Project Management War Stories

Download PMW_0019_Opponents_Are_Key.mp3 (30MB) Understanding who your stakeholders are and how they directly or indirectly impact a project plan requires planning that will ensure the best communication and risk management strategy facilitating the navigation of the bumps project managers will face along the road. Good project managers understand that disparate groups of stakeholders need to be best aligned together to create a powerful coalition of support. More importantly, carefully managing the risk of your opponents that are often part of this equation must be diligently monitored in order to maintain stakeholder alignment. As the expression goes – “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” In this episode, we look at the relationship between stakeholder and risk management by examining the story of the Fiddler on the Roof, Cape Wind (Cape Wind opponents), and a mining project in South America. Our show is divided into two segments: In Part 1, we will be talking to industry insider, Rich Maltzman who has over 30 years of project management experience. He is a Senior Manager in a large telecom s Global Program Management Office, looking after the career path, certification, development, skills management, etc. for more than 2,000 project managers. His current projects include Scope Crepe, a delicious blog about project management and life, and Fiddler on the Project, a book to help project managers keep their balance atop the roof consisting of the traditional project constraints (time, budget, and so on) and the change brought about by the project – all while producing a tune to inspire the various stakeholders. In this segment he will be sharing his insights and experiences on stakeholder and risk management. In part 2, we sit down with industry insider, Dr. Wilhelm Kross, who is a recognized expert in the fields of risk and project management. He is currently a Senior Vice President with Marsh GmbH (a subsidiary of Marsh) and President of the PMI Frankfurt Chapter. During his career, he worked as a mine manager, functional manager and risk management specialist for assignments in more than 30 countries. His current professional endeavors focus on the management of complex and troubled projects, the application and implementation of operational risk and advanced decision analysis techniques in real life environments; and lastly organizational portfolio management to better align investments, products In this segment he will be sharing his insights and experiences in the management of stakeholders and the mitigation of risks. Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode – “Yearbook” 2. Interview with Rich Maltzman – “Wild Card” 3. Interview with Dr. Wilhelm Kross – “Windy City” 4. The closing of the episode – “Glide”

Download PMW_0018_Value_of_PM.mp3 (21.5 MB) If there is any type of organization that can best demonstrate the value of project management, it would be professional service organizations (PSO). Projects are the lifeblood of professional services. From the recruitment of the the right talent to the implementation of strong and sound project management leadership, PSOs understand that the difference between their offering and those of their competitors are rarely on the technical skill sets they can deliver but rather on the reilability to deliver a project on time, within specification and on budget. At the end of the day it is the strong project management soft skills of aligining projects with clients goals, ensuring stakeholder buy in, and leading a project team that ensures a PSO's success. In this episode, we will be exploring the unique needs of professional service organizations, the value of project management and the relevant technologies that can impact their success. Our show is divided into 2 segments. In part 1, we will be talking to industry insider, Francois Bruneau, who has nearly 25 years of experience in project management and information technology. He is president and founder of JGF-IT Consulting and serves on the board of directors of PMI Montreal. During his career, Francois has managed projects locally and internationally in health care, the public sector, national defense, telecommunications, manufacturing, finance, and aeronautics. In this episode he will be sharing his insights and experiences in demonstrating strategic leadership as a project manager. In Part 2, the Technology Corner, we sit down with David Hofferberth, Managing Director at Service Performance Insight. David has over 20 years experience and currently specializes in technologies that enable peak performance of people and service organizations. David’s research analyzes the services economy, with particular emphasis on white-collar productivity issues. Tonight he discusses how developing maturity roadmaps can help professional service organizations improve business processes. Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode – “Values Are My Own” by Dregnote 2. Interview with industry insider – “Value” by Jimmy Targosz3. Technology Corner – “Maturity” by Melting Paper Snowflakes4. The closing of the episode – “Third Time” by To A Generation

Download PMW_0018_Value_of_PM.mp3 (21.5 MB) If there is any type of organization that can best demonstrate the value of project management, it would be professional service organizations (PSO). Projects are the lifeblood of professional services. From the recruitment of the the right talent to the implementation of strong and sound project management leadership, PSOs understand that the difference between their offering and those of their competitors are rarely on the technical skill sets they can deliver but rather on the reilability to deliver a project on time, within specification and on budget. At the end of the day it is the strong project management soft skills of aligining projects with clients goals, ensuring stakeholder buy in, and leading a project team that ensures a PSO's success. In this episode, we will be exploring the unique needs of professional service organizations, the value of project management and the relevant technologies that can impact their success. Our show is divided into 2 segments. In part 1, we will be talking to industry insider, Francois Bruneau, who has nearly 25 years of experience in project management and information technology. He is president and founder of JGF-IT Consulting and serves on the board of directors of PMI Montreal. During his career, Francois has managed projects locally and internationally in health care, the public sector, national defense, telecommunications, manufacturing, finance, and aeronautics. In this episode he will be sharing his insights and experiences in demonstrating strategic leadership as a project manager. In Part 2, the Technology Corner, we sit down with David Hofferberth, Managing Director at Service Performance Insight. David has over 20 years experience and currently specializes in technologies that enable peak performance of people and service organizations. David???s research analyzes the services economy, with particular emphasis on white-collar productivity issues. Tonight he discusses how developing maturity roadmaps can help professional service organizations improve business processes. Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode ??? ???Values Are My Own??? by Dregnote 2. Interview with industry insider ??? ???Value??? by Jimmy Targosz3. Technology Corner ??? ???Maturity??? by Melting Paper Snowflakes4. The closing of the episode ??? ???Third Time??? by To A Generation

