Project Management Insights
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
Do You Have An I KNOW Mindset?
23 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Do you stop listening to other people or think that you have the answer so you don't need to hear what they have to say? Maybe you are living in your ...
Why Clear Communication Is The Key To Project Success
16 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We underestimate the value of good and clear communication on project success. We may think that we're clear and we're not. We may communicate and it ...
How Are You Managing The Potential Problems On Your Project
11 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What potential problems do you think will occur on your project and how do you monitor them during the life of your project? Potential problems can de...
How To Get Your Project Back On Track
02 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Is your project off-track? Do you have scope, schedule and budget blow out? In this episode, I walk you through HOW to bring it back on track. It's pr...
Do You Have The PERFECT Project Team?
25 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How perfect is your project team? Do you consider that often times they aren't perfect or good enough to do the job for you? Let's look at what it tak...
Do You Praise Your Project Team In The Most Valuable Way
18 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
All praise isn't equal, did you realise that? Why waste your time delivering praise that is not in the form your team member wants? Save yourself time...
Four Practices To Support Self Motivation In Your Team
11 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jim Collins talked about four practices that support a culture where self-motivation flourishes. I want to share these four practices and explain why ...
What Is The Impact Of Over Complicating Or Simplifying Too Much
04 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when you over-complicate what is required to complete a task? Do you understand how this impact on your schedule and team members? And if...
How Do You Rate As A Project Manager?
28 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
On a scale of 3 - 20 how would you rate yourself as a Project Manager? Let's see how you rate on my scale of 0-20 for the things that you do and how y...
How To Stop Your Busy Mind and Focus
21 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What is your level of 'mind chatter' - 10, 7 or 4? You know what I mean, the constant stream of thoughts that don't stop, even when you are trying to ...
How To Manage Difficult Team Members
14 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Difficult team members can respond in a passive-aggressive manner when they don't get their needs met; they can be a blocker and tell you the negative...
What To Do When Your Communication Style Doesn't Work
07 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What communication style do you use with your team? Aggressive, passive, dictatorial or basically unclear. None of these styles works to get what you ...
How To Manage Your Project Control Board Members
30 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Are you having difficulty managing your Project Control Board members? Are they working for you or against you? Let's talk about the best way to manag...
Why It's Of Value To Be The One Person That Speaks Up And Says NO
25 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A decision needs to be made. Your gut is telling you that this doesn't feel right and what do you do? Go along with the consensus. Is that really the ...
Where Is Your Bias And How It Impacts Your Project
09 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Do you have a bias towards the authority figures on your project? Or is your bias in keeping the peace no matter what is happening? Let's talk about t...
Tips For Negotiating When You Want To Win
03 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
You want something from a team member and you go in with either the attitude that they won't do it for you, OR you're right and they are wrong and so ...
Why Don't You Ask For Help?
26 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Asking for help isn't something that comes naturally, especially when you believe that it is YOUR job to deliver the project. Let's talk about WHY you...
Do You Have A Positive Team Culture?
19 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Let's talk about team culture. Is your culture combative? I will share my ideas on how to deal with that. Maybe it is cohesive. Then it's important to...
How To Deal With Miscommunication
05 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We all know that miscommunication costs us. Rework. Disagreement. Everyone working in different directions. Here are some ways to manage miscommunicat...
Don't Handover To BAU It Is A Waste Of Time
26 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Here are five really good reasons why it is a waste of time handing over to BAU. I am sure you have thought at least one of them, haven't you? Maybe i...
Why Internal Agreements Are Necessary For Your Project
19 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Have you thought about engaging the teams that will work on your project delivery at the Concept phase of your project? What if you set up a formal ag...
How To Deal With Complacent Team Members
12 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
They disrupt your project by being complacent and not really engaging with either the team nor their work. Sure, it gets done, but in their own time a...
