Most communication plans are comprehensive documents that satisfy process requirements but fail to manage actual communication. This episode reveals how to build communication strategies that stakeholders will use and appreciate, starting with a fundamental shift: design around what people need to know to make decisions, not what you think they should know about your project. Learn the three-question framework for identifying real communication requirements, how to create communication matrices with success criteria that drive quality over frequency, and why more communication often trains people to ignore you. We cover the communication diet technique for eliminating noise, how to design meeting cadences around decision velocity instead of calendar defaults, and practical approaches for creating communication channels that prevent email chaos. You’ll discover how to build explicit escalation frameworks for problem communication, conduct communication audits that reveal what’s actually working, and create stakeholder communication agreements that prevent frustration. Perfect for project managers tired of producing reports nobody reads and ready to focus on signal instead of noise.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Project Management in Practice Series

This episode is part of a structured series that organizes episodes into a coherent curriculum for practising project managers. It keeps each episode self-contained while allowing listeners to follow a logical progression from project initiation to delivery control. Each focuses on a concrete, practical aspect of day-to-day project delivery.

Master the art of status reporting that actually gets read and drives action. Learn how to tailor reports for different audiences, from executives who need the big picture to teams who need operational details. Discover when to mark projects red instead of staying stuck in amber, how to build dashboards that inform decisions rather than just display data, and why your status report is one of your most powerful tools for building stakeholder trust. This episode covers practical techniques for turning status reporting from a dreaded chore into a strategic advantage, including the three-question framework executives really care about, the sleep test for RAG status, and how to structure reports that take minutes to write but deliver maximum impact.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Project Management in Practice Series

This episode is part of a structured series that organizes episodes into a coherent curriculum for practising project managers. It keeps each episode self-contained while allowing listeners to follow a logical progression from project initiation to delivery control. Each focuses on a concrete, practical aspect of day-to-day project delivery.

Stop treating risk management as a checkbox exercise. In this episode, we break down the critical difference between risks and issues, reveal why most risk registers fail, and show you how to build a practical approach that actually protects your projects. Learn how to identify risks continuously, use probability-impact matrices effectively, create response plans with real teeth, and monitor what matters. We cover the four legitimate risk response strategies, explain why your junior team members are your best early warning system, and share concrete examples from real projects. Whether you’re managing software implementations, construction projects, or product launches, you’ll walk away with actionable techniques to spot problems early and respond quickly. This is risk management that serves your project, not your governance committee.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Project Management in Practice Series

This episode is part of a structured series that organizes episodes into a coherent curriculum for practising project managers. It keeps each episode self-contained while allowing listeners to follow a logical progression from project initiation to delivery control. Each focuses on a concrete, practical aspect of day-to-day project delivery.

Learn the critical skill of protecting your project scope while maintaining strong stakeholder relationships. This episode covers how to write effective scope statements with clear boundaries, implement change control processes that build trust rather than create friction, and handle change requests using impact analysis and strategic communication. Discover practical techniques like the “yes, and” approach, future phase backlogs, and proactive scope reviews. We examine real-world scenarios including software implementations and system upgrades, showing you how to quantify change impacts, present informed trade-offs, and know when to be firm versus flexible. You’ll learn why timing matters when delivering difficult news, how to remove scope items without damaging relationships, and why strong scope management is about being intentional, not inflexible. Perfect for project managers who want to deliver on commitments while keeping stakeholders engaged and satisfied.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Project Management in Practice Series

This episode is part of a structured series that organizes episodes into a coherent curriculum for practising project managers. It keeps each episode self-contained while allowing listeners to follow a logical progression from project initiation to delivery control. Each focuses on a concrete, practical aspect of day-to-day project delivery.

Learn how to create project schedules that actually work. This episode covers the fundamentals of work breakdown structures, task dependencies, and critical path analysis with practical techniques you can use immediately. Discover how to estimate task duration realistically, avoid common scheduling pitfalls, and make the most of your scheduling tools whether you’re using Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, or Excel. You’ll learn when to challenge dependencies, how to identify your critical path, where to place schedule buffers, and how to keep your schedule updated and useful throughout the project. Includes real-world examples of schedule compression, resource loading, and stakeholder communication. Perfect for project managers who want to move beyond simple task lists and gain real control over their project timelines.

Project Management in Practice Series

This episode is part of a structured series that organizes episodes into a coherent curriculum for practising project managers. It keeps each episode self-contained while allowing listeners to follow a logical progression from project initiation to delivery control. Each focuses on a concrete, practical aspect of day-to-day project delivery.

Master the art of the project kickoff meeting. A kickoff shapes expectations more than any other early meeting. This episode explains the essential elements of a clear, disciplined kickoff deck, from goals and scope to governance and schedule outline. It also covers how to run the meeting, how to manage dominant personalities, and how to close with concrete alignment rather than polite nods.

Project Management in Practice Series

This episode is part of a structured series that organizes episodes into a coherent curriculum for practising project managers. It keeps each episode self-contained while allowing listeners to follow a logical progression from project initiation to delivery control. Each focuses on a concrete, practical aspect of day-to-day project delivery.

Missing a critical stakeholder can derail your project before it gains momentum. This episode reveals systematic approaches to identify all project stakeholders, from obvious sponsors to hidden influencers who control resources you need. Learn the three-question method for comprehensive stakeholder discovery, how to use power-interest grids that adapt as your project evolves, and when RACI matrices actually help versus when they create confusion. We cover practical techniques for stakeholder interviews that uncover the people others miss, how to create actionable stakeholder registers without bureaucratic overhead, and strategies for managing resistors instead of ignoring them. You’ll discover how to avoid stakeholder fatigue, when to review your stakeholder map, and why end users deserve a voice early in your project. Perfect for project managers who want to prevent surprises, build support proactively, and understand that stakeholder mapping is ongoing detective work, not a one-time exercise.

Project Management in Practice Series

This episode is part of a structured series that organizes episodes into a coherent curriculum for practising project managers. It keeps each episode self-contained while allowing listeners to follow a logical progression from project initiation to delivery control. Each focuses on a concrete, practical aspect of day-to-day project delivery.

A structured walk through the earliest moments of a project, when requests are vague and expectations are fluid. The episode explains how to capture intent, extract hidden assumptions, form an initial frame of scope, and convert scattered information into a clear starting point. It also covers how to avoid premature commitments that create trouble later.

Project Management in Practice Series

This episode is part of a structured series that organizes episodes into a coherent curriculum for practising project managers. It keeps each episode self-contained while allowing listeners to follow a logical progression from project initiation to delivery control. Each focuses on a concrete, practical aspect of day-to-day project delivery.