Download PMW_0017_Project_Portfolio_Mgt.mp3 (7.6 MB) Setting the priorities of a portfolio of projects presents a daunting task for project managers and PMO leaders. When developing priorities, project managers are constantly battling the influences of internal and external stakeholders that can negatively impact one's decision making process. As a result, effectively managing and setting project priorities requires the ability to objectively measure the true value of the projects in relation to an organizations goals. In this epsiode we will be talking to industry insider, Alison Mills Long who has over 18 years of project management experience with the last 7 years on the business side bringing up a PMO from scratch at a large credit card company. Alison will be sharing her insights and war stories regarding how to prioritize a portfolio of projects. Music Notes1. The opening of the episode – “Risk” by humanize2. The closing of the episode – “Priority 1” by Bruce Johnson

Download PMW_0017_Project_Portfolio_Mgt.mp3 (7.6 MB) Setting the priorities of a portfolio of projects presents a daunting task for project managers and PMO leaders. When developing priorities, project managers are constantly battling the influences of internal and external stakeholders that can negatively impact one's decision making process. As a result, effectively managing and setting project priorities requires the ability to objectively measure the true value of the projects in relation to an organizations goals. In this epsiode we will be talking to industry insider, Alison Mills Long who has over 18 years of project management experience with the last 7 years on the business side bringing up a PMO from scratch at a large credit card company. Alison will be sharing her insights and war stories regarding how to prioritize a portfolio of projects. Music Notes1. The opening of the episode ??? ???Risk??? by humanize2. The closing of the episode ??? ???Priority 1??? by Bruce Johnson

Download PMW_0016_Mitigating_Risks.mp3(21.2MB) Uncertainty is inherent to all projects. Good project managers have developed their own strategies to both manage and mitigate project uncertainties that can have either a positive or negative impact on a project's outcome. To further complicate matters, project managers must face overlapping or conflicting views of risk by both the business side and the project team. What separates the good project managers from the bad is the ability not to only plan for project uncertainities, but the ability to manage risk across the entire organization. In this episode we will examine the evaluation and management of project risk in its appropriate context, as well as how professional services organizations can mitigate risk when selecting an enterprise resource planning system or ERP system. Our show is divided into 2 segments. In part 1, we will be talking to industry insider, Dr. Wilhelm Kross, who is a recognized expert in the fields of risk- and project management. Currently he is a Senior Vice President with Marsh GmbH and President of the PMI Frankfurt Chapter. During his career, Dr. Kross has focused on IT mega-projects, crisis and turnaround management, and operational risk audits and management assignments in more than 30 countries. In this episode he will be sharing his insights and experiences in the management of complex and troubled projects while mitigating risks. In Part 2, the Technology Corner, we sit down with David Hofferberth, who has over 20 years experience in the information technology industry. David is the Managing Director at Service Performance Insight, covering the services economy, with particular emphasis on white-collar productivity issues. His area of specialization is the technologies that enable peak performance of people and service organizations. In this episode he discusses how ERP technology can provide business benefits and how to make effective ERP purchase and deployment decisions. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode – “Country” by The Videos 2. Interview with industry insider – “Risk your life” by Flipper Dave3. Technology Corner – “Integration is InteGREAT” by Csub14. The closing of the episode – “PSA” by DynaMic Produktionz

Download PMW_0016_Mitigating_Risks.mp3 (21.2 MB) Uncertainty is inherent to all projects. Good project managers have developed their own strategies to both manage and mitigate project uncertainties that can have either a positive or negative impact on a project's outcome. To further complicate matters, project managers must face overlapping or conflicting views of risk by both the business side and the project team. What separates the good project managers from the bad is the ability not to only plan for project uncertainities, but the ability to manage risk across the entire organization. In this episode we will examine the evaluation and management of project risk in its appropriate context, as well as how professional services organizations can mitigate risk when selecting an enterprise resource planning system or ERP system. Our show is divided into 2 segments. In part 1, we will be talking to industry insider, Dr. Wilhelm Kross, who is a recognized expert in the fields of risk- and project management. Currently he is President of the PMI Frankfurt Chapter and a Senior Vice President with Marsh GmbH, a subsidiary of Marsh - the world's leading insurance broker and strategic risk advisor. During his career, Dr. Kross has focused on IT mega-projects, crisis and turnaround management, and operational risk audits and management assignments in more than 30 countries. In this episode he will be sharing his insights and experiences in the management of complex and troubled projects while mitigating risks. In Part 2, the Technology Corner, we sit down with David Hofferberth, who has over 20 years experience in the information technology industry. David is the Managing Director at Service Performance Insight, covering the services economy, with particular emphasis on white-collar productivity issues. His area of specialization is the technologies that enable peak performance of people and service organizations. In this episode he discusses how ERP technology can provide business benefits and how to make effective ERP purchase and deployment decisions. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode ??? ???Country??? by The Videos 2. Interview with industry insider ??? ???Risk your life??? by Flipper Dave3. Technology Corner ??? ???Integration is InteGREAT??? by Csub14. The closing of the episode ??? ???PSA??? by DynaMic Produktionz

