In episode 416, Ben Breen of the Project Management Institute (PMI) joins the show from Australia. Ben is the Global Director of Construction at PMI and he discusses his background in international construction and the leadership principles that have guided his career from construction student, builder, consultant, and leader within PMI.

Ben describes how to best learn from mentors around you and why the industry should ditch the phrase “soft skills” for “power skills” to describe the suite of leadership behaviors that include intentional listening, empathy, and servant leadership. Ben closes by detailing the value of the PMI Construction Professional certification (PMI-CP)™.

Project Management Institute (PMI) is the world's leading association for those who consider project, program or portfolio management their profession. Through global advocacy, collaboration, education and research, PMI works to prepare more than three million professionals around the world for the Project Economy: the coming economy in which work, and individuals, are organized around projects

Chapters

01:02 Passion for Construction and Architecture

03:34 Key Leadership Principles

06:27 Making Tough Decisions as a Leader

09:13 Developing Soft Skills in Project Managers

11:27 The Importance of Power Skills

12:45 What Not to Do in Developing Project Managers

14:11 The Role of Zooming In and Out as a Leader

20:22 PMI's Role in the Construction Industry

 

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