communication 3 -bad news isn’t that bad if you don’t do a fenner

EPISODE 29 - Bad news.  It happens on projects and as a project manager and business you have to deal with it.  Sometimes things just aren’t fair but you have to make the best of the situation.  Here's how.

communication 4 - who the hell do I speak to

EPISODE 30 - The last in a mini series on communication.  This week continuity and how to be aware of its value in communication.​

communication 1 - report, report, report, report no really don’t bother if you’re doing it that way.

EPISODE 27 - First in a series of podcasts on communication.  One of the key elements to making a project better both for the business and the project.  

Reporting, it’s not just another tick box and if it is don’t bother! But if it isn't there are many benefits.  Here’s how to do it better.

communication 2 - that’s what I said, stupid

EPISODE 28 - Second in a series on communication this is on the very simple concept of communicating to understand so you have more effective projects both for the business and the better projects.​

managing design part1 one of the hardest things you’ll manage

EPISODE 25 - Design is the process of turning ideas into something that is real, and it’s a difficult process.  It’s equally as hard to manage so you get the best in terms of quality, cost and in good time.

To get true value as a client or contractor it has to be managed with understanding and care but not let drift.

beware the unresolved. How to manage design 2

EPISODE 26 - The second part in how to manage design.  The hardest thing you’ll have to manage!  

This episode - beware the unresolved.   A key thing to be aware of and stop those risks turning into issues.​

how to manage a budget when you don’t know what you’re doing!

EPISODE 23 - In fit out it’s becoming a popular route to commit to a budget before the design, in some cases has even started!  

It can work if managed in the right way and you know how.

But how do you make sure you don’t overspend if you’re the contractor or get true value if you’re the client?  This episode explains briefly how I’ve done it successfully when many other ways I’ve been involved with have failed.

Hint. It’s not with a shopping list approach.  A sure fire way for no one to get value from a project!!

being wrong gets better results

EPISODE 24 - Being wrong is perceived as a bad thing, but at the right time it’s the best thing you can be, especially if you want the best for the project.  ​

what does it take to get the best from a project when you are managing from client side

EPISODE 21 - This episode explains what you need to focus on more as a manager on the client side of projects.  It also goes a bit partridge with penguins!

Let’s not talk about the question. Meetings

EPISODE 22 - Today meetings, are they important? I’m not a fan of arranging meetings but they are a tool in the project management box that when used right are very effective.  The two things I highlight are - the meeting needs to be about the solution not the question to be effective and the meeting should be about being effective for the business not just about being important.

the quality, cost, time see saw

EPISODE 19 - What’s more important quality, cost or time in a project? … the answer is all of them but to get the best out of a project you have to prioritise one at at time and in an order to get the best end result.  This explains a bit more … it’s a beautiful day to!

projects are a team sport

EPISODE 20 - We are told that we should work as a team, but what does that really mean in a project and are you truly being a team in your projects?​

how you can structure your project management for the benefit of your business

EPISODE 17 -You can set up how you manage your projects in different ways. There is no right way other than the way it works for you.  Here is a quick overview and some thoughts of how you could!

learn your way to better management of your projects

EPISODE 18 - This episode is about something you all know is good but maybe also don’t see how to get the best value from.  Learning…​

be indecisive to be decisive

EPISODE 15 - Today how not being decisive can make you more decisive to make the right decisions.  I know it sound counter intuitive.  You don’t always have to be 100% sure, you can’t always be 100% sure, so use it to your advantage to make better decisions.  Try it it may help.  And the bluebells are out!

understand to be better

EPISODE 16 - This is simple … when I say when you understand you know how to do things better.  But how often do you try to understand?  Be aware of one of the principles to better management of projects and you can get better value from them.  2 swans are a swimming, and it’s not Christmas!​

Don’t do it if you don’t need to (does it make it better?)

EPISODE 13 -Today I talk about one of the principles I use in managing projects … don’t do it if you don’t need to.  Which has a sub heading of …. does it make it better.  It’s an idea which may help you be better that often gets ignored as an option.  ​.

understand, why is this podcast!

EPISODE 14 - To understand is the foundation to getting better projects, decisions and value.  This episode explains why this podcast, what it is for and how it can help.  So you can understand!​

Fear and why you should be scared of it if you want to do better projects

EPISODE 11 - This weeks episode is about fear and how it holds projects and businesses back from achieving great things.  Especially in a top down run company.  I talk about how rubbish it made me and get wet.  There’s a squirrel!

Manage with exception to get exceptional results

EPISODE 12 - Do you get frustrated by either decisions being made that shouldn’t by others or having to make them all yourself.

Today a brief explanation of a technique that could get you value through allowing decisions to be made by all that aligns with the business goals.  It could save you and projects time.  Small gains add up to big wins.  Bluebells are out!

value

EPISODE 9 - What is value? A bit more explained and my working introduction to it

you don’t need project managers

EPISODE 10 - This time bats!!! And a brief explanation of why you don’t need project managers but you do need to understand project management.  Things get a bit weird with covering bases.​

What do you need from and to be a project manager

EPISODE 7 - Today I ramble a bit about what you need to be a project manager and what you need to look for from a project manager.  There are trees, beware!

Money really does grow on trees

EPISODE 8 - Today I’ll explain the importance of getting the right information to make profit and good projects.  There is an incident with a tree, I talk a lot about trees and spreadsheets and apples.​

THE PROFIT BUCKET

EPISODE 5 - In this episode sunny bounces, I explain a reason projects don't make the profits that they should with a concept centred around a bucket of gin.

THE PROJECT FOR THE BUSINESS

EPISODE 6 - Today one of us swims, one of us explains one of the principles of getting value and better profits from your projects and for the business of 'the project is for the business'.​

FIND, GIVE AND GET VALUE

EPISODE 3 - I explain a bit more about value and how you can find it, get it and give it in your projects and business.  Sunny chases a hare, I give a recent simple example of getting value from a three way with a writing box

ENABLE AND TRUST THE RIGHT PEOPLE

EPISODE 4 - An Introduction to one of the principles to value focused managing. Trust and enable the right people and wondering why project managers want to be designers

VALUE

EPISODE 1 - An introduction to the podcast and explanation on value.... while walking the dog! 

EMPOWERMENT

EPISODE 2 - I explain a bit more about value and how you can find it, get it and give it in your projects and business.  Sunny chases a hare, I give a recent simple example of getting value from a three way with a writing box.​