Download PMW_0015_Bridging_the_Gap.mp3(16.5MB) Project-centric organizations are constantly balancing their attention on delivering successful short term finite projects and their attention to serving the operations piece of the business. As projects feed the business, the integration of project management and operations management best practices is critical in delivering the most success to a project-driven organization???s bottom line. Thus the project manager that can successfully straddle between the project management and operations management world are more likely to be viewed as strategic stakeholders that can impact the growth and success of the organizations they serve. In this episode we will examine the gaps and synergies between project management and operations management; and highlight a best practices approach in weaving a pilot project implementing enterprise software into the fabric of an organization???s operations. Our show is divided into 2 segments. In part 1, we will be talking to industry insider, Max Wideman, who has more than 40 years of project and program management experience in a wide range of projects and industries, including heavy engineering works such as hydroelectric projects and construction of major building complexes, as well as systems, social, environmental, and software projects. In this segment Max will be sharing with us his insights on the differences between operations management and project management. In Part 2, the Technology Corner, we will discuss the top 5 issues to consider when moving from an initial pilot project, which requires project management skills, to a full roll out the software application across the organization, which requires operational skills. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Music Notes The opening of the episode ??? ???Quebec??? by Day Day???s Interview with industry insider ??? ???Horizon??? by MNG STAR Technology Corner ??? ???Corner??? by Snybone The closing of the episode ??? ???operaTion??? by Iron Lion Beats

Download PMW_0015_Bridging_the_Gap.mp3(16.5MB) Project-centric organizations are constantly balancing their attention on delivering successful short term finite projects and their attention to serving the operations piece of the business.  As projects feed the business, the integration of project management and operations management best practices is critical in delivering the most success to a project-driven organization’s bottom line.  Thus the project manager that can successfully straddle between the project management and operations management world are more likely to be viewed as strategic stakeholders that can impact the growth and success of the organizations they serve.   In this episode we will examine the gaps and synergies between project management and operations management; and highlight a best practices approach in weaving a pilot project implementing enterprise software into the fabric of an organization’s operations.Our show is divided into 2 segments. In part 1, we will be talking to industry insider, Max Wideman, who has more than 40 years of project and program management experience in a wide range of projects and industries, including heavy engineering works such as hydroelectric projects and construction of major building complexes, as well as systems, social, environmental, and software projects. In this segment Max will be sharing with us his insights on the differences between operations management and project management. In Part 2, the Technology Corner, we will discuss the top 5 issues to consider when moving from an initial pilot project, which requires project management skills, to a full roll out the software application across the organization, which requires operational skills. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Music Notes The opening of the episode – “Quebec” by Day Day’s Interview with industry insider – “Horizon” by MNG STARTechnology Corner  – “Corner” by SnyboneThe closing of the episode – “operaTion” by Iron Lion Beats

Download PMW_0014_PMO_IT_Projects.mp3 (18.5 MB) One of the biggest challenges IT departments face is their struggle to deliver projects on time and within budget. But with today’s focus on getting the most out of resources and budgets, IT has to rein in projects more closely than ever before. That challenge has led many IT organizations to turn to project management offices (PMOs) as a way to increase IT efficiency, cut costs, and improve on deliverying projects in a timely fashion and within stringent budget requirements. In this episode we will continue our examination of the business side of creating a PMO from the ground up for IT projects and highlight a consultant’s best practices approach in PMO creation for an IT organization. Our show is divided into 2 segments. In part 1, the Technology Corner, we sit down in our second session with Elissa D'Onofrio. Elissa has more than a decade of experience in project management and information technology. She is the director of the program management office and project delivery at Aviall, a leading solutions provider of aftermarket supply-chain management services for the aerospace, defense and marine industries and a subsidiary of The Boeing Company. Tonight Elissa will be sharing with us her insights of creating a program management office at Aviall to instill a project management discipline, manage IT projects and develop a continual prioritization review process for projects. In Part 2, we will be continuing our conversation with industry insider, Bruce Moore, who has over 25 years of project management experience in IT, aerospace, manufacturing, energy, government, transport, finance, and healthcare. Bruce is the global managing principal for RCG Information Technology. Tonight he will share best practices and lessons learned in creating a PMO for Aviall’s IT group. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode – Priorities by RockMan Glenn 2. Intro to Technology Corner – Priorities Lost by State Street SnaKES 3. Intro to interview with industry insider – Predictable Outcomes by NED ZED 4. The closing of the episode – Predictable Streets by Mike Murphy’s Music

