Project Management Happy Hour

Controlling your project scope is one of the most important things we can do as project managers - but so easy to let slip. Don't let Scope Creep sneak up on you! In this episode we talk about scope creep and discuss ways to keep your scope on track - and how to handle it if your scope needs to change. JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive memb...

Management escalation, oh, no! When issues get escalated to our managers and executive stakeholders, our hearts sink, a sweat breaks out and we start to freak out. But should we? Maybe we should "flip the script" and think of escalations as good and even necessary - when done correctly. In today's show, Kate and Kim talk frankly about management escalations, and how, in some circumstances, a PM is...

One of the toughest - and most important jobs - of a PM is having difficult conversations. These can be with sponsors, stakeholders, team members or other PMs. And the ability to successfully manage these difficult conversations can make the difference between success and failure - for your project, and your career! In this episode, Kate walks us through some key concepts and real life examples ba...

While the term "mastermind group" was coined in the 20's, it has been used by business leaders, writers, artists and philosophers going back much further to develop new ideas, themselves and accomplish amazing things. In this episode, we get some coaching from a Mastermind Master, J.R. Russell on how to facilitate a mastermind group - and we do one live on the air with PM Happy Hour members! Also,...

Here's a short episode inspired by the mathematical study of Game Theory! Not only can "moving last" (or latter) put you in a strong strategic position, but can also make you a better listener. We'll also talk about some of the downsides of "sequential" turns in meetings, and how to keep that from stifling honest feedback using the Delphi method. JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Get access to all podcasts, PD...

A lot of Project Management is about communicating and managing people. And one of our most frequently used tools for this is the meeting. In this episode we share some tips our best practices for making meetings productive - and not wasting yours and everyone else's time. Based on popular demand, Kate and Kim share some of their top productivity tips for running an effective meeting that doesn't...

Getting started in a new organization, new customer, or new parts of your current org can be tough, especially since managing a project usually means you need to navigate all those waters like a pro - out of the gate. But how do you do that? How do you "get to know" the organization quickly and effectively so you can get the show on the road? This episode we talk with a Change Management specialis...

Negotiation is part of what we do every day - from negotiating for the best project resources to negotiating what you and your significant other are going to have for dinner. But for those of us who don't feel like natural negotiators, how can we learn to negotiate in a way that helps us address our needs while not risking the long term relationships? That's where the Harvard Negotiation Project c...

Negotiation is part of what we do every day - from negotiating for the best project resources to negotiating what you and your significant other are going to have for dinner. But for those of us who don't feel like natural negotiators, how can we learn to negotiate in a way that helps us address our needs while not risking the long term relationships? That's where the Harvard Negotiation Project c...

How do you get people to get stuff done when you have no "authority?" That's a lot of the art of Project Management! In today's episode, we walk through a few of Kate and Kim's secret weapons that  you can use to get things done even when you don't have formal authority. This entire podcast was inspired by a great question from one of our PM Happy Hour members - big shout-out to Dani! Whether you...

It can be challenging enough to deliver a project with tough timelines, budgets and limited resources. But what happens when your project is high profile? I mean, REALLY high profile? High profile in that your stakeholders include business executives, regulatory agencies, and heads of governments who do not align on key issues?  And what if, at stake, is a program which could bring tens or hundred...

Oh, this was a fun one :-) Kate and I share a happy hour with you as we think back on all the things we wish we knew when we started project management. We trade lessons-learned back and forth - and we're sure you can identify with some of these! Warning in advance - audio quality isn't the best in my kitchen, and we do digress a bit, but it's a fun listen and there are some really good nuggets in...

How do you make sense of (and get your stakeholders to understand) a 200-line project plan? Or how about a program with 6 workstreams, each with 200 line project plans? How do you make a useful schedule for a smaller schedule, maybe for a personal project that you can share with "non-pm's" that they can make sense of?  This week we discuss using a "weekly roll-up" method for viewing schedules. It...

Creative projects can be very fulfilling and provide tremendous value to any organization. But, they can also be very susceptible to scope creep. For those of us used to dealing in data-driven GANTT charts and Risk reports, how can we effectively approach a project with creative deliverables? Especially if we are not sure what those deliverables are supposed to look like? And how do we get objecti...

A big differentiator between projects that succeed and projects that fail is the engagement and commitment of the Project Manager. Are they just going through the motions? Or are they taking charge? In this short "Appetizer" episode, we share some tasty bites which might help you re-think how you approach leadership in your project. PM HAPPY HOUR MEMBERSHIP IS HERE! We have just launched our PM Ha...

*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 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 und...

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 topi...

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...

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 profes...

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...

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'...

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 wh...

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 s...

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 shou...