http://pm411.org project management internet radio show, templates, and webtools Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:37:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 The pm411.org Project Management Podcast is dedicated to help you at your job as a Project Manager or Program Manager, regardless if you have years of experience, or if you are just starting on your journey in Project Management. pm411.org is a place where you can come to find the latest in PM tools, PM Templates, PM tips, and PMI (PMBOK) methodologies that have been found to help others. It is a place where discussions can be had with project managers from around the globe and in every industry where project management permeates in our Project Management discussion forums. It is a place where you can find the best Project Management links to other sites dedicated to our wonderful profession. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no Ron Holohan, MBA PMP show@pm411.org show@pm411.org (Ron Holohan, MBA PMP) 2007-2012 Ron Holohan Project management internet radio show, discussion forum, methodology, templates, and webtools project, management, pm, prepcast, management, manager, pmi, pmp, team, management, schedule, budget http://pm411.org/wp-content/uploads/pm411logo_itunes.jpg http://pm411.org/category/pm-resources/ http://pm411.org/2012/01/02/podcast-episode-081-5-steps-to-create-a-successful-pmo/ http://pm411.org/2012/01/02/podcast-episode-081-5-steps-to-create-a-successful-pmo/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2012 20:20:53 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=2600 http://pm411.org/2012/01/02/podcast-episode-081-5-steps-to-create-a-successful-pmo/feed/ 14 best practices,how to create a pmo,pm411,pmo,process,project management,project management office,ron holohan Today I give you 5 steps to help you create a successful Project Management Office in your organization. Today I give you 5 steps to help you create a successful Project Management Office in your organization. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 12:18 http://pm411.org/2011/11/06/podcast-080-conflict-resolution-with-margaret-meloni/ http://pm411.org/2011/11/06/podcast-080-conflict-resolution-with-margaret-meloni/#comments Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:12:39 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=2561 http://pm411.org/2011/11/06/podcast-080-conflict-resolution-with-margaret-meloni/feed/ 11 conflict,disagreement,margaret meloni,resolution Today I speak with conflict resolution expert Margaret Meloni about conflict on projects, conflict resolution, and some of the coaching and tools she has available to help you effectively manage the conflict on your teams. Today I speak with conflict resolution expert Margaret Meloni about conflict on projects, conflict resolution, and some of the coaching and tools she has available to help you effectively manage the conflict on your teams. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 26:23 http://pm411.org/2011/10/23/podcast-episode-079-the-people-side-of-change-management/ http://pm411.org/2011/10/23/podcast-episode-079-the-people-side-of-change-management/#comments Sun, 23 Oct 2011 05:45:13 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=2554 http://pm411.org/2011/10/23/podcast-episode-079-the-people-side-of-change-management/feed/ 5 brian richardson,change management,overcoming resistance,people side of change management,project change,project change requests I recently talked with change expert Brian Richardson on overcoming resistance to change on our teams by understanding the people side of change management. I recently talked with change expert Brian Richardson on overcoming resistance to change on our teams by understanding the people side of change management. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 19:11 http://pm411.org/2011/09/12/podcast-episode-078-the-value-of-your-pmo/ http://pm411.org/2011/09/12/podcast-episode-078-the-value-of-your-pmo/#comments Tue, 13 Sep 2011 02:16:51 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=2517 http://pm411.org/2011/09/12/podcast-episode-078-the-value-of-your-pmo/feed/ 2 create a pmo,pm network,pm solutions,pm value,pmi,pmo,pmo failure,pmo successes,project management office,project management solutions,shure,sm7b You can't just create a PMO and expect everyone to jump on board to support it. Especially when 50% of PMOs fail the first time around. So, In order to get the resources and budget necessary for the PMO to be successful, You can't just create a PMO and expect everyone to jump on board to support it. Especially when 50% of PMOs fail the first time around. So, In order to get the resources and budget necessary for the PMO to be successful, you need to show the value that a PMO will bring to your organization. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 15:23 http://pm411.org/2011/08/25/podcast-episode-077-the-dirty-little-secret-of-business/ http://pm411.org/2011/08/25/podcast-episode-077-the-dirty-little-secret-of-business/#comments Fri, 26 Aug 2011 02:07:02 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=2500 http://pm411.org/2011/08/25/podcast-episode-077-the-dirty-little-secret-of-business/feed/ 2 andy kaufman,behaviors,Communication,david allen,devora zack,ferrazzi,hillson,i-leadonline,networking,people and projects podcast,pm groups,pmi Recently I spoke with author, speaker, and executive coach Andy Kaufman. What I was interested in getting from Andy was what is behind what Andy calls “The Dirty Little Secret of Business” – you know, Recently I spoke with author, speaker, and executive coach Andy Kaufman. What I was interested in getting from Andy was what is behind what Andy calls “The Dirty Little Secret of Business” – you know, that one thing that can really make you or break you in your career as a project manager. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 41:24 http://pm411.org/2011/07/10/podcast-episode-076-the-pm-exam-simulator/ http://pm411.org/2011/07/10/podcast-episode-076-the-pm-exam-simulator/#comments Sun, 10 Jul 2011 06:28:50 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=2450 http://pm411.org/2011/07/10/podcast-episode-076-the-pm-exam-simulator/feed/ 2 pm exam simulator,pmi,pmp,pmp prep,pmp simulator,project management professional At some point you are going to have to ask yourself: "Am I ready to take the PMP Exam?" Here is the secret to answering this question and passing the exam on your first try! At some point you are going to have to ask yourself: "Am I ready to take the PMP Exam?" Here is the secret to answering this question and passing the exam on your first try! Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 22:09 http://pm411.org/2011/06/12/eliyahu-goldratt-march-31-1948-june-11-2011/ http://pm411.org/2011/06/12/eliyahu-goldratt-march-31-1948-june-11-2011/#comments Sun, 12 Jun 2011 20:38:32 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=2398 http://pm411.org/2011/06/12/eliyahu-goldratt-march-31-1948-june-11-2011/feed/ 10 http://pm411.org/2011/05/25/podcast-episode-075-e-project-managers-schedule-training/ http://pm411.org/2011/05/25/podcast-episode-075-e-project-managers-schedule-training/#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 13:16:53 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=2105 http://pm411.org/2011/05/25/podcast-episode-075-e-project-managers-schedule-training/feed/ 2 dora tarver,e-project,Gantt Chart,Microsoft Project,MS Project,project,schedules,Scheduling,Scheduling Programs,training,video training Regardless if you are experienced or a beginner with Microsoft Project you will benefit from this exclusive weekly video coaching program. The secret strategies to quickly create and manage project schedules is the foundation for successful project ma... Regardless if you are experienced or a beginner with Microsoft Project you will benefit from this exclusive weekly video coaching program. The secret strategies to quickly create and manage project schedules is the foundation for successful project management, and for the first time you will receive the information you need in a clear and easy to learn system that will help you be successful. