Two of the things that put off many project managers are Politics and Stakeholders. Yet they are intertwined and a necessary part of project management. You cannot escape either so you may as well embrace them.
In this podcast, Andy Kaufman of the People and Projects Podcast, interviewed me about Politics and Stakeholders – an interest we share.
This interview ranged wider than politics and stakeholders, but for me, that is at its heart. Andy’s case study questions tapped into real ad tricky situations.
Politics and Stakeholders | Podcast Interview
Andy Kaufman and I got to know one another after I wrote a critical assessment of his podcasts in my comprehensive roundup of 22 podcasts. He contacted me with a bruised ego and a concern to improve his podcasts. In turn, I responded by listening to more. It seems my concerns related to one of those I’d sampled and not to all of them. I was glad to change my assessment. My bad.
And so we became friends. I was even more delighted when Andy invited me onto the show.
Andy Kaufman – People and Projects Podcast
Andy sent the best list of interview questions I’ve ever had. His questions were thorough. And many looked at specific situations. I could see why people praise him as an interviewer. We started with generalities around stakeholders. Then we dived into details, before touching on some of my other other Project Management areas of interest.
At the end of the podcast, Andy adds some of our banter (chatting with Andy was a blast) and also tells the story of how we met (and why he thought I’m a ‘crazy Brit’).
The Politics and Stakeholders Interview podcast page is on the People and Projects Podcast website.
Our conversation ranged over a number of topics:
So, listen to the interview and hear Andy ask me:
I recommend you either set aside 50 minutes to listen, or download it for your next run, cycle, car journey or other opportunity.
If you like this, then:
How to Manage a Great Project: On Budget, On Target, On Time
This is the book Andy refers to, and asks me about.
The Influence Agenda: A Systematic Approach to Aligning Stakeholders in Times of Change
This book covers the main topic of our discussion. It is for serious advanced practitioners.
Risk Happens! Managing Risk and Avoiding Failure in Business Projects
Andy also touched on risk management. This book covers risk in greater detail than most general project management books. And I pitched it at new and intermediate level project managers. Saying that, few senior project managers have ever read a book on risk management. Perhaps they should!
Both books are available in our Project Management Bookshop.
Dr Mike Clayton is one of the most successful and in-demand project management trainers in the UK. He is author of 14 best-selling books, including four about project management. He is also a prolific blogger and contributor to ProjectManager.com and Project, the journal of the Association for Project Management. Between 1990 and 2002, Mike was a successful project manager, leading large project teams and delivering complex projects. In 2016, Mike launched OnlinePMCourses.
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