance of listening, inclusion, practicing leadership as a profession, and avoiding generational bias. Kouzes highlights the significance of deliberate practice and continuous improvement for effective leadership.

Terri Sjodin, author of Presentation Ready, shares tips on improving presentations: avoid common mistakes, understand your audience, use Monroe's Motivated Sequence, handle nerves, and dress for success. She highlights teaching communication skills to youth and emphasizes the importance of preparation and persuasive communication.