Projects and Systems Podcast

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Concise, practical tips about project management and process improvement from the real world. Each episode is 10-minutes or less.

Projects and Systems Podcast


    • May 15, 2019 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 7m AVG DURATION
    • 55 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Projects and Systems Podcast

    Episode 55 - Rim-to-Rim

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2019 7:52


    Is there such a thing as being over-prepared? And if so, can it be dangerous? In today's episode I explain why the answer is, "Yes!" to both questions.

    Episode 54 - Killing The Ivy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2019 8:28


    Ever think you're doing the right thing, only to find out it was precisely wrong? Today I talk about how we do that in our organizations.

    Episode 53 - This Is What It Takes

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2019 7:30


    One reason why you may not be getting the results you expect in your projects, is that your standard of what it takes to hit excellence is far too low. What you think it takes to get an A+ on your paper, might really be what it takes to get a C+, or a B-.

    Episode 52 - The Velocity Trap

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2019 6:48


    When you estimate what you can pull off in the next iteration, are you basing that on a running average? Or the reality of the moment?

    Episode 51 - Two Types of Work, but Only One Pipeline

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2019 10:33


    Are you inadvertantly creating your own bottlenecks? In this episode, I discuss one common way this can happen, and what to do about it.

    Episode 50 - Meanwhile, back in the minivan...

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2019 6:13


    There's a time for dreaming, and then there's a time to get our feet firmly back on the ground. As PM's, we need to guide our teams to meet project objectives with our existing resources.

    Episode 49 - Ambiguity is for Rookies

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2019 6:35


    I know it's comfortable to speak in generalities and, "We might want to's..." and, "...Maybe we should consider's...". There's a time for that in the beginning. But then, we need to put that verbiage behind us and hold ourselves to a higher standard of speaking clearly and directly.

    Episode 48 - The Parable of the Wasted Walk

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2019 6:57


    How a little bit of situational awareness, up front, can help us avoid taking our project teams on unnecessary side trips that cause delays and lower morale.

    Episode 047 - "Should we?" vs. "Can we?" in Agile

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2019 5:22


    A quick tip on something that often confuses people using Agile/Scrum to manage their projects.

    Episode 046 - The parable of the second door

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2019 5:34


    As project managers we are paid to hit the objective--even if that means getting there in a way that wasn't part of our original plan.

    Episode 045 - Give it time

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2019 5:24


    When we're trying to adopt a new methodology at work, and we hit some friction, we sometimes jump to the conclusion (pun intended) that we chose the wrong approach. That can happen, but more often we just have not given it time to really sink in.

    Episode 044 - Fast is slow. Slow is fast.

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2019 4:54


    When we try and take shortcuts, it ends up taking longer. When we're deliberate, and we take the time it takes, that's as fast as that task can be done.

    Episode 043 - Three questions our team members are asking themselves

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2019 4:33


    Episode 043 - Three questions our team members are asking themselves by Projects and Systems Podcast

    Episode 042 - If you're in the project business, you're in the change management business

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2019 5:07


    How often have you been frustrated by last-minute changes in your project scope? In today's episode I shed some light on why that happens, and how we need to anticipate vs. complain about changes.

    Episode 041 - It's just drywall!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2019 5:21


    Sometimes we act like some policies or ways of doing things are just givens--something we just need to work around. However, often they are not as permanent as we think, and the real solution is to just tear it down.

    Episode 040 - Can your team Scan the Plan?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2019 4:18


    Can you and your project measure up to the equivalent of what my general contractor is doing on my home remodel?

    Episode 039 - Doing the right thing, but in the wrong place

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2018 2:49


    Ever get frustrated as to why all of your process improvement efforts just don't seem to move the needle? You know you're doing the right things, but can't figure out why you don't see the results? This quick listen may be the answer you're looking for.

    Episode 038 - Keep your eye on the hinge

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2018 2:39


    A quick lesson we can learn about managing our systems from boxing

    Episode 037 - Question all assumptions

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2018 2:33


    One key mindset and skill we need to develop as PM’s is to be willing to question all assumptions and achieve the objective in creative ways.

    Episode 036 - Deliverables, not donuts

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2018 6:53


    How did that project that has been, "Doing just great!" for the past several weeks just go into panic mode so quickly--and with no notice?! Chances are, it's been getting worse for a while, but you haven't been getting the straight story from your team. In today's episode, I talk about four reasons why this often happens, and one, key way to avoid it.

    Episode 035 - Spinning your wheels?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2018 6:57


    Frustrated by seeing your project teams work really hard, but never get anything done? In this episode we talk about the most common reason for why this happens and how to fix it.

    Episode 034 - One step ahead

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2018 6:08


    Have you ever been frustrated because you have to chase down your project manager for basic project information? Embarrassed when you can't put your finger on the latest project update in a few clicks? This is for you.

    Episode 033 - Moving a Mountain

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2018 4:24


    If I told you there was a literal fortune sitting nearby, what would you do? What if you had to move a mountain to get it? That's a real situation here in the present-day Salt Lake Valley.

    Episode 032 - Will I ever use algebra when I get older? Yes! As a project manager!

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2018 10:51


    I found myself explaining a four-part framework to my 13-year old in order to help him with his algebra word problem homework one night, and then a few days later sitting in a meeting to learn about a new project I'll be overseeing, and using almost the exact same framework. This is the quick story of how these two dots connect.

