Project Management Matters Podcast

The most dangerous moment in a transformation isn’t when a leader says, “We’re going agile.” It’s when everyone applauds… and then nothing actually changes. Same approvals, same escalation paths, same leadership behaviors, same culture, but just wearing a new hoodie. In my conversation with Bob Tarne on Project Management Matters , one point hit hard because it’s so common: organizations treat met...

Strategy succeeds when leaders go beyond ambition and translate intent into action. Doing so requires great skill in building a bridge from thinking to doing, that’s where project management lives. In my conversation with Emad Aziz, we explored what happens in strategy execution space and the gap between vision and delivery. Emad spent his career operating in that space. From leading transformatio...

One of the quiet assumptions we carry in project management is that experience is cumulative in a straight line. You learn the tools, you master the frameworks, you gain judgment, and eventually, you’re “senior.” But what if that story is incomplete? In my recent conversation on Project Management Matters with Jesse Fewell, PMBOK® Guide Eighth Edition Chair and longtime contributor to PMI standard...

Project management has grown up a lot over the past few decades. It’s more visible, more global, and more established as a profession. What hasn’t changed, though, is the question that sits underneath all of it: what actually makes someone effective in this work? That question shaped much of my recent conversation with Becky Winston on Project Management Matters . Becky’s career spans government,...

There’s a strange paradox in project management. Sometimes when we do our jobs well, nothing happens. No crisis, no headlines, and no heroic saves. Just outcomes! That truth came into sharp focus in my recent conversation withFrank Saladis, PMI Fellow, longtime volunteer leader, author, educator, and one of the true stewards of our profession. Frank has lived through multiple eras of project manag...

Some people find project management, but every once in a while, you meet someone whose career reminds you of something different: that sometimes the profession finds you first . That’s how it felt sitting down with Margareth Fabíola S. Carneiro, PhD, one of PMI’s newest PMI Fellows and one of the architects behind the growth of project management across Brazil. Starting out in business analysis an...

Every now and then, you meet someone whose influence shaped the profession long before “PMO” became a household acronym. For many of us in the global project management community, Iain Fraser is one of those people. Iain’s name has long been synonymous with governance, value, and the business of projects. He’s not just a practitioner; he’s a thinker who helped move project management from an opera...

What happens when a student who didn’t intend to be a project manager ends up shaping the direction of the global project management profession? In this episode of Project Management Matters , I sit down with Lenka Pincot , PMI’s Chief of Staff to the CEO, to explore her journey from unexpected beginnings to strategic leadership. We talk about everything from her early exposure to real-world softw...

This episode is a masterclass on how real careers get built through delivery, trust, and sharp thinking. If you’ve ever wondered how consulting shapes great project leaders, this episode lays it out. My guest, Joe Naaman , has built a career across global consulting firms, complex delivery environments, and now as CEO of PorterLifestyle. He’s seen what works and what burns out fast. In this conver...

Lee Lambert didn’t just witness the rise of the PMP, he helped build it. In this episode of Project Management Matters , I had the privilege of sitting down with one of the profession’s pioneers to talk about how project management has evolved, and what comes next. From his roots as an engineer to his role in helping PMI develop the original PMP certification, Lee has spent five decades championin...

What PMI’s Chief Community Officer taught me about reinvention, relevance, and what makes project professionals show up 🎙️ This week’s episode is personal. Not just because Brantlee Underhill and I go way back. But because her story mirrors what’s made this profession thrive, and what’s going to keep it alive in the years ahead. Brantlee didn’t plan a career in project management. She didn’t set o...

What do Eagle Scouts, expat childhoods, and global boardrooms have in common? In this episode of Project Management Matters , I sat down with Mark Engelhardt , host of the PM Cowboy Podcast and longtime project management advocate, to explore the surprising threads that shape great leaders and what it really means to lead projects across borders, disciplines, and decades. Here’s a taste of what we...

Trevor Nelson’s professional journey happened backwards. Starting off in the workforce right out of high school in the construction industry, then shifting into non-profit and healthcare. Somewhere along the way going back to get his Bachelors, Masters, and PhD degrees, not for the purpose of career advancement or improved compensation, but personal improvement and learning. He built bridges, led...

When I sat down with Elizabeth Harrin, I wasn’t just talking to a longtime project manager. I was reconnecting with one of the original voices of the profession’s online presence, someone who’s been shaping how we think, write, and talk about project management for over two decades. In this episode of Project Management Matters , we reflect on how storytelling has evolved in our field, and why it...

Lessons on Strategy, Community, and Clarity with Kellie Swart When we first connected over a virtual coffee, I knew Kellie Swart had a unique perspective worth sharing. What began as a casual conversation about career paths quickly evolved into one of the most insightful episodes we've recorded so far. In this episode of Project Management Matters , Kellie walks us through her journey from discove...

In this episode of Project Management Matters , I sat down with Dave Prior, a former musician turned project management educator, mentor, and agile evangelist. We talk about: * His accidental entry into the profession (it started with a Nickelodeon chat room) * Why Microsoft Project was a life-changing discovery * How volunteering with PMI opened doors across the globe * The rough road from waterf...

What do PMI leadership, nonprofit transformation, and sailing with real sharks have in common? Deanna Landers. In this episode of Project Management Matters , I sit down with Deanna, former PMI Chair, founder of Project Managers Without Borders, and someone who has literally applied project management at sea. She was able to purpose and structure to transform both careers and communities. We talk...

In this episode, Bruno Freitas joins me to talk about how he stumbled into project management and why he stayed. We cover: * His crash-course first project (after the PM died suddenly) * The hard lessons learned from a failing tech rollout * How he rebuilt a PMO’s reputation from "paper pushers" to strategic partners * What new PMs get wrong on their résumés * And why value should be every PMO’s t...

🎙️ Guest : Dr. Al Zeitoun🧭 Theme : Project management legacy, leadership, and the road ahead “We’re just warming up, baby.” That’s how Dr. Al Zeitoun describes his decades-long journey in project management, and honestly, it captures the spirit of this entire episode. In this inaugural episode of Project Management Matters , I sit down with someone who’s been a pioneer, mentor, and inspiration in...