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no http://pm411.org/2011/04/07/now-earn-30-free-pdus-at-pm411-org/ http://pm411.org/2011/04/07/now-earn-30-free-pdus-at-pm411-org/#comments Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:59:54 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=2100 http://pm411.org/2011/04/07/now-earn-30-free-pdus-at-pm411-org/feed/ 30 http://pm411.org/2011/01/30/podcast-episode-068-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-1/ http://pm411.org/2011/01/30/podcast-episode-068-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-1/#comments Mon, 31 Jan 2011 01:46:23 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1825 http://pm411.org/2011/01/30/podcast-episode-068-the-schedule-killers-presentation-part-1/feed/ 5 bad multitasking,delay,multitasking,parkinson's law,PM Video,presentation,ron holohan,schedule killers,student syndrome This is the introduction of a video presentation I gave on The Schedule Killers last summer. The other parts will be presented in the next few episodes. This is the introduction of a video presentation I gave on The Schedule Killers last summer. The other parts will be presented in the next few episodes. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no http://pm411.org/2011/01/14/podcast-episode-067-stop-playing-games/ http://pm411.org/2011/01/14/podcast-episode-067-stop-playing-games/#comments Sat, 15 Jan 2011 05:23:39 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1786 http://pm411.org/2011/01/14/podcast-episode-067-stop-playing-games/feed/ 6 Do you ever get tired of playing games? - No. I’m not talking about Scrabble or poker or even Dungeons and Dragons Online in which incidentally, I am a current fourth level paladin. No, rather I’m speaking about the games that we get to play every... Do you ever get tired of playing games? No. I’m not talking about Scrabble or poker or even Dungeons and Dragons Online in which incidentally, I am a current fourth level paladin. No, rather I’m speaking about the games that we get to play every day as project managers. What games you ask? Oh, you know the ones like “The Pricing Game,” “Guess the Truth,” and “Grapevine.” Well, lucky for us, Rick Morris, PMP, provides some strategies on how to win at these games. Rick Morris is the best-selling author of the book Stop Playing Games: A Project Manager’s Guide to Successfully Navigating Organizational Politics. This book, from the author of Project Management That Works and The Everything Project Management Book, dives deep into topics of gaining buy-in from upper management, accurately estimating timing and cost, controlling project communications, managing within a corporate culture, taking care of your team, and more. The Inspiration Behind the Book Frustration was one of the factors that inspired Rick to write Stop Playing Games. Frustration often occurs when project managers are ask to try to beat impossible deadlines with budgets and dates that they didn’t help set and without the authority to be successful.  Then, often we get to take the blame for when it all goes wrong! Luckily, Rick has worked with a lot of executives, both as a consultant and as a project manager, and has been able to help many see that their team leaders actually share the same goals that they have. In the end, we’re all people and we all want to be successful. By applying tips from Rick’s book, project managers can help their executives look so much better than they do today. In the long run, together we can stop playing these games and just have an honest relationship and become successful together. So, who's ready for a hug? The Current Status of Project Management Rick contends that the current status of project management is that a lot of people want a “quick fix” to improve corporate efficiency and they think that Project Management might be able to provide that, but they don’t want to put in the needed work to make the process changes to truly get the benefit of doing it the right way. One of the reasons we try to play “games” is because, just like when "Six Sigma" was new to organizations ten years ago, Project Management is new to a lot of organizations today. If you remember when Six Sigma became so prevalent, you had stories of Motorola and GE getting all these gains and successes from implementing Six Sigma. They had these results that suggested that if you brought a certified "Master Black Belt" in, your organization would suddenly become tremendously more efficient overnight. Although organizations are starting to recognize that Project Management does bring dividends, they still don’t know exactly how to help project managers do their jobs succesfully. What’s happening is they think “Oh, we just established a Project Managemetn Office (PMO), now we’re finally going to have better project predictability.” Unfortunately, the problem is that organizations don’t want to put in the effort to really change any of their processes. Perhaps they read some journal article that said, “Hey, if you hire a project manager, you can get results.” So, they go and hire a PMP. But they don't provide the time or budget to effectively plan and execute the project. Soon the top floor wants to know “Where are these results we were promised?” As a result, in many cases project managers simply end up being big paper pushers and additional money gets spent to bring in consultants to figure out that the organization's processes and expectations never got changed to allow projects to come in under budget, under schedule, and within scope. When I grow up, I want to be a Project Manager Most of us really didn’t plan to become a project manager. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 26:05 http://pm411.org/2010/10/12/podcast-episode-064-9-steps-to-work-less-and-do-more/ http://pm411.org/2010/10/12/podcast-episode-064-9-steps-to-work-less-and-do-more/#comments Wed, 13 Oct 2010 03:18:46 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1714 http://pm411.org/2010/10/12/podcast-episode-064-9-steps-to-work-less-and-do-more/feed/ 5 do more,get-it-done,guy,podcast,stever robbins,work less I recently talked with Stever Robbins of the Get-It-Done Guy Podcast about his book Nine Steps to Work Less and Do More. Stever is a successful entrepreneur who loves productivity in the service of personal fulfillment. A veteran of nine startups, I recently talked with Stever Robbins of the Get-It-Done Guy Podcast about his book Nine Steps to Work Less and Do More. Stever is a successful entrepreneur who loves productivity in the service of personal fulfillment. A veteran of nine startups, including FTP Software, Intuit, and HEAR Music, Stever is a graduate of Harvard Business School and MIT. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 36:33 http://pm411.org/2010/09/26/podcast-episode-063-the-lazy-project-manager/ http://pm411.org/2010/09/26/podcast-episode-063-the-lazy-project-manager/#comments Sun, 26 Sep 2010 21:31:53 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1703 http://pm411.org/2010/09/26/podcast-episode-063-the-lazy-project-manager/feed/ 8 80/20 rule,pareto,peter taylor,productively lazy,the lazy project manager Recently I spoke with Peter Taylor about his book The Lazy Project Manager and what it means to be Productively Lazy. Recently I spoke with Peter Taylor about his book The Lazy Project Manager and what it means to be Productively Lazy. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 17:26 http://pm411.org/2010/07/11/podcast-episode-061-tips-for-new-project-managers-2/ http://pm411.org/2010/07/11/podcast-episode-061-tips-for-new-project-managers-2/#comments Mon, 12 Jul 2010 01:30:45 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1564 http://pm411.org/2010/07/11/podcast-episode-061-tips-for-new-project-managers-2/feed/ 2 e-learning,josh nankivel,learning,networking,new pm,pmstudent,project manager Well, today we welcome back to the show Josh Nankivel who shares some tips on how to network with other more experienced project managers through a new tool he has created called pmStudent e-learning. Well, today we welcome back to the show Josh Nankivel who shares some tips on how to network with other more experienced project managers through a new tool he has created called pmStudent e-learning. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 24:37 http://pm411.org/2010/05/31/podcast-episode-060-rats-snakes-and-complex-projects-with-geoff-crane/ http://pm411.org/2010/05/31/podcast-episode-060-rats-snakes-and-complex-projects-with-geoff-crane/#comments Tue, 01 Jun 2010 02:57:28 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1444 http://pm411.org/2010/05/31/podcast-episode-060-rats-snakes-and-complex-projects-with-geoff-crane/feed/ 3 complex projects,Geoff Crane,papercut,papercut edge,papercut pm,planning,Risk Management,scope I once described Geoff Crane's Papercut Edge blog like this: "Imagine if Project Management rode the scary rollercoaster and then threw up... That's what Geoff Crane's blog is like." And Geoff just so happens to also an expert on complex projects. I once described Geoff Crane's Papercut Edge blog like this: "Imagine if Project Management rode the scary rollercoaster and then threw up... That's what Geoff Crane's blog is like." And Geoff just so happens to also an expert on complex projects. Especially those projects where the exterminator needs to be called in. And lucky for us, Geoff is willing to share some of his tips on managing complex projects. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 23:44 http://pm411.org/2010/04/11/podcast-episode-058-virtual-team-tips-with-the-cranky-middle-manager/ http://pm411.org/2010/04/11/podcast-episode-058-virtual-team-tips-with-the-cranky-middle-manager/#comments Mon, 12 Apr 2010 01:51:45 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1277 http://pm411.org/2010/04/11/podcast-episode-058-virtual-team-tips-with-the-cranky-middle-manager/feed/ 21 Communication,cranky middle manager show,monitoring and controlling,pm software,PM Video,remote team,Teams,virtual team,wayne turmel Recently I spoke with the very smart, funny, and dare I say, Cranky, Wayne Turmel about virtual teams. Wayne Turmel is the president of Greatwebmeetings.com, as well as the host of one of the world's most successful business podcasts, Recently I spoke with the very smart, funny, and dare I say, Cranky, Wayne Turmel about virtual teams. Wayne Turmel is the president of Greatwebmeetings.com, as well as the host of one of the world's most successful business podcasts, The Cranky Middle Manager Show. The BBC, ABC and BusinessWeek Online have called Cranky Middle Manager one of the best HR blogs out there. And Wayne's book 6 Weeks to a Great Webinar: Generate Leads and Tell Your Story to the World is the leading web presentation book on Amazon.com. Wayne is also a contributor to BNET. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 36:23 http://pm411.org/2010/03/28/podcast-episode-057-tom-peters-speaks-out-about-toyota-recalls/ http://pm411.org/2010/03/28/podcast-episode-057-tom-peters-speaks-out-about-toyota-recalls/#comments Mon, 29 Mar 2010 02:21:41 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1117 http://pm411.org/2010/03/28/podcast-episode-057-tom-peters-speaks-out-about-toyota-recalls/feed/ 5 al dunlap,apple,authors,auto manufacturers,chevrolet,Chrysler,Ford,GM,google,Honda,ibm,in search of excellence I was recently joined by best selling author and Management guru Tom Peters to discuss his perspective on the Toyota recalls. Tom and I also talked about where other major companies such as Dell, Starbucks, Nike, Apple, Google, GM, IBM, I was recently joined by best selling author and Management guru Tom Peters to discuss his perspective on the Toyota recalls. Tom and I also talked about where other major companies such as Dell, Starbucks, Nike, Apple, Google, GM, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, and Honda fall on that elusive spectra known as "Excellence". By the way, if somehow you have not heard of Tom Peters: Simply put, Tom Peters is the last of the still living and truly great 20th Century management thought leaders and, incidentally, is more relevant in today's business environment than ever before. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 31:36 http://pm411.org/2010/03/28/the-5-goals-of-a-project-manager/ http://pm411.org/2010/03/28/the-5-goals-of-a-project-manager/#comments Sun, 28 Mar 2010 05:55:23 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1107 http://pm411.org/2010/03/28/the-5-goals-of-a-project-manager/feed/ 2 http://pm411.org/2010/03/07/podcast-episode-055-the-complete-pmo-part-2-of-2/ http://pm411.org/2010/03/07/podcast-episode-055-the-complete-pmo-part-2-of-2/#comments Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:03:34 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=1026 http://pm411.org/2010/03/07/podcast-episode-055-the-complete-pmo-part-2-of-2/feed/ 1 gerard hill,pmo,project management office,the complete pmo,the complete project management office handbook In this episode, I continue my discussion on the Project Management Office with one of the world’s leading experts on PMOs, Mr. Gerard Hill, PMP.  If you have not listened to Part 1 of our discussion, you will definitely want to go back and listen t... In this episode, I continue my discussion on the Project Management Office with one of the world’s leading experts on PMOs, Mr. Gerard Hill, PMP.  If you have not listened to Part 1 of our discussion, you will definitely want to go back and listen t... Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 31:01 http://pm411.org/2010/02/21/podcast-episode-054-the-complete-pmo/ http://pm411.org/2010/02/21/podcast-episode-054-the-complete-pmo/#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:42:51 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=962 http://pm411.org/2010/02/21/podcast-episode-054-the-complete-pmo/feed/ 6 gerard hill,pmo,project management office,the complete pmo,the complete project management office handbook Because the Project Management Office is such an important topic, today we are digging deeper into what a PMO is with one of the world’s leading experts in PMOs, Mr. Gerard Hill, PMP. - Gerard "Jerry" Hill is an internationally-recognized consultant, Because the Project Management Office is such an important topic, today we are digging deeper into what a PMO is with one of the world’s leading experts in PMOs, Mr. Gerard Hill, PMP. Gerard "Jerry" Hill is an internationally-recognized consultant, author and speaker with professional expertise in the discipline of project management.  He brings emerging project management concepts and practices to bear for consideration by individuals and organizations; and he applies a practical approach to implementing business solutions in the project management environment.  Mr. Hill has conceived and constructed several project management methodologies and PMO solutions that have been deployed in organizations around the globe. His recent publications include: The Complete Project Management Office Handbook (Auerbach Publications, 2007, 752pp), and The Complete Project Management Methodology and Toolkit (CRC Press/Auerbach Publications, 2009, 520pp). Today, in the first of two parts, Gerard and I discuss some of the areas covered in The Complete Project Management Office Handbook. The PMO Exists at the Intersection of Business and Project Management PMOs were originally created to help support the technical function within an organization.  However since that time, the function of a PMO has grown to include more business management.  Ideally, a PMO within an organization is situated to deal with both the project management environment as well as the business environment.  On the project management side, there are the project executives, the project managers, the technical members on the team, and the PMO itself.  On the business side, you have the business units and clients or customers that the PMO helps to represent. Five Progressive Stages of the PMO Competency Continuum There are five progressive and advancing stages of maturity for a PMO's capability and responsibility. Stage 1 of PMO maturity is The Project Office.  