https://www.pm-podcast.com/535

Earn PDUs for This Episode: Visit https://www.pm-podcast.com/Earn-PDUs to see how many PDUs you can claim for your PMI certification renewal.

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.

During the conversation, Barbara emphasizes the importance of knowing your audience and aligning your message to their priorities. She discusses the different value dimensions executives care about, from financial returns to customer satisfaction, and shares examples of how project managers can frame updates in ways that resonate. She also highlights the risks of overloading leaders with detail and the need to focus on what directly influences business decisions. Her guidance includes practical tips on how to select metrics that matter, tie them to organizational goals, and present them in a concise and compelling format.

Listeners will appreciate the practical nature of Barbara’s advice, as she shares scenarios where reframing project information led to stronger executive engagement and support. Whether you are preparing for a quarterly review, a portfolio prioritization meeting, or an impromptu hallway conversation with a sponsor, her insights provide a repeatable process for keeping leadership informed and invested in your work.

https://www.pm-podcast.com/536

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 their projects, 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.

The conversation highlights why joining a structured challenge increases accountability and creates space for incremental improvement. Olivia shares why 30 days is an optimal timeframe: it is short enough to stay focused but long enough to form habits. Through a mix of practical tasks and reflective prompts, participants sharpen both technical and interpersonal skills. As Cornelius notes during the discussion, the approach turns project management learning into something you do rather than something you just read about. This also makes the program flexible, since each participant works with their own real-world projects as the foundation for growth.

Listeners also get a sneak peek into specific daily tasks. Examples include mapping a stakeholder influence grid, drafting a risk statement, or practicing concise status updates. Each is intentionally lightweight, but together they add up to a comprehensive training journey. Olivia emphasizes that the design of PM Master Quest supports real application, helping professionals avoid the “course shelf” problem where training is consumed but rarely used. By the end of the 30 days, participants not only expand their toolkit but also create a sustainable practice for continuous learning. For anyone looking to improve their PM capabilities without committing to lengthy study programs, this episode provides a practical path forward.

https://www.pm-podcast.com/534

Earn PDUs for This Episode: Visit https://www.pm-podcast.com/Earn-PDUs to see how many PDUs you can claim for your PMI certification renewal.

Leadership expert Shyam Ramanathan joins Cornelius Fichtner to unpack what great leadership looks like for project managers. Shyam brings over two decades in IT, an extensive leadership blog with 400 plus posts, and two books, “Maximise Potential” and “Maximise Potential 2.” He outlines a clear, three-part foundation for leading well, then connects it to day-to-day project work. You hear how vision sets the direction, how the ability to inspire moves people to act, and how leading by example creates credibility. Shyam ties these principles to project realities like reading the charter, clarifying scope and budget, selecting and positioning the right people, and building a balanced team through honest self-awareness.

• Sports as a leadership laboratory, including preparation habits, how top performers handle losses, and why grace in defeat signals true strength.
• Team leadership in practice, from “brilliant on the basics” to mentoring, using candor with management, and applying “disagree and commit.”
• Competition and winning, setting meaningful benchmarks, celebrating others, and keeping the cause bigger than the individual.
• How leaders slip, where greed overtakes ambition, and practical safeguards like journaling, early escalation, and mentorship.
• Ethics and accountability, financial integrity, respecting laws and culture, and why cross-cultural teams benefit from careful listening and example.
• The one trait Shyam puts at the top of the list, practical optimism, plus simple routines that keep it alive when crises hit.
• Stepping up beyond projects by asking for opportunities, strengthening communication, and, most of all, enjoying helping people succeed.

Throughout, Shyam uses memorable stories and clear language to make leadership actionable. You get direct guidance you can apply on your next project status call, during your next scope debate, or when you must ask for a team change. No tennis racket required.