Projects and Systems Podcast: Recent Episodes
Projects and Systems Podcast
Concise, practical tips about project management and process improvement from the real world. Each episode is 10-minutes or less.
Is there such a thing as being over-prepared? And if so, can it be dangerous? In today's episode I explain why the answer is, "Yes!" to both questions.
Ever think you're doing the right thing, only to find out it was precisely wrong? Today I talk about how we do that in our organizations.
One reason why you may not be getting the results you expect in your projects, is that your standard of what it takes to hit excellence is far too low. What you think it takes to get an A+ on your paper, might really be what it takes to get a C+, or a B-.
When you estimate what you can pull off in the next iteration, are you basing that on a running average? Or the reality of the moment?
Are you inadvertantly creating your own bottlenecks? In this episode, I discuss one common way this can happen, and what to do about it.
There's a time for dreaming, and then there's a time to get our feet firmly back on the ground. As PM's, we need to guide our teams to meet project objectives with our existing resources.
I know it's comfortable to speak in generalities and, "We might want to's..." and, "...Maybe we should consider's...". There's a time for that in the beginning. But then, we need to put that verbiage behind us and hold ourselves to a higher standard of speaking clearly and directly.
How a little bit of situational awareness, up front, can help us avoid taking our project teams on unnecessary side trips that cause delays and lower morale.
A quick tip on something that often confuses people using Agile/Scrum to manage their projects.
As project managers we are paid to hit the objective--even if that means getting there in a way that wasn't part of our original plan.
When we're trying to adopt a new methodology at work, and we hit some friction, we sometimes jump to the conclusion (pun intended) that we chose the wrong approach. That can happen, but more often we just have not given it time to really sink in.
When we try and take shortcuts, it ends up taking longer. When we're deliberate, and we take the time it takes, that's as fast as that task can be done.
Episode 043 - Three questions our team members are asking themselves by Projects and Systems Podcast
How often have you been frustrated by last-minute changes in your project scope? In today's episode I shed some light on why that happens, and how we need to anticipate vs. complain about changes.
Sometimes we act like some policies or ways of doing things are just givens--something we just need to work around. However, often they are not as permanent as we think, and the real solution is to just tear it down.
Can you and your project measure up to the equivalent of what my general contractor is doing on my home remodel?
Ever get frustrated as to why all of your process improvement efforts just don't seem to move the needle? You know you're doing the right things, but can't figure out why you don't see the results? This quick listen may be the answer you're looking for.
One key mindset and skill we need to develop as PM’s is to be willing to question all assumptions and achieve the objective in creative ways.
How did that project that has been, "Doing just great!" for the past several weeks just go into panic mode so quickly--and with no notice?! Chances are, it's been getting worse for a while, but you haven't been getting the straight story from your team. In today's episode, I talk about four reasons why this often happens, and one, key way to avoid it.
Frustrated by seeing your project teams work really hard, but never get anything done? In this episode we talk about the most common reason for why this happens and how to fix it.
Have you ever been frustrated because you have to chase down your project manager for basic project information? Embarrassed when you can't put your finger on the latest project update in a few clicks? This is for you.
If I told you there was a literal fortune sitting nearby, what would you do? What if you had to move a mountain to get it? That's a real situation here in the present-day Salt Lake Valley.
I found myself explaining a four-part framework to my 13-year old in order to help him with his algebra word problem homework one night, and then a few days later sitting in a meeting to learn about a new project I'll be overseeing, and using almost the exact same framework. This is the quick story of how these two dots connect.
Today I take you on location with me as my boys and I prepare to go fly fishing up a local canyon. We talk about how we have the "game" of what time management is backwards sometimes, and how we might need to slow down in order to be more productive.
In today's episode I describes a common frustration I see with how people try to manage their time, and offer a suggestion on how to incorporate a few tricks from the old paper planner days using modern tools.
Today we talk about a very useful tool that helps you reframe your work when you need to prepare a project schedule. Listen to this, and stop the procrastination! It's not that bad. Really! And join me over on my new website: www.RandyCox.tv for a new, free, online mini course!
When you start studying how to improve the flow of a system, you start seeing opportunities for improvement everywhere--including the McDonalds drive through! Be sure to visit RandyCox.tv for a free worksheet you can download after the episode.