Insight Out : Big Ideas for the Modern Entrepreneur

The Secret Skills of Successful Project Managers - Kory Kogon

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Ever had to lead a project without being the official leader? Lots of people have. Today, unofficial project managers are like secret heroes. But how do they do it without the fancy title or training? Let's find out together.

In today’s episode of the Insight Out podcast, I am joined by Kory Kogon, Vice President and Content Development and Bestselling Author at FranklinCovey. 

During our conversation, we talk about her book ⁠Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager⁠ and insights on project management and leadership. Kogon emphasizes the importance of leading people, setting clear expectations, and effectively closing projects. She advocates for learning from retrospectives and choosing the right project management tools that align with project principles. Kogon also discusses the integration of waterfall and agile methodologies, stressing the significance of aligning projects with organizational values. She concludes by highlighting the mindset of value, people, and process as the key to success for project managers.


In this episode, you will learn the following:

  • Understanding the productivity paradox in the knowledge worker era
  • The significance of leading with clarity and purpose, regardless of position
  • The benefits of conducting retrospectives for continuous learning and improvement
  • Key to success for unofficial project managers
  • Advice on choosing project management tools that align with key principles
  • The value plus people plus process mindset


    • In This Episode:

    • [03:14] - Introducing the productivity paradox
    • [04:14] - Changes in society and productivity
    • [06:25] - Tips for making high-value decisions 
    • [06:36] - The five choices for project management
    • [08:18] - Update on of the book
    • [10:11] - Unofficial project managers and their challenges
    • [11:55] - Pitfalls causing project failures
    • [14:15] - Tips to improve engagement 
    • [19:36] - Discoveries and surprises in research
    • [23:50] - Self-awareness and Leadership
    • [24:54] - Actionable insights from the book
    • [27:33] - Postmortem and debrief
    • [30:59] - Selecting project management tools
    • [35:15] - Blending Waterfall and Agile
    • [38:16] - Defining value in project management
    • [41:46] - Leadership Mindset in Project Management


      • Notable Quotes

      • [04:37] "Now we're in the knowledge worker world where we're paid to think, innovate, create, and execute." -Kogon

        •  

        • [04:51] “It's no longer about time management. It's more about how do I make the best decisions” -Kogon


          • [14:34] “The overarching mindset for a leader needs to be that it's the value of the project plus people plus process equals project success.”-Kogon


            • [29:16] "Recognizing people and letting them know that they did a good job lights up their brain more than if you gave them cash."- Kogon


              •  [[42:19] “If you want to change behavior or little, work on your behaviors, but if you want quantum leaps in behavior, work on your mindset.” -Kogon


                • Resources and Links

                Kory Kogon

                • ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kory-kogon/⁠
                • ⁠https://www.franklincovey.com/⁠


                  • Billy Samoa 

                  • https://www.instagram.com/billysamoa/
                  • https://www.youtube.com/@BillySamoa
                  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/billysamoa/


                    • Mentioned Book

                    • ⁠Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager⁠

                      • This is an encore episode and was originally published on March 2, 2024

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