How much time do you actually spend on self-improvement? Oh, come on! With all this planning, scheduling, managing deadlines, and stuff, it’s easy to let personal growth take a backseat.
And you know what? For busy project managers like you, we’ve put together a list of the 10 fantastic podcast episodes that dive into everything from creating a positive company culture to mastering leadership.
You can listen while you’re commuting, cooking dinner, or even tackling that never-ending pile of emails.
Each episode offers fresh ideas and helps you view your projects from new angles. So, grab your headphones and tune in!
10 Must-Listen Podcast Episodes to Guide You
How to Reduce Project Stress Through Better Prioritization and Stakeholder Honesty
Resource: Digital Project Manager
Host: Galen Low
Guest: James Louttit
This popular podcast will easily become your go-to source for everything related to digital project management.
The host chats with experts, experienced digital project managers, and various industry insiders to discuss important topics in today’s industry scene.
They take a closer look at specific subjects like agile practices, risk management, time management, and project management certifications to offer practical guidance, helpful tips, and useful tools and create a good mood.
Why is it worth listening to?
In this episode, James offers a fresh take on prioritizing projects. He digs into the emotional and political layers that affect project scope and suggests moving beyond the usual prioritization methods like MoSCoW.
Instead, he recommends starting with high-value tasks that require less effort first, inspired by Agile insights from Henrik Kniberg.
Enlightening quote: “… you start talking to stakeholders and you start talking to your sponsors and suddenly, you realize there’s this horse race, really, or like the political hierarchy, and there’s so much embedded in it. That’s more than just, what are we going to do in this project? It’s actually a lot deeper than that.”
PM Game On!
Resource: MPS
Host: Kendall Lott
Guests: Galen Low, Mike Hannon
In this episode, Kendall Lott chats with his guests about how the role of project managers is changing in the age of AI and how they need to adapt to remain effective.
Why is it worth listening to?
The discussion is focused on the importance of shifting from simply managing tasks to taking on a more strategic role, positioning PMs as leaders who create real business value.
The speakers explain how and why project managers must use technology to become strategic thinkers, not just people who assign and check on the tasks.
Enlightening quote: “In the face of AI tools, which of course we should incorporate in our work. PMs need to be ambassadors for their discipline in an increasingly automated world.”
Hi! Five. Teams Are Still Struggling with Energy, Purpose, and Morale
Resource: Same Team Partners
Hosts: Brett Harned, Greg Storey
The hosts discuss Greg’s recent article on maintaining team energy and morale. They explore this issue from both managerial and employee perspectives.
Why is it worth listening to?
Greg highlights the importance of not just being aware of your team’s feelings but also taking care of yourself as a leader.
He also tackles some tough realities about the current workplace vibe and shows how clear definitions of what completion looks like lead to happier and more efficient teams.
Enlightening quote: “Many are struggling to find purpose and meaning in their work, especially those who have seen core practices—like research, design, and management—dismantled.”
PMO Strategies Episode 286
Resource: PMO Strategies
Host: Laura Barnard
Guest: Erik Rueter
Laura and Erik talk about the questionable concept of leadership as a service, an emerging approach that tells managers to treat team members as their most profitable customers.
Why is it worth listening to?
Erik and Laura challenge the obsolete “golden rule” (treat others how you want to be treated) and suggest sticking to the “platinum rule” (treat others how they want to be treated) for building stronger connections within teams.
Enlightening quote: “A lot of times leaders fall into the trap of thinking, what’s good for them, is good for their entire team.”
Don’t Eat the Prickly Pears: Learning how to prioritize
Resource: PM Happy Hour
Hosts: Kim Essendrup and Kate Anderson
Guest: James Louttit
Rewiers call PM Happy Hour podcast a painless, informative, real-world talk about project management, and it’s really famous for its, let’s say, candid discussions.
Why is it worth listening to?
Do you remember the “Bare Necessities” song from the “Jungle Book?”
Now when you pick a pawpaw
Or a prickly pear,
And you prick a raw paw,
Next time, beware
Don’t pick the prickly pear by the paw.
These are the lines James uses to illustrate how to take the guessing game out of prioritization and focus on what really brings value instead of wasting time on so-called “pricky pears,” the tasks that are hard to complete and that are not aligned with the business goals.
Enlightening quote: “There’s infinite work; there will never be a time when there’s just no stuff to do. It can just feel that the world is crushing down on you.”
Manage This. Exploring HYPERID: A New Frontier in Hybrid Project Management
Resource: Velociteach
Hosts: Andy Crowe and Bill Yates
Guest: Arash Parsania
“Manage This” is the podcast kicked off in 2016, by Andy Crowe. Now, it’s hosted by Bill Yates and produced by Wendy Grounds.
