Podcast · Business

People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast

by Andy Kaufman, PMP, PMI-ACP · English · Business

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 47 min
Latest: 7 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

7 Oct 2026 · 48 min

PPP 524 | Why More Discipline May Not Be the Answer, with 100 Days of Rejection expert Jia Jiang

Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Jia Jiang, bestselling author of Rejection Proof and creator of the 100 Days of Rejection experiment, about his new book, Easy Discipline . Growing up in Beijing, Jia was taught the value of chi ku , or "eating bitterness," the idea that the more pain you can tolerate, the more you can achieve. The problem? He was terrible at it. Over time, he discovered that his best work came when he was having the most fun. Andy and Jia explore what easy discipline does and doesn't mean, why action goals can work better than outcome goals, and how stepping into a…

Play episode WhatsApp Download

Earlier episodes 29 most recent

30 Sep 2026 · 53 min

PPP 523 | The New PMP® Exam: What Project Leaders Need to Know Now, with PMI VP Kelly Heuer

Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Dr. Kelly Heuer, Vice President of Learning at PMI, where she leads global learning strategy across professional standards, training, certification, and career-long development. Kelly takes us behind the scenes of the updated PMP® exam and explains what changed in project work that made this refresh necessary. You'll hear why the business environment domain now makes up nearly a quarter of the exam, how new multi-question case scenarios assess judgment instead of memorization, and why broader recognition of associate and vocational degrees matters to…
5 Sep 2026 · 58 min

PPP 522 | Are You Removing the Wrong Friction?, with Maggie Sass and Ross Blankenship

Summary In this episode, Andy sits down with Dr. Maggie Sass and Dr. Ross Blankenship, consulting psychologists and authors of Friction: How Tension, Emotion and Change Reveal Better Leaders . Project managers are trained to remove blockers, and much of the time that's exactly right. But Maggie and Ross draw a distinction that's easy to miss: some friction is simply waste, and some friction is information. You'll hear how the unwritten rules we learned about emotion early in life still shape how we lead, what starts happening in a room before an irritated leader says a word, and the four…
28 Aug 2026 · 53 min

PPP 521 | Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts, with Dr. Jeremy Pollack

Summary In this episode, Andy sits down with Dr. Jeremy Pollack, a social-organizational psychologist and founder of Pollack Peacebuilding Systems, author of Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts . Jeremy looks at conflict through the lens of the brain and nervous system, which helps explain why disagreements escalate so quickly and why the fixes we reach for often make things worse. Andy and Jeremy talk about why de-escalation has to come before problem-solving, since solutions and stress do not mix. Jeremy walks us through his Sapien Model of six basic…
21 Aug 2026 · 56 min

PPP 520 | Are Smarter AI Tools Making Us Less Capable?, with LEGO® Serious Play® co-creator Johan Roos

Summary In this episode, Andy sits down with Johan Roos, professor and executive advisor at Hult International Business School, Executive Director of the Peter Drucker Society Europe, and co-inventor of the LEGO® Serious Play® method. Johan is the author of Human Magic: Leading with Wisdom in an Age of Algorithms , and he has spent decades studying how people think, create, decide, and lead together. Andy and Johan explore the two paths Johan calls erosion and amplification, starting with a question Andy has been wrestling with as he hands more of his manual driving over to Tesla's…
14 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 11 min

PPP 519 | Overcoming the Inner Propaganda That Sabotages Projects and Teams, with Owen Fitzpatrick

Summary In this episode, Andy sits down with Owen Fitzpatrick, a psychologist, speaker, and author of Inner Propaganda: Leading Hearts and Minds through Turbulent Times . Owen has spent close to 30 years studying how beliefs form and change, interviewing people everywhere from North Korea to Rwanda to Afghanistan. His thesis is unsettling: our brains do not simply take in facts and reach objective conclusions. They build a story we then experience as reality. Owen and Andy work through what that means on real projects. You'll hear how a warning from a colleague can quietly harden into a…
7 Aug 2026 · 54 min

PPP 518 | Why Better AI Prompts Aren't Enough for Better Decisions, with author Cheryl Strauss Einhorn

Summary In this episode, Andy welcomes Cheryl Strauss Einhorn, founder and CEO of the decision sciences company Decisive and author of The Human Edge: Smarter Decisions in the Age of AI . Cheryl has spent decades helping people make better decisions, and her message here is a simple one: AI can gather, summarize, and compare, but it can't know what matters most unless we do the thinking first. Andy and Cheryl talk about why "AI first" can quietly turn into AI only, and why a poor answer from AI is actually useful feedback about your own thinking. Cheryl explains why separating the what of a…
30 Jul 2026 · 47 min

PPP 517 | The Hidden Costs of Avoiding Difficult Conversations (And What To Do Instead), with Gustavo Razzetti

