Join hosts Merv Jersak and Tim Jerome as they delve into the critical trait of communication for IT project managers, exploring why it is essential for work execution and stakeholder engagement. They discuss the importance of planned and structured communication, sharing models and strategies for your teams. Tune in as they share insightful quotes, practical tips, and personal experiences to help project leaders enhance their communication skills for better project outcomes.

Main Take-Aways

Communication truly is the lifeline of project management, and project managers must learn to communicate well and effectively:

• communication is purposeful, requiring thought and strategy
• a communication plan is an essential governing document for projects
• the sender-receiver model is applicable to how project managers need to understand communication, including handling the noise that is an inevitable part of communication
• communication is clear, specific, non-ambiguous; also factual, accurate, precise
• communication that is sent out must be acknowledged as having been received (and understood)

Show Notes

Today’s Project Managers Coffee Chat: Enhancing Project Management with Effective Communication

00:27 Summary recap of the flow of Season 4 by reminding you that the first few podcasts covered leadership for project managers as an umbrella topic, with following podcasts covering individual traits that enhance the project manager’s effectiveness. Last week’s shows covered collaboration. This week begins with communication.

01:33 Merv shares a quote that he just read the morning of this podcast: “When I talk to managers, I get the feeling they're important.  When I talk to leaders, I get the feeling I'm important.” (Alexander der Heijer)

02:17 The importance of purposefully building communication into the project to effectively get the work done and to create engagement. Communication requires thought and strategy.

04:47 The requirement to have a communication plan for every project, built into the project schedule, whether formal or informal.

09:33 A description of the sender-receiver model for communication, and its applicability to project communication.

13:03 An explanation for “noise” that enters into the communication model, and how it disrupts communication. You must be prepared to make yourself understood even with “noise” in the system.

14:27 Developing communication methods to ensure clarity, specificity, non-ambiguity in project communication.

16:49 The importance of receiving acknowledgment of our communication from the persons you are communicating to.

17:52 Communicating factually, accurately, precisely without exaggeration or embellishment. Communicating appropriately and at the correct levels.

19:49 Concluding thoughts on effective communication and on subject matter for future podcasts on the topic of communication.