Download PMW_00013_PMO_Ground_Up.mp3 (16.1 MB) The Program Management Office (PMO) can be defined as the organizational group, staffed with skilled professionals, that provides services in core and supporting areas during the planning and execution of a project. As a group that services a portfolio of projects within the organization, the PMO is faced with the challenge of managing conflicting agendas, balancing different project objectives and aligning the portfolio with the corporate strategy. Consequently, building a PMO from the ground up demands a radical change in how an organization manages its projects. In this episode we will be examining the business side of creating a PMO from the ground up at a services company and overlay it with a consultant’s best practices approach in PMO creation. Our show is divided into 2 segments. In part 1, the Technology Corner, we sit down with Elissa D'Onofrio, who has more than a decade of experience in project management and information technology. Elissa is the director of the program management office and project delivery at Aviall, a leading solutions provider of aftermarket supply-chain management services for the aerospace, defense and marine industries and a subsidiary of The Boeing Company. In this segment, Elissa will be sharing with us her insights and war stories of creating a program management office from scratch at Aviall. In Part 2, we will be talking to industry insider, Bruce Moore, who has over 25 years of project management experience in IT, aerospace, manufacturing, energy, government, transport, finance, and healthcare. He is the global managing principal for RCG Information Technology. In this segment he will share best practices and lessons learned in creating a PMO generally and the specific experiences at Aviall. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode – Wake Up by Jimmy Targosz 2. Intro to Technology Corner – Airplane by Black Eyed Dog 3. Intro to interview with industry insider – Fortitude (Remix) by Techtonic 4. The closing of the episode – Montreal Sessions 1 by whuzzaah

Download PMW_0014_PMO_IT_Projects.mp3 (18.5 MB) One of the biggest challenges IT departments face is their struggle to deliver projects on time and within budget. But with today???s focus on getting the most out of resources and budgets, IT has to rein in projects more closely than ever before. That challenge has led many IT organizations to turn to project management offices (PMOs) as a way to increase IT efficiency, cut costs, and improve on deliverying projects in a timely fashion and within stringent budget requirements. In this episode we will continue our examination of the business side of creating a PMO from the ground up for IT projects and highlight a consultant???s best practices approach in PMO creation for an IT organization. Our show is divided into 2 segments. In part 1, the Technology Corner, we sit down in our second session with Elissa D'Onofrio. Elissa has more than a decade of experience in project management and information technology. She is the director of the program management office and project delivery at Aviall, a leading solutions provider of aftermarket supply-chain management services for the aerospace, defense and marine industries and a subsidiary of The Boeing Company. Tonight Elissa will be sharing with us her insights of creating a program management office at Aviall to instill a project management discipline, manage IT projects and develop a continual prioritization review process for projects. In Part 2, we will be continuing our conversation with industry insider, Bruce Moore, who has over 25 years of project management experience in IT, aerospace, manufacturing, energy, government, transport, finance, and healthcare. Bruce is the global managing principal for RCG Information Technology. Tonight he will share best practices and lessons learned in creating a PMO for Aviall???s IT group. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Music Notes1. The opening of the episode ??? "Priorities" by RockMan Glenn2. Intro to Technology Corner ??? "Priorities Lost" by State Street SnaKES3. Intro to interview with industry insider ??? "Predictable Outcomes" by NED ZED4. The closing of the episode ??? "Predictable Streets" by Mike Murphy???s Music

Download PMW_00013_PMO_Ground_Up.mp3 (16.1 MB) The Program Management Office (PMO) can be defined as the organizational group, staffed with skilled professionals, that provides services in core and supporting areas during the planning and execution of a project. As a group that services a portfolio of projects within the organization, the PMO is faced with the challenge of managing conflicting agendas, balancing different project objectives and aligning the portfolio with the corporate strategy. Consequently, building a PMO from the ground up demands a radical change in how an organization manages its projects. In this episode we will be examining the business side of creating a PMO from the ground up at a services company and overlay it with a consultant???s best practices approach in PMO creation. Our show is divided into 2 segments. In part 1, the Technology Corner, we sit down with Elissa D'Onofrio, who has more than a decade of experience in project management and information technology. Elissa is the director of the program management office and project delivery at Aviall, a leading solutions provider of aftermarket supply-chain management services for the aerospace, defense and marine industries and a subsidiary of The Boeing Company. In this segment, Elissa will be sharing with us her insights and war stories of creating a program management office from scratch at Aviall. In Part 2, we will be talking to industry insider, Bruce Moore, who has over 25 years of project management experience in IT, aerospace, manufacturing, energy, government, transport, finance, and healthcare. He is the global managing principal for RCG Information Technology. In this segment he will share best practices and lessons learned in creating a PMO generally and the specific experiences at Aviall. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Music Notes1. The opening of the episode ??? "Wake Up" by Jimmy Targosz2. Intro to Technology Corner ??? "Airplane" by Black Eyed Dog3. Intro to interview with industry insider ??? "Fortitude (Remix)" by Techtonic4. The closing of the episode ??? "Montreal Sessions 1" by whuzzaah

