For any Project Manager who wants to learn more about your discipline on the move, here’s your best-ever guide. There are well over 20 Project Management Podcasts. And here, I list my top 15 active PM podcasts.
Like volcanoes, some of these podcasts are extinct, some dormant, and some highly active. Also like volcanoes, good Project Management podcasts are a valuable resource even when they are dormant or extinct. Extinct volcanoes provide rich and fertile soils. Old Project Management podcasts become a rich archive of ideas, information, and guidance.
Too Many Project Management Podcasts?
The problem with a long list is, of course, choice. We know people find it hard to choose when confronted with too many options. But it’s not my job in this article to make your life easy. What I want to do is show you all the best of what you can access. After that, I’ll leave it to you to sample the goods and make up your own mind. Any of these will repay your time.
Which ones you like best will depend on:
- where you are in your career
- what topics interest you
- personal preferences for the style of the presenters
And, if you are growing your career, don’t forget that project management podcasts can help. They introduce you to new people, new ideas, and formal knowledge. But they can also earn you Professional Development Units (PDUs) if you are a member of certain professional bodies, such as the PMI.
Coming up…
So, with that said, let’s dive into my list of:
- 15 Top Project Management Podcasts
- 4 Best Archives in Dormant Project Management Podcasts
- Project Management Podcast Mortuary
15 Top Project Management Podcasts
Agile Uprising
This seems to be from a network of Agile practitioners: https://agileuprising.libsyn.com
Check this podcast out for deep dives into the details of Agile delivery, with big-name guests from the community.
APM Project Management Qualification (APMP) Podcasts
Parallel Project Training: http://www.parallelprojecttraining.com/our-approach/podcasts/apmp-6th-edition
This is not a ‘magazine’ style podcast. It’s an updated set of project management podcasts that cover the Association for Project Management (APM) Body of Knowledge. As a result, there are over 60 topics here, at increasing levels of sophistication, covering:
- PFQ – Project Fundamentals Qualification
- PMQ – Project Management Qualification
- PPQ – Project Professional Qualification
- ChPP – Chartered Project Professional
For anyone learning project management – especially taking APM certification – this is a tremendous resource. But even if you are coming from a different PM tradition, this is rock-solid stuff.
B’yond Project Management
Rich Maltzman: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/byondpm/
This seems to be an occasional podcast (with just 4 episodes in 2023. But it’s from Rich Maltzman, who is such good company, I have to recommend this!
DrunkenPM Radio
David Prior: https://soundcloud.com/drunkenpmradio
David Prior is one of the presenters of the Leading Agile podcast (below). However, I’ve not cross-referenced to see if there is an overlap in the content of these two sites. Provocative and enticing titles tone with the blog’s title and the darkness of its design. There’s a lot of focus on Agile and the interpersonal skills of leading a project team.
The 5 PM Podcast
Ricardo Vargas: https://ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/
Running continuously from 2007, the 5-Minute Project Management Podcast from Ricard Vargas has over 660 episodes. And as you’d guess, each is around 5 minutes long. So they are convenient for a short listen. The range of his project management topics is broad. You can access his playlists (https://ricardo-vargas.com/playlists/) if you want to listen to a particular subject. Ricardo’s style is to speak from his own experience on topics that interest him or follow from a question someone has asked.
Leading Agile
The Leading Agile Team: https://www.leadingagile.com/podcast/
If Agile is your focus, this is the leading project management podcast for you. Into its ninth year, there are nearly well over 300 episodes of Q&A and general musings, often with interesting guests. This is a nicely presented blog and has a lot of interesting items that are applicable to all project managers, not just Agile practitioners. One of my favorites.
Manage This
Andy Crowe and the Velociteach Team: https://www.velociteach.com/category/podcast/
Thirty-minute Project Management podcasts from Velociteach, a project management training provider. Andy Crowe is the author of one of my all-time favorite PM books, Alpha Project Managers, which I have reviewed and summarized on this blog. These are nicely prepared, cover interesting topics, and have an informal conversational style. Although the host company is something of a competitor of ours, this is one of my personal favorites.
