Ask Cadence: The Project Management Podcast

The Cadence scholarship program for educators, in partnership with the PMI Education Foundation, has been a boon to teachers and administrators looking to bridge practical business and organizational skills with curricula. Join Connie Plowman and guest Denise Tischler to discuss her experience in the Cadence PM course, and how she will be using her new skills as a principal and administrator.

This time, we take on culture. Building off our on-going discussion on behavioral models for individuals and teams, John Patton and Pete Wright discuss the importance of defining and understanding cultural behavioral profiles in project management in light of the ever-increasing demands on teams to work in geographically and culturally diverse project environments.

This time, we take on groups. Building off our discussion last week on individual behavior models, John Patton and Scott Lissit introduce group behavior dynamics and outline critical strategies for project managers who are bogged down by the discomfort that can come in the early phases of team development.

This time we dive into human behavior. For project managers, helping team members understand and quantify their strengths can be a critical asset in guiding the team to delivering results. John Patton and Scott Lissit introduce key behavioral models and instruments, and discuss how to apply them judiciously in individual and team development.

Setting responsibilities for delivering results in project management is critical for success on teams, but even more important for the management support hierarchy around projects. John Patton joins Pete Wright to discuss the key principles and responsibilities that each role must take on to ensure consistent success on projects.

The CAPM certification from the Project Management Institute was originally fashioned as a milestone in the development of the professional project manager. But John Patton has a different take on the cert, one that positions team members as better prepared and supported team members, armed with the right tools to deliver project results for the team. John joins Pete Wright to talk about the importance of the certification on Ask Cadence.

IIn part 7 of our special, “19 Techniques for managing people who do not report to you,” Jay Christensen and Rod Sharman discuss problem solving and managing progress of critical tasks. After 7 discussion episodes on our 19 Techniques, we share some reflections on managing the people side of projects, and the importance of balance across key management disciplines in the best project managers.

In part 6 of our special, “19 Techniques for managing people who do not report to you,” Jay Christensen and Rod Sharman discuss how project managers can manage difficult people on their teams. Through rapport-building exercises social activities, communication study, and functional management involvement, you’ll have a suite of tools to use to build a tighter team and keep the project moving forward.

In part 5 of our special, “19 Techniques for managing people who do not report to you,” Jay Christensen and Rod Sharman discuss the importance of using facts and data in supporting positions on projects, how you can encourage critical thinking in your team, and what you need to do to support your team members in removing obstacles standing in the way of getting their work done.

In part 4 of our special, “19 Techniques for managing people who do not report to you,” Jay Christensen and Rod Sharman discuss task definition, specifically around critical impact tasks, and how to manage these tasks in a way that encourages action and progress.