Download PMW_0012_Taking_Ownership.mp3 (16.1 MB) There is a new paradigm emerging in the world of project management. Where at one time project managers were solely focused on the successful execution of the projects they managed, today project managers are expected to take ownership of the strategic objectives of their projects. In the many cases where projects drive the business, project managers are in an excellent position to align both the tactical day to day activities and the overall objectives of their projects to the strategic goals of the organization. As a result, by keeping an open mind and collaborating with team members and stakeholders responsible for the business’ strategic objectives, project managers may discover additional benefits to the project and ensure a greater and longer lasting success in the organizations’ they serve. In this episode, we’re talking about the importance of taking ownership of strategic objectives and how metrics can help. Our show is divided into 2 segments. In Part 1, we will go Roaming with the Salty Dogg and examine the Alaska Purchase. This historical event exemplifies the importance of incorporating perseverance, collaboration and stakeholder management to achieve the one’s strategic objectives. In Part 2, we sit down with industry insider, Steve Rollins. He is the Chief Project Strategist for the ALLPMO Network and chairs the Project Management Institute’s International Metrics SIG. Steve has over 35 years of project management experience and is well recognized for developing and implementing organizational governance processes that lead to bottom line improvements. Today, he will share his insights and experiences We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode – “Alaska to Wichita” by WildOscar 2. Roaming with the Salty Dogg – “Seward’s Folly” by Caustic Casanova 3. Interview with industry insider – “Value” by Jimmy Targosz 4. The closing of the episode – “Immature” by Pero (418)

Download PMW_0012_Taking_Ownership.mp3 (16.1 MB) There is a new paradigm emerging in the world of project management. Where at one time project managers were solely focused on the successful execution of the projects they managed, today project managers are expected to take ownership of the strategic objectives of their projects. In the many cases where projects drive the business, project managers are in an excellent position to align both the tactical day to day activities and the overall objectives of their projects to the strategic goals of the organization. As a result, by keeping an open mind and collaborating with team members and stakeholders responsible for the business??? strategic objectives, project managers may discover additional benefits to the project and ensure a greater and longer lasting success in the organizations??? they serve. In this episode, we???re talking about the importance of taking ownership of strategic objectives and how metrics can help. Our show is divided into 2 segments. In Part 1, we will go Roaming with the Salty Dogg and examine the Alaska Purchase. This historical event exemplifies the importance of incorporating perseverance, collaboration and stakeholder management to achieve the one???s strategic objectives.In Part 2, we sit down with industry insider, Steve Rollins. He is the Chief Project Strategist for the ALLPMO Network and chairs the Project Management Institute???s International Metrics SIG. Steve has over 35 years of project management experience and is well recognized for developing and implementing organizational governance processes that lead to bottom line improvements. Today, he will share his insights and experiences We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode ??? ???Alaska to Wichita??? by WildOscar2. Roaming with the Salty Dogg ??? ???Seward???s Folly??? by Caustic Casanova3. Interview with industry insider ??? ???Value??? by Jimmy Targosz 4. The closing of the episode ??? ???Immature??? by Pero (418)

Download PMW_0011_Looking_Back.mp3 (11.9 MB) Good project managers understand that adapting to change is what drives successful results. Whether it be improving methodologies, employing new technology or shifting project goals, successful project managers are continuously gauging the direction of their projects ensuring their on track, within budget and within specifications. Furthermore, great project managers have the right skills to rally the necessary stakeholders to quickly respond to the evolution of the projects they manage. This episode will examine the evolution of projects and their impact on a project manager's success. Our show is divided into 2 segments: In part 1, we talk to industry insider, Max Wideman, who has more than 40 years of project and program management experience in a wide range of projects and industries, including heavy engineering works such as hydroelectric projects and construction of major building complexes. Wideman is recognized as one of the world’s leading authorities on modern project and program management. The Wideman PM Glossary is one of the most widely-referenced lexicons of project management terms and terminology in the world. In this episode Max will be sharing with us his insight on the Project Management Institute's (PMI) development of its Project Managment Book of Knowledge (PMBOK). In part 2, our in-house project management specialist, Willie Maykett, will sound off in Painfully Honest with Willie Maykett. Willie examines the historical development of the Great Wall of China project and its centuries of evolution. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode – “Montreal Sessions 1” by whuzzaah 2. Interview with industry insider – “knowledge” by INFAMOUS MINDS 3. Intro to Painfully Honest with Willie Mayket – “Your Honesty Is Killing Me” by Pete Krason 4. Outro to Painfully Honest with Willie Mayket – “Wall of China” by cristofer morley 5. The closing of the episode – “Knowledge” by Graeme Laidlaw

