People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast

Download the episode 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 well prepared are you to handle the conflicts that are facing you today? I find that too few leaders have sufficiently developed their ability to navigate the inevitable conflict that comes with their role. Because of the popularity of our current promotion, I'm extending the discount on our conflict e-learning program. Just use a coupon code of OCT-ROCK-50OFF and you will get $50 off a license. Instead of $149, you can get your hands on this practical learning to help you manage conflict more effectively for only $99. This offer is valid through November 15, 2009. Have some left over training budget yet this year? Invest in your ability to navigate conflict. Contact me at podcast@i-leadonline.com to learn more. Make sure to pick up a copy of Brian Irwin's book, and don't miss Brian's articles on ProjectConnections.com. How about letting your friends and colleagues know about The People and Projects Podcast! Send them a link to our web page at www.i-leadonline.com/podcast, 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!

Download the episode Chances are as a leader you'll be faced with having to give someone constructive feedback this week. Yet have you noticed how people often aren't quite as open to the feedback as you'd like them to be?Chris Hogan, who talks about a process called Courageous Conversations, says the key when you're receiving feedback is to avoid blaming, complaining, and explaining. That's courageous advice, for sure, and easier said than done.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/.I consistently hear from my executive coaching clients that navigating conflict is a real challenge. Because of that I created an engaging e-learning offering entitled Beyond the Rock and the Hard Place: How to Deal With Conflict More Effectively. As a thank you for listening to this podcast, you can get $50 off the cost of a license. Instead of $149, you can get your hands on this practical learning to help you manage conflict more effectively for only $99. Just use the coupon code of OCT-ROCK-50OFF.Hey, if you're enjoying our podcast episodes I invite you to tell your friends and colleagues! They can listen on the web at http://www.i-leadonline.com/podcast or on iTunes at http://bit.ly/ppcast.If you have a follow-up question, or if you'd like to get a free copy of Charles' book, send an e-mail to podcast@i-leadonline.com. A copy of Management Rewired will go out to the first person who requests it!Thanks for joining us for this edition of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!

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. 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! Talent Triangle: Power Skills

Download the episode 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.In our last cast I announced a drawing for two copies of Phil Simon's book Why New Systems Fail. The two winners are Renee Klivickis and Bob Sims! Congratulations to you both!Would you like a chance to get a copy of Bruce Tulgan's book Not Everyone Gets a Trophy? Just send an e-mail to podcast@i-leadonline.com. Please include your name and where you live. Put "Book drawing" in the subject line. I'll draw two winners from those who respond by September 10.Make sure you listen to the end of this cast to learn about the special discount I'm offering for my e-learning on managing conflict. You can save $50 off the price of one license and $130 off a 3-pack. Just use a coupon code of PODCAST0909 when you order. Visit http://bit.ly/ConflictElearning to learn more about the training.Enjoy the cast!

Download the episode Think about the last really big project you were involved with.... How would you describe how it went?Smooth?Flawless?Exactly as planned?That's not what I usually hear from customers and colleagues! Rather, I'm more apt to hear responses such as "Challenged", "Stressed", or "Lots of changes!"We continue to learn so much about how to run projects and yet new projects--often those really large ones--continue to struggle.In our project management workshops we spend extended time on those factors that most contribute to project success and failure to help arm project managers, sponsors, and team members. In this episode of the People and Projects Podcast, you'll hear from one my go-to people when it comes to understanding project success and failure: Phil Simon.Phil is the author of the acclaimed book Why New Systems Fail: Theory and Practice Collide. If you have a large scale project kicking off soon, I strongly recommend you contact Phil to see how his organization can help you avoid the many landmines he lays out in his book. You can learn more about Phil at his website: http://www.philsimonsystems.com/.Phil has generously made 2 autographed copies of his book available for a drawing! Just send me an e-mail with your name and where you live. Put "Book drawing" in the subject of your e-mail and you'll automatically be entered into the drawing. On August 31 I'll select two names from those who respond.Thank you for listening to the People and Projects Podcast! I invite you to tell your friends and colleagues about us. Some of the best free learning available these days is on podcasts, and it would be a real pleasure for me to share these interviews with those you know. You can subscribe to the People and Projects Podcast on iTunes by going to http://bit.ly/ppcast.Here's to your project success!