This is a essentially the project manager and project team working as a project office.  The project team typically provides its own oversight at this stage. The Stage 2 PMO, called The Basic PMO, contains process control in addition to project oversight.  The Basic PMO provides a full-cycle and repeatable process that can be used across all projects in an organization.  The Basic PMO would most likely be led by a program manager and might have several project managers and projects involved. The Stage 3 PMO, called The Standard PMO, is the level that most organizations need and want to have.  This level includes project control, oversight, as well as support.  The Standard PMO creates the infrastructure and capabilities to support a cohesive project management environment.  The Standard PMO has multiple projects, project managers, and perhaps even program managers under its control.  The head of the Standard PMO is usually a program director or senior program manager. Stage 4 is The Advanced PMO where business processes are truly integrated with project management processes.  This stage includes dedicated staff, including a PMO director that oversees the technical and business aspects of the project management environment. The final stage, Stage 5, is The Center of Excellence.  Here is where you manage continuous improvement and project management process implementation across the organization for the purpose of achieving strategic organizational goals. PMO Functions There are 5 functional areas and 20 functions as listed below. The Practice management functional group includes the functions of Project Management Methodology, Project Tools, Standards and Metrics, and Project Knowledge Management. The Infrastructure management group includes the functions Project Governance, Assessment, Organization and Structure, and Facilities and Equipment Support. Resource integration includes Resource Management, Training and Education, Career Development. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 26:55 http://pm411.org/2010/02/09/what-we-can-learn-from-undercover-boss/ http://pm411.org/2010/02/09/what-we-can-learn-from-undercover-boss/#comments Wed, 10 Feb 2010 04:39:23 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=941 http://pm411.org/2010/02/09/what-we-can-learn-from-undercover-boss/feed/ 7 http://pm411.org/2010/02/07/podcast-episode-053-6-tips-for-email-in-the-new-decade/ http://pm411.org/2010/02/07/podcast-episode-053-6-tips-for-email-in-the-new-decade/#comments Sun, 07 Feb 2010 06:28:43 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=933 http://pm411.org/2010/02/07/podcast-episode-053-6-tips-for-email-in-the-new-decade/feed/ 9 alec satin,decade,email,tips In today’s episode, we talk with Alec Satin of the Alec Satin on People, Projects, and Process blog, about how we can make our email more efficient, and even the future of email. - Alec is a project manager and organizational expert with a passion f... In today’s episode, we talk with Alec Satin of the Alec Satin on People, Projects, and Process blog, about how we can make our email more efficient, and even the future of email. Alec is a project manager and organizational expert with a passion for fixing workplaces. As a trained therapist, entrepreneur and Information Technology professional, he seeks to infuse environments with order, process and sanity. During this past decade there were several advances in how we get our email...  Email became easier than ever with Gmail and email became truly mobile with devices such as the Blackberry and iPhone.  And perhaps even several benevolent princes were able to find you through email so you could help them by keeping their fortunes as they were deposed. During this past decade, books like Getting Things Done by David Allen and email applications like Microsoft Outlook have tried to help us organize our email inboxes better.  But, today many of us are overloaded with work and we spend too much time reading, replying, and composing email.  But, what does 2010 and this coming decade look like and what can we do to organize our email better? Well, here are a few tips from Alec Satin on ways we can better use email starting today for the new decade. 1.)   Keep Your Inbox Empty The purpose of your email inbox should not be as an email repository or task list.  It should be treated like a physical inbox on your desk.  Your email inbox should be where you open email and determine whether it should be acted upon immediately, in cases where it would literally take less than 30 seconds to address, or whether it should be filed or tagged to be addressed at a later time outside of your inbox. 2.)  Keep Your Subject Clear Cover only one topic per email and keep your subject clear!  If you do need to cover 5 topics, then send out 5 different emails!  Alec suggests following the advice at Lifehacker.com and create “Twitter-style” emails where possible by using your subject line as the body of your email.  Use meta information at the beginning of the subject line, such as “ACTION:” “INFO:” “REMINDER:” “QUESTION:” and type a short message following the meta header followed by <EOM> for “end of message” at the end.  The body of the message can then be left blank.  So your entire subject line would look something like this: ACTION: Be sure to follow up with me on your action items from last week <EOM> That way the recipient can quickly read your email without even needing to click and open it and it is much easier to find the email later. 3.)  Don't CC: The World. Only send emails to people that absolutely need them.  By adding your boss to every one of your emails, you give the impression that you need their approval on those issues that they are expecting you to handle.  Also, by adding the bosses of others to the cc list, you come across as passive-aggressive to your recipients.  Basically you give the impression that you don’t trust your teammates to get their work completed.  In either case, it comes across as a “CYA” maneuver.  Don’t do it – it just makes you come across as a jerk and clutters people’s inboxes. Last episode we covered the RACI model.  You should only CC: those folks that need to be Consulted or Informed on the particular topic. 4.)  Just Say No to Rambling Emails Email should be no longer than 2 screens – you should only need to page down once at the most to read someone’s email.  If you are the recipient of a rambling email, rather than try to read through it, just respond with “What are you asking?”  Hopefully they will be able to succinctly summarize their email. If you were thinking about writing a rambling email – don’t do it!  As the guys over at manager-tools.com advocate, your first sentence in the email should state the “bottom-line” of the message, Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 31:22 http://pm411.org/2010/02/04/genius-project-management-software/ http://pm411.org/2010/02/04/genius-project-management-software/#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:33:29 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=926 http://pm411.org/2010/02/04/genius-project-management-software/feed/ 1 http://pm411.org/2009/12/12/podcast-episode-051-is-the-wbs-just-bs/ http://pm411.org/2009/12/12/podcast-episode-051-is-the-wbs-just-bs/#comments Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:53:57 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=842 http://pm411.org/2009/12/12/podcast-episode-051-is-the-wbs-just-bs/feed/ 2 Communication,josh nankivel,mindmapping,monitoring and controlling,planning,pmstudent,project lifecycle,training,wbs,wbs coach,work breakdown structure Get the pm411.org Project Management Podcast Newsletter delivered by email for free! - Your email address and personal information are confidential and will never be sold or rented. - Way back in Episode 004, Get the pm411.org Project Management Podcast Newsletter delivered by email for free! - Your email address and personal information are confidential and will never be sold or rented. Way back in Episode 004, I discussed one of the key building blocks of a successful project, known as the Work Breakdown Structure or WBS.  