Summary In this episode, Andy sits down with Gustavo Razzetti, culture consultant and author of Forward Talk . Gustavo makes a case that surprises a lot of leaders: fear is only part of why people stay quiet at work. The bigger driver is what he calls the pointlessness paradox , the belief that speaking up will not change anything. Andy and Gustavo talk about conversational debt and how it compounds over time, why silence is so often mistaken for alignment, and the subtle signs that a team is drifting into avoidance, blame, or groupthink. Gustavo unpacks the difference between backward talk…
27 Jul 2026 · 53 min

PPP 516 | Becoming the Project Manager, with Stuart Taylor

Summary In this episode, Andy welcomes back his friend Stuart Taylor, a PMO leader and PMI PMO Awards judge, author of Becoming the Project Manager . Most of us didn't grow up dreaming of leading projects. We drifted into the role, and then discovered it's far less about plans and methodologies than it is about people, pressure, and learning to lead while you yourself still feel unsure. Stuart shares the story behind the book, including the university project where he publicly chastised a teammate and the response from his dad that changed how he understood leadership. He and Andy dig into…
14 Jul 2026 · 49 min

PPP 515 | The Dangerous Drift Away from What Matters Most, with author Tom Rath

Summary In this episode, Andy sits down with Tom Rath, one of the most respected researchers on wellbeing and human potential, author of What's the Point? Turning Your Purpose Into a Superpower . Tom argues that we can be incredibly busy while slowly drifting away from what matters most, optimizing our schedules while our lives quietly leak away. Andy and Tom explore why "follow your passion" can be harmful advice, how status seeking becomes career quicksand, and why our smartphones may be one of the greatest threats to purposeful living. They also discuss how many of us inherit ambitions…
10 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 2 min

PPP 514 | Never Settling for Less: Why You're Leaving Value on the Table, with Attia Qureshi

Summary In this episode, Andy sits down with Attia Qureshi, a coach and negotiation expert who is co-author, with John Richardson, of Never Settle . There's no shortage of great negotiation advice out there, yet in real conversations with real stakes and real emotions, that advice often fails to turn into action. This book tackles that gap between insight and habit. Attia shares why emotions are not a distraction from negotiation but central to it, why getting clear about what you actually want is harder than it sounds, and how we leave value on the table without realizing it. You'll hear…
8 Jul 2026 · 49 min

PPP 513 | Thriving in an Age of AI: What Most Leaders Are Getting Wrong About the Future, with Fred Marshall

Summary In this episode, Andy sits down with Fred Marshall, entrepreneur, founder of Quantum Learning, and author of Thrive: The Antidote to Future Shock . Fred introduces his Super Eight, eight interconnected areas of life that shape our ability to adapt, lead, and grow in a world of accelerating change. Together, they explore why doing all the seemingly right things, the endless life hacks, can still leave you feeling off. Fred makes the case that attention is the single variable that governs almost everything, and that you can ignore almost all of the change coming at you and still…
29 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 3 min

PPP 512 | Science-Based Principles to Lead Change That Sticks, with Julia Dhar and Kristy Ellmer
20 Jun 2026 · 46 min

PPP 511 | How Great Leaders See Differently, with Cornelia Choe

Summary In this episode, Andy sits down with Cornelia Choe, leadership advisor and founder of global CEO peer groups, author of The Panoramic Leader: How Great Leaders See Differently , co-authored with Marshall Goldsmith. Cornelia's core idea is that the "mental maps" we form early in life quietly shape how we lead today, and that our decisions are only as good as the world we're actually able to see. Andy and Cornelia explore why so many new executives fail within their first 18 months, what she calls a visibility problem rather than an execution problem. They dig into practical tools:…
19 May 2026 · 1 hr 9 min

PPP 510 | The Word Great Leaders Keep Using (And Most Leaders Avoid), with Marcus Buckingham

Summary In this episode, Andy welcomes back Marcus Buckingham, bestselling author and researcher, to discuss his new book, Design Love In: How to Unleash the Most Powerful Force in Business . For 25 years, Marcus studied the most productive teams, loyal customers, and effective leaders in the world, and the word that kept appearing in his data was one he kept changing: love. Andy and Marcus explore what love actually means in a business context, including how leaders are really experience makers whether they know it or not. You will hear the remarkable story of Josh D'Amaro, the CEO of…
13 May 2026 · 40 min

PPP 509 | Stop Letting Great Ideas Slip Away: A System for Leadership Recall, with author Steve Kahle