Download PMW_0011_Looking_Back.mp3 (11.9 MB) Good project managers understand that adapting to change is what drives successful results. Whether it be improving methodologies, employing new technology or shifting project goals, successful project managers are continuously gauging the direction of their projects ensuring their on track, within budget and within specifications. Furthermore, great project managers have the right skills to rally the necessary stakeholders to quickly respond to the evolution of the projects they manage. This episode will examine the evolution of projects and their impact on a project manager's success. Our show is divided into 2 segments: In part 1, we talk to industry insider, Max Wideman, who has more than 40 years of project and program management experience in a wide range of projects and industries, including heavy engineering works such as hydroelectric projects and construction of major building complexes. Wideman is recognized as one of the world???s leading authorities on modern project and program management. The Wideman PM Glossary is one of the most widely-referenced lexicons of project management terms and terminology in the world. In this episode Max will be sharing with us his insight on the Project Management Institute's (PMI) development of its Project Managment Book of Knowledge (PMBOK). In part 2, our in-house project management specialist, Willie Maykett, will sound off in Painfully Honest with Willie Maykett. Willie examines the historical development of the Great Wall of China project and its centuries of evolution. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode ??? ???Montreal Sessions 1??? by whuzzaah2. Interview with industry insider ??? ???knowledge??? by INFAMOUS MINDS 3. Intro to Painfully Honest with Willie Mayket ??? ???Your Honesty Is Killing Me??? by Pete Krason4. Outro to Painfully Honest with Willie Mayket ??? ???Wall of China??? by cristofer morley5. The closing of the episode ??? ???Knowledge??? by Graeme Laidlaw

Download PMW_0010_streamlining_operations.mp3(24.6MB) In many cases the role of a project manager is to assist an organization in implementing new systems to streamline or improve business processes. Having the ability to effectively track and measure a project’s progress will impact the success of these particular projects and their bottom line. Employing a best practice methodology that captures and tracks a project’s metrics will not ensure quality assurance, but will deliver the best value in streamlining an organization’s processes. In this episode we will be examining how the appropriate use of metrics can help an organization streamline its business processes and we will look at a case study of an electronics distributor and its experience improving its operations. Our show is divided into 2 segments. In part 1, we will be talking to industry insider, Steve Rollins who has over 35 years of project management experience. Steve is the Chief Project Strategist for the ALLPMO Network and chairs the Project Management Institute's International Metrics SIG. He is well recognized for providing global consultative solutions and services for businesses in developing and implementing organizational governance processes that lead to bottom line improvement. Today, he will share his insights and experiences in answering the call to deliver to a specified metric or close the department – by developing a successful PMO, Steve helped to reduce costs by over $75 million dollars and save the jobs of an entire department at a telecommunications company. In Part 2, the technology corner, we sit down with Brian Leffler, Vice President of TTI Instruments, a wholesale distributor specializing in different kinds of industrial process controllers and instrumentation. TTI serves customers from the Fortune 500 to mom and pop shops, generating 14,000 invoices per year. In our conversation, Brian shares his company's experiences in managing the migration process from Microsoft Great Plains to Netsuite. Music Notes The opening of the episode – metric by laxydactyl Interview with industry insider – Metric by Paul Glidden Technology Corner – Wholesale Soulsale by Jazz In V The closing of the episode – Montreal bound by harpman64

Download PMW_0010_streamlining_operations.mp3(24.6MB) In many cases the role of a project manager is to assist an organization in implementing new systems to streamline or improve business processes. Having the ability to effectively track and measure a project???s progress will impact the success of these particular projects and their bottom line. Employing a best practice methodology that captures and tracks a project???s metrics will not ensure quality assurance, but will deliver the best value in streamlining an organization???s processes. In this episode we will be examining how the appropriate use of metrics can help an organization streamline its business processes and we will look at a case study of an electronics distributor and its experience improving its operations. Our show is divided into 2 segments. In part 1, we will be talking to industry insider, Steve Rollins who has over 35 years of project management experience. Steve is the Chief Project Strategist for the ALLPMO Network and chairs the Project Management Institute's International Metrics SIG. He is well recognized for providing global consultative solutions and services for businesses in developing and implementing organizational governance processes that lead to bottom line improvement. Today, he will share his insights and experiences in answering the call to deliver to a specified metric or close the department ??? by developing a successful PMO, Steve helped to reduce costs by over $75 million dollars and save the jobs of an entire department at a telecommunications company. In Part 2, the technology corner, we sit down with Brian Leffler, Vice President of TTI Instruments, a wholesale distributor specializing in different kinds of industrial process controllers and instrumentation. TTI serves customers from the Fortune 500 to mom and pop shops, generating 14,000 invoices per year. In our conversation, Brian shares his company's experiences in managing the migration process from Microsoft Great Plains to Netsuite. Music Notes The opening of the episode ??? "metric" by laxydactyl Interview with industry insider ??? "Metric" by Paul Glidden Technology Corner ??? "Wholesale Soulsale" by Jazz In V The closing of the episode ??? "Montreal bound" by harpman64

