APM Project Management Training

2. Governance arrangements - This podcast discusses governance structures as a framework of authority and accountability for the delivery of a project, which align with organisational practice, and covers:

a) Knowledge of different types of permanent and temporary organisation structures and their features (including functional, matrix, and project),and that an organisation's governance approach will inform the approach used for a project.

b) Why there are distinct roles within project management and what the responsibilities of each role are (including users, project team members, the project manager, the project steering group/board and the product owner), and the differences in responsibilities of the project manager and project sponsor throughout the project.

c) Why aspects of project management governance are required (such as the use of policies, regulations, functions, processes, procedures and delegated responsibilities), and the impact of a project's life cycle on its governance framework and the limits of financial authority.

d) The importance of linking projects to an organisation's objectives.

12. Leadership - This podcast discusses leadership as the way to empower and inspire others to deliver successful projects, and covers:

a) How leadership impacts on team performance and motivation (using models such as Maslow, Herzberg and McGregor).

b) Why it may be necessary to change leadership styles depending upon the situation.

c) The importance of a coaching and mentoring style in leadership, and the role of emotional intelligence.

6. Reviews - This podcast discusses how reviews are a way of gathering information to provide an assessment on the status of a project and the ongoing viability of the work, and covers:

a) The benefits of conducting reviews throughout the life cycle (including decision gates, benefits reviews and audits).

b) The factors which would typically be reported on to help ensure successful project outcomes.

c) The importance of producing information and collecting data to inform decision making and communicate actions and decisions to stakeholders.

d) Why activities may be re-planned after a review.

7. Assurance - This podcast discusses the ability of assurance to provide confidence to the governance board that a project is on track to deliver its objectives and the purpose of assurance within a project, including awareness of the scope, priorities and strategic aims of assurance activities.

8. Transition Management - This podcast discusses the integration of the outputs of a project into business-as-usual, and covers:

a) The basic requirements needed to support a successful transition, including considering business-as-usual throughout a project and planning for transition from the outset of the project.

b) The importance of knowledge transfer in the transition process, including learning from experience and continuous improvement.

c) How to engage stakeholders to agree a transition plan, including transfer of risks.

1. Life cycles - This podcast discusses the distinct life cycle stages used to structure and organise a project, and covers:

a) The distinctive features of linear, iterative and hybrid life cycles (including why projects are structured as phases in linear life cycles) and when each is applicable.

b) The differences between a project life cycle and an extended life cycle.

c) How the context and culture of an organisation, and the needs of a specific project, influence the choice of life cycle and any adaptations that may be needed to the life cycle.

d) The strengths and limitations of different life cycles.

Tools and Techniques: The podcast discusses utilizing the Tuckman model (forming, storming, norming, performing) as a framework to understand team development stages. It emphasizes the importance of trust and confidence through practical approaches like kick-off meetings, social events, and fulfilling commitments.

Leadership Behaviours: Effective leadership in project management is highlighted through the necessity of establishing trust and confidence. Leaders are advised to under-promise and over-deliver, ensure clear communication of expectations, and actively maintain commitments to build credibility within the team.

The dialogue explores the adaptation to changes in a project's environment, emphasizing the need for flexibility in leadership styles. It discusses the situational application of leadership models like Hersey and Blanchard, and Max Landsberg's skill-will model to cater to evolving team needs and environmental contexts, ensuring that team requirements and interests are continuously supported.

For maintaining an effective team, the session underscores the importance of clarity in roles and responsibilities through tools like RACI matrices and comprehensive project plans. It also suggests regular updates and adaptations to the project environment, advocating for proactive management of team dynamics and ensuring alignment with project goals through continuous development and training.

Monitoring and feedback are framed as crucial for recognizing individual contributions and guiding team progress. The discussion points out that both project-oriented and personal feedback are necessary. The former ensures that the project stays on track, while the latter supports individual development, addressing personal challenges and aligning them with project goals.

Performance management is linked directly to motivating team members by aligning individual professional growth with project goals. The conversation highlights how performance appraisals, development opportunities, and potentially even financial incentives like bonuses can enhance motivation, leading to successful project outcomes.

The podcast illustrates the concept of 'positive conflict', suggesting that controlled, constructive conflict can be beneficial. It can stimulate innovation, challenge ideas to improve project outcomes, and enhance performance through healthy competition. Moreover, resolving conflicts respectfully can strengthen team cohesiveness and trust among members.

The discussion emphasises the multifaceted nature of leadership within the context of project management, highlighting the need for leaders to exhibit ethical, flexible, inspirational, and collaborative behaviors. Ethical leadership involves openness, honesty, and integrity, ensuring transparency and trust within the team. Flexibility in leadership styles is crucial to adapt to varying team and stakeholder needs, fostering an environment where the project manager's approach evolves based on situational demands. Inspirational leadership focuses on motivating and encouraging team members towards achieving project goals, cultivating a sense of purpose and commitment. Collaborative leadership underlines the importance of engaging with the team in problem-solving and decision-making processes, promoting inclusivity and collective ownership of project outcomes.

Effective engagement with a diverse team is central to aligning individual tasks and broader project objectives. This involves utilizing tools like RACI charts to clarify roles and responsibilities, ensuring everyone understands their contribution to the project's success. The approach requires analysing different methods of engagement, identifying the pros and cons to tailor communication and leadership strategies that resonate with varied team dynamics. This segment also stresses the significance of establishing clear, tangible goals that are communicated effectively, fostering an environment where every team member is bought into the vision and motivated to contribute to the strategic objectives.

Creating an environment conducive to high performance and empowerment involves considering both the physical and cultural aspects of the workplace. This includes decisions on co-location versus virtual collaboration, which hinges on the nature of the team and project requirements. The importance of daily or regular check-ins, such as agile stand-ups, is highlighted as a means to foster communication and accountability. The discussion also touches on the significance of the project manager's role in setting up structures that facilitate performance, including the strategic use of work package descriptions and ensuring alignment with the project's objectives. Lastly, it mentions the need for a supportive culture that encourages innovation, responsibility, and collaborative problem-solving, enabling teams to thrive regardless of their geographical distribution

In this podcast, Paul Naybour and Tom O'Shea explore the complexities of benefits management within project governance, with a specific focus on the APM's PPQ qualification. They highlight the critical nature of ensuring that benefits are measurable, meaningful to stakeholders, and align with an organisation's strategic objectives. The conversation delves into developing a benefits management strategy, emphasising the importance of setting priorities, assigning responsibilities, and defining timescales.

The significance of prioritising benefits based on their contribution to strategic objectives is a key point of discussion. Naybour and O'Shea also address the creation of a benefits realisation plan, considering factors such as funding, tracking, monitoring, and scheduling. They explore strategies to maximise the achievement of planned benefits, including integrating benefit considerations into project design and management.

Throughout the podcast, the importance of project managers' understanding and active involvement in benefits management is underscored despite it not being a routine task. The speakers recommend consulting the APM's guidance on benefits management and suggest embedding benefits planning into various project stages to ensure effective project outcomes and value for the organisation. The podcast concludes with a discussion on the role of benefits management in programmes, emphasising its importance regardless of project scale or complexity.

In this podcast, Paul Naybour and Tom O'Shea discuss change control in project management, focusing on four key areas: the benefits and features of effective change control processes, methods for capturing, recording, and reviewing change options, implementing and managing approved changes, and the use of trend analysis. They emphasise the importance of understanding change control's rationale, the need for structured management approaches, and the role of trend analysis in project improvement. The discussion also highlights the challenges in adapting change control processes in dynamic project environments, underscoring the necessity of clear communication and documentation updates.