The Project Management Podcast

Premium This is a preview of our premium episode. Full access is available only to premium subscribers. Click here and learn about the Premium Podcast to access this interview... Play video preview episode | Play audio-only preview episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/6xQm6HgQCP8RyVmPuuxwbf/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Episode Summary Sara Gallagher returns to examine a frustrating reality for project managers: organizations can employ smart, experienced, well-intentioned people and still produce the same bad outcomes again and again. Sara, president of The Persimmon Group and creator of the Big Dumb Questions newsletter, brings more than 15 years of consulting experience to a discussion that starts with artificial intelligence and quickly expands into how organizations make decisions, manage transitions, respond to change, and structure project leadership. She explains how she separates work into simple, complicated, and complex categories when deciding what to give AI, and why simple and selected complicated work offer the most practical opportunities today. From there, Sara and Cornelius examine decision latency and the danger of judging a decision only by its eventual outcome. Sara argues that leaders should focus on whether they made a defensible decision based on the information and criteria available at the time. They also examine project handoffs, where weak preparation can allow value to leak away and risk to increase just as the project reaches a critical transition point.

Play audio-only episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/2xhOTHnIBXSo9mayQC49ri/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Episode Summary Artificial intelligence can now appear in PMP exam scenarios, but that does not mean candidates need to study AI technology. In Episode 557, Cornelius Fichtner starts with the PMP Exam Content Outline and separates what PMI actually says from what many candidates may assume. AI appears in the introduction as one of the trends PMI evaluates when researching changes in professional practice expectations, but it does not appear as a task or enabler in the People, Process, or Business Environment domains. That distinction matters because the PMP exam measures project management competencies, not technical mastery of the tools a project manager may use. AI can show up as a project risk, a deliverable, or a tool that a team wants to adopt, while the underlying exam question still asks whether you can manage risk, evaluate a tool, address a stakeholder concern, handle change, or make an accountable project decision. Cornelius also shows the kinds of questions candidates should not expect, including technical questions about generative versus predictive AI, prompt-writing techniques, and AI model selection.

Play audio-only episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/7GkxbZqq1ot3AQ6rkep94r/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Episode Summary Sara Gallagher, President of The Persimmon Group and author of the LinkedIn newsletter Big Dumb Questions, joins Cornelius Fichtner to answer the uncomfortable questions most PMO leaders avoid. The conversation follows four threads: PMO identity, design, accountability, and the future. It opens with the biggest question of all: are PMOs dying? Sara takes an optimistic view, with caveats. She explains that traditional PMOs are built on standardization, which raises weaker projects to a certain ceiling but also flattens excellent, tailored work down to the law of averages. She then paints a concrete picture of what comes next: project managers with robust knowledge bases and AI agents that draft synthesized status reports, simulate steering committee members such as a CFO, and hand results to a PMO agent that standardizes everything for portfolio roll-up. The result combines hyper-customized stakeholder communication with standardization only where it is truly needed, and it frees the PMO to coach project managers in sophisticated stakeholder management and risk practices.

Play audio-only episode Your browser does not support the audio element. Download the episode. A brief personal update from your host. My wife recently had a serious fall that required hip surgery and rehabilitation, so my time is fully devoted to her recovery right now. One recorded interview is on its way to your feed shortly, but the schedule will stay quiet for the next few weeks while I reschedule cancelled interviews and we get through this together.

Play audio-only episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/6YRByXJF0H3mweSvOB5GrP/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Episode Summary The seven performance domains from the PMBOK Guide 8th edition form the backbone of how project work actually happens, and they are woven into nearly every situational question on the PMP exam. The catch is that the exam never labels them. Cornelius Fichtner, PMP, takes you through all seven domains: Governance, Scope, Schedule, Finance, Stakeholders, Resources, and Risk. For each domain, he presents a sample question from The PM Exam Simulator, works through the answer choices, and then hands you a structured takeaway built around three skills: how to recognize the domain in a scenario, how to evaluate your answer options, and how to eliminate the traps. Along the way you work through fourteen exam-style questions, including drag and drop matching, choose-multiple formats, and classic four-option scenarios covering everything from negative float and crashing to contingency reserves and psychological safety.