How to Manage Power Struggles On A Project Team
09 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Power struggles on your project? Not helpful, are they? Here are some tips and ideas on how to manage them in order for you all to be heading in the s...
What To Expect From Specific Project Roles
31 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Last week I talked about some people who could work on your project, this week I explore more roles and what to expect from them, including what to lo...
Definition Of The Roles On A Project Team
25 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What are the different roles on a project team? What their responsibilities? All roles might not be relevant for your project and if they are at least...
Risky Project Estimation, Do You Do It?
15 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Do you create a risk for your project by not working with the right people to gain your project estimates? Do the skilled people give you estimates an...
Don't Touch Your Contingency Fund
18 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Your contingency fund is an emergency fund and should therefore only be used for emergencies. Let's talk contingency so you better understand it. #Con...
Gather Feedback or Fail
11 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Are you gathering feedback from those involved in your Project? Feedback and evaluating where you are as a team, and as a project on a whole is a valu...
Forget PIRs They Are A Waste Of Time
04 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Forget Post Implementation Reviews (PIR's) I say, they are a complete waste of everyone's time. Unless you do these six things and understand a PIR's ...
11 Ways to Lower Your Stress Levels
27 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Feeling stressed seems like a normal part of your day to day world, doesn't it? Here are 11 ways to help alleviate some of that stress so you can func...
How To Really Listen To Someone Else
20 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Do you notice that you don't really listen when someone speaks to you? Your mind is off worrying about the next meeting, or the email you need to writ...
Why Leading Your Team Is Not Easy
13 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Have you thought about HOW you lead your team when there are tasks to be completed? Here are four ways of giving instructions to see why we aren't get...
Get Rid of Your Project Control Board
06 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Most Project Control Boards or PCB's do not contain the right people with the right authority levels. Let's talk about who should be on your Project C...
How Is Your Productivity?
30 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
How efficiently are you using your time? Do you understand how efficiently your team members are using their time? Time equals money on your project. ...
Do You Have The Right Business Requirements?
23 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The right Business Requirements create a stable foundation for your project along with the Business Case. What makes the 'right' requirements? Here ar...
12 Things That Make You a Bad Project Manager
22 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Here is my list of 12 things that make you a bad Project Manager. Do you do any of these? The best thing is that these are habits and behaviours that ...
Ineffective Habits of Successful Leaders
16 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Are you aware that you have habits or things that you do without even thinking? What if I told you that doing these things doesn't help you to be seen...
Do You Have A RACI Matrix For Your Project?
06 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to identifying and understanding how to communicate with your stakeholders the best tool you can use is a RACI Matrix. R = Responsible. ...
How Clear Is Your Communication?
29 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We often THINK we're clear in our communication, but are we? More times than not I find we use extra words or assume someone understands what we're ta...
4 Steps To Get Your Schedule Back On Track
15 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Is your schedule off track? Here are four steps you can follow to get it back ON track. #ProjectManagement #Projects #Business
Why Being Too Focused Is Not Valuable
08 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Being too focused is a detriment. I say that because you become so narrow in the way you see things that you are not able to see there are others on t...
Keys To Writing A Strong Business Case
01 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
You may not have had to write too many Business Cases. Naturally, then you aren't aware of what makes a business case strong. And when I say strong I ...
5 Ways To Get Team Members On Side
25 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What you want on any project team is all of the team members onside. Why? So everyone is working towards the same end goal; successful delivery of you...
How To Ask Questions That Get You A Response
25 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Often we ask questions and don't get a response, or at least not the one we wanted. Here are tips and ideas for how to ask questions that will g...
7 Skills Of A Strong Leader
18 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
If you display these 7 skills then you would be considered a strong leader by your team. Isn't that how you want to be seen? #Leadership #...
Testing On a Project Is Really About Your Reputation
11 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
You do realize that testing on an IT system project has little to do with the actual testing itself and more to do with your reputation? Why do ...
