Gazza's Corner Podcast

Episodes

1. 49

   #049 - Why should we choose to have less choice?

   Everyone likes to have choice. No, that's not quite correct. These days people demand choice, especially in the arena of consumer goods and services. The more choice the better, it would seem - or at least the manufacturers would have you think so, as you try to pick out a new cell phone from the...

   Nov 15, 2014
2. 48

   #048 - A Practical Case Study in Cost-Benefit Analysis - did you want Popcorn with that?

   Cost-Benefit Analysis A process by which you weigh expected costs against expected benefits to determine the best (or most profitable) course of action. http://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/cost-benefit-analysis A few years ago I was at a customer site in Independence, Missouri. It is a…

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   Nov 14, 2014
3. 47

   #047 - Why we all need a little Project FIRST AID

   I recently attended an Outdoor First Aid course at Camp Waingaro, which is an old scout hall nestled in 19 hectares of New Zealand bush. Quite a long way from anywhere - or at least it felt like it when I found that I could no longer get a cellphone signal. It was a beautiful site, surrounded on...

   Nov 13, 2014
4. 46

   #046 - Index Card Planning - An interview with Bryan Barrow

   Today's interview is with Bryan Barrow, a widely recognized Project Management and Risk Management consultant and Speaker. Bryan is the founder of Nova Consulting Ltd in the UK. Over the past twenty years, he has worked with Project Management Offices, Project Directors and both public and…

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   Sep 9, 2014
5. 45

   #045 - If only every Project ran like an old Honda Civic

   When I was in my late teens, I bought my first car. My friends were all doing the same - we all had our licenses and we wanted to put them to good use. Of course, not having a lot of money, we each ended up buying older, cheaper cars. I bought a 1974 Mazda RX4 from a family member, one friend...

   Aug 13, 2014
6. 44

   #044 - What's the big deal with Team Sports, anyway?

   When I was a child, I didn't like sports. Well, that's not exactly true - I loved swimming and spent almost every day during my young summers in the water at our local pool, and was part of the swim team. Wrinkly skin, and a persistent smell of chlorine - it was a wonderful way to spend a good…

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   Jul 10, 2014
7. 43

   #043 - Dis-Orientation: The importance of Project Vision

   "Where there is no vision, the people perish..." Proverbs 29:18 One of the most important things you will do as a leader or Project Manager is to communicate a compelling vision to your team or organization. It not only sets the direction for the team and the project, it also begins to pull a…

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   Jun 13, 2014
8. 42

   #042 - May Your Projects Never Be Late Again: Secrets from a Road Trip

   How do you make sure your projects complete on time? When you set a deadline, you are supposed communicate it to everyone, right? Then, presumably,the entire team will work towards that date, vendor and client alike, to make it happen. That is usually what happens on most projects - you may be a...

   May 26, 2014
9. 41

   #041 - All I want is a little change to the Project Scope...

   The Cost of Change We have all heard about how the cost of change increases exponentially the further you are along the path of project delivery. If the unit of effort is, say, (1) at requirements stage to accommodate a feature change, in design it increases to (10x), in development it increases…

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   Apr 21, 2014
10. 40

    #040 - Is your Project Team like a Light Switch...or a Candle?

    A few years ago I went on a fly-fishing trip with a group of work colleagues. I was working on a project in New Zealand, and we were going to be staying in an old company-owned holiday "bach" just outside of Taupo. You could book these properties for a weekend and pay a small fee. A basic type of...

    Mar 24, 2014
11. 39

    #039 - May I have your Attention, Please?

    You know the drill - anyone who has ever flown on a commercial airline has heard this announcement from the flight attendant, usually followed by a safety briefing video and a demonstration by the crew. Most of us briefly look up, see the flight attendant standing there, snug our seat-belt…

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    Mar 16, 2014
12. 38

    #038 - Have YOU Exploited your Project Team Today?

    Let me ask you an important question: Have you Exploited your Project Team Today? Wait a minute, Exploit your Project Team? You are probably thinking - He can't be serious. That's a horrible, evil thing to do, right? You probably also have visions of unfair wages, an evil boss, overworked and...

    Dec 8, 2013
13. 37

    #037 - Your Fifteen Minutes of ... Productivity?

    Fifteen minutes of Fame - we all seem to want it, and according to some we are all due our fifteen minutes in the limelight. Well, maybe, or maybe not. I am sure that the law of averages has something to say about that, and more likely some celebrity out there is using up a whole lot of other...