Play audio-only episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/13MmWmupCBGmekt2kWPn86/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Episode Summary Preparing for the PMP exam means developing the ability to make sound decisions under pressure, not simply recalling definitions from a textbook. In this lesson, drawn directly from the PM PrepCast PMP exam prep course and PrepCast PMP Exam Simulator, Cornelius Fichtner walks through all six project management principles from the PMBOK Guide 8th Edition and shows exactly how to recognize and apply them when facing the kind of ambiguous, scenario-based questions that appear on the actual exam. Each principle gets its own sample question from the PrepCast PMP Exam Simulator, a step-by-step walkthrough of why the wrong answers are wrong, and a second practice question so listeners can immediately test what they have learned. The episode covers all six principles in sequence: Adopt a Holistic View, Focus on Value, Embed Quality into Processes and Deliverables, Be an Accountable Leader, Integrate Sustainability Within All Project Areas, and Build an Empowered Culture. Each principle is taught not as a concept to memorize but as a mindset to recognize and apply, because the exam consistently rewards situational judgment over terminology.

Premium This is a preview of our premium episode. Full access is available only to premium subscribers. Click here and learn about the Premium Podcast to access this interview... Play audio-only preview episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/1fIDOeHvPAw9pKQEQeWNuI/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Episode Summary We welcome back Dawn Mahan and Jerry Manas for a project risk management conversation that connects movie moments with practical project leadership. Dawn and Jerry, co-editors of Projectland Goes to the Movies: 22 Blockbuster Strategies for Project Success, focus on the chapters they personally wrote and use them to examine how project managers identify early warning signs, assess uncertainty, choose risk responses, and handle the human side of risk. Jerry uses Star Wars to explain fast risk assessment, OODA loops, situational awareness, risk response planning, and the difference between risk as threat and risk as opportunity. Dawn uses The Italian Job to discuss trust, hidden resistance, team pressure, stakeholder behavior, sabotage, and what happens when a new person joins an already established team. Together, they make a practical point for project managers: risk management cannot live only in a register. It has to show up in conversations, sponsor alignment, team formation, stakeholder engagement, and regular project decisions.

Play audio-only episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/4NGXcFCrMoET3CHEoXfEcT/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Episode Summary The PMP Exam Content Outline, often called the ECO, drives everything about the PMP exam, yet many students still focus almost entirely on the PMBOK Guide. In this episode, Cornelius Fichtner explains why the PMP exam is not a test of the PMBOK Guide and why the ECO serves as the real syllabus behind the certification exam. He walks through how PMI develops exam questions, how volunteers create and review questions based on the ECO, and how reference materials such as the PMBOK Guide support the process without directly defining the exam itself. Along the way, Cornelius breaks down the structure of the ECO into domains, tasks, and enablers, helping PMP candidates understand what PMI expects modern project managers to know in predictive, adaptive, and hybrid environments. He also explains why concepts such as value delivery, sustainability, compliance, and artificial intelligence now appear in the latest version of the exam. The discussion includes a practical walkthrough of the People, Process, and Business Environment domains, how exam percentages are distributed, and why PMI periodically updates the exam based on real-world project management practices.

Play audio-only episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/7e2GjjQbP66J0m9ptyLlZc/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Episode Summary Project managers often joke that their projects feel like a movie. In this conversation, that idea becomes the central theme as Cornelius Fichtner welcomes Dawn Mahan and Jerry Manas to discuss their book Projectland Goes to the Movies. Together, they examine how famous films reflect real project management challenges involving leadership, teamwork, risk, stakeholder management, planning, and adaptation under pressure. From Apollo 13 and The Martian to Jurassic Park, Twelve Angry Men, and Ocean’s Eleven, the discussion highlights how storytelling creates memorable examples of project leadership in action. The guests explain why movies resonate so strongly with project managers, how fictional situations often mirror real workplace dynamics, and why stories stick with people more effectively than abstract theory. The conversation also connects several examples back to practical project management concepts such as servant leadership, agile adaptation, collaborative problem-solving, stakeholder influence, and the importance of remaining calm during uncertainty.