Download the episode Over the years I've not only worked on a lot of projects. I've also sat through a lot of project management training and read plenty of books. Have you ever noticed that projects are a lot easier to manage in a class than in the real world?Unfortunately a lot of training and books are filled with theory that can be difficult to apply when you leave the material and run head-on into the wall of reality. That's why my organization works diligently in our keynotes and workshops to keep them as practical as possible so participants leave with skills that can be applied, not just knowledge that works on a white board!There's also the problem of scale. It's one thing to manage a single project or a couple small projects. But what about the big ones--the extreme projects where uncertainty runs high and so do the stakes. That's the realm where many of us live so this episode is all about managing extreme projects.My favorite extreme project management guru is Doug DeCarlo, author of the book eXtreme Project Management: Using Leadership, Principles and Tools to Deliver Value in the Face of Volatility. I had the opportunity to catch up with Doug recently and look forward to your feedback after you listen to my interview with him in this episode.A major part of project success comes down to relationships: with stakeholders, team members, and sponsors. In fact, just about everything in business and life comes down to relationships. That is the main point of our keynote entitled The Dirty Little Secret of Business. What is the dirty little secret of business? It's all done on relationships. Whether we're talking about your individual success or that of your company, chances are it is heavily dependent on the strength of relationships.I'd love to share this keynote at your organization. If you have an upcoming company or department gathering, offsite retreat, or association meeting, give me call to explore how The Dirty Little Secret of Business keynote can put an exclamation point on your event!Thank you for listening to The People and Projects Podcast! If you enjoy this free resource I invite you to get the word out to friends and colleagues that would benefit. Also, please send me a note to let me know what you're learning from each episode. You can reach me by e-mail at podcast@i-leadonline.com.Enjoy the interview!

Download the episode 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 andy@i-leadonline.com 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!

Download the episode "I don't have enough time!"It's a common refrain. Whether from participants in a workshop or over a cup of coffee with a coaching client, I'm constantly working with people who are struggling to stay on top of their commitments.Though I help others on the topic all the time, managing my own time is a continual challenge. The interview you'll hear in this episode was recorded a month ago. It's taken until now for me to carve out enough time to bring it to you.It's a universal challenge for most professionals today: How can we get everything done when there's just not enough time to do it?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.At the end of this cast you'll learn how to save 50% on our e-learning offering entitled "5 Keys to Getting More Done with Less Stress". Just use the coupon code "E-TIME-50" when you checkout.Thanks for listening to the People and Projects podcast! Contact me at andy@i-leadonline.com or toll-free at 866-884-5323 for ideas on how to help you and your team get more done with less stress.

  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 andy@i-leadonline.com 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!How Engaged Are Your Teams? Got Conflict? A conversation with Kenneth W. Thomas, author of "Intrinsic Motivation at Work" Total Duration: 32:42 Download episode 5

Download the episode You're presenting in a meeting or perhaps in front of a group. What is it that makes you more believable? More engaging? More trustworthy? The topic for today's cast is the key to charisma. Many people think you either have the charisma gene or you don't. Tony Robbins? He got it. Ben Stein in Ferris Bueller's Day Off? Not so much!But is it purely a matter of genetics? Is there hope for those of us whose family tree didn't bless them with the charisma gene?After coaching hundreds of executives I'm here to tell you there's hope for us all! Charisma is not two-state: you either have it or not. There are practical skills that you can develop to improve your ability to develop rapport and trust with people.And let's face it. This is a critical skill to develop. As I often say, the "dirty little secret of business is that it's all done on relationships." To succeed we need to be able to convince our boss, key stakeholders, or customers to support our ideas. Being authentic, engaging, and trustworthy is foundational to our ability to influence.Similarly, to be successful we need to be able to detect when someone is not being straight with us. I've often said that sometimes being an effective project manager (or leader) is having a good nose.... By that I mean: "Hmmm... something doesn't smell right!" Developing our instincts to know when we're being told the truth or not can be an important part of our development as an effective leader.So, how can we be more authentic and engaging when we are communicating? That's the subject of the book Trust Me: Four Steps to Authenticity and Charisma, written by communication guru Dr. Nick Morgan. A major focus of Dr. Morgan's work is aligning our verbals with our non-verbals--a subject that many of you will have heard me discuss if you've participated in one of my project management or leadership workshops. It's a vital component of effective communication--so simple in concept--yet too often not practiced.In the interview with Dr. Nick Morgan you will hear about the offer for a free DVD of a recent presentation he made on this topic at Harvard. I highly recommend you snag a copy for yourself--something for you and perhaps even to show to your team. These will go fast so send me an e-mail today at andy@i-leadonline.com to get your copy.Hey, quick question: how satisfied are you with how your organization delivers projects? We have a series of three workshops that might be exactly what your organization needs. Our Essentials of Project Management workshop helps you, your teams, and even stakeholders get on the same page when it comes to delivering projects. We're regularly told people learn more in two days than they have in any previous workshop on the topic of project management. Our Advanced Project Management and PMP Prep workshops take the next step in helping you and your organization deliver results. Give us a call toll-free at 866-88 I-LEAD (866-884-5323) or check out our website at http://www.i-leadonline.com/ for more information.Thanks for listening to The People and Projects Podcast!