Blog Posts
5 Things a Leader Should Do to Set a Good Example?
Originally published in August, 2015 I was recently listening to a group of teenagers talk about their summer jobs and most of the talk was about the leadership style that
Managing Expectations – The Key to a Leader’s Success
As project managers, we are very good at setting expectations at the front end of the engagement. The more experienced we are, and the closer the project is to our
Are You a Project Manager or a Project Leader?
Let’s start with a different question… “What’s the difference?”. Among the many words that can be used to describe a leader, a few that stand out are: a strategic thinker
Strategic Planning is the Fun Part. The Hard Work Starts After That.
When leaders start thinking strategically, the creative juices flow. What are we capable of doing? How far can we take this? What could tomorrow look like? What would happen if…?
Are You a Consensus Builder?
I read an article recently that started with “Consensus building is a big part of leadership”. I agree. It is also a great label to have within our ‘brand’. Leadership
Passion Sells
I was working with my professional coach a few years ago during a time when things were going a little crazy in my life: I had way too many things
Do you Know Your Limitations?
A few years ago, I was attending the retirement party for Dave Toycen, CEO, World Vision Canada. As expected, he delivered an amazing speech at the end of the event
Learning How to Managing Change Should be a Priority for Every Leader
The key to a leader’s success (project managers included), says Bill Bates in the book “The Keys to Our Success” www.thekeystooursuccess.com , is to “exercise (your) leadership skills and abilities
When was the last time you said, “Why are we doing this?”
Depending on the industry, the organization or the culture within an area, this can be a very risky question to ask. There are many potential answers: Because this is in
Are You Project Managing More Than You Are Managing Your Project?
One of the most common mistakes a project manager makes is that they spend more time ‘project managing’ than they do ‘managing their projects’. Whether we are newcomers to the
4 Steps to Becoming More Resilient
(first published Aug 12, 2015) I recently heard a popular leader referred to as ‘tough as nails’. She is famous for being in difficult situations and finding a way out
What Is a Project Execution Culture?
(First published January, 2021) Over the many years of my involvement in project management, I eventually learned that project success comes from more than just good people, processes and tools.
A Good Leader Has Three Plans
Good leaders don’t need just one plan – they need three! An organizational strategic plan A professional strategic plan A personal strategic plan The organizational strategic plan is the core
Delegation is a 3-Way Street
I do a lot of speaking and training with managers who are looking forward to positions of leadership in the future. As we work through the obstacles we face in
Get Your Audience to Pay Attention
If you’ve presented enough times, like I have, you will know that sinking feeling as you look out and realize that you’ve lost their attention. Keeping the attention of your
Are Your Projects “Healthy”?
I was reminded recently that it is time for my annual physical. At my age, this is a pretty important time of the year and sometimes a little stressful. None
Are You an Explorer?
This world needs explorers who are willing to take risks and create new ‘stuff’. Explorers who are willing to fail. Are you one of them? We need people to stretch
I Only Read the First Three Sentences!
We all read a lot of very long documents: proposals, reports, stories and more or, at least, we are asked to read them. The truth is, we don’t really read
Connect and Stay Connected
This has been an interesting week for me. My birthday week – but that has nothing to do with it! Two colleagues connected with me out of the blue this
Do You Set Clear, Achievable Expectations?
Many years ago, I sat down in front of my boss at a very large corporation for my annual review. It did not go well. I was blindsided. I
Project Managers Need to Think Beyond Their Projects
I was chatting with the senior project director at a large local organization recently and he made a very astute observation. When it comes time to find his next senior
Can You Talk CxO Language?
One of the biggest problems project managers have is that we know too much! Our brains are full of the project details that are essential to stay on top of
Never Skip a Formal Project Kickoff
New projects are exciting, and we are all normal to want to get at them as fast as possible. In fact, so fast, often, that we will skip important key
How Do You Recover from a Screw-Up?
The new product is due for delivery within a few days. At the last minute, you discover that someone on the team has really messed up. This mistake may cost
The World Needs More Compassion, Not Empathy
This being Christmas week 2021, I thought that I would be writing a short message of best wishes for a wonderful, safe and happy holiday to all of my readers,
Project Managers ARE Change Agents
This week’s post has been written by my friend and colleague, Laura Barnard, in response to my post last week. Laura is the Founder and CEO of PMO Strategies, the
Project Managers are Not Change Agents
How often have you heard the words “project managers are change agents”? From HealthCareITNews.com… “Project managers are change agents in an organization. Change agents are nothing other than someone or something
Do You Have a Plan B?
Originally published February, 2020 If I suggested to you that your current plan was going to fail somewhere down the road, would you be ready? The optimist would say ‘I
Tell Me About Your Organizational Skills
I saw an article recently that highlighted the top seven questions a project manager would be asked in an interview. It got me thinking about what I would be asking
Are You a Micromanager?
I am sure that if I pose this question to a group of 100 managers and leaders, barely a few will put their hands up. Micromanagers either don’t know that