In this conversation, Andy interviews James Louttit about his book Leading Impactful Teams: Achieving Low-Stress Success in Project Management. They discuss the challenges of leading projects and teams and what it means to be an impactful project manager. James introduces the SAVE meeting facilitation technique and discusses prioritizing value and effort and the importance of transparency, prioritization, and humanity in project management. You'll also learn how Baloo the Bear from the Jungle Book movie was a project management philosopher!

If you are responsible for leading teams and projects, this is the perfect episode for you!

• "Experience is worth what it costs you. Go out and have the experiences, and some of them are going to be painful, but the learning from them is going to be valuable."
• "What stakeholders want to see is how seriously you're taking the thing. If it's genuinely urgent and critical, you need to ramp up governance when there's a crisis."
• "If you're only focusing on high-value, low-effort things, you don't need to use a claw when you pick a pear with a big pawpaw."
• "Just because something's easy doesn't make it low value. Sometimes the minimum viable product is something we can get out there sooner, and so it might actually have high value."

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:59 Start Of Interview
• 04:28 Parkinson's Law And Project Management
• 07:17 What It Means To Be An 'Impactful' Project Manager
• 09:46 Fatherly Wisdom And Career Influence
• 11:47 The SAVE Technique For Effective Meetings
• 16:52 Understanding Value And Effort In Projects
• 20:45 Understanding Value Estimation
• 24:27 Handling Project Crises
• 28:47 Three Levers: Transparency, Prioritization, And Humanity
• 33:11 Applying Project Management At Home
• 35:14 Wrap Up
• 35:56 Andy Comments After The Interview
• 38:31 Outtakes

You can learn more about James and his organization at ImpactfulPM.com.

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: Summer Morning Full Version by MusicLFiles
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Tuesday by Sascha Ende
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Excerpt from YouTube video: {LYRICS} The Bare Necessities - balu the bear - The Jungle Book - 1967 - Walt Disney song's available at https://youtu.be/WJizAYb7OAk?si=ZgipVTq-liJDJ2gZ

In this episode, Andy interviews Karla Eidem, the Managing Director of North America region at Project Management Institute (PMI). The discussion focuses on the latest trends and developments in project management. They explore the evolution of project managers from executing technical aspects to becoming strategic partners in organizations. They also discuss the shift towards hybrid and agile approaches in project management and the impact of different work arrangements on team collaboration and project performance. Finally, they also touch on the role of AI in project management and the resources offered by PMI to support project professionals.

If you're looking for insights on how to keep up with the latest trends in leading and delivering projects, this episode is for you!

• "The role of the PMs has definitely shifted away from executing the technical aspects of a project to a strategic partner in the organization."
• "Project managers must also be adaptable and resilient to the well ever-changing business environment and be very competent in risk management."
• "A good project manager should know which tools to pull from their PM toolbox almost like a mechanic knowing what to do."
• "Work location does not have a negative impact on project performance. In fact, project performance rates for in-person, hybrid, and remote work actually yield similar results."
• "We need to be better storytellers. If we're not able to communicate effectively the value of what we do, then it'll be hard for the leaders of their organizations to even understand why they need to invest in project management."
• "A hybrid approach is actually gaining ground as the fit-for-purpose approach."
• "Performance levels are comparable for hybrid, agile, and predictive approaches."

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:24 Start of Interview
• 04:39 How to Decide Between Traditional and Hybrid Approaches
• 11:15 Findings About Remote, Hybrid, and In-Person Work
• 14:41 Karla's Personal Experience With Remote Work
• 16:45 Mobile Devices and Productivity
• 19:56 How AI is Transforming Project Management
• 25:00 Strategies for Continuous Learning Despite Busy Schedules
• 28:56 Communicating the Value of Investing in Project Management
• 32:41 Wrap-Up
• 33:01 Andy Comments After the Interview
• 34:35 Outtakes

You can learn more about Pulse of the Profession® at pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/pulse.

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: Business Acumen

The following music was used for this episode:

Music: Quantum Sparks Full Version by MusicLFiles
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

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.

• "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."

• 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

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.

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

In this episode, Andy interviews Nigel Creaser, an active project professional and author of the book Project Manager Productivity Hacks. Nigel shares insights from his career and discusses strategies for managing interruptions and improving productivity. They also touch on the use of mobile devices and AI tools in project management.

Overall, the conversation emphasizes the need for project managers to go beyond technical skills and prioritize the human aspect of their work.

• "Productivity isn't about winning. It's not like a sport... It's more like yoga and that you can always be a bit more stretched."
• "Project management, I think, is messy, and we try to control the mess rather than go with the flow with the mess and kind of direct it."
• (Nigel, about being a podcaster) "I try to be that person who's being cheeky and getting free consultancy."

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:23 Start of Interview
• 01:58 Nigel's Backstory
• 06:26 How Nigel Seeks to Minimize Interruptions
• 11:18 Nigel's Advice About Email
• 16:45 Mobile Devices and Productivity
• 21:38 How Nigel and Andy are Using AI
• 31:02 Project Management Lessons Nigel Has Learned
• 36:29 Career Advice from Nigel's Journey
• 45:31 About the Sunday Lunch Project Manager Podcast
• 49:15 Wrap-Up
• 49:34 Andy Comments After the Interview
• 51:55 Outtakes

You can learn more about Nigel, his books, and his Sunday Lunch Project Manager Podcast at NigelCreaser.com.

If you’d like more on this subject, check out:

• Episode 346 with Donna Gregorio. It's another in the trenches episode, and
• Episode 169 with Emily Luijbregts. She is also a practicing project manager and we discuss challenges and lessons about leading virtual teams.

You know how valuable it is to know how to lead and deliver projects. But students often aren't taught these skills. We've taken some of our best content on project management and put into a course Getting Stuff Done: Project Management for Students. The feedback has been so positive. Give the gift of a headstart to a student you know by going to PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com/GettingStuffDone. Thanks!

Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast!

Talent Triangle: Business Acumen

The following music was used for this episode:

Music: Tranceverse by Sascha Ende
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Funny by Frank Schroeter
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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.

• "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."

• 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

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.

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

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.

• "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."

• 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

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

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

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.

• "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."

• 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

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

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