However, it is pretty evident that there is still a lot of confusion in Project Management on whether we truly need a WBS on our projects, how to structure a WBS, and how to use it throughout a project’s lifecycle.  In this episode I welcome back to the show pmstudent.com blogger and WBS expert Josh Nankivel as we dive deeper into the topic of the Work Breakdown Structure. Josh  has recently published a set of training tools called the WBS coach to help those of us that need to know how to create a WBS or those of us that just need a refresher on WBS development.  So is the WBS just…  BS?  Josh and I talk about why more PMs don’t use the WBS, we discuss whether it really helps in project planning, and finally we talk about the right and wrong ways of developing a WBS. So what the heck is a WBS? The WBS is a special kind of outline for your project.  It is deliverables-based, focused on project results, and usually includes a graphic hierarchy and a WBS dictionary.  Basically, it is a representation of your project scope. However, the WBS is not a task list, organizational chart, and it shouldn’t be time phased. Why should teams use Work Breakdown Structures? A lot of project managers don’t use a WBS as a tool on their project, or they see it as just another piece of paperwork.  But the WBS is the representation of scope on your project.  All deliverables, services, outcomes of your project should be covered by your project WBS. The WBS also provides clear definition of what the project will be producing.  It provides a common language and helps to structure reporting so that there is a common understanding with stakeholders.  It also provides a strong foundation for your project. The WBS also helps with clear change control.  The WBS provides traceability if anything changes to help team members and stakeholders understand how changes impact the project. Parts of the Work Breakdown Structure The “WBS Graphic” includes some kind visual hierarchy of the scope and how the deliverables are related.  There are a lot of tools that can create a WBS hierarchy – mindmaps, Visio, and even Microsoft Word. The “WBS Dictionary” goes into detail on each deliverable of the WBS.  The key to the WBS dictionary is to first define what is included and then create the details of what that deliverable is.  Many teams also create an “exclusions list” that specifies what is not included in the project scope in order to provide additional clarity to what the team is planning on delivering. “Deliverables” can be defined as anything that is results-oriented (e.g. a system, a sub-system, etc.) Josh differs from the PMI on the definition of “activities.”  Josh sees activities as a special kind of deliverable that are service-oriented (e.g. “project management,” “configuration management,” etc.) The “work package” is the lowest level of your WBS after decomposition.  You will later want to use your work packages to do activity definition, duration estimations, cost estimations, etc. “Control accounts” track your costs and progress on a particular piece of the WBS.  However, again, tasks are not part of the Work Breakdown Structure. So, why is there so much confusion around the WBS? One reason is because the WBS is typically understated in many PM textbooks and PM classes.  Whenever it is mentioned, it is usually just presented as a basic overview rather than providing details on how to create and manage a WBS.  Also, there is quite a bit of disagreement on how to create and use the WBS.  Unfortunately, Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 50:01 http://pm411.org/2009/11/20/podcast-episode-050-wrike-and-pm-2-0/ http://pm411.org/2009/11/20/podcast-episode-050-wrike-and-pm-2-0/#comments Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:34:05 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=806 http://pm411.org/2009/11/20/podcast-episode-050-wrike-and-pm-2-0/feed/ 0 collaboration,Communication,software,Teams,wrike Today we talk with Andrew Filev.  Andrew has been managing software teams since 2001 with the help of new-generation collaboration and management applications. His best practices are based on implementation of Enterprise 2. Today we talk with Andrew Filev.  Andrew has been managing software teams since 2001 with the help of new-generation collaboration and management applications. His best practices are based on implementation of Enterprise 2.0 software in project management. Now Andrew is an expert in project management, a successful software entrepreneur and the CEO at Wrike.com, online project management software. Andrew is also the author of some influential project management articles, including works for Cutter IT Journal, Web 2.0 Journal and Agile Journal. Andrew is often invited to speak at conferences, symposiums and seminars. Andrew has given speeches on new trends in project management and on implementing Enterprise 2.0 strategies. He spoke at such events as the PMI Silicon Valley Tools and Techniques Forum, Office 2.0 Conference, Enterprise 2.0 Conference, Project Management Symposium and others. Andrew’s ideas about improving traditional project management are reflected in his popular Project Management 2.0 blog (http://www.wrike.com/projectmanagement). In today’s episode we find out more about Wrike and what Project Management 2.0 is all about.   Plus we are giving away some more freebies! Project Management 2.0 So, what is the difference between traditional project management and Project Management 2.0.  Traditional project management is focused on the project manager being the center of the team’s communication hub. It places the manager in the center of the project work, as they need to collect all the information from team members, process it, and then communicate to various project stakeholders, including upper management.  Project planning can especially be hard and time consuming since all the project information is concentrated only around a single person — the project manager.   This contributes significantly to what a project manager spends 90% of their time doing – communicating. New-generation project management tools make it possible to create a collaborative team space, and everyone involved in the project is able to contribute to the project work in this space. Project planning and communication is distributed around the whole team, and each team member has the full information on the project. Project progress is visible to everyone on the team. The project manager’s role is transformed from the traditional taskmaster to become a project visionary as they focus more on the right direction for the project development. The new-generation tools take away part of the typical traditional burden of project management and allows the project manager to focus more on leading the project team. With Project Management 2.0 collective team insight and collaboration driving a project, people and businesses are accomplishing much more than when they did with traditional project management information funneling.   With Project Management 2.0, the project management of a project is built around the work, rather than the work being forced to conform to a particular project management system.   Collective intelligence systems, such as wikis, mashups, and dekis have allowed teams to share information more easily. Now, New-generation technologies have brought collective intelligence into the project management process.   