Premium This is a preview of our premium episode. Full access is available only to premium subscribers. Click here and learn about the Premium Podcast to access this interview... Play audio-only preview episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/4ur97V9NcsQK8YWvFrMkpb/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Episode Summary Projects rarely fall apart because people lack effort. More often, they struggle because teams move forward without a shared understanding of what they are actually trying to achieve. In this conversation, Cornelius Fichtner continues his discussion with Danielle Naomi McCier, Creative Operations leader and author of “Wrangling Chaos,” focusing on what happens after a project is already in motion. The discussion shifts from identifying why projects drift into confusion to understanding how project managers can actively restore clarity, guide decisions, and keep work moving forward in fast-paced environments such as creative agencies. Danielle shares practical techniques for clarifying objectives, aligning stakeholders, and ensuring that teams do not default into rework cycles caused by early misunderstandings. She emphasizes that project clarity is not a one-time activity but an ongoing responsibility that requires attention, communication, and structure throughout execution.

Play audio-only episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/1leJNIphrf6AmZuiD8DQgR/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Episode Summary Danielle Naomi McCier joins the discussion to explain how project managers can create clarity in environments where priorities shift, feedback comes from multiple directions, and teams struggle to stay aligned. The conversation highlights how projects rarely begin in chaos but gradually lose clarity as expectations evolve and communication becomes fragmented. Danielle explains that what many teams interpret as planning issues are often clarity problems rooted in misalignment, unclear ownership, and inconsistent communication. She shares practical ways to identify these issues early and outlines how project managers can act as the central point of alignment, helping teams move forward with confidence even when conditions change.

Play audio-only episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/78GGnbXrbmuVVKN7VTr89a/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Episode Summary Project work dominates how organizations grow, transform, and compete, yet many projects still fail to create meaningful impact. This conversation examines why delivering plans, schedules, and outputs no longer defines success for project managers. As expectations shift toward value creation and strategic impact, the role of the project manager expands beyond execution into leadership, influence, and decision-making. Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez, a leading authority on project leadership and organizational transformation, explains how organizations have become project-driven and what that shift demands from those leading initiatives.

Premium This is a preview of our premium episode. Full access is available only to premium subscribers. Click here and learn about the Premium Podcast to access this interview... Play audio-only preview episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/4Xs2uF3AY0ibbeopq8L6tT/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Episode Summary Leadership is not defined by rank, title, or position, but by how well leaders take care of their people. In this conversation, Cornelius Fichtner speaks with Sergeant Major Jill E. Johnson about leadership grounded in service, trust, and responsibility. Drawing from more than two decades of military experience, including deployments and senior enlisted leadership roles, Jill explains how effective leaders build commitment by focusing on people before personal advancement. She shares how early career experiences, unexpected recommendations, and continuous preparation shaped her leadership path, even when she did not initially plan to pursue a long-term military career.

Play audio-only episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/3t2CG7MX5nu6sDzgVWlCMm/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Episode Summary Project requirements rarely change because teams lack discipline. More often, change starts long before a project manager ever joins the work. Early product decisions define priorities, assumptions, and constraints that quietly shape delivery outcomes. In this conversation, Cornelius Fichtner speaks with Lee Fischman about why project managers so often inherit projects that feel impossible and how product thinking influences what gets built, how success is defined, and how much flexibility exists when reality shifts. The discussion connects product management, project execution, and leadership behavior, showing how unclear intent, untested value assumptions, and early commitments lead to ongoing requirement changes later in delivery.

