Project Management Insights

The answer is ABSOLUTELY because the culture is the way that a TEAM engages and interacts with each other. Unless there are strong open, honest and trusting relationships built then it will definitely impact team output.

What should the relationship between the Project Manager and the Project Sponsor be like? It would say it needs to have trust, honesty, openness and clear communication at the core of it. Let's explore this relationship more.

My answer is No! What is more important is making sure that expectations and assumptions are spelt out so everyone knows what is required of them to help the group or TEAM to deliver. Defined roles are a safety mechanism that doesn't always add to inclusion.

Not engaging your stakeholders as you begin building your Business Case is going to cause your problems. Forget waiting until you are in full Project Planning mode. Get them involved as soon as you begin developing a Business Case.

Do you understand what's happening when people are being political? Do you even notice when this is happening? Let's talk about why people are political, within a team or organization and how you can change your interaction with them.

These seven tips will help you to put together a project schedule that is easy to work with and monitor. It's all about engaging the team and getting their help to pull together a schedule that is complete, realistic and with dependencies called out.

Have you considered the impact of your words or the language that you use in your interaction with others? Your language not only says a lot about you, but it also impacts on the strength of the relationship you have with others around you. Maybe it's time to begin to mind your language.

Do you notice people are just don't have the same level of understanding about the project as you do? There are reasons for that. Mark Steele talks to me about six reasons that he's found that make the difference, on a project. The difference between everyone being 'on purpose' and 'off purpose.'

I think we all underestimate the value of using a Gantt chart for our project. I know I've struggled when I've used Excel to set up a project schedule. Here are the 5 ways that a Gantt Chart can help you manage your project easier.

Needing to be right all the time gets you nowhere. People won't respond to you and give you what you want, no matter what you think. It's only when you're willing to meet people without any story of right or wrong that you really get what you want.

Each and every team member you have has their own personality, their own way of working. Sometimes that might conflict with the way you work, other times it might match your style. Jill Valdez provides some insights and tips on how to work with these different personality types.

Maybe like me, you thought negotiating was all about them winning and you losing. I'm here to tell you that's not the case. There is a formula to negotiating and in this episode, I share that with you.

You are spending too much time focusing on Budget, Scope and Timeline when the key to delivering a successful project is focusing on the people. That's why I'm coining a new phrase 'People Focused Project Management'. Try It!

What do you think that skill is? For me, you can't be a good leader if you haven't mastered this skill. And yes, being a leader is all about having certain skills that make the difference between whether people will follow you, or not.

Why do you think projects fail? I'm sure your answer will be that it's about timelines not being met, or things costing more than they should. Is that really the reason, or might there be another 'cause' of project failure? Listen to Jason Scott and I talk about this very topic.

Do you have so much confirmation bias that you aren't open to exploring any possibilities put forward by your team? That is one way to set your project team up for failure. Let's explore this concept some more.

You understand predictable but do you understand the connection to accountability? In this episode, we start our discussion with what accountability is and how that creates predictability.

Do you know what it takes to be a leader? In this conversation with Jason Scott we talk about leadership versus being in charge and managing. It takes different skills to manage, some of which don't come either naturally or comfortably to you.  That's okay. You can learn to be different.

How do you respond to the unexpected? Building a schedule or project plan doesn't mean everything is going to run just as it should. In today's episode, I explore how to respond when things don't go as planned.

Are you confident with the decisions you make or do you often rush them? Then regret your choice afterwards. Here are tips and ideas on how to be more confident with the decisions you make.