Curated Video
What is John Kotter's 8-Step Change Process?
John Kotter articulated his 8-step process model for leading change in his 1996 best seller, Leading Change. And, although there have been some changes in terminology, all of his team’s research since has continued to endorse the basic 8...
Curated Video
How to Do Risk Management in Agile Projects
Some people might expect that agile projects have – or even need – no risk management. That is completely wrong. So, let's look at how to do risk management in agile projects. We need to adapt our risk management approach to the nature...
Curated Video
What is T-shirt Sizing?
T-shirt sizing has become a popular method for estimating in agile projects. So, in this video, I answer the question, what is T-shirt Sizing? T-shirt sizing is a simple and popular way to estimate the relative scales of different pieces...
Curated Video
What is Disciplined Agile (DA)?
There are many different Agile methods. In this video, I want to answer the question, what is the PMI's Disciplined Agile, DA? Disciplined Agile, is not a methodology, but a tool-kit. It makes use of a wide range of other practices to...
Curated Video
How to Handle Your Project Steering Group
Steering Groups have multiple functions. So, what do they need to do? And how can you, as a Project manager, get the best from them? Steering Groups are creatures of governance. That is, their first responsibility is to the sponsoring...
Curated Video
Learning from Your Mistakes
We make mistakes all the time. Have you learned as much - maybe more - from the mistakes of your career, as from anything else? The only real mistake is getting things wrong, and not learning anything from your mistakes. Mistakes are...
Curated Video
Your First Leadership Role: How to Succeed
How can you make a success of your first leadership role. That’s a question I’ve been asked a few times, so, let’s get into it. Here's a message I got from a student. English isn't their first language, so I've edited it a little......
Curated Video
SCRUM GUIDE: Top 10 Things to Know
Scrum is the best known and most widely used Agile methodology. And that methodology is documented in the Scrum Guide. So, what do you need to know about the Scrum Guide? 1. The Scrum Guide is available to download, free, from...
Curated Video
How to Deliver an IMPOSSIBLE Project
Do you need to take on an impossible project: something nobody thinks can be done? Or maybe a project no one thinks should be done! Here are eight principles for how to do just that. I explain them in the video! 1. Commitment 2. Control...
Curated Video
If you want to go far...
If you want to go far...' is from the African proverb: If you want to go fast, go alone If you want to go far, go as a group In this opinion-video, I muse on how that applies to Project management and the project environment. And I also...
Curated Video
Discovery Mode: Cheese or Owl?
If you want your team to solve problems more effectively, you need to get them into Discovery Mode. Put another way, is it to be Cheese or Owl? What I like about projects is the constant flow of problems. It isn't that I like the...
Curated Video
7 Ways a Project Manager is like a Pilot: A Take on Your Project Management Roles
It recently occurred to me that an airplane is rather like a Project, and its captain is like a Project Manager. Let me explain why the role of a Project Manager is rather like that of a pilot... 1. Destination The captain pilots a lane...
Curated Video
The History of Innovation: A Recipe for Breakthroughs
If you look at the history of innovation, you'll see one proven recipe for breakthroughs: Take a small, intensely focused team and impose an unreasonable time frame on it.' This quote from the business leader, Alan Naumann, reminds us of...
Curated Video
How to Hold a Daily Stand-up Meeting
The Daily Stand-up Meeting is a part of many Agile Project Management approaches. But in my experience, the idea pre-dates Agile. I bet the pyramid builder gathered around the wineskin at the start of every day! But, the two specific...
Curated Video
The Single Best Team Effectiveness Tool
What is the single best Team Effectiveness tool? I'll tell you. As a Project Manager, you want the best from your team. But your time is limited, and you have so much to do. So, you need to be focused. What is the best way to get the...
Curated Video
Good Meetings don't Happen by Chance
Sometimes the life of a project manager seems to be a constant trudge from one meeting to the next. And it doesn’t help that you are responsible for leading some of them! So, creating a good project meeting should be important to you....
Curated Video
What is a Sprint Retrospective?
In the Scrum framework, a Sprint Retrospective is the last step of a sprint. But what exactly is it? The sprint retrospective allows the team to reflect on the way they worked, share insights and ideas, and identify areas of improvement...
Curated Video
Your First 2 Weeks in a New Project: What to Do?
You have a new project. And a window of opportunity to start it in the right way. What are your priorities in the first 2 weeks of a new project?
Curated Video
What is a Product Backlog and What is a Sprint Backlog?
My dictionary tells me that a backlog is an accumulation of uncompleted work or matters needing to be dealt with. In this video, I want to answer the questions What is a Product Backlog, and What is a Sprint Backlog? A Backlog is a list...
Curated Video
Agile 101: How to do a Basic Agile Project
For all you traditional, predictive project managers out there, who are wondering: how to do an agile project, I am going to answer that question, in this video. There is no single way to do an agile project. There are many methodologies...
Curated Video
What is Yokoten? Best Practice Sharing
I have to admit to a certain fascination with Japanese management methods. Here’s another one, that is not as well known: Yokoten. There’s a great way I learn and remember stuff. By sharing the new idea with others as soon as I can....
Curated Video
How to Use the 5 Whys Method
The 5 Whys method is part of the Toyota Production System. And, as my regular viewers know, I am a big fan of raiding Japanese management and production techniques and applying them to strengthen our project management toolkit. So, how...
Curated Video
How to do a Gemba Walk
In an earlier video, I answered the question, ‘What is Going to the Gemba?’ In this video, I summarize that one and go deeper into how to do a Gemba Walk. Gemba is a Japanese term that means ‘actual place’. ‘Going to the gemba’ means...
Curated Video
Is Your Project STUCK in the Middle?
It seems that people feel motivated near the start of a task, because they can easily see their own progress. And, as they near the end, the feeling that their close to finishing draws them on. But, in the middle, motivation sags. Is...