Blog Posts
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
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
Do Your People Consider You to be Inspiring?
(This blog is an update on the first version published in 2014) I have been working through an article from Forbes.com this summer that listed the top 10 qualities that
What Does Leadership Mean to You?
“Leadership is about thinking beyond yourself and being able to understand a strategy in which to take care of, care for and lead a community that has asked you to
Leadership is Earned – Not Awarded
first published Feb., 2020 Respect, trust and loyalty are earned over time. We have heard this many times before. And then in walks the new boss and within the first
It Is Time to Review the Plan
For some, the summer is a great time to relax, rejuvenate and get ready for September. The new season promises new projects, new challenges and new energy. For me, the
Scale it Down
(edited from an origin post May, 2014) Have you ever watched someone use a canon to kill a fly? Use a software program to solve a problem that really
5 Tips for Your Next ‘Lessons Learned’ Session
5 Tips for Your Next ‘Lessons Learned’ Session First published May, 2017. I posted a mention of an article this week called “10 DOs That We DON’T in Project
Working with a Disengaged Team
First published Feb., 2019 I have been watching a friend struggle recently as she tries to manage a team of people who were not engaged. Read… ‘they really didn’t care’.
Be a Better Listener
Good listening skills are imperative in any business (or personal) environment. Poor listening skills gives off a terrible message to the receiver and puts everyone at risk. https://davidbarrett.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Barrett-on-Listening-Skills.mp4
To Be Successful You Must Be Seen
I presented to the Project Management Association of Canada yesterday, my ‘Taking Our Careers to the Next Level” speech, wherein I encouraged people to get out there, be different and
Who Needs a Strong Project Execution Culture?
If you can finally admit that strong project management is a core to your organization’s success, then YOU need a strong project execution culture. A 5 minute watch. Enjoy.
Put Process in Your Communications
George Pitagorsky published an article recently in ProjectTimes.com entitled Project Management | Putting the Power of Process Thinking into Action. In it, George encourages and promotes the concept of process
Make the First Five Minutes Count
You have an appointment with your new project sponsor, potential customer, or new partner. You have never met them before. What does the first 5 minutes of your first meeting
How Do You Encourage Candor in the Workspace?
Originally published April 2015. Tony Gareri is the CEO of Roma Moulding in the Toronto area. He submitted a well-crafted article about candor to the Globe and Mail Leadership Lab in
Are You Able to Say “It’s Time to Bail”?
Many will tell you that the sign of a great leader is a positive attitude, regardless of what is thrown at them. I prefer to suggest that the sign of
What is a Sponsor Charter?
The relationship between the project sponsor and the project manager, or project leader, is extremely important and yet we spend so little time making sure we get it right. We
Give Permission to Share Bad News
My friend Scott sent me a link this week to a great article from Harvard Business Review entitled “Are You Really Listening?”. Please read it. https://hbr.org/2021/03/are-you-really-listening?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=hbr&utm_source=twitter&tpcc=orgsocial_edit At its core, it
6 Things You Can Do Today to Prepare for Leadership Tomorrow
Project management people make great leaders. Not overnight, but eventually. Maybe within the project management space, but more than likely, outside their current comfort zone and within a more operational,
Do You Know an Accidental Project Manager?
Barb works for a local financial services company. Her title is Manager, Operations and Support. I can tell you all about what she is but let’s focus on the critical
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
What Does a Project Management Office Look Like?
Someone recently asked me about a one-day seminar on building a Project Management Office (PMO). I told them that there could be no greater waste of time than to get
Things Good Leaders Do – They Stay in Touch
(first published in August, 2016) My friend Roy Osing was describing great leaders in a Globe and Mail article a few years ago. He wrote, “Great leaders place a priority
Should You Ignore your Weaknesses and Leverage Your Strengths?
Our local newspaper here in Toronto carried an article recently by Harvey Schachter entitled “Ten Flawed Leadership Gems”. He was quoting from a blog by Dan McCarthy out of the
I Only Read the First Three Sentences!
First published May, 2016 We all read a lot of long documents: proposals, reports, stories etc. Or at least we are asked to read them. The truth is we often
What Is a Project Execution Culture?
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. Lately I’ve been very
Do You Have a Mentor?
I have a brother who was a senior lawyer and managing partner at a Canadian law firm. A few years before his retirement, he mentioned that he had a coach
Humility is One Attribute That No Leader Should Do Without
I woke up this week with an ego that I was not happy with. It was getting me into trouble, making me argumentative, putting special relationships at risk and generally
You Are Now in Charge of The Vaccine Distribution Program
Some people thought I was a little harsh on Agile last week in my post Agile is Not Replacing Waterfall. If you didn’t read it, I suggested that Agile was
Agile is Not Replacing Waterfall
I had a good friend challenge me this past week about Agile and why everyone is getting so excited. He thought that I would be able to explain and justify