and open the way to another successful practice, emergent structures, where the one-to-many approach of conventional Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) is replaced by a many-to-many approach of work package delivery. Together, these powerful principles determine key differences between Project Management 2.0 and traditional project management: Bottom-up planning is utilized much more often and much more efficiently Tools help to communicate and reduce unnecessary burden Instead of using one work-breakdown structure that is designed before the project is started, multiple structures might be applied and they can evolve on the way. Wrike Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 29:39 http://pm411.org/2009/10/24/podcast-episode-049-event-chain-project-management/ http://pm411.org/2009/10/24/podcast-episode-049-event-chain-project-management/#comments Sun, 25 Oct 2009 03:50:44 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=785 http://pm411.org/2009/10/24/podcast-episode-049-event-chain-project-management/feed/ 2 bayesian,event chain,intaver,lev virine,mitigation,monte carlo,risk,riskyproject,software Today we talk with Lev Virine, PhD. Lev is president and co-founder of Intaver Institute, a Calgary (Canada) based research, software development, and consulting company. Lev has twenty years of engineering and project management experience in informat... Today we talk with Lev Virine, PhD. Lev is president and co-founder of Intaver Institute, a Calgary (Canada) based research, software development, and consulting company. Lev has twenty years of engineering and project management experience in information technology and construction industries and is author of more than thirty scientific papers and patents. Lev's current research interests include decision and risk analysis, project management, and their applications. And much of his writing is on the topic of Project Management using Event Chain Methodology, which differs substantially from Critical Chain methodology which we have talked frequently about on the show in the past. So, we talked with Lev to find out more about what exactly is Event Chain methodology. The Intaver Institute First, a bit about Lev's company.  The Intaver Institute Inc. is a leading innovator in the field of project management software, offering their clients "unique, cost effective software solutions to their project and portfolio management challenges." Intaver Institute was founded in 2002 by respected technology executives, mathematicians, economists, and computer scientists. Intaver Institute Inc. develops commercial software, provides training and consulting services, and performs scientific research in the area of project decision and risk analysis. Event Chain Methodology According to Lev, event chain methodology is an uncertainty modeling and schedule network analysis technique that is focused on identifying and managing events and event chains that affect project schedules. Event chain methodology can help to reduce the negative impact of psychological heuristics and biases, as well as to allow for easier modeling of uncertainties in project schedules. Event Chain Methodology Objectives: There are three main objectives of utilizing Event Chain methodology. 1. To mitigate the effect of motivational and cognitive biases in estimating and scheduling. In many cases, project managers intentionally or unintentionally create project schedules that are impossible to implement. 2. To simplify the process of defining risks and uncertainties in project schedules and particularly to improve the ability to provide reality checks and visualize multiple events. 3. To perform more accurate quantitative analysis while taking into account such factors as relationship between different events and actual moment of the events. Event Chain Methodology Principles There are also several priniciples to be followed. 1.) Moment of risk and state of activity An activity (task) in most real life processes is not a continuous uniform procedure. Tasks are affected by external events, which transform an activity from one state to another. One of the important properties of an event is the moment when an event occurs during the course of an activity. This moment, when an event occurs, in most cases is probabilistic and can be defined using statistical distribution. 2.) Event Chains Events can cause other events, which will create event chains. These event chains can significantly affect the course of the project. Lev provides the example of requirement changes that can cause an activity to be delayed. To accelerate the activity, the project manager allocates a resource from another activity, which then leads to a missed deadline. Eventually, this can lead to the failure of the project. 3.) Monte Carlo Simulations Once events and event chains are defined, quantitative analysis using Monte Carlo simulation can be performed to quantify the cumulative impact of the events. Probabilities and impacts of risks are used as the input data for Monte Carlo simulation of the project schedule. In most real life projects, it is necessary to supplement the information regarding the uncertainties expressed as an event with distributions related to duration, start time, cost, and other parameters. 4. Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 38:07 http://pm411.org/2009/10/05/announcing-mindjet-catalyst/ http://pm411.org/2009/10/05/announcing-mindjet-catalyst/#comments Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:01:39 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://1927122623 http://pm411.org/2009/10/05/announcing-mindjet-catalyst/feed/ 6 catalyst,mindjet,mindmanager,mindmapping,online collaboration,pm 2.0,project management 2.0,scott raskin,virtual teams Today I am extremely excited about a major product announcement from Mindjet, the makers of MindManager mindmapping software.  In today's podcast I talk with Mindjet CEO Scott Raskin about a new collaborative Project Management 2. Today I am extremely excited about a major product announcement from Mindjet, the makers of MindManager mindmapping software.  In today's podcast I talk with Mindjet CEO Scott Raskin about a new collaborative Project Management 2.0 tool from Mindjet... Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 18:04 http://pm411.org/2009/08/10/episode-044-pmp-exam-tools/ http://pm411.org/2009/08/10/episode-044-pmp-exam-tools/#comments Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:53:30 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=558 http://pm411.org/2009/08/10/episode-044-pmp-exam-tools/feed/ 0 flashcards,pm exam,pm formulas,pm prepcast,pmp We are pleased to announce that we at the pm411.org Project Management podcast now offer 3 new tools to help you pass the latest version of the PMP Exam, which covers the 4th edition of the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK). We are pleased to announce that we at the pm411.org Project Management podcast now offer 3 new tools to help you pass the latest version of the PMP Exam, which covers the 4th edition of the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK). Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 16:11 http://pm411.org/2009/08/03/the-pm-podcast-pmo-roundtable/ http://pm411.org/2009/08/03/the-pm-podcast-pmo-roundtable/#comments Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:12:39 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=562 http://pm411.org/2009/08/03/the-pm-podcast-pmo-roundtable/feed/ 2 cornelius fichtner,pmo,shawn futterer Cornelius Fichtner, PMP, host of The PM Podcast, once again invited Shawn Futterer, PMP, of The ICPM website, and myself to a roundtable project management podcast discussion. In this roundtable discussion we focus on the Project Management Office (PMO). Cornelius Fichtner, PMP, host of The PM Podcast, once again invited Shawn Futterer, PMP, of The ICPM website, and myself to a roundtable project management podcast discussion. In this roundtable discussion we focus on the Project Management Office (PMO). Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 47:51 http://pm411.org/2009/07/23/podcast-episode-043-interview-with-josh-nankivel-pmp/ http://pm411.org/2009/07/23/podcast-episode-043-interview-with-josh-nankivel-pmp/#comments Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:25:12 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=538 http://pm411.org/2009/07/23/podcast-episode-043-interview-with-josh-nankivel-pmp/feed/ 1 aspiring pm,josh nankivel,new pm,pmstudent.com Josh Nankivel, PMP, recently interviewed me for his pmStudent.com website, and he was willing to return the favor and he let me interview him last weekend for this pm411.org podcast. During the interview, Josh and I discuss all kinds of great stuff in... Josh Nankivel, PMP, recently interviewed me for his pmStudent.com website, and he was willing to return the favor and he let me interview him last weekend for this pm411.org podcast. During the interview, Josh and I discuss all kinds of great stuff including his past and current projects, the pmStudent.com website, the PMP and its future for project management, and even possible ideas for a great Project Management videogame! Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 27:03 http://pm411.org/2009/07/20/pmstudent-com-interview/ http://pm411.org/2009/07/20/pmstudent-com-interview/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:04:33 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=527 http://pm411.org/2009/07/20/pmstudent-com-interview/feed/ 0 http://pm411.org/2009/06/14/project-management-in-the-real-world-available-in-the-us/ http://pm411.org/2009/06/14/project-management-in-the-real-world-available-in-the-us/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:20:19 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=518 http://pm411.org/2009/06/14/project-management-in-the-real-world-available-in-the-us/feed/ 0 http://pm411.org/2009/02/01/podcast-episode-042-pm-opinions/ http://pm411.org/2009/02/01/podcast-episode-042-pm-opinions/#comments Sun, 01 Feb 2009 20:04:36 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=443 http://pm411.org/2009/02/01/podcast-episode-042-pm-opinions/feed/ 0 cornelius fichtner,jerry manas,pm opinions,PM Reviews,rita mulcahy I am here to tell you about a great new Project Management Resource called PM Opinions (www.pmopinions.com) that allows you, as a project management consumer, to read reviews from other people on I am here to tell you about a great new Project Management Resource called PM Opinions (www.pmopinions.com) that allows you, as a project management consumer, to read reviews from other people on Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 9:32 http://pm411.org/2008/04/14/episode-028-project-management-in-the-real-world-with-elizabeth-harrin/ http://pm411.org/2008/04/14/episode-028-project-management-in-the-real-world-with-elizabeth-harrin/#comments Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:40:00 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/?p=202 http://pm411.org/2008/04/14/episode-028-project-management-in-the-real-world-with-elizabeth-harrin/feed/ 4 blogs,books Get the pm411.org Project Management Podcast delivered by email for free! - Your email address and personal information are confidential and will never be sold or rented. I recently had the opportunity to speak with author and blogger, Elizabeth Harrin, Get the pm411.org Project Management Podcast delivered by email for free! - Your email address and personal information are confidential and will never be sold or rented. I recently had the opportunity to speak with author and blogger, Elizabeth Harrin, of London, England.  Elizabeth is the author of the book Project Management in the Real World and has nearly a decade of experience in managing projects. She is a PRINCE2 practitioner and is trained in the Six Sigma process improvement methodology. Elizabeth has led a variety of IT and process improvement projects including those involving e-commerce, communications, and managing business change.  In addition to writing books, Elizabeth also writes the irreverent and popular blog A Girl's Guide to Managing Projects. During our conversation Elizabeth and I chatted about her book, her blog, and lots of other great stuff...   like extreme ultraviolet imaging space mass spectrometers! Project Management in the Real World Elizabeth decided to write the book that she had wanted to read when she started in the field of project management.  There were plenty of books on theory and techniques, but not too many on real-life experiences.  Early in her career Elizabeth found that by working closely on teams with other project managers, she was able to learn the trade quickly from others sharing their experiences.  So, with the goal of writing a book by the time she was thirty, Elizabeth decided to get information and experiences out of the heads of varios PM practitioners and into a book.  In writing the book, Elizabeth found people rather willing to share their experiences openly. One particular contributor, who was responsible for managing the assembly of mass spectrometers for measuring ultraviolet light images from space, was focused on directly eliminating every risk his project faced.  When you are talking about a £30 million project, you cannot risk finding a problem once the spectrometer has been assembled and has been launched into space.  However, instead of addressing risks by using a "textbook" approach of looking at the impact and probability of each risk occurring, the team looked at any impact as being unacceptable.  They had to adapt to the need that the impact of every single risk had to be eliminated as long as the probability of its occurrence was greater than zero. Office Politics and Self Promotion Office politics, as you can guess, is not something that Elizabeth recommends getting involved in.  Rather, she suggests being "organizational aware;" be astute and understand the background and motivation of your stakeholders, since they are critical to how you manage your project. Transparency is something that is very important when it comes to projects.  When you and your stakeholders have open communication, it is far easier to get things done.  Unfortunately sometimes you will run into people that have their own hidden agendas or "play people off each other" to get things done.  Stay clear of playing these games.  These behaviors are not good for building team relationships or morale.  Since most project managers have indirect line manager roles, burning bridges now with your team or stakeholders through office politics will only make your job more difficult later on. Self-promotion is something that Elizabeth feels is tricky to get right.  Project managers are often times the "unsung heroes" of project delivery.  If a project is on time, on budget, on delivery often times the team gets the majority of the credit, or even worse, stakeholders may feel that the team could have been pushed even harder.  In cases where projects do not meet their deliverables, then the project manager is often blamed.  That is just one of the unfortunate truths of project management.  So, it is important to sometimes "blow your horn" by showing that you are a practitioner of project management best practices, you share knowledge with others, Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 35:39 http://pm411.org/2007/11/26/podcast-episode-018-leadership-and-teamwork-in-the-face-of-danger-part-2/ http://pm411.org/2007/11/26/podcast-episode-018-leadership-and-teamwork-in-the-face-of-danger-part-2/#comments Tue, 27 Nov 2007 01:37:43 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/2007/11/26/podcast-episode-018-leadership-and-teamwork-in-the-face-of-danger-part-2/ http://pm411.org/2007/11/26/podcast-episode-018-leadership-and-teamwork-in-the-face-of-danger-part-2/feed/ 0 In episode 018, we bring you part 2 of Pete Goss' story on various leadership and teamwork principles that he learned from some of his most life-harrowing adventures.  In today's show, Pete Goss concludes his presentation with the outcome of his her... In episode 018, we bring you part 2 of Pete Goss' story on various leadership and teamwork principles that he learned from some of his most life-harrowing adventures.  