In this week's episode, Ricardo explores a crucial concept for achieving successful project delivery: "swallowing the fish."

This idea, originating from the book "Technology as a Service Playbook" by Thomas Lah and JB Wood, is represented by a graph that forms the shape of a fish, depicting a decline in revenue and an increase in expenses.

Ricardo applies this analogy to projects and transformations, emphasizing that challenges will outweigh results throughout the journey, but will eventually diminish as the project nears completion.

He closes the episode discussing how important it is to understand this moment and how to be persistent and resilient to "swallow the fish" and not "throw it up" because if we do that, we are only getting the challenges of the "pain" and no benefit with the "gain."

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Why Do We Need to Learn How to Swallow the Fish if We Want to Deliver Successful Projects?

Since 2007, Ricardo Vargas publishes the 5 Minutes Podcast where he addresses in a quick and practical way the main topics on project, portfolio and risk management.

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In this episode, Ricardo talks about the challenges and crises in project management. He emphasizes that projects naturally encounter difficulties, such as delays, stakeholder issues, and risks, which are manageable. A crisis occurs when these challenges exceed the ability to deal with them, necessitating significant changes in behavior and approach. Ricardo warns against confusing daily challenges with crises, as living in a constant crisis leads to unsustainable stress levels. He also highlights the importance of distinguishing between everyday challenges and actual crises, managing the latter with a specific approach.

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*AI-generated image via PMOtto.ai on ChatGPT.

Navigating the Fog: Is This a Project Crisis or Just a Challenge?

In this episode, Ricardo talks about findings from the "Stanford University AI Index Report," which emphasizes the advantages that industry has over academia in AI research, the efficacy of AI in specific activities, and the high expense of creating sophisticated models. Although regulation is still in its infancy, the US leads the way. While AI boosts efficiency, it can also lead to reliance. Artificial Intelligence accelerates scientific development while raising knowledge and concerns about its effects. Using ChatGPT, Ricardo examines the lengthy report and emphasizes how helpful it is for comprehending AI trends. The report provides insightful information and is free.

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You can access the report at this link: https://aiindex.stanford.edu/report/

Making Sense of the Stanford University AI Index Report 2024

In this episode, Ricardo talks about the importance of soft skills in project management, noting their relevance since the inception of the PMBOK guide in 1996. The 7th edition introduces a principles-based approach, diverging from the process-based structure of the 6th edition. This change facilitates a holistic understanding, which is particularly beneficial to those preparing for PMP and CAPM certification. Ricardo highlights that soft skills, such as leadership and adaptability, are deeply rooted in human behavior and essential for the success of the project. He encourages listeners to recognize that the PMBOK guide is not the only repository of project management knowledge, advocating a comprehensive understanding beyond exam requirements.

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Myth or Reality: Were Human Skills Only Highlighted in PMBOK Guide 7th Edition?

In this episode, Ricardo talks about "management by exception" in PRINCE2 methodology, which encourages communication and action only in exceptional cases, saving time on routine updates. As an example, meetings are only called when there is a significant delay, a cost overrun, or a risk that is about to happen. Teams can focus on project work when communication is streamlined. Ricardo accentuates project success over meticulous management processes. "Management by exception" can be used with both Agile and waterfall methods, which makes project discussion more efficient. Ricardo suggests using it when making project communication strategies, highlighting the benefits of time savings and increased focus for the team.

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*PRINCE2® = PRojects in Controlled Environments

The Power of Managing By Exception to Control Project Variations

In this episode, Ricardo discusses how even small projects like assembling IKEA furniture can become overwhelming if not planned and executed efficiently. He highlights the need for attention, commitment, and streamlined communication to prevent such tasks from accumulating and disrupting larger goals. Planning, dedicating time, avoiding multitasking, and maintaining clear communication with stakeholders are vital strategies for these minor yet impactful challenges. By addressing these small tasks promptly and effectively, individuals can focus on more significant endeavors, avoiding unnecessary stress and complications in both personal and professional spheres.

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Why Do We Need to Learn How to Swallow the Fish if We Want to Deliver Successful Projects?

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