The Mind Behind Project Management

Vanita
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Every week, Vanita Vij Narang takes one real situation from project work and decodes the human behaviour underneath it.  Why the update read cleaner than the week felt.  Why the team went quiet.  Why the stakeholder who agreed in the meeting didn't follow through.  Not the process.  The people.  For PMs and project professionals who already know the methodology - and want the layer above it. 

Episodes

  1. 7 Jul

    Too Many Meetings? Why Project Managers Still Feel Behind

    You have spent most of the day in meetings. The project has been discussed for hours. Decisions have been talked through. Actions have been assigned. Updates have been shared. But when the final call ends, the actual follow-up work is still waiting. The project plan needs updating. The actions need chasing. The risks need reviewing. The decisions need writing down. And you still need enough quiet time to think about what happened in all those meetings. In this episode of The Mind Behind Project Management, Vanita talks about meeting overload, meeting fatigue and why project managers can spend the whole day working but still feel as though they are falling behind. This is not simply a time-management problem. Moving constantly between meetings, topics, stakeholders and decisions can make it harder to concentrate, think clearly and notice what the project actually needs. It can also affect how we respond emotionally. Vanita shares how to notice meeting overload in yourself and in other people without immediately assuming someone is disengaged, difficult or not managing their workload properly. This episode explores: • Why a full calendar does not always mean the project is moving • How repeated context switching can affect attention and decision-making • How emotional intelligence helps project managers notice changes in their team • Practical ways to protect thinking and follow-up time Useful questions from the episode: “What decision do we actually need from this meeting?” “Does everyone need to be here, or can this be shared as an update?” “Before we book another meeting, what is still unclear?” This episode is for project managers, PMO professionals, delivery managers, programme teams, team leaders and anyone dealing with too many meetings, meeting fatigue or a calendar that leaves very little space for the actual project work. Follow The Mind Behind Project Management for honest, practical conversations about project management, emotional intelligence, team behaviour and the human side of project delivery. If this episode sounds familiar, share it with someone whose calendar is full but whose task list is even fuller. Instagram: themindbehindpm LinkedIn: The Mind Behind Project Management Substack: The Mind Behind Project Management

    Too Many Meetings? Why Project Managers Still Feel Behind

  2. 30 Jun

    Feeling Out of Your Depth as a Project Manager on Your First Big Project

    If you are a project manager leading your first big project, or stepping into bigger project delivery responsibility, this episode is for you. There is a very real moment in project management where the work looks organised on the outside, but underneath you are thinking: should I feel more confident than this? You are running the calls, chasing actions, updating the RAID log, managing stakeholders and trying to keep the project moving, while also figuring out the scale as you go. In this episode of The Mind Behind Project Management, I talk about why feeling out of your depth does not automatically mean you are not capable. Sometimes it means the project has got bigger, the decisions are more visible, the risks matter more and you are learning how to lead at that level. This episode covers: project manager confidenceproject leadershipstakeholder managementrisk managementproject meetingsteam communication and the emotional intelligence needed to raise concerns earlier before they become bigger delivery problems. Useful lines from the episode: "Can I sense check this with you? This bit is new at this scale." "Please flag any concerns early, even if they are not fully formed yet, so we can work through them as a team and avoid bigger risks later." "Before we move on, is there anything here that feels unclear, risky, or a bit unrealistic?" Listen if you are a new project manager, a project lead, a PMO professional, a delivery manager, or anyone trying to build confidence while leading bigger project work. Instagram: themindbehindpm LinkedIn: The Mind Behind Project Management Substack: The Mind Behind Project Management

    Feeling Out of Your Depth as a Project Manager on Your First Big Project

  3. 23 Jun

    Why trust takes a while at the start of a new project - for everyone

    A new project starts with good people and good intentions, and somehow everyone still holds back a little at first. In this episode of The Mind Behind Project Management, I look at why trust takes time at the start of a new project, why that early carefulness is normal, and what project managers can actually do to help a team feel safer to speak up sooner.   Using the Notice, Decode, Act framework, this episode looks at the early signs of trust still building, what people are usually waiting for, and a few practical questions you can use in your next kickoff or project meeting. A practical, human look at project management, emotional intelligence, team dynamics, psychological safety and the early days of a delivery team.   If this lands, send it to someone you are starting a project with. Follow along with the links below: Instagram: themindbehindpm LinkedIn: The Mind Behind Project Management Substack: The Mind Behind Project Management

    Why trust takes a while at the start of a new project - for everyone

  4. 16 Jun

    Why We Carry a Project Alone When We Don't Have To

    We've all done it - quietly decided to handle something on a project ourselves rather than ask for help. In this episode of The Mind Behind Project Management, I look at why the pull to carry a project alone is so strong, what it quietly costs, and one honest question that can loosen its grip.  Using the Notice · Decode · Act framework, this episode unpacks the behaviour underneath - why asking for help can feel risky, why being the single point of failure feels like strength, and how to let someone in before you have to. Project management, emotional intelligence, delegation, and the human side of project delivery. If this one landed, send it to someone who needs to hear it.  Follow me for more on Instagram, LinkedIn and subscribe for weekly newsletters; links are below Instagram: themindbehindpm LinkedIn: The Mind Behind Project Management Substack: The Mind Behind Project Management

    Why We Carry a Project Alone When We Don't Have To

  5. 9 Jun

    Why the project that looks most under control is closest to the edge

    The project that looks most under control is sometimes the one closest to the edge.   In the first full episode of The Mind Behind Project Management, I look at one of the quietest risks in project delivery - the project that has learned to look fine.  Why a green risk log and calm steering meetings aren't always the reassurance they seem. Why good people end up managing the picture rather than the reality, and what to do about it.   Using the Notice · Decode · Act framework, this episode unpacks the human behaviour underneath project reporting - and ends with one simple question you can use in your next project meeting to surface what's really going on.   A warm, practical look at project management, emotional intelligence, and the human side of getting things delivered.   If it lands for you, send it to someone you work with who'd recognise it. Find me, Vanita on LinkedIn and Instagram as The Mind Behind Project Management. Instagram: themindbehindpm LinkedIn: The Mind Behind Project Management Substack: The Mind Behind Project Management

    Why the project that looks most under control is closest to the edge

  6. 2 Jun

    The Mind Behind Project Management - Trailer

    The human side of projects, finally explained. The process gives you the map. Understanding human behaviour is what helps you navigate it.  The Mind Behind Project Management is a new podcast about why people do what they do in project work - and what to do about it. Each week, Vanita Vij Narang takes one very human pattern you'll recognise from project delivery - the meeting where everyone agreed and nothing happened, the project that looks calm right before it slips, the pull to carry it all yourself - and breaks down what's really going on underneath, using a simple framework: Notice, Decode, Act. Find Vanita on LinkedIn and Instagram as The Mind Behind Project Management. Instagram: themindbehindpm LinkedIn: The Mind Behind Project Management Substack: The Mind Behind Project Management

Trailer

About

Every week, Vanita Vij Narang takes one real situation from project work and decodes the human behaviour underneath it.  Why the update read cleaner than the week felt.  Why the team went quiet.  Why the stakeholder who agreed in the meeting didn't follow through.  Not the process.  The people.  For PMs and project professionals who already know the methodology - and want the layer above it. 

Information

  • Creator
    Vanita
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Mind Behind Project Management
  • Provider