In this episode, hosts Merv Jersak and Tim Jerome consider the importance of discipline, time management, and prioritization in project management. They discuss how these characteristics, though often considered process-oriented, are crucial leadership traits that contribute to successful project delivery. The conversation covers practical examples of implementing discipline and effective time management, especially in remote working scenarios, and emphasizes the need for project managers to lead by example. The hosts also explore the concept of self-regulation and its impact on maintaining focus and efficiency in project management.

Main Take-Aways

Project managers tend to think of discipline, time management, and prioritization as process-oriented skills that they need to help manage project tasks more effectively. However, these should also be considered as leadership attributes to more holistically lead all aspects of your projects – indeed, all aspects of your life even outside of the office. Consider:

• definition of discipline, time management, and prioritization in the broader concept of leadership
• application of these three attributes in remote work situations
• the interconnectedness of these three attributes
• consideration of discipline as the attribute that initiates time management and prioritization
• employing these three attributes to build trust and reliability within your teams
• the importance of applying these attributes to the daily discipline of less experienced project managers to build their experience and effectiveness
• the importance of spending the necessary time to develop these characteristics
• leading by example

Show Notes

Today’s Project Managers Coffee Chat: The Discipline Diaries: Navigating Time and Priorities

 

00:30 Introducing the topic of discipline, time management, and prioritization as important aspects of your leadership attributes or characteristics – not just process-oriented skills that we learn.

02:04 A brief definition of discipline, time management, and prioritization.

02:44 A deeper dive into the leadership attribute of discipline, using an example of its effectiveness in a remote working situation.

03:38 The importance of task lists and adhering to a time management approach with prioritization.

04:10 The three attributes are interconnected, a commonality, all working together to making your teams more efficient and productive.

06:22 Discipline as perhaps the most important of the three attributes, as time management and prioritization naturally follow from a disciplined approach to project management.

09:21 Exploring how these three attributes contribute to building trust and reliability within your project teams.

11:44 Recommending approaches for less experienced project managers to effectively apply discipline, time management, and prioritization as part of your daily approach to leading teams.

14:51 The importance of developing these attributes within yourself, even if it requires self-learning outside of your day-to-day responsibilities. These leadership characteristics are necessary, in addition to your capabilities to complete project tasks as part of your daily responsibilities.

16:39 Self-control and self-regulation as a discipline in managing your work and your teams’ work in a virtual working environment.

19:31 Leading by example in your application of discipline, time management, and prioritization.