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People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast

People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast

Written by: Andy Kaufman PMP PMI-ACP
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 Welcome to the People and Projects Podcast, where we provide interviews and insights to help you lead people and deliver projects. Since 2009, this show is brought to you by speaker, author, and executive coach Andy Kaufman. If you're looking for insights on project management, leadership, and how AI influences both of those, you've come to the right place! And if you hold a project management certification, you can even earn free PDUs for listening!(c) 2001-2025 Institute for Leadership Excellence & Development Inc. Careers Economics Management Management & Leadership Personal Success
Episodes
  • PPP 499 | How Much of Success Is Luck or Something Else, with Wharton's Judd Kessler

    PPP 499 | How Much of Success Is Luck or Something Else, with Wharton's Judd Kessler
    Feb 21 2026
    Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Wharton economist Judd Kessler, author of Lucky by Design: The Hidden Economics You Need to Get More of What You Want. If you have ever looked at someone else's career success and thought, "They just got lucky," this conversation will give you a new lens. Judd introduces the idea of "hidden markets," the informal rules and systems that shape who gets opportunities, access, and scarce resources, even when money is not changing hands. They explore how leaders can evaluate allocation rules using Judd's three Es (equitable, efficient, and easy), why first come, first served "races" often reward availability more than merit, and how waiting lists can quietly shift costs onto the people least able to pay them. You will also hear Judd's "settle for silver" strategy, a practical way to make smarter choices in competitive markets, plus a thoughtful parenting angle on teaching kids to notice rules and incentives early. If you're looking for a fresh, research-backed perspective on how hidden rules shape who gets opportunities at work and in life, this episode is for you! Sound Bites "The goal of the book is to get people to start to recognizing these markets all around us.""In most of these markets, they play by a simple rule that we all understand, which is if you're willing to pay for the thing, then you get it.""Is the way that we're deciding who gets what... is it equitable? Is it efficient? And is it easy for market participants?""I open my calendar and I see all these recurring meetings on my calendar, recurring meetings that were set up years or months ago. That's first in time, first in right.""If you understand the rules and develop strategies to get what you want from the market, then you actually can be one of the handful that actually gets the thing, that desirable outcome, and then it will look like you got lucky.""It's always going to be the folks who are in the market winning who are always going to think that it's fair.""Once you start thinking like, how am I actually allocating these things? That's when you've put on that market designer hat.""They'll come to you kind of with half-baked ideas because they know if they wait later on until they can fully bake the idea that the resources or the fun parts of the project might already be gone.""Part of what the Settle for Silver / Go for Gold Strategy is forcing you to do, is to think seriously about what you want and why you want it.""You, as a parent, you are designing the markets that your kids play in all the time.""We're not breaking the rules, but we are figuring out what they are so that we can put ourselves in a good position, and that's going to serve you well.""Maybe by being in the office, you are signaling your dedication to the firm that you're available for all of these opportunities.""If it's something that anybody can do, like send a quick email, right? That's, it's not actually costly. Anybody could send that email even if they're not truly dedicated and eager for the opportunity.""You cannot get all three E's for sure in any allocation mechanism. There's always going to be tradeoffs." Chapters 00:00 Introduction01:41 Start of Interview01:49 Growing Up and Thinking About Luck03:00 Introducing Hidden Markets07:10 The Three E's: Equitable, Efficient, and Easy08:08 Live Event Tickets as a Case Study12:50 High Frequency Trading and Hidden Races15:21 Common Misunderstandings of the Three E's17:04 Races Inside Organizations and Project Teams20:25 Proximity, Signaling, and Opportunity at Work23:03 Are We Selecting for the Right Behavior?25:41 Stepping Back to Evaluate Your Own Systems25:52 Colorado River Water Rights and Recurring Meetings29:09 The Settle for Silver Strategy30:57 The French Laundry Reservation Story32:51 Settle for Silver in College Admissions37:22 Helping Kids Recognize Rules and Incentives41:03 End of Interview41:32 Andy Comments After the Interview44:34 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Judd and his work at JuddBKessler.com/book. For more learning on this topic, check out: Episode 265, a short video episode Andy put together about the topic of luck. Check it out!Episode 339 with Katy Milkman. Katy is the person who gave Andy the heads-up about Judd's book. In episode 339, they talk about her book How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. It's a great discussion with another researcher who knows how to make the learning practical for all of us.Episode 372 with Annie Duke. Annie is a former world champion poker player who is a big fan of Judd's book. How does a poker player think about luck? Check out episode 372 to find out! Pass the PMP Exam This Year If you or someone you know is thinking about getting PMP certified, we've put together a helpful guide called The 5 Best Resources to Help You Pass the PMP Exam on Your First Try. We've helped thousands of people earn their certification, and we'd love to help you too. It's totally ...
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    46 mins
  • PPP 498 | Have Better Conversations: Small Moves That Save Projects and Relationships, with Joe Ferraro