Download PMW_0009_Importance_of_Project_Sponsor.mp3(24.9MB) In many organizations, more often than not, project sponsors play a critical role in either derailing or keeping a project on track . Effectively understanding your sponsor’s objectives will increase a project’s positive outcome. In contrast, heading into a project blind to a sponsor’s goals, or even worse, heading into a project with no sponsor, can kill the successful execution of a project plan. Often organizations fail to realize that the projects sponsor and project manager play equal roles in a project’s outcome. Consequently, even with the best project manager in place many projects are doomed to fail. In this episode we will be examining how having the right project sponsor can be the difference between success and failure in ERP projects. Our show is divided into 2 segments. In part 1, we will be talking to industry insider, Randy Banks, who is a Chartered Accountant and a Certified Project Management Professional with over 20 years of business experience. Today Randy will be sharing his experiences in rescuing troubled projects. In Part 2, the technology corner, I sit down with David Stover, the Chief Financial Officer of Asahi Kasei Spandex America Inc. - a subsidiary of Asahi Kasei Group of Japan - to discuss its switch from SAP to Netsuite for its enterprise resource planning system. This case study demonstrates how the right sponsor, here the CFO, successfully led his organization to choose and implement the right ERP solution. Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode – “Salty” by Last Page 2. Interview with industry insider – “Troubles” by paul sevy blues band 3. Technology Corner – “spandex_reloaded” by Oberhofer 4. The closing of the episode – “Montreal bound” by harpman64

Download PMW_0009_Importance_of_Project_Sponsor.mp3(24.9MB) In many organizations, more often than not, project sponsors play a critical role in either derailing or keeping a project on track . Effectively understanding your sponsor???s objectives will increase a project???s positive outcome. In contrast, heading into a project blind to a sponsor???s goals, or even worse, heading into a project with no sponsor, can kill the successful execution of a project plan. Often organizations fail to realize that the projects sponsor and project manager play equal roles in a project???s outcome. Consequently, even with the best project manager in place many projects are doomed to fail. In this episode we will be examining how having the right project sponsor can be the difference between success and failure in ERP projects. Our show is divided into 2 segments. In part 1, we will be talking to industry insider, Randy Banks, who is a Chartered Accountant and a Certified Project Management Professional with over 20 years of business experience. Today Randy will be sharing his experiences in rescuing troubled projects. In Part 2, the technology corner, I sit down with David Stover, the Chief Financial Officer of Asahi Kasei Spandex America Inc. - a subsidiary of Asahi Kasei Group of Japan - to discuss its switch from SAP to Netsuite for its enterprise resource planning system. This case study demonstrates how the right sponsor, here the CFO, successfully led his organization to choose and implement the right ERP solution. Music Notes1. The opening of the episode ??? ???Salty??? by Last Page 2. Interview with industry insider ??? ???Troubles??? by paul sevy blues band3. Technology Corner ??? ???spandex_reloaded??? by Oberhofer4. The closing of the episode ??? ???Montreal bound??? by harpman64

Download PMW_0007_PPM.mp3 (20.5MB) Many organizations are faced with the reality of balancing their portfolio of projects. Depending on the level of investment of time and money, both projects and their associated stakeholders are continuously competing for face time to meet their own agendas. Interestingly enough, senior project managers have expressed concerns comparing the ROI calculation of new projects versus those later into their lifecycle. In fact, new projects at the beginning of their cycle are calculated at the 75%+ ROI in contrast to the more mature projects estimated at a 10%-15% ROI. It’s no wonder that project portfolio management as a discipline and the emergence of PMOs have gained momentum in recent years in project-centric organizations. For industries in which the development of new products is the life line of their organizations, PPM methodology has always been a critical component to their business. This is especially true for organizations in Consumer Packaged Goods industry that may have dozens of products at one time at different stages in their development. Every product is treated as a project, and with the complexity of each product the time and resources invested have challenged organizations in their ability to separate the good from the bad that lies within their portfolio of projects. In this episode, we look at new product development in the CPG industry and we will feature a new segment entitled “Technology Corner.” Based on emails from listeners Technology Corner will feature IT project case studies and provide insights to their successful delivery. Initially the Technology Corner will make periodic appearances in our monthly shows. If it is well received, we will add it as a regular installment. Our show is divided into 3 segments: In part 1, we will go Roaming with the Salty Dogg and explore whether new really is better by exploring a case study in new product development. In part 2, we will be talking to industry insider, Hugh Woodward, who has over 35 years of project management experience in manufacturing, construction and IT. Hugh will be sharing with us his war stories and insights of project portfolio management in the consumer packaged goods industry and the challenges of choosing between investments in scheduled or existing projects and new ideas. In part 3, we will talk with Randy Banks in our first installment of the Technology Corner. Randy is a Chartered Accountant and a Certified Project Management Professional with over 20 years of business experience. Today Randy will be sharing his experiences in rescuing an Enterprise Resource Planning systems or ERP project. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode – montreal stand up by Lil JJ 2. Interview with industry insider – Soda Pop Bop by ItchieCat 3. Technology Corner – CORNER by Alex Cebe 4. The outro and closing of the episode – Troubled by Mark Haney and The Buzzards