    Episode 031 - Managing your time by slowing down

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2018 4:29


    Today I take you on location with me as my boys and I prepare to go fly fishing up a local canyon. We talk about how we have the "game" of what time management is backwards sometimes, and how we might need to slow down in order to be more productive.

    Episode 030 - Don't manage your time from your inbox

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2018 10:09


    In today's episode I describes a common frustration I see with how people try to manage their time, and offer a suggestion on how to incorporate a few tricks from the old paper planner days using modern tools.

    Episode 029 - Procrastinating on building that project schedule?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2018 8:47


    Today we talk about a very useful tool that helps you reframe your work when you need to prepare a project schedule. Listen to this, and stop the procrastination! It's not that bad. Really! And join me over on my new website: www.RandyCox.tv for a new, free, online mini course!

    Episode 028 - Don't try to improve the wrong part of the system

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2018 5:22


    When you start studying how to improve the flow of a system, you start seeing opportunities for improvement everywhere--including the McDonalds drive through! Be sure to visit RandyCox.tv for a free worksheet you can download after the episode.

    Episode 027 - Four types of clean

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2018 11:14


    So what happens when you combine an adolescent pit bull on a hot, summer day, working on the sprinklers, and a clueless pit bull owner (me)? You guessed it! A four-part model you can apply in your professional life!

    Episode 026 - Network diagrams

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2018 4:52


    This episode was originally shot on video and uploaded to YouTube. However, that version is actually a product demo of a great little tool I've used for years called Casual.pm (no endorsement deal involved). However, that episode didn't lend itself to an audio-only format, so I recorded this one to go over the major ideas.

    Episode 025 - Are you at the right altitude?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2018 7:39


    Today we talk about a very common mistake PM's make (new and experienced, alike), and how to avoid it by applying a simple lesson from Corporate Communications

    Episode 024 - Do you want fries with that?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2018 11:04


    A short discussion on how to determine what is in and out of scope. This podcast episode is the audio track of a video available on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ihnks-Sf2s&t=33s

    Episode 023 - How to MECE your scope

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2018 10:05


    Today we continue the short series on Scope that we started in Episode 022 with another technique: how to apply the MECE (pronounced mee-see)approached from McKinsey Consulting to scope definition.

    Episode 022 - Scope decomposition

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2018 10:09


    Today we begin a short series on the all-important topic of project scope. Specifically, we talk about how to take something huge, overwhelming, and stress-inducing and break it down into something manageable.

    Episode 021 - Stop planning and Go!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2018 9:32


    This episode was shot as a video, on-site, from Capitol Reef National Park in southern Utah. The topic is the point where you've planned, and planned (and maybe want to plan some more), but you just need to jump!

    Episode 020 - Solar keyboards and change management

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2018 10:42


    Think there's no connection between these two things? Think again. I thought I knew the problem with a situation, but was wrong. Twice.

    Episode 019 - Office plants and project transparency

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2018 10:54


    Today we talk about how important it is to make the work visible and transparent not only to leadership, but the whole team.

    Episode 018 - Tow trucks, second languages, and requirements analysis

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2018 10:57


    Today I am very happy to have a special guest on the show. Find out how tow trucks, learning a second language, and requirements analysis can help you in your project.

    Episode 017 - Decaying leaves in your project

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2018 11:29


    Do you have a pile of decaying leaves in your project? Probably. We explore how to find and remove it in today's episode.

    Episode 016 - Lessons from windshield wipers

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2018 10:17


    We know one size does not fit all when it comes to getting the rain off our windshields. But, have we learned this same lesson in terms of how we approach projects?

    lessons windshield wipers
    Episode 015 - Blenders and leadership

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2018 12:20


    An important, but embarrassing lesson I learned about leadership from my blender.

    Episode 014 - Optimizing like a cheetah

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2018 14:07


    What we can learn from cheetahs about how we set up and optimize our projects and systems.

    Episode 013 - The drift of surfing...and projects

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2018 10:12


    We don't realize we're drifting, but we are. Today, we talk about how we compensate for that while out surfing and how it applies to business.

    Episode 012 - What antelopes can teach us about risk management

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2018 11:10


    We continue our podcast mini-series, on location, from San Diego. This time, we look at a behavior from antelopes that represents some of the first principles of risk management.

    Episode 011 - Be the giraffe for your project

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2018 6:46


    Today I talk about a lesson I learned from our San Diego Zoo Safari Park tour guide about giraffes and what parallel that has to being a project manager.

    Episode 010 - Trust the heart rate monitor, not how you feel

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2018 9:06


    Today I draw an analogy between monitoring the effectiveness of a cardio workout and how we monitor the health and performance of our projects.

    Episode 009 - Not all hours are created equal

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2018 9:11


    Today we discuss how making an investment in getting some key activities done up front enhances the quality of

    Episode 008 - There is only one plus column

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2018 9:27


    I describe an important lesson I learned from Alistair Cockburn, one of the "founding fathers" of the Agile Manifesto and movement, that still sticks with me today.

    Episode 007 - No one fills the leader's battery

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2018 10:06


    In today's episode I talk about how leaders serve as batteries for their teams, the effect that can have on the leader, and how she/he needs to find ways to replenish and recharge.

    Episode 006 - Square pegs into round holes

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2018 11:01


    Today we talk about a hard lesson I learned about time slotting, how it applies to business, and we end by showing how this applies to Dr. Goldratt's insight around management time and attention.

    Episode 005 - The long pole in the tent

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2018 9:41


    In today's episode we talk about what we can learn about project planning from cooking a simple meal.

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