The episodes feature industry pros who share their innovative ideas and expert advice.
Why is it worth listening to?
Arash Parsania has worked in project management, consulting, and digital business transformation across various industries like software, retail, automotive, and telecom for more than 20 years.
He strongly believes that both linear approaches, known as the waterfallall model, and Agile methods don’t fully meet the needs of today’s companies when it comes to tech projects or IT projects.
That’s why he created HYPERID (Hyper Inter-Methodological Delivery) a revolutionary hybrid methodology that offers a kind of navigation system to quickly collect information on project delivery time and costs. At the same time, it allows you to make changes when you are already on the route.
Enlightening quote: “…a methodology was needed that utilizes the strengths of both approaches, or many approaches like waterfall and scrum, and compensated for their shortcomings with new methods and approaches to better meet the needs of companies in terms of project and product delivery.”
People&Projects. Mastering the Human Side of Project Management, with Michaela Flick
Resource: PPP
Host: Andy Kaufman
Guest: Michaela Flick
The main topics that are discussed on the “People and Projects Podcast” are leadership and professional growth.
In the episode titled “Mastering the Human Side of Project Management,” Andy has a conversation with Michaela Flick, an author and researcher. They explore the challenges of balancing work and personal life and explore what true success really looks like.
Why is it worth listening to?
Michaela’s experiences and insights highlight the importance of empathy and connection in leadership. She reminds us that people are at the heart of every project, so the pathway to success starts with building relationships and understanding the human side of the projects.
Enlightening quote: “Projects are made by people, for people. When this people thing is not working for you, forget it—it ain’t working.”
Unlocking Project Success with Professor John McGrath. Project Fatigue in Complex Projects with Carl Bernie
Resource: The Project Management Paradise
Host: John McGrath
Guest: Carl Bernie
The limited podcast series called “Unlocking Project Success with Professor John McGrath” features seasoned professionals from industries such as IT, marketing, manufacturing, and construction.
They share opinions about various aspects of their work, from stakeholder management to sales.
Why is it worth listening to?
Carl Bernie, the Operations Director at DPS Group, responsible for managing multi-year projects with budgets reaching billions of euros, opens up about project fatigue in complex projects.
He explains how large, intricate projects differ from traditional ones, covering everything from initiation to execution, delivery, and project close-out, and emphasizes the impact of the leader’s behavior, organizational behavior, and corporate culture on team dynamics and employee commitment.
Enlightening quote: “Managing our energy levels and being aware of the project fatigue is critically important, because if you ignore these, you’ll bring a lesser version of yourself to every project that follows.”
The Project Management Podcast. Project Management is Change Management
Resource: Project Management Podcast
Host: Cornelius Fichtner
Guest: Tim Creasy
Cornelius Fichtner, whom we recently interviewed for the tips on the PMP exam, brings on a variety of guests, including fellow project managers to discuss just everything including the latest trends that are shaking up the industry.
Why is it worth listening?
In a recent episode, Cornelius sits down with Tim Creasy, an author who studies the human aspects of managerial work.
They reason on the fundamentals of change management, comparing it to project management and highlighting both the similarities and differences between the two.
Tim states that change management and project management should go hand in hand, as each of these disciplines helps you implement change and achieve the results you’re after.
Enlightening quote: “The biggest challenge is creating the foundation where we realize we’re on the same team, which is landing this project to the most value we can to the organization.”
Projectified. The Project Management Skills That Keep Creatives On Track
Resource: PM Institute
Host: Steve Hendershot
Guests: Matt Austin and Jill Lyons
What makes the Projectified podcast remarkable is its guests. It brings together professionals from various fields, from consulting to tech, to share their stories.
Why is it worth listening to?
In a recent episode, Matt Austin, the VP of project management at Jellyfish in Baltimore, and Jill Lyons, the SVP of creative operations at Maximum Effort in Chicago, dive into a unique topic: the blend of soft and hard skills needed to be an effective manager in the creative industry.
They emphasize that to be a successful manager in a creative team, you’ll need to strike a balance between handling crises and fostering innovation and inspiration.
Enlightening quote: “You can’t walk into a highly creative organization with a strict Gantt chart and say, ‘No matter what, this project is going to be completed on this budget.’ You need to be flexible and recognize that the creative process is iterative.”
Wrap Up
We hope this list inspires you to dive into new topics, discover fresh perspectives, and enjoy engaging conversations.
So grab your headphones, hit play, and enjoy the podcast you choose to enrich your daily routine.