Download PMW_0008_PMO_SoftSkills.mp3(22.7MB) As Project Managers and PMO leaders, we are here to help. Sometimes, however, the people we are providing services to do not see it as help. Let's face it. They are not always nice or cooperative. It's a battle sometimes. And it can even be a battle with your own self. Project managers must work around resistant individuals. When faced with negative tactics or passive aggressive behavior, see it for what it is. More importantly, we must respond in healthy and creative ways. It is never a good idea to back down, but it is equally important not to retaliate, no matter how tempting. In this episode we will be examining the business side of creating a PMO from scratch at a large credit card company and how an educational media company, used communications software to fuel its growth and connect world class experts with people who want to improve their knowledge and abilities. This show is divided into 2 segments: In part 1, we will be talking to industry insider, Alison Mills Long who has over 17 years of project management experience with the last 6 years on the business side bringing up a PMO from scratch at a large credit card company. She will share her insights and war stories regarding implementing change and structure as well the rewarding experiences in using soft skills to get the job done (see Alison's recommended reading list below). In part 2, we will be talking to Rafe Furst, CTO of Expert Insight in our Technology Corner segment. Rafe is a successful entrepreneur and business leader, having formed Pick'em Sports in 1996 and later selling it to a public company in 1999. He has done cutting-edge research in Automated Software Development and is an experienced web developer and marketer. Rafe is responsible for online and IT strategy and development at Expert Insight. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Alison's Recommended Reading List A Survival Guide for Project Managers by James Taylor Working with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman Communicating Beyond Our Differences: Introducing the Psycho-Geometrics System by Susan Dellinger The Birth Order Book - Why You Are The Way You Are by Dr. Kevin Leman Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode - People Skills by KTM CLUB 2. Intro to interview with industry insider - Truth Hurts by BoMBeR 3. Intro to Technology Corner - Communication Overdue? by Ian Babington 4. The closing of the episode - Communications Skills by Amanda Caggiano

Download PMW_0005_PMRisk_Part1.mp3 (12.5MB) Risks and uncertainties are inherent to all projects. It is for this very reason that there is an entire discipline devoted to Risk Management for project managers. Successful project managers recognize the importance in taking the appropriate preventative measures to reduce predictable and unpredictable factors that can impact a project’s successful outcome. More importantly effective project managers are excellent at coping with the challenges and uncertainties that can derail their projects at any point prior to their completion. Successful project managers are masters at turning lemons into lemonade. In this vein, our August show has been divided into two episodes that will examine risks and uncertainties in project management and the critical impact a project manager’s soft skills will have on a project’s outcome. In the first episode the show is divided into 2 segments: In Part 1, we will go Roaming with the Salty Dogg and explore the care and feeding of a US army transport Liberty ship torpedoed in Bali by the Japanese in WWII. This story exemplifies the reality of uncertainty and risk when embarking on a project. In Part 2, we will bring you the first half of our interview with an industry insider. This month we will be talking to industry insider, Beth Partleton, the Director of Operations and Project Management for the Miller Brewing Company. Beth has more than 30 years of project and portfolio management experience in manufacturing and construction and her current focus is developing a better link between portfolio management and Miller’s corporate strategy. Today she will be sharing her insights and war stories around the creation and maintenance of a project management office for the Miller Brewing Company. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode – montreal stand up by Lil JJ 2. Roaming with the Salty Dogg – Ship Wrecked by Lie Box 4. Outro to interview with industry insider and closing of episode – Miller Lite Song by Tonsen Sportsman

Download PMW_0006_PMRisk_Part2.mp3 (12.8MB) Part one of our August show brought to light the realities project managers face when coping with risks and uncertainties in their projects. This episode will examine the consequences of both carefully managing and disregarding the signs of risk and uncertainty in projects. Project managers more often that not are faced with coping with challenges that can stonewall their projects. Those who have developed the appropriate coping skills to manage these challenges have a better chance in ensuring project success and being perceived effective in their jobs. Inversely, those who ignore the signs of risk will most likely result in project failure and in some cases the loss of credibility as an effective project manager. In light of this, the second episode of our August show will provide insight in which risks and uncertainties in project management have lead to success and failure in two different instances. In the second episode the show is divided into 2 segments: In Part 1, we will bring you the second half of our interview with an industry insider. This month we will be talking to industry insider, Beth Partleton, the Director of Operations and Project Management for the Miller Brewing Company. Beth has more than 30 years of project and portfolio management experience in manufacturing and construction and her current focus is developing a better link between portfolio management and Miller’s corporate strategy. In this portion of her interview she will be sharing her insights and strategies around the sustainability and success of the project management office she created for the Miller Brewing Company In Part 2, Willie Maykett, our in-house project management specialist, will sound off in Painfully Honest with Willie Maykett. This episode will examine “The Flamingo” hotel construction project and its colorful project manager Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel whose blatant disregard of risk lead to his failure as a project manager and his ultimate murder, despite his incredible vision that would set the stage for the development of the Las Vegas hotel strip. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to send your questions, issues, and war stories. Music Notes 1. The opening of the episode – Montreal by Glass Rose 2. Intro to interview with industry insider – Miller Light by Cabomano 3. Intro to Painfully Honest with Willie Maykett – Will he make it to monday? by Undetermined 4. Outro to Painfully Honest with Willie Maykett – “Casino Hero” by The Pseudonyms 5. The closing of the episode – Beerology by BrandX