The Cranky Middle Manager Show #312 The Future of the MBA Ken Starkey
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #63 Project Risk Management With Dan Ward
Posted on 18. Sep, 2006 by Wayne in Podcast
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #063
Welcome to episode 63. Today we talk project management with Dan Ward, brains behind the Rogue Project Leader blog. He does IT projects for the US Air Force as well as writes a good blog.
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to the show. Today’s show is dedicated to Publius Claudius Pulcher, a failed project manager. Thanks to him we now have coined a new phrase- “listening to the chickens”. Only listeners to this show will be cool enough to know what that means but anyone who’s done a project against their better judgement knows the feeling.
2:56 Our quote of the week is from Edward Gibbon, author of Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Luck is even better when you actually know what you’re doing.
4:05 Dan Ward is one of the brains behind the Rogue Project Leader site. I first became aware of him through Rosa Say’s Talking Story (we both contributed to the September Joyful Learning Theme, check out Dan’s effort here.) We start by talking about which projects are worth doing at all….
7:10 If we plan right, say our prayers, and listen to the chickens (see how I slipped that in there?) our projects will be perfect-right? Not so much. Stuff happens….don’t be surprised by surprises.
11:30 So how do you plan? It’s risk management, the balance between the LIKELIHOOD of something happening and the CONSEQUENCES if/when it does. Pessimism is not realism. By the way, there’s a plug for The Abilene Paradox. and the term Negative Fantasies.
14:15 so what is mitigation and how is it different than paranoia?
16:13 Dealing with paranoid stake holders and Death by Mitigation. It has to do with having the courage to put the Customer first. In the military this is no small deal.
22:05 The two things Dan would do for Project Managers if he could:
1) Eliminate Cynicism
2) Remove Fear
Dan’s Suggested Resources
Check Out Dan’s Books…. Meet the Boomer Sisters ( a kid’s book) and Radical Elements of Radical Success
The Abilene Paradox and How Come Every Time I Get Stabbed in the Back My Fingerprints are On The Knife? by Jerry Harper
The 7 Day Weekend- Ricardo Semler
Orbiting the Giant Hairball- Gordon MacKenzie
Don’t let the weasels get you down……
Excellent interview. Dan is always an inspiration to listen to and to read.
How cool is this? I love that JJL’06 brought the two of you together in this podcast! Dan, I love your thought that the optimists are the true realists of our world, and the way you distinguish between cynicism and skepticism.
Lot of gems in this podcast; can’t give any more away so we can get everyone to listen to the goodness ;-) Mahalo once more Wayne for being mea ho‘okipa- the gracious host that you are! Oh, and you DID pronouce ho‘ohana correctly- hana hou!
With much aloha to you both,
Rosa
Mega-Rogue-Thanks to Wayne for the fantastic opportunity. He’s a great interviewer and was a lot of fun to talk with. Thanks also to Passante & Rosa for your comments!
I added a mention of the podcast to my Blue Lynx blog: http://projectbluelynx.blogspot.com/
Death To The Status Quo!
With Much Love,
Dan
I am one of Dan’s biggest fans ~ love the interveiw, Dan! Great Job!!! I’m going to check out “Orbiting the Giant Hairball” next!
Yo yo yo, it’s the Dan show! Well not really, but I liked this pod cast. Dan, you do a great job of summarizing what being a Rogue Pirate is all about. Thanks Cranky Middle manager for highlighting the work of a master. And YOU Joe Public, watch out! Rogue Tour 3000, coming to a town near you.
Thanks one and all for coming, listening, and saying nice things! :) I’m very blessed to have you all in my corner!
This 60-year-old corporate guerrilla is gratified to see the spirit and spunk of Dan and the Rogue Project Leader crew. Thanks to the internet, Rogue behavior is a lot less isolated and a lot less lonely than it was back in the day. I have high hopes that the revolution against the risk aversive process zombies will actually occur.
Thanks for the well articulated leadership, Dan.
Every manager faces risk — especially when walking through the minefields of diversity management. Be careful what you say — it could come back to hauant you! Luckily there’s the new “conversation rehearsal” website which lets managers rehearse difficult conversations and get instant online feedback on their mistakes. It’ll make you less cranky– guaranteed!