Join hosts Merv Jersak and Tim Jerome as they delve into strategies to enhance project delivery by focusing on adaptability and flexibility. This episode covers tips on breaking down tasks, staying updated with industry trends, building a community of experts, cultivating a growth mindset, and employing critical thinking. The discussion also highlights the importance of emotional intelligence, maintaining a positive attitude, and the role of mentorship in fostering adaptability. Listeners are encouraged to implement these techniques to improve their project management skills and outcomes.

Main Take-Aways

Tips, tools, and techniques for enhancing your ability to adapt and flex with changes that challenge your project execution:

1)     break activities into more doable tasks

2)     stay abreast of industry trends and changing technology

3)     build a community of experts

4)     cultivate a growth mindset

5)     remind team of past achievements and help build their confidence

6)     enhance adaptability and flexibility to improve critical thinking and problem-solving

7)     remain calm under pressure

8)     perform acts of kindness

9)     use time management principles

10)  develop your coping mechanisms

11)  have an attitude and mindset of developing a balanced life

12)  be a mentor

13)  develop stronger emotional intelligence skills

14)  practice adaptability and flexibility with scenarios planning and role playing

Show Notes

Today’s Project Managers Coffee Chat: Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Applying the Skills of Adaptability and Flexibility

00:27 Introducing tips, tools, and techniques for exploring and applying adaptability and flexibility as you lead your projects.

00:59 Tim begins by suggesting that you break large project activities into more achievable tasks for more flexibility in completing project work.

01:58 Merv reminds you that change is inevitable, and that staying abreast of industry trends will prepare you to be adaptable to whatever change occurs.

02:45 Tim has built a community of experts helps you stay abreast of industry trends and technological changes.

03:29 Merv suggests that cultivating a growth mindset to learn from setbacks and seek to be adaptable will improve your knowledge and skills needed for career advancement. This includes leaving your comfort zone and being flexible in your willingness to take on new risks.

05:20 Tim offers two quick tips: reminding your team of past accomplishments and lessons learned, and building their confidence in being flexible and adaptable as they engage on the project.

06:18 Merv states that developing your adaptability and flexibility enhances your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

08:18 Merv then recommends that you remain calm under pressure to enhance your ability to apply better flexibility and adaptability in solving project challenges.

08:49 Tim has observed that you can strengthen your adaptability and flexibility skills through acts of kindness and acknowledging the humanness of those around you.

09:52 Merv’s use of effective time management principles has given him more flexibility in his scheduling and in making room for those unexpected changes that must be dealt with.

12:32 Merv adds to his earlier assertion of staying calm under pressure by recommending that you develop your coping mechanisms to be able to take advantage of situations requiring adaptability and flexibility.

14:35 Tim and Merv both agree that the attitude of a balanced life – rather than attempting to adhere to a work-life balance is more attainable, and provides the flexibility you need to adjust to the variances of project life. It’s attitude and mindset.

16:54 Tim uses an example from his own mentor to lead your team to better decisions through mentorship, teaching them to be adaptable in their ability to handle change.

18:03 Merv recalls how emotional intelligence leads to more adaptability and flexibility as we improve our self-awareness and empathy towards our team members, and are able to flex and adapt to the situation.

19:08 Merv then offers the use of scenario planning and role playing to continue to develop your flexibility and adaptability in given project situations.