    Oct 24, 2013
14. 36

    #036 - Roadside Checkup: How Clear is your Project Vision?

    When I was fifteen, I spent the summer visiting my relatives in Alberta. Nothing unusual about that, as we did that most summers. We would usually drive the nearly 14 hours to Calgary and then spend a few very enjoyable weeks visiting the grandparents, exploring the farmyard and visiting our many...

    Oct 14, 2013
15. 35

    #035 - Protect your project from Zombie Outbreaks

    zom·bie \ˈzäm-bē\ noun 1. Formal. a. the body of a dead person given the semblance of life, but mute and will-less, by a supernatural force, usually for some evil purpose. b. the supernatural force itself 2. Informal. a. a person whose behavior or responses are wooden, listless, or seemingly…

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    Aug 1, 2013
16. 34

    #034 - Too High, Too Fast - Project Asphyxiation

    I have, for much of my life, lived close to sea level. Most people don't think too much about altitude, unless they travel a lot, climb mountains, or are professional athletes. If you live near hills or near mountains, you might not even think too much about a hike or drive up a couple thousand...

    Jul 30, 2013
17. 33

    #033 - Do you have enough Rope? A Lesson in Being Prepared

    Have you ever saved a life? In an emergency, can you do what it takes to help someone? Could you rescue them from a life-or-death situation? Perhaps you might think I am being a bit dramatic, but it's a serious question. Are you prepared? In July 1983, the 15th World Scouting Jamboree was held at...

    Mar 19, 2013
18. 32

    #032 - Sense, Sensibility and Perception: There's no accounting for Taste

    A colleague of mine has no taste. None at all - either he lost it in early childhood or he never had it, he can't exactly remember. I am not being mean about his clothing or sense of style - I am being quite literal. His taste buds do not work at all. When he eats, there is only texture, no…

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    Feb 4, 2013
19. 31

    #031 - New Year, New Project - Don't forget the PARTY!

    Happy New Year - and welcome to your new project! The start of the calendar year often marks the start of new projects; the old year is done, the new year is fresh and full of potential. Everyone is rested from the break and raring to go...ok, perhaps recovering is the right word. However, it is...

    Feb 3, 2013
20. 30

    #030 - Working with Teams: Interview with Chris Cattaway

    Today's interview is with with Chris Cattaway, an expert in building successful teams. Chris's experience ranges from designing and project managing multi-million dollar telecommunications systems to leading disaster response teams in Africa and Asia. He is a PMP®, a Registered Prince 2...

    Jan 7, 2013
21. 29

    #029 - Pick Me! Pick Me! ...What is YOUR Essential Value Proposition?

    When my father graduated from university and got his first job as an Electrical Engineer, his manager told him the following on his first day: "Congratulations on earning your degree. But I want you to know the only thing it shows me is that you know how to learn." My father was stunned. He had...

    Nov 15, 2012
22. 28

    #028 - From the Playground to the Olympics: What NOT to do in Team Development

    "I got here first!" "No, I did!" "Me!" "No, me!" I just got back from a three day school camp with my youngest son. We went to new and interesting places each day, and everywhere we went, walking or driving, the adults were constantly serenaded by the same chorus when we arrived at each...

    Nov 2, 2012
23. 27

    #027 - Whole Brain Team Development: An Interview with Lynne Schinella

    Today's interview is with Lynne Schinella, an expert on building “whole brain” organizations and teams. Lynne Schinella is an authority on masterful communication in the 21st century. She believes that at the heart of all great communication are 3 elements: empathy, understanding and respect for...

    Oct 12, 2012
24. 26

    #026 - Project Pain Management: The Good, The Bad and the Useful

    Definition of PAIN a : a state of physical, emotional, or mental lack of well-being or physical, emotional, or mental uneasiness that ranges from mild discomfort or dull distress to acute often unbearable agony, may be generalized or localized, and is the consequence of being injured or hurt...

    Oct 3, 2012
25. 25

    #025 - Would you know an Unacceptable Risk if it jumped up and bit you?

    When I was younger, I was quite risk-averse. I said "no" to a lot of things that some might consider a "safe-ish" activity - like Bungee Jumping or riding a motorcycle. (Dirt bikes were OK though, because I never got going that fast). So why did I find myself backing away from a snake charmer who...

    Sep 14, 2012