Not Scrum Dumb
Andreanna Marshall and Scott Adams: https://www.youtube.com/@notscrumdumb
This is not strictly a podcast – it’s a YouTube channel. But these short two-hander conversations about Scrum sound like podcasts and do not make much use of graphics. You can listen without watching if you choose.
The format is 5 -20 minute prepared conversations by two experienced Scrum professionals that are engaging to listen to. I’m not a Scrum practitioner, but I learn a lot from this.
The PDU Podcast
Not everything on the web is free, and here is an example. This is for people who want to earn PMI PDU points, to help maintain their PMI certification. PM PrepCast has a number of paid bundles that will deliver the PDUs you need.
PDU PodCast Bundles
- The PDU Podcast 60 PDU Bundle – Complete PMP Renewal Solution
60 PDUs to meet the PMI Talent Triangle – Includes certificate of completion to claim PDUs – Meets all requirements to renew your PMP credentials - The PDU Podcast (CAPM Package)
Earn all 15 PMI PDUs needed for your CAPM renewal with one single course – Fully aligned with the PMI Talent Triangle – Includes certificate of completion to claim PDUs - The Agile PrepCast for 30 PDUs
Earn all required PMI PDUs for your PMI-ACP renewal with one single course – Fully aligned with the PMI Talent Triangle – Includes certificate of completion to claim PDUs - The PDU Podcast Power Skills Package
Earn all the ‘Power Skills’ PDUs for your PMP renewal at once! Just press play, watch the webinars, and you are ready to claim PDUs for your recertification. A fast and convenient way to claim all PDUs in this PMI Talent Triangle category. - The PM PrepCast for 30 PDUs
Earn the 8/8/8 minimum PMI PDU for your PMP renewal with one single course – Aligned with the PMI Talent Triangle – Includes certificate of completion to claim PDUs - The PDU Podcast Ways of Working Package
30 PDUs for PMP Renewal – PMI Talent Triangle Aligned – The PDUs are awarded in the PMI Talent Triangle area of Business Acumen – Includes certificate of completion to claim PDUs - The PDU Podcast Skillful Acumen Package
Power Skills & Business Acumen for PMP Renewal – Earn 30 PMI PDU for your PMP renewal with one single course. The PDUs are awarded in the PMI Talent Triangle areas of Power Skills and Business Acumen – Including a certificate of completion to claim PDUs
See also the PM Podcast, below.
TOP PICK
People and Projects Podcast
Andy Kaufman: http://www.peopleandprojectspodcast.com/index.php/podcast-episodes.html
This is a long-running program of over 400 long-form (30+ minutes) fortnightly Project Management podcasts. These are MY TOP PICK!
The focus of the content, as you’d guess from the title, is the leadership side of project management. Andy can attract some BIG names to his podcast, like Adam Grant, but listen to it for his excellent, less-familiar interviewees. He can get the authors from his pick of the best new business-related books, as they come out. This podcast will take you way beyond core project management into how we work as professionals in a business environment. It will leave you with great new ideas and will make you think.
Declaration of Interest: After my original version of this post, Andy reached out to me and we did an interview. Since then, he has appeared on my YouTube channel too. He is a brilliant interviewer and exceptionally knowledgeable.
Andy Kaufman, on My Channel:
- Dealing with Difficult Stakeholders – Conversation with Andy Kaufman | Video
- Agony Angels: Hitting Deadlines – with Andy Kaufman
- How to Use Bing, Bard, and ChatGPT for Project Management | Video
- Andy Kaufman’s Best Project Management Advice: Risk Attitude, Stakes, & Relationships
- Project Management Tips – More Advice from Top PM YouTubers
Me, on Andy’s People and Projects Podcast
PM for the Masses Podcast
Cesar Abeid: http://pmforthemasses.com/category/podcast/
PM for the Masses is Cesar Abeid’s blog, which contains a lot of Project Management podcasts. The link I’ve given goes to a feed of the podcasts. Abeid interviews different project managers and experts on related topics for their tips and advice. This podcast contains as much about personal and professional development as about pure project management.
