Jane Canniff and Carrie Fletcher discuss what it takes to be a woman in charge, and Lindsay Scott shares research on gender trends in project management.

About our Guests — Carrie Fletcher, Lindsay Scott and Jane Caniff:

Carrie Fletcher, PMP, is the senior director of health information management and the enterprise project management office (PMO) for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada. She has nearly 20 years of experience in the healthcare sector.

Lindsay Scott is the director of program and project management recruitment for Arras People in London.

Jane Canniff, PMP, is a senior IT consultant who spent more than a decade working for nonprofits World Vision International and CARE in the global development sector.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our podcast series, Projectified with PMI. To join the conversation online, we ask you to use #Projectified and @PMInstitute. We also encourage you to subscribe and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Google Play Music by clicking on the links below. Thank you very much, and stay tuned as we release more episodes of Projectified with PMI.

For an easy way to stay up-to-date on Projectified with PMI, subscribe to our podcast at:

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Key Themes:

[1:40] The gender pay gap in project management

[6:10] Challenges female project leaders face (Carrie Fletcher)

[8:08] Striking the right work-life balance (Carrie Fletcher)

[12:10] Gender trends in the project management profession (Lindsay Scott)

[13:45] The future of contract vs. full-time project work (Lindsay Scott)

[16:18] How to advance your career (Jane Canniff)

[20:50] Advice for female project managers (Jane Canniff)

[22:26] The value of diversity in the workforce (Jane Canniff)

Dr. Michael Chui of the McKinsey Global Institute. Dr. Michael Chui is a technologist by training, a computer and cognitive scientist, author, and frequent speaker at major global conferences. Stephen W. Maye is your host for Projectified with PMI. In this episode, Stephen talks with Michael Chui who has conducted lots of fascinating research around automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, and digitization.

Michael shares research on the impact that artificial intelligence will have on the workforce, why A.I. presents new opportunities in the project world, how it affects work and the future potential of work, and how project professionals can prepare themselves to thrive in an emergent, exciting and uncertain landscape.

For an easy way to stay up-to-date on Projectified with PMI, follow the podcast at:

Itunes, Stitcher, Google Play or pmi.org/podcast.

Key Takeaways:

[:28] Steven introduces Dr. Michael Chui and he gives us some background into his work

[1:40] What Dr. Michael Chui’s research has been about, the motivation behind it and the biggest surprises to come out of it

[8:40] Where Michael sees the significant differences in the project world with the adoption of technological automation

[12:17] The good news: Emphasis on leadership roles and developing connections with people

[14:20] Where Michael anticipates the most significant impacts from automation and digitization

[16:25] Where we are from a social acceptance perspective about machines and robotics

[19:20] Awareness of robotics and automation adoption across the country and on socioeconomic levels

[22:17] How people in professional roles will prepare for a world of increasingly smart technology

[24:48] The good news for project management and project leadership: Immense value placed on leadership and motivation skills

Links:

Michael Chui’s McKinsey & Company Profile

Oren Klaff, Pitch Expert and author of Pitch Anything: An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning the Deal. Stephen W. Maye is your host for Projectified with PMI. In this episode Oren explains why the art of pitching is a crucial skill for project leaders and describes ways to increase buy-in to your ideas, proposals, recommendations, and how to sell your vision of the future to your stakeholders and teams.

Oren shines a light on common pitfalls people encounter while working to inform and influence those around them as well as provide solutions to these problems. He also lends his insights into how to formulate an excellent pitch and the neuroscience behind these strategies.

For an easy way to stay up-to-date on Projectified with PMI, follow the podcast at:

iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or Pmi.org/podcast.

Key Takeaways:

[:56] Pitching as a project leader: Presenting, persuading, influencing, and creating a ‘dome.’

[3:39] Under the ‘dome’; projecting the future of a project.

[4:15] Selling the future; Creating a strong pitch and following through.

[5:51] Establishing the rules under the ‘dome,’ or pitch, and the value of not answering every question.

[7:34] The trust connection when pitching a project and replacing trust with credibility and autonomy.

[9:06] The importance of autonomy.

[11:18] The three major problems Oren sees in every presentation: the information dump, the nothing-burger, and having the right information in the wrong order.

[15:23] Answering the right questions and organizing your presentation in a narrative arc: the setup, the path-to-payoff, and the payoff.

[16:50] The setup: What’s changing in the world?

[19:09] The neuroscience behind the formulas and theories Oren discussed.

Links:

Pitch Anything: An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning the Deal, by Oren Klaff

PitchAnything.com

Scott Berkun is a bestselling author, sought after speaker, and former Microsoft project manager. Stephen W. Maye is your host for Projectified with PMI. In this episode Stephen discusses creativity withScott explains creativity’s often misunderstood and neglected role in project work, how to foster and apply creativity in process-oriented environments today, and why it will become even more important in the future of project professionals.

Scott describes creativity as a creation and problem-solving process within project roles. He emphasizes that the process of creation and being creative is to not only create something new but to maintain and improve pre-existing ideas. Scott discusses the importance of defining ‘good’ when it comes to creativity, the relevance of creativity in the project management role, the benefits of applying creativity to any role, and where creativity fits in an increasingly automated and digitized world.

For an easy way to stay up-to-date on Projectified with PMI, follow the podcast at:

iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or Pmi.org/podcast.

Key Takeaways:

[:28] Stephen provides some background on Scott and welcomes him to the podcast

[1:09] What’s the deal with Scott’s hair?

[2:49] Scott’s definition of creativity

[5:12] Scott’s early project manager role with Microsoft

[6:04] Reflecting back on his role as a project manager: Where was creativity relevant?

[7:34] The importance of defining ‘good’ and who gets to define ‘good’

[11:08] Where creativity fits in a world that is becoming increasingly more automated and digitized.

[14:14] Who is at greatest risk for losing their job to automation?

[16:02] Creativity’s relevancy in projects in an ever-increasing automated world and how project managers can better bring creativity to their job.

[20:15] The opportunities and benefits of applying creativity in the role of project management.

Links:

Making Things Happen: Mastering Project

What does it takes to be an effective leader in a rapidly shifting business environment? Guests discuss in-demand leadership skills—and how to keep fast-moving projects on track.

Barry Draskovich, PMP, vice president of program and contract management at Parker Aerospace in Irvine, California, USA, shares four skills project professionals should develop if they want to rise up in the ranks

Robert Safian, the founder of The Flux Group and former editor of Fast Company, discusses his research on leadership in the age of flux, how to maintain a strategic mindset when the market is shifting fast and the skills that set the best leaders apart.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our podcast series, ProjectifiedTM with PMI. To join the conversation online, we ask you to use #Projectified and @PMInstitute. We also encourage you to subscribe and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Google Play Music by clicking on the links below. Thank you very much, and stay tuned as we release more episodes of ProjectifiedTM with PMI.
For an easy way to stay up-to-date on ProjectifiedTM with PMI, subscribe to our podcast at: Apple Podcast, Google Play Music, SoundCloud, Stitcher, or PMI.org/podcast.

Key Themes:
[00:30] How leadership is evolving
[04:30] In-demand skills to sharpen
[08:10] Leading in the age of flux
[14:28] Reshaping the talent pool
[16:13] Outside-in vs. inside-out leadership
[18:18] What sets the best leaders apart