7 Ways To Engage A Project Sponsor
04 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It is very important that your Project Sponsor is engaged and fully supporting you and the project. Here are 7 different ways that you can make that h...
3 Reasons Why People Don't Act
21 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
And no, I'm not talking about Grammy Award acting. I am talking about taking action to do what is needed for the successful delivery of your project. ...
Busting The Myth - You Need To Be In Control Of Everything
13 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We all know that Project Managers are more often than not control freaks, right? Perhaps not all of them, yet there is a myth that as the Project Mana...
How To Manage Your Issues So They Don't Become Risks
06 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Issues arise on a project, that's a given. The problem is when those issues turn into risks. That's the last thing you want happening on your project....
How Solid Is Your Project Scope?
15 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
A project scope that is not clearly defined is cause for trouble on any project. Without clearly defined boundaries to work in work will be done that ...
7 Ways To Upset Someone On Your Team
08 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
A crazy topic I know and yet we often find that people get upset easily. Have you stopped to think why? Here are 7 different things that you might be ...
Managing Budget Nightmares - Vendor Overspending
01 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What mechanisms do you have in place to manage any budget nightmares that might arise? I want to talk specifically about vendor overspend in this epis...
Ways To Fix Your Resourcing Problems
30 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Your project can't possibly be delivered successfully when you have resourcing problems. Here are some different ways to get the resources you need in...
Time Management Tips
25 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We all know how hectic life can be. There never seems to be enough time to get everything done. Here are some simple tips your can implement to at lea...
How To Bring Different Team Views Together
25 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With team members from different areas in the business, or outside vendors, who all have perspectives that aren't aligning, it's not always easy to ma...
What! No Business Case?
25 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
You've just been given a project only to find there is no Business Case. Now, what do you do? Here is a way to get agreement on what needs...
Let's Get Raw About Risk Management
18 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Risks can be of great benefit to us if we are willing to see them that way. Did you call out risks in your Business Case? Maybe if you didn't yo...
How To Manage Your Issues
11 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Issues management is easy when you know-how. Let me explain the process that I've used to manage issues. It's easy and works well to capture, track an...
How's Your Schedule?
04 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What state is your schedule in? Is everything on track and you're totally smashing delivery? Or are some of your tasks that are slipping a...
Why It's Of Value To Pick Up the Phone
19 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Picking up the phone can be the simplest way to reconnect with a team member. It's much more personal than sending an email. What I found is picking u...
How To Re-establish Trust With Your Team
12 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Trust is one of those things that isn't always easy to gain. Once you lose someone's trust it's not easy to get it back. Unless you know-how. Here are...
The Importance of Having the Right Project Foundations
22 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
What do I mean by 'Project Foundations'? I'm talking about things such as a strong Business Case and Business Requirements. You wouldn't c...
Why Conflict On a Project Team Is Great
15 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
You probably think I'm crazy, right? You hate conflict and for me to say it's great, I must be crazy. Hear me out. When you have conflict do you notic...
Tips For Making Risk Management Easy
08 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Risk Management can be easy if you come at it from the right way. Engaging everyone on the team in risk management, for one thing, will help. Start co...
How To Engage Your Project Sponsor
01 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Having your Project Sponsor fully on board and supporting you and the project you are managing is key. There are a number of things you can do to enga...
Try Exception Reporting For Your Project
24 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
How long does it take you to prepare your weekly or monthly Project Reports? I'm guessing quite a while if you follow the standard reporting pro...
Why Change Management Is Important For Your Project Success
17 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Change management is all about getting people on board with a change. And given that the project you are managing is all about making a change for the...
How To Get Your Message Across To Team Members
10 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
People take in information in different ways. Have you thought about that? Having a conversation with one person might have them clear and understandi...
The Core Skills You Are Missing As a Project Manager
03 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Do you think that by undertaking our PMI training you have all the skills necessary to be a great Project Manager? That's not quite true. There ...