Summary In this episode, Andy welcomes back Steve Kahle, entrepreneur, executive, and fractional CIO, author of Leadership Recall: Harness Insights. Accelerate Innovation. LEAD WITH AUTHORITY . Steve first joined the podcast in episode 184 to discuss email overload. This time, the conversation turns to a challenge every leader faces: the forgetting curve. Research suggests we forget up to 83% of what we learn within a week, and Steve argues this is not just a learning problem, it's a leadership problem. Steve shares his CCR framework (Capture, Catalog, and Recall), along with practical tools…
9 May 2026 · 38 min

PPP 508 | Why Where You Work May Matter More Than How You Work. The Indoor Epidemic, with Dr. John La Puma

Summary In this episode, Andy welcomes Dr. John La Puma, a board-certified internal medicine physician, professionally trained chef, regenerative organic farmer, and two-time New York Times bestselling author of The Indoor Epidemic . Did you know most of us spend about 93% of our lives indoors? Dr. John makes the case, backed by more than 2,200 studies, that where we spend our time may matter just as much as the soft skills and productivity systems we so often focus on. In this conversation, Andy and Dr. John dig into what he calls digital obesity and analog wellness, the science of morning…
29 Apr 2026 · 36 min

PPP 507 | Why Smart Teams Still Fail, with Stephen Shapiro

Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Stephen Shapiro, innovation expert and author of You're Not Playing With a Full Deck: Why the People Who Drive You Crazy Are Your Unfair Advantage . Stephen's journey starts with a costly failure: a $30 million innovation project at Accenture that fell apart, not from a lack of talent, but because everyone on the team thought the same way. Out of that failure came a framework built around a familiar metaphor: a deck of cards. Stephen introduces four distinct personality styles tied to the four suits and explains why teams missing certain suits are…
15 Apr 2026 · 38 min

PPP 506 | Stop Optimizing Meetings. Start Reducing Them, with Rebecca Hinds

Summary In this episode, Andy welcomes Rebecca Hinds, organizational behavior researcher and author of Your Best Meeting Ever . Rebecca brings a behavioral science lens to one of the most persistent pain points in modern work: meetings that multiply, linger, and drain rather than deliver. Andy and Rebecca explore the concept of meeting debt, and why reducing meeting volume often matters far more than optimizing agendas. They discuss why meetings have become status symbols and performance art, how a simple social contract makes it nearly impossible to decline an invite, and what meeting…
11 Apr 2026 · 46 min

PPP 505 | You've Got This: A Practical Way to Lead When You're Not Sure, with Ashley Herd

Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Ashley Herd, HR and legal leader turned management coach, and author of The Manager Method . Ashley has led HR and legal teams at organizations like McKinsey and Yum Brands, and she brings a refreshingly real-talk approach to the challenges every manager faces, especially those quiet moments of self-doubt that come with growing responsibility. In this conversation, you'll hear Ashley's take on why imposter feelings are so common among thoughtful leaders, and how her concept of the "career quilt" reframes even the most uncomfortable professional…
31 Mar 2026 · 33 min

PPP 504 | How Leaders Can Reduce Stress Without Lowering the Bar, with Amy Leneker

Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Amy Leneker, leadership coach, joy strategist, and author of Cheers to Monday . Amy's journey began with a burnout so severe that her doctor put her on medical leave. It took 10 words on a medical form to change everything: "What are your hobbies? What do you do for fun?" She couldn't answer it. That moment sent her on a mission to help leaders recognize stress earlier and respond to it far more intentionally. In this conversation, Amy shares the stress stories many leaders carry without ever questioning them, and why those stories get quietly…
25 Mar 2026 · 43 min

PPP 503 | How to Facilitate Meetings That Actually Lead to Decisions, with Evan Unger

Summary In this episode, Andy sits down with Evan Unger, a consultant and trainer who has spent more than 30 years helping leaders facilitate collaborative decision making across projects, programs, and organizations around the world. Evan's work focuses on helping groups move forward when opinions differ, tension is present, and time is limited. This conversation is packed with immediately actionable ideas. Andy and Evan dig into why even experienced leaders struggle in high-stakes meetings, and how Evan's POPRA model (Purpose, Objectives, Process, Roles, Agreements) can transform the way…
17 Mar 2026 · 44 min

PPP 502 | When Process Is Not Enough: The Human Side of Project Leadership, with Brett Harned

Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Brett Harned, founder of the Digital PM Community and the Digital PM Summit, and author of Project Management for Humans: Helping People Get Things Done . Brett has spent years coaching project leaders and helping organizations rethink what project management really is. His core conviction: the human side of the work is not a nice-to-have. It is the work. In this conversation, you'll hear how Brett fell into project management and what early experiences shaped his perspective on people and projects. You'll learn the patterns he sees repeated across…
10 Mar 2026 · 47 min

