Ask Cadence

This week on the show, Connie Plowman and Prakash Achuthan join us to discuss the success of their recent event bringing MBA level project management students into the real world of PMs thanks to the generosity of Nike and PGE.

Prakash has graciously posted event photos online to share!

The Cadence scholarship program for educators, in partnership with the PMI Education Foundation, has been a boon to teachers and administrators looking to bridge practical business and organizational skills with curricula. This week, join Pete Wright, Connie Plowman, and guest Denise Tischler to discuss her experience in the 3-day Cadence course, and how she will be using her new skills as a principal and administrator.

This week, we take on culture. Building off our on-going discussion on behavioral models for individuals and teams, John Patton and Pete Wright discuss the importance of defining and understanding cultural behavioral profiles in project management in light of the ever-increasing demands on teams to work in geographically and culturally diverse project environments.

This week, we take on groups. Building off our discussion last week on individual behavior models, John Patton and Scott Lissit introduce group behavior dynamics and outline critical strategies for project managers who are bogged down by the discomfort that can come in the early phases of team development.

This week to dive into human behavior. For project managers, helping team members understand and quantify their strengths can be a critical asset in guiding the team to delivering results. John Patton and Scott Lissit introduce key behavioral models and instruments, and discuss how to apply them judiciously in individual and team development.

Setting responsibilities for delivering results in project management is critical for success on teams, but even more important for the management support hierarchy around projects. This week John Patton joins Pete Wright to discuss the key principles and responsibilities that each role must take on to ensure consistent success on projects.

The CAPM certification from the Project Management Institute was originally fashioned as a milestone in the development of the professional project manager. But John Patton has a different take on the cert, one that positions team members as better prepared and supported team members, armed with the right tools to deliver project results for the team. John joins Pete Wright to talk about the importance of the certification this week on Ask Cadence.

This week on Ask Cadence, we take a few minutes to reflect on accomplishments in the field in 2009. Cadence CEO John Patton joins Pete Wright to share his experiences surveying the field with PMI around the globe, and then look ahead to the growth we’re seeing in projects coming in 2010. Join us for this brief walk down memory lane, and a look at what’s to come, this week on Ask Cadence: The Project Management Podcast.

In part 7 of our special, “19 Techniques for managing people who do not report to you,” Jay Christensen and Rod Sharman join Pete Wright to discuss problem solving and managing progress of critical tasks. After 7 weeks of discussion on our 19 Techniques, we share some reflections on managing the people side of projects, and the importance of balance across key management disciplines in the best project managers.

In part 6 of our special, “19 Techniques for managing people who do not report to you,” Jay Christensen and Rod Sharman join Pete Wright to discuss how project managers can manage difficult people on their teams. Through rapport-building exercises social activities, communication study, and functional management involvement, you’ll have a suite of tools to use to build a tighter team and keep the project moving forward.