    PPP 498 | Have Better Conversations: Small Moves That Save Projects and Relationships, with Joe Ferraro
    Feb 16 2026
    Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Joe Ferraro, host of the One Percent Better podcast and a coach who helps leaders have stronger conversations when the stakes are high. If you lead projects, you know how quickly a meeting, a status update, or a feedback moment can either build trust or quietly drain it. Joe shares small, practical moves that make conversations more memorable and more useful. You will hear why being "good at talking" is not the same as being good at conversation, and how preparation can be a generous act toward the other person. They also discuss how to avoid default, predictable questions, how to turn a one-way presentation into something more interactive, and how to keep your composure when you feel defensive. Joe even offers a simple technique for pressure testing ideas without starting a fight, plus a listening cue you can use the next time you feel tempted to jump in. If you're looking for insights on having better conversations that save projects and strengthen relationships, this episode is for you! Sound Bites "And you know what's a great barometer there is for people listening to ask themselves on a daily basis? How many questions do they ask?""But the reality is a generous conversation is one where you're prepared.""And the easiest path, the simplest path is to ask more questions and then listen, like your life depends on it.""The human ear driving, or on the treadmill or in a board meeting doesn't want to hear the same length answer every time from Andy or Joe or Sheila.""If you feel like you're bursting at the seams and you need to share something, that's when you know to hold it in and to focus on them.""I teach people the technique of inserting devil's advocate, where you, you don't wanna necessarily become the villain, but you say, you know, Andy, you know, it's a great point.""But when I go back to, to Mitch Albom one time, he paused seven seconds before I asked him, before he answered the question.""If you have a recorded conversation, simply ask it to pull out every question that was asked.""My favorite question to ask is the one that I think will elicit the best response for what I'm interested in learning in this moment." Chapters 00:00 Introduction01:44 Start of Interview02:04 When Conversation Became More Than Talking04:32 Curiosity as a Practical Advantage05:47 Sending Questions Ahead of Time06:49 Why Most Real Conversations Feel Like Improv07:40 A Recent Conversation Joe Still Thinks About09:44 What Makes a Conversation Actually Memorable11:14 How Joe's Background Shaped His Approach12:47 Breaking the Habit of Predictable Answers13:54 The Risk of Chasing "Standard" Questions15:16 Using Recording as a Growth Tool16:29 How to Build Better Listening Discipline18:38 Turning a One-Way Presentation Into Conversation20:12 What to Do When You Need Real Buy-In21:44 The Listening Cue to Use When You Want to Jump In23:34 Helping Others Feel Heard Without Hijacking the Moment24:30 Staying Composed When You Feel Defensive27:27 Using "Devil's Advocate" Without Becoming the Villain30:15 When the Best Move Is to Pause32:25 How to Ask Questions That Create Better Stories33:43 The Question That Fits the Moment36:19 What Joe Thinks People Get Wrong About "Small Talk"39:12 Interviewers Joe Thinks More People Should Study45:13 Using AI to Improve Your Conversations49:20 What Joe Sees Changing in Communication Skills50:00 Helping Kids Build Conversational Stamina53:26 Where to Learn More About Joe54:42 End of Interview55:08 Andy Comments After the Interview57:56 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Joe and his work here: OnePercentBetterProject.comJoe on XJoe on LinkedIn For more learning on this topic, check out: Episode 380 with Monica Guzman. It's about navigating stressful conversations with people you don't agree with.Episode 284 with Peter Boghossian. It's another episode on conversations that seem impossible. Think of difficult bosses and other stakeholders.Episode 195 with Celeste Headlee. She's an NPR anchor who first introduced me to the idea of conversational narcissism. Pass the PMP Exam This Year If you or someone you know is thinking about getting PMP certified, we've put together a helpful guide called The 5 Best Resources to Help You Pass the PMP Exam on Your First Try. We've helped thousands of people earn their certification, and we'd love to help you too. It's totally free, and it's a great way to get a head start. Just go to 5BestResources.PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com to grab your copy. I'd love to help you get your PMP this year! Join Us for LEAD52 I know you want to be a more confident leader, that's why you listen to this podcast. LEAD52 is a global community of people like you who are committed to transforming their ability to lead and deliver. It's 52 weeks of leadership learning, delivered right to your inbox, taking less than 5 minutes a week. And it's all for free. Learn more and sign up at GetLEAD52.com. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for...
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • PPP 497 | A Practical System for Navigating Chaos, with author Richard Carson