In today's show, Pete Goss concludes his presentation with the outcome of his heroic rescue of Frenchman  Raphael Dinelli during the 1996/97 Vendee Globe and his subsequent race with Team Philips. Show Notes: Close to the Wind by Pete Goss  http://www.petegoss.com/ Leadership and teamwork takeaways from Pete Goss’ presentation: Communication is a 2-way street and it is important to encourage team members to always share their ideas. Life isn't easy - you just have to deal with things as they come along. Making the right choice is part of making tough decisions and as the leader of a team you will find yourself faced with them. You truly can do anything if you want it bad enough. If you assemble a group of individuals and they commit their mind, body, and soul to a clear and simple goal they will make it. Life truly hangs by a delicate thread. "The cancer of time is complacency" - if you want to do something, you must do it now. "Obstacles are what you see the moment you take your eye off of the goal." "Responsibility is the most powerful thing you have as a leader." Very seldom do people not rise to their responsibility - but it is your contract; this is your gift, your challenge, your opportunity. To improve internal communications, "Bad News Meetings" were held between 4 or 5 team members where they would identify the Problem, determine the solution, assign a clear budget and timeline and assign those responsible for carrying out the task. Rather than worrying about life as a glass half-full or a glass half-empty, simply make the decision to "drink the bastard anyway!" "Without trying and courage you will never get progress." "Keeping a clear eye on the goal will give you solutions in the middle of the chaos." "If you choose to drive in the fast lane, you have to accept the consequences at the beginning and sometimes you have to take them on the chin with as much dignity as you can." "If you can get your team to work in the same direction, then you can achieve anything you set your mind to."    Leave us a voice message at (206) 984-3665 and let us know some of the adventures your team has been on!  Get the pm411.org Project Management Podcast delivered by email for free!  - Your email address and personal information are confidential and will never be sold or rented.      Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 40:55 http://pm411.org/2007/11/12/podcast-episode-017-leadership-and-teamwork-in-the-face-of-danger-part-1/ http://pm411.org/2007/11/12/podcast-episode-017-leadership-and-teamwork-in-the-face-of-danger-part-1/#comments Tue, 13 Nov 2007 03:27:37 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/2007/11/12/podcast-episode-017-leadership-and-teamwork-in-the-face-of-danger-part-1/ http://pm411.org/2007/11/12/podcast-episode-017-leadership-and-teamwork-in-the-face-of-danger-part-1/feed/ 1 Last week I attended the Planview User Conference in Austin, Texas which featured Pete Goss as the keynote speaker.  Pete is a world adventurer and author of the book, Close to the Wind. - More astronauts have circled the Earth than the number of p... Last week I attended the Planview User Conference in Austin, Texas which featured Pete Goss as the keynote speaker.  Pete is a world adventurer and author of the book, Close to the Wind. More astronauts have circled the Earth than the number of people who have sailed single-handed non-stop around the world without assistance. The most recognized of Pete’s races was the 1996/7 Vendee Globe non-stop single-handed round the world yacht race in his Open 50 yacht Aqua Quorum. Aqua Quorum was the first British boat to enter the Vendee and the only new yacht to complete the course in a year which sadly claimed the lives of two sailors, with only six of the sixteen starters finishing the race.  The race turned Pete into a national hero overnight for the dramatic rescue of fellow competitor Raphael Dinelli when winds of up to 80mph pounded Frenchman Dinelli’s sinking boat. After receiving the distress call, Pete sent what may have been his last fax to his wife to explain what he was about to do and immediately turned round to rescue the Frenchman. He battled for two days to reach the near-dead Dinelli, who was extremely lucky to survive 48 hours in a freezing life raft. Pete, who scuppered his own chances of winning the race in order to save Dinelli, was awarded the MBE by HM The Queen and the Legion d'Honneur by the French President for his actions. In episode 017, we bring you part 1 of Pete Goss' story on various leadership and teamwork principles that he learned from some of his most life-harrowing adventures. Show Notes: Close to the Wind www.planview.com www.petegoss.com Leadership and teamwork takeaways from Pete Goss’ presentation: Good Leadership is all about challenging the norm. Good Management makes it more efficient. All one should look for in a team is a team full of leaders. You shouldn’t just take risks, but rather, you should embrace risks by properly preparing for them. “Knowledge dispels fear.” People often see successful teams as “lucky”, even if it required "18 hour days at 7 days a week" to be successful. Often times when you drill down into a successful team, what you will find is a group of people that is willing to create their own “luck” by putting their nose to the grindstone and having the courage to grab an opportunity when it comes past. If at particular milestones you are off course by 10%, you can always identify that 10% and polish it to improve longterm performance. During your team’s journey there will be problems and mistakes, but those mistakes can also be seen as lessons. Remember that the mistakes made on your team’s journey can turn into the cornerstones of later success. Don’t cry over the mistakes, but rather celebrate in the lessons. “All the dirty washing stays on board” – don’t air your differences with those outside of the team. Trust takes time and needs to come from the top.  Trust can only come from example – but once it does, then people on your team will feel comfortable to share their mistakes. “To win, you first have to finish.” Success comes from a clear and well-planned vision. The clearer your vision, the less likely you are to become lost. You do have to recognize that things will change as you move forward, and you need to be able to be willing to adapt your vision. But, unless your vision is clear from the start, you have no reference to make that change. “Anything new is difficult and anything that is difficult requires commitment.” “Unless you personally are absolutely committed to something, you cannot expect others to be committed with you.” Once you have lost control of a situation, all you can do is react. The key is to try not to lose control. “As you keep chipping away at life, you eventually come to a very clear and simple crossroads where you stand by your morals or principles, or you don’t.” If your values as a company, as a team, Ron Holohan, MBA PMP no 31:48 http://pm411.org/2007/09/23/standish-group-giveaway-winners/ http://pm411.org/2007/09/23/standish-group-giveaway-winners/#comments Mon, 24 Sep 2007 01:27:50 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/2007/09/23/standish-group-giveaway-winners/ http://pm411.org/2007/09/23/standish-group-giveaway-winners/feed/ 0 http://pm411.org/2007/08/12/free-project-management-giveaways/ http://pm411.org/2007/08/12/free-project-management-giveaways/#comments Mon, 13 Aug 2007 01:45:11 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/2007/08/12/free-project-management-giveaways/ http://pm411.org/2007/08/12/free-project-management-giveaways/feed/ 0 http://pm411.org/2007/06/27/review-part-2-the-project-management-prepcast/ http://pm411.org/2007/06/27/review-part-2-the-project-management-prepcast/#comments Wed, 27 Jun 2007 18:28:16 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/2007/06/27/review-part-2-the-project-management-prepcast/ http://pm411.org/2007/06/27/review-part-2-the-project-management-prepcast/feed/ 0 http://pm411.org/2007/05/24/review-the-project-management-prepcast-with-cornelius-fichtner/ http://pm411.org/2007/05/24/review-the-project-management-prepcast-with-cornelius-fichtner/#comments Thu, 24 May 2007 20:22:58 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/2007/05/24/review-the-project-management-prepcast-with-cornelius-fichtner/ http://pm411.org/2007/05/24/review-the-project-management-prepcast-with-cornelius-fichtner/feed/ 0 http://pm411.org/2007/03/13/software-review-risk-41-for-microsoft-project/ http://pm411.org/2007/03/13/software-review-risk-41-for-microsoft-project/#comments Wed, 14 Mar 2007 03:02:30 +0000 Ron Holohan, MBA PMP http://pm411.org/2007/03/13/software-review-risk-41-for-microsoft-project/ http://pm411.org/2007/03/13/software-review-risk-41-for-microsoft-project/feed/ 0