Episode 212 – Torchbearer to Team Builder: Elevate Your Project Planning

Manage This - The Project Management Podcast

For project managers aiming to improve their project planning and drive successful outcomes, this episode provides practical advice and real-life examples. Focusing on the distinction between conversation and communication, Clint Padgett shares strategies for fostering trust and accountability through authentic dialogue and offers insights on creating adaptable, realistic project plans. Clint emphasizes the importance of in-person team meetings to secure buy-in and boost project success. Chapters 00:00 … Intro02:28 … Meet Clint04:53 … Running the Torch06:23 … Elements of Project Planning08:48 … Network Diagrams and Conversations10:58 … Punitive vs Helpful12:08 … Flexible Project Plans16:15 … Team Involvement in Planning Process18:25 … Getting Buy-In from Your Team20:18 … Building a Visual Map23:10 … In-Person Team Meeting24:41 … Resistance from a Sponsor to Invest26:03 … Communication30:18 … Virtual Conversation Limitations32:59 … Balancing Communication vs Overcommunication36:06 … Ideal Team Players39:04 … A Superintendent or a PM?40:28 … Clint’s Books41:56 … Get in Touch44:12 … Closing CLINT PADGETT: And what we found is I can do a two-year project remote, as long as that first three days is together face to face. That’s where we form the connections and the bonds that allow us to go remote for the rest of the project. Intro WENDY GROUNDS: You’re listening to Manage This, the podcast by project managers for project managers. I’m Wendy Grounds, and with me is the expert in project management, Bill Yates. We love having you join us twice a month to be motivated and inspired by project stories, leadership lessons, and advice from industry experts from all around the world. BILL YATES: Velociteach is a community of hard-working team members, here to support your growth and success. InSite is our project management mobile learning platform where you can prepare for your PMP certification, or get better at your job by choosing from over 70 high quality and engaging courses. These courses cover a variety of topics such as communication, leadership, status reporting, the work breakdown structure. Each course aligns with a PMI Talent Triangle, making earning PDUs easier than ever. Visit us at velociteach.com today to get started. WENDY GROUNDS: Today we have the privilege of speaking with Clint Padgett. Clint is the CEO and President of Project Success Incorporated. He’s a Forbes Books author and the host of The Conversation with Clinton M. Padgett podcast. With over 25 years of experience and a background in electrical engineering, Clint has guided some of the world’s top companies in achieving remarkable project success. And he’s going to tell us a really interesting story about one of the top companies that he’s worked for and how he got involved in the Olympics. Project planning, conversation versus communication, and team involvement in the planning process are topics that are on the books for today. We’ll be diving into Clint’s tried-and-true process for project planning and methods to keep projects on track without compromising on quality or performance when those challenges arise. This episode is packed with actionable advice. Stay tuned as we get into all of this and more with Clint Padgett. Hi, Clint. Welcome to Manage This. CLINT PADGETT: Hi. It’s so nice to be here. WENDY GROUNDS: I am really excited that you’re in the studio. CLINT PADGETT: Yes, me, too. WENDY GROUNDS: And that we get to see you face to face. It’s always exciting for us to have a guest right here with us. CLINT PADGETT: I’m a huge believer in face-to-face connections being made. BILL YATES: We’re going to talk about that. Meet Clint WENDY GROUNDS: Yeah, I think that’s going to come up. Glad we could do this. Before we get into the topic, let’s hear a little bit about your experience, how you became a project manager. And I’ve heard you’ve done some work for the Olympics,