PM Happy Hour
Kim Essendrup and Kate Anderson: https://pmhappyhour.com
This one is new to me, so I’ve not had a chance to listen, But, this is how the hosts describe it:
This is the place for frank and honest discussion about real-world issues in project management. We do it in a way that’s not too dry, though it may get a bit salty from time to time. Each episode covers a problem faced in project management today, and shares practical advice, real-life examples, and the occasional project horror story.
The PM Podcast
Cornelius Fichtner: http://www.project-management-podcast.com
The PM Podcast has a vast archive of content (coming up to 500 podcasts now), hosted by PMP Exam Prep expert, Cornelius Fichtner. These are highly produced and professional-sounding podcasts, in which Cornelius interviews a wide range of experts. Cornelius is a knowledgeable host, who covers a wide variety of topics supporting his business of helping PMI candidates prepare for PMP, CAPM, and PMI-ACP. This is a free alternative to his paid offerings, the PDU Podcast, above.
Projectified Podcast
Project Management Institute: https://www.pmi.org/learning/training-development/projectified-podcast
This is the PMI’s own podcast which therefore follows their agenda and thinking. This is more about PMI’s view of the world of Project Management than about PM learning directly. The cadence is somewhat unpredictable, but among the episodes are some real gems.
The Sunday Lunch Project Manager
Nigel Creaser: https://anchor.fm/sundaylunchpm
Nigel takes a relaxed approach (as you can tell from the Podcast name) to interviewing leading names in project management from around the globe. He likes to record in-depth conversations about how they became project managers and the advice they have for the rest of us.
He also invites professionals from other arenas, with specific expertise to share with PMs. Plus, he allows a light sprinkling of shameless self-promotion from his guests and for his own project management books and services. Disclosure: I was his guest early on, in October 2019 – Episode 15. His website also has blog posts, at: The Sunday Lunch Project.
Project Management Podcast Archives
There are a number of podcasts from my earlier review that have stopped producing new content, but which have a helpful archive of content. I have not taken the trouble to update my original comments (sorry 😔).
Guerrilla Project Management Podcasts
Samad Aidane: http://www.guerrillaprojectmanagement.com/category/podcasts
In his retired blog, OnlinePMCourses friend, Samad Aidane, explored some curious bye-ways of project management, like neuro-science, psychology, and cultural styles. The last of these is the direction in which he has steered his own career. This is not for beginners, but for intellectually curious Project Managers, it is an archive to cherish and visit for new ideas.
The Lazy Project Manager Podcast
Peter Taylor: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lazy-project-manager/id314928741
After four years, OnlinePMCourses friend Peter Taylor’s Project Management podcast is still going strong. This is despite Peter’s return to frontline PMO management. Peter promotes productive laziness: working smarter, not harder. His episodes range from musings to interviews, and from 5 minutes to over an hour. Peter has an ebullient style and is (for me) at his best when interviewing others.
Project Management Paradise Podcast
Cora Systems/Johnny Bierne: http://projectmanagementparadise.com/category/episodes/
Promoted by Cora Systems, this podcast does not promote the company at all. But it does do gentle, insightful interviews with a wide range of excellent guests (and me). Now over 40 project management podcasts, the range is eclectic and the archive is becoming a great resource. This is one of my favorites.
The Project Shrink
Bas de Baar: http://www.podcasts.com/the_project_shrink
An archive of nearly 50 conversations with project management experts. These focus mostly on virtual projects, Agile and software projects, and the impact of new media on project management.
Project Management Podcast Mortuary
Because we’re all Project Managers and need to maintain an audit trail, I have listed here the podcasts that were in my earlier review that are completely dead. The site is not reachable and there is no archive. Sad Face.
APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ) Podcast SeriesAsk CadenceFix My Project Chaos / Elise StevensThe PMO PodcastPM SoundbitesProject Management Careers Advice PodcastProjectManagement.comThe Sensible Project Manager PodcastProject Management War Stories
What are Your favorites?
Do you have a favorite project management podcast?
Whether it is one of these or – especially – if we missed it; please tell us which project management podcasts you particularly like, and why.
Use the comments below, and we’ll reply to every comment.
And don’t be coy about promoting your own podcast!
Because everyone’s welcome.
