Manage This - The Project Management Podcast

Imagine turning uncertainty into your biggest advantage. That’s the power of risk. In this episode, we’re joined by Susan Schramm to uncover why risks so often get overlooked early in projects, the blind spots that trip up teams, and how a clear “why” can keep you steady when challenges hit. Susan also reveals the costly mistake of waiting until things go wrong to talk about risk—and what smart organizations do instead.

Stan Slovin, author of Better Listening: The Secret to Improving Your Professional and Personal Life, reveals how mastering the skill of listening can transform leadership, strengthen relationships, and enhance everyday communication. His simple yet powerful method:reveals how mastering the skill of listening can transform leadership, strengthen relationships, and enhance everyday communication and compassionate listener.

Bob Jewell reveals what “excellence” truly means in project management, how to steer clear of common pitfalls, and why he avoids the term “scope.” He discusses underrated tools, challenges the practice of building schedules backwards, and shares fresh perspectives on the work breakdown structure, the critical path, and the crucial handoffs that can determine a project’s success.

We explore the power of Hoshin Kanri—a strategic management system that sets mid- and long-term goals, aligns objectives across all levels of an organization, guides annual execution, and develops people’s capabilities to sustain progress. Mark Reich brings insight from his 23 years at Toyota, where he helped implement this enterprise-wide approach to continuous improvement.

As AI tools become more advanced, what does effective project leadership look like? In this episode, Rich Maltzman, co-author of AI-Powered Leadership, discusses what effective project leadership looks like in an AI-driven world. He emphasizes the need for a collaborative approach between human judgment and machine intelligence, advocating for a “both/and” mindset that blends human insight with technological precision.

In this episode hear fresh insights to help you lead with impact, empower your team — and get the job done. Kevin Torf, author of Getting the Job Done, shares practical advice for leaders managing fast-moving projects and cross-functional teams as we explore what it truly means to empower a team, and why it's the secret sauce behind high-performing project leadership and long-term success.

We explore the intersection of adventure, innovation, and sustainability with Jacques Barreau, co-founder of Grain de Sail. This pioneering project is transforming maritime shipping with wind-powered cargo vessels, carrying organic chocolate and coffee across the Atlantic. Jacques shares how he and his twin brother, Olivier, turned their passion for eco-friendly transport into managing this complex project, which spans food production, shipping logistics, and international partnerships.

Alison Coward shares insights on Workshop Culture, as she introduces her five-pillar framework for building strong team culture. Hear how teams can infuse their everyday collaboration with the energy and effectiveness of workshops. By adopting a "workshop mindset," teams can transform meetings, improve communication, and achieve stronger alignment around shared values, ultimately avoiding common pitfalls that lead to unproductive habits.

Explore what sets thriving teams apart from dysfunctional ones; and how project leaders can build a culture of energy, engagement, and sustainable success. Hear about a capacity-building framework: spiritual, intellectual, physical, and emotional, and how strengthening these four dimensions drives performance and boosts team productivity.

Steven T. Collis, author of Habits of a Peacemaker: 10 Habits to Change Our Potentially Toxic Conversations into Healthy Dialogues, shares strategies to turn potentially toxic conversations into healthy dialogues. His approach includes embracing intellectual humility, asking sincere questions, assuming the best in others, and resisting the need for personal validation. Productive dialogue prioritizes mutual respect and understanding over persuasion, even in the face of significant disagreements.

Ben Lamorte talks with us about the power of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) as a transformative tool for project leaders. He introduces a simple framework: define the destination, articulate its importance, set measurable key results, and outline an action plan. Hear about the impact of strong OKRs, and how tracking progress fosters motivation through small wins and helps teams maintain focus.

Dave Garrett, Senior Advisor to the CEO, discusses the PMI Project Success Initiative, a 2023 research project by the Project Management Institute. The initiative redefines project success and offers actionable insights for project professionals. Dave describes shifting the focus and accountability beyond project management success to overall project success as he talks about the three key measurement factors crucial for project success and the Net Project Success Score, a tool used to evaluate a project’s success.

If you’re dealing with an overdue project or looking to prevent delays before they happen, listen to Mark Woeppel as he shares real-world examples, hard-earned lessons, and practical frameworks to help organizations get struggling initiatives back on track—and what leaders can do to prevent delays from happening in the first place. Hear how poor schedule and risk reserve management can lead to delays and learn early warning signs to identify minor versus systemic issues.

Project management is more than just schedules and deadlines—it’s a powerful force for driving change across industries. In this episode, we welcome Professor Adam Boddison, Chief Executive of the Association for Project Management (APM) who talks about APM’s Golden Thread research, conducted by PwC. He offers valuable perspectives on the skills that are essential for success, as well as strategies for breaking down common stereotypes about project managers.

As the workforce evolves, so does the opportunity to harness the power of a blended approach. In this episode, author and researcher Sara Daw, MBA, joins us to discuss the increasingly relevant topic of the blended workforce. Sara discusses how combining full-time employees with fractional, freelance, or contract team members can drive innovation, increase flexibility, and provide access to specialized expertise when and where it’s needed.