PPP 501 | Hope Is Not a Strategy… Or Is It?, with author Jen Fisher

Summary In this episode, Andy welcomes Jen Fisher, author of Hope Is the Strategy: The Underrated Skill That Transforms Work, Leadership, and Wellbeing . In project management circles, we often hear the phrase "hope is not a strategy." Jen challenges that assumption, arguing that real hope is not wishful thinking at all. Instead, it's a practical cognitive process that can help leaders navigate uncertainty, pressure, and change. In the discussion, Jen explains how hope requires three elements: clear goals, multiple pathways to reach them, and the agency to believe we can influence outcomes.…
E500 · 6 Mar 2026 · 41 min

PPP 500 | When AI Becomes a Digital Colleague: What Leaders Need to Know, with former Google DeepMind Futurist Steve Brown

Summary Welcome to our 500th episode! To celebrate this milestone, Andy talks with Steve Brown, AI futurist, keynote speaker, and author of The AI Ultimatum: Preparing for a World of Intelligent Machines and Radical Transformation . Steve brings a rare perspective shaped by years at Intel and Google DeepMind, and today helps organizations navigate two vital questions: what future do you want to build with AI, and what future do you want to avoid? They explore why waiting isn't actually the safe option it feels like, how to think about the different "flavors" of AI beyond just generative…
21 Feb 2026 · 46 min

PPP 499 | How Much of Success Is Luck or Something Else, with Wharton's Judd Kessler

Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Wharton economist Judd Kessler, author of Lucky by Design: The Hidden Economics You Need to Get More of What You Want . If you have ever looked at someone else's career success and thought, "They just got lucky," this conversation will give you a new lens. Judd introduces the idea of "hidden markets," the informal rules and systems that shape who gets opportunities, access, and scarce resources, even when money is not changing hands. They explore how leaders can evaluate allocation rules using Judd's three Es (equitable, efficient, and easy), why…
16 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 4 min

PPP 498 | Have Better Conversations: Small Moves That Save Projects and Relationships, with Joe Ferraro

Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Joe Ferraro, host of the One Percent Better podcast and a coach who helps leaders have stronger conversations when the stakes are high. If you lead projects, you know how quickly a meeting, a status update, or a feedback moment can either build trust or quietly drain it. Joe shares small, practical moves that make conversations more memorable and more useful. You will hear why being "good at talking" is not the same as being good at conversation, and how preparation can be a generous act toward the other person. They also discuss how to avoid default,…
12 Feb 2026 · 39 min

PPP 497 | A Practical System for Navigating Chaos, with author Richard Carson

Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Richard Carson, author of The Book of Change . If you feel like you barely finish one change before the next one hits, this conversation is for you. Richard shares his deeply researched and battle-tested framework called People Sustained Organizational Change Management, or PSOCM. Unlike many change management books, this is not about certifications or slogans. It is about building a repeatable system to diagnose problems, distinguish adaptive from transformational change, and gain executive traction when support is not automatic. You will hear why so…
11 Feb 2026 · 45 min

PPP 496 | How to Deliver Faster with Less Stress. In the Trenches with Norman Patnode

Summary In this In the Trenches episode, Andy talks with Norman Patnode, Principal at ProChain Solutions , about what it really takes to deliver projects faster and more predictably. With a background in aerospace engineering, the Air Force, and decades of consulting, Norman brings a systems-level perspective to project delivery that goes far beyond managing task lists. They explore the difference between task management and project management, why critical chain thinking shifts the conversation from dates to priorities, and how changing a few key rules can dramatically improve delivery…
6 Feb 2026 · 41 min

PPP 495 | Your Layoff Survival Playbook: Lessons from The Layoff Journey, with Steve Jaffe

Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Steve Jaffe, author of The Layoff Journey: From Dismissal to Discovery . Steve has been laid off four times over the course of his career, and those experiences shaped a thoughtful, practical framework for navigating the emotional and professional aftermath of job loss. Andy and Steve explore why layoffs feel so personal even when we are told they are not, how identity often gets tangled up with job titles, and why the emotional response to a layoff closely mirrors the stages of grief. Steve explains why those stages are not linear, what denial, pain,…

About People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast

Welcome to the People and Projects Podcast, where we provide interviews and insights to help you lead people and deliver projects. Since 2009, this show is brought to you by speaker, author, and executive coach Andy Kaufman. If you're looking for insights on project management, leadership, and how AI influences both of those, you've come to the right place! And if you hold a project management certification, you can even earn free PDUs for listening!

People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast is a English business podcast from Andy Kaufman, PMP, PMI-ACP. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Andy Kaufman, PMP, PMI-ACP
Language: English
Category: Business
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 47 min
Latest episode: 7 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id302364123
Rights: (c) 2001-2025 Institute for Leadership Excellence & Development Inc.

RSS feed Apple Podcasts

More English business 6

Take it with you

The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.