Premium This is a preview of our premium episode. Full access is available only to premium subscribers. Click here and learn about the Premium Podcast to access this interview... Play audio-only preview episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/0Oigs530k78MQr8yXkgeA3/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Episode Summary AI is changing how projects operate, but speed and automation also introduce new risks that are easier to miss and harder to challenge. This conversation examines how artificial intelligence accelerates existing project warning signs and creates confidence without evidence. Cornelius Fichtner welcomes Matthew Oleniuk, author of The Seven Red Flags of Failing Projects, to revisit four critical red flags through an AI lens. Together, they discuss how AI-driven reporting, task automation, and decision support can intensify output-focused thinking, hide weak outcomes, and create polished narratives that mask real project health. The discussion emphasizes that AI does not introduce entirely new problems but magnifies behaviors that already exist in project environments, especially overconfidence, automation bias, and reduced human challenge.

Play audio-only episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/0h4KuKmIy9CC44TyrHTyYl/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> Episode Summary Projects rarely fall apart because of tools or templates. They struggle because leaders lack clarity, adaptability, awareness, and strong communication habits. Author and coach Scott Barnard joins Cornelius Fichtner to share a practical leadership framework built on four pillars that help project managers guide their teams through turbulence. Drawing from more than three decades of recovering troubled initiatives, Scott explains how these pillars help teams anticipate disruption, reduce stress, and keep moving toward meaningful outcomes. His experience spans major global programs, complex software projects, and large organizational transformations, all of which reveal a consistent pattern: when leaders strengthen these four pillars, chaos loses its grip and teams deliver more confidently.

Play audio-only episode | Play video episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify Click above to play either the audio-only episode or video episode in a new window. Episode Summary Subtle problems often start long before a project shows obvious signs of distress. Leaders feel the pressure to deliver momentum, teams shift toward activity over outcomes, and stakeholders slowly fade as competing priorities pull them away. In this conversation, Matthew Oleniuk brings his experience from overseeing large public sector projects and highlights seven early indicators that signal when a project is heading toward trouble. He explains why these issues are easy to ignore, how they quietly compound over time, and why strong leadership vigilance matters more than any dashboard color. He also describes how patterns like output beating outcome, performance theater, and risk box ticking show up in real projects and why they are so harmful when left unchallenged.

Play audio-only episode | Play video episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify Click above to play either the audio-only episode or video episode in a new window. Episode Summary The eighth edition of the PMBOK Guide has dropped and it represents another significant evolutions in PMI’s standards. This conversation takes listeners directly inside its development. Jesse Fewell, who chaired the PMBOK Guide 8 effort, offers a detailed look at how tens of thousands of data points, practitioner feedback, and extensive review cycles shaped the newest edition. He explains how the standard brings greater clarity, a more intuitive structure, and practical guidance that aligns with the way projects actually unfold rather than how we might idealize them on paper. This episode also highlights major updates, including a fully revised definition of a project and a modernized view of project success that emphasizes value, perception, and consensus across stakeholders, even when budgets or schedules are challenged.

Premium This is a preview of our premium episode. Full access is available only to premium subscribers. Click here and learn about the Premium Podcast to access this interview... Play audio-only preview episode | Play video preview episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify Click above to play either the audio-only preview episode or video preview episode in a new window. Episode Summary Project leadership is more than delivering on time and budget. It is about leading people with honesty, awareness, and courage. In this episode, leadership coach and author Susanne Madsen joins Cornelius Fichtner to discuss how project managers can transform their project outcomes by developing authentic leadership. Drawing from her acclaimed book, *The Power of Project Leadership*, Susanne explains the Project Leadership Matrix, how to assess whether we are proactive or reactive, and how self-awareness is the foundation of great leadership. She also unpacks how leaders can balance people and task focus while recognizing that reactivity often stems from corporate culture rather than personality.