    PPP 497 | A Practical System for Navigating Chaos, with author Richard Carson
    Feb 12 2026
    Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Richard Carson, author of The Book of Change. If you feel like you barely finish one change before the next one hits, this conversation is for you. Richard shares his deeply researched and battle-tested framework called People Sustained Organizational Change Management, or PSOCM. Unlike many change management books, this is not about certifications or slogans. It is about building a repeatable system to diagnose problems, distinguish adaptive from transformational change, and gain executive traction when support is not automatic. You will hear why so many change efforts fail before they even begin, how to craft a clear problem statement, and what leaders often misunderstand about the type of change they are facing. Richard also explains why he chose the phrase "People Sustained" and how thinking structurally about change can even help at home. If you're looking for practical, grounded insights on leading through continuous change, this episode is for you! Sound Bites "My advice to you is to anticipate change and manage change before it manages you.""Different change models have been introduced in the literature, but there has not been one coherent model for managing organizational change.""PSOCM is driven by defined actions with statistical metrics that produce measurable results.""You get a free book and the next thing you know you're getting the pitch to hire them at an exorbitant amount of money per hour.""Organizations consist of people, and it is the people who are primarily the problem.""Change management is proactive. Emergency management is reactive.""It is not productive to put the organization on the couch and ask, 'Well, what do you think?'""You can change a process, but you cannot change a person's underlying psychology.""You now own it, or it now owns you." Chapters 00:00 Introduction01:40 Start of Interview01:54 Family Culture and Early Influences03:58 Criticisms of Change Management Books and Certifications06:15 Defining Organizational Change Management in Plain Talk07:44 What Surprised Him in the History of Change10:57 Adaptive vs. Transformational Change14:23 Why He Named It People Sustained Organizational Change Management20:03 Problem Identification and Writing Effective Problem Statements24:31 Getting Executive Support When Change Is Not Top Down26:49 When Benefits Do Not Move Leaders28:21 One More Idea to Anticipate Change Before It Manages You30:03 Applying Change Lessons at Home as a Parent31:36 End of Interview32:38 Andy Comments After the Interview35:31 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Richard and his work at RichardCarson.org. Make sure to get the free ebook download. For more learning on this topic, check out: Episode 343 with Gary Lloyd. He has a clever metaphor of thinking about change like a gardener, not a mechanic. It's a great discussion that I think you'll find quite practical.Episode 344 with Peter Bregman and Howie Jacobson. Their book is about change, but not at the organizational level. They think you can change other people, which sounds presumptuous at the least. But they back that up in the interview so check out episode 344 for more.Episode 53 with John Kotter. He's one of the most famous names when it comes to change management. Go way back to episode 53 to hear from John directly. Pass the PMP Exam If you or someone you know is thinking about getting PMP certified, we've put together a helpful guide called The 5 Best Resources to Help You Pass the PMP Exam on Your First Try. We've helped thousands of people earn their certification, and we'd love to help you too. It's totally free, and it's a great way to get a head start. Just go to 5BestResources.PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com to grab your copy. I'd love to help you get your PMP this year! Join Us for LEAD52 I know you want to be a more confident leader—that's why you listen to this podcast. LEAD52 is a global community of people like you who are committed to transforming their ability to lead and deliver. It's 52 weeks of leadership learning, delivered right to your inbox, taking less than 5 minutes a week. And it's all for free. Learn more and sign up at GetLEAD52.com. Thanks! Talent Triangle: Business Acumen Topics: Change Management, Organizational Change, Leadership, Executive Sponsorship, Problem Identification, Adaptive Change, Transformational Change, Strategic Thinking, Organizational Culture, Project Leadership, Continuous Improvement, Stakeholder Engagement The following music was used for this episode: Music: Lullaby of Light feat Cory Friesenhan by Sascha Ende License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Tropical Vibe by WinnieTheMoog License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast!
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    39 mins
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