Play audio-only episode | Play video episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify Click above to play either the audio-only episode or video episode in a new window. Episode Summary When stakeholders doubt the schedule, they doubt the leader behind it. Project schedules are more than a collection of dates... they are instruments of leadership that can either inspire confidence or create skepticism. In this conversation, Michael Pink, CEO of SmartPM Technologies, joins Cornelius Fichtner to explain how schedule visibility enables project leaders to see risks early, prevent overruns, and lead with credibility. Drawing from his experience in analyzing thousands of construction projects, Michael explains how transparent and data-driven schedules elevate leadership trust, keep teams aligned, and ensure projects stay on course.

Premium This is a preview of our premium episode. Full access is available only to premium subscribers. Click here and learn about the Premium Podcast to access this interview... Play audio-only preview episode | Play video preview episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify Click above to play either the audio-only preview episode or video preview episode in a new window. Episode Summary Leadership comes in many styles, and the podium of a conductor offers striking lessons for project managers. In this conversation, Itay Talgam brings his wealth of experience as a classical conductor to shed light on what leadership means when you are tasked with guiding a group of experts toward a shared goal. Using vivid stories about Riccardo Muti, Leonard Bernstein, and other legendary maestros, he shows how leadership style is not fixed but evolves with culture, context, and experience. Just as conductors must adapt to each orchestra, project leaders must adapt to the unique culture of their teams and organizations. The discussion emphasizes how authority and autonomy can coexist, why culture and leadership are inseparable, and how leaders can expand their own style without losing authenticity.

Play audio-only episode | Play video episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify Click above to play either the audio-only episode or video episode in a new window. Episode Summary Managing more than one project at a time can feel like a constant balancing act, and for many project managers it is part of everyday life. In this conversation, Elizabeth Harrin joins Cornelius Fichtner to discuss the updated second edition of Managing Multiple Projects and the changes it brings. The discussion highlights how Chapter 7 has been reframed as "Practices," offering practical approaches for building sustainable success. Listeners will gain clear advice on where to start, how to set boundaries, and which methods can lighten the workload without sacrificing quality.

Play audio-only episode | Play video episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify Click above to play either the audio-only episode or video episode in a new window. Episode Summary The most dangerous issue facing a Project Management Office (PMO) is not sudden collapse but a gradual decline in relevance and impact. In this conversation, Mel Bost, author of Understanding Project Practices and Processes, shares his insights from Chapter Four of the book, which focuses on PMOs and project performance. He explains why PMOs often fail to deliver consistent value, even when they are not technically “broken.” He highlights overlooked factors, from alignment with organizational strategy to a lack of meaningful performance measures, that contribute to slow underperformance. The discussion underscores that without proactive adjustments, a PMO can continue to operate while its value to the business quietly diminishes.

Play audio-only episode | Play video episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify Click above to play either the audio-only episode or video episode in a new window. Episode Summary Project managers know that skill building requires consistency, but finding the right structure can be a challenge. Olivia Pekny introduces PM Master Quest, a program built around 30 days of practical, daily challenges that strengthen core project management capabilities. Instead of long theory-based courses, participants apply short, focused tasks directly to a project storyline, turning everyday actions into learning opportunities. The design is simple yet powerful: take one challenge per day, reflect on the experience, and gradually develop the mindset and behaviors that effective project managers demonstrate. Olivia explains how the program helps professionals at all levels gain traction in areas such as stakeholder communication, decision-making, and team leadership while creating momentum through daily practice.

Play audio-only episode | Play video episode | Play on YouTube | Play on Spotify Click above to play either the audio-only episode or video episode in a new window. Episode Summary Project managers often excel at delivering on scope, schedule, and budget, but struggle when asked to prove the value of their work to senior leadership. Barbara Kephart brings her extensive experience in project, program, and portfolio management to address this common challenge. She outlines a clear approach to bridging the gap between technical project reporting and leadership’s focus on business outcomes. Drawing from her career in both public and private sectors, Barbara explains how understanding the language of leadership and linking project metrics to strategic objectives can transform how executives perceive your contributions.