The Project Management Podcast

Cornelius Fichtner
  • 4.2 (330)
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The Project Management Podcast
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Become the project manager everyone wants on their team. Tune in to The Project Management Podcast™ and join Cornelius Fichtner, PMP, CSM, as he interviews global PM experts to uncover what drives their project success. Subscribe at https://www.pm-podcast.com and get actionable advice you can apply today. Each episode is packed with hands-on tips for beginners and experts to help you integrate good practices and the latest insights to lead your projects more effectively.

  1. 4D AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Episode 529 Premium: Transform Project Leaderhip

    Play Video: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/leadership-academy.prepcastmedia.com/01-interviews/LA_05.00_Emad_Rahim.mp4 Genocide survivor, educator, and leadership consultant Dr. Emad Rahim joins host Cornelius Fichtner to share the S.A.L.T. model—Survive, Adaptation, Love, Transformation—a framework he forged while rebuilding his life from the Khmer Rouge killing fields to the executive boardroom. Rahim explains why acknowledging a “survival state” is the first step toward meaningful change and how project managers can move beyond firefighting into strategic growth by embracing adaptation through value-based decisions. He highlights the critical role of supportive networks (“love”) in sustaining momentum and shows how transformation becomes attainable when leaders combine clear goals with short- and long-term wins. The discussion offers practical coaching advice and ethical insights that translate directly to project environments. Listeners learn to reframe risk, communicate with empathy, and cultivate resilience to navigate scope shifts, stakeholder conflict, and fast-changing markets. Rahim’s personal journey illustrates how empathy, integrity, and a focus on people drive high-performing teams, while his anecdotes—from coaching reluctant experts to managing virtual communication breakdowns—provide actionable techniques you can apply immediately. Whether you need fresh ideas for earning PDUs or a roadmap for turning adversity into project success, these lessons will strengthen your leadership toolkit. In This Episode, You Will Learn: - The S.A.L.T. Model – A four-step framework to recognize survival mode, design adaptive plans, build supportive networks, and achieve lasting change. - Coaching for Transformation – How to assess where team members sit within S.A.L.T. and guide them toward higher performance. - Ethical Decision-Making – Practical ways to embed empathy, integrity, and social responsibility into every project choice. - Communication Barriers – Strategies for overcoming virtual misalignment and keeping distributed teams engaged. Resources Mentioned - Resilience—From Killing Fields to Boardroom – Dr. Rahim’s book detailing the S.A.L.T. framework and its leadership applications. - Inclusive 360 LLC – Dr. Rahim’s consulting firm offering coaching and project leadership services. Quotes from This Episode - "You can’t move forward until you admit you’re only surviving." – Emad Rahim - "Surround yourself with people who love you enough to give tough feedback." – Emad Rahim - "Ethics isn’t separate from delivery—it’s the foundation of sustainable success." – Emad Rahim Connect with Emad Rahim - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erahim/ Time-Stamped Show Notes [00:00] – Introduction and episode overview [00:39] – Three focus areas: S.A.L.T., coaching, and ethics [05:00] – From refugee to educator: Rahim’s resilience journey [10:20] – Survive: recognizing when you’re merely treading water [19:14] – Adaptation: short-term versus value-based decisions [26:51] – Love: building a support network that fuels growth [40:19] – Transformation: turning plans into sustained action [50:35] – Coaching with S.A.L.T.: assessing where people are and guiding progress [60:00] – Ethics and empathy in modern project leadership [71:40] – Key takeaways: acknowledge reality, cultivate support, act with purpose Exclusive Benefit for our Premium Subscribers - Download the members-only transcript: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/pmpodcast/LA_05.00_Emad_Rahim.pdf

    1h 15m

  2. 4D AGO · VIDEO

    Episode 529: Transform Project Leaderhip (Premium Preview)

    Premium This is a preview of our premium episode. Full access is available only to premium subscribers. Click here and learn about the Premium Podcast to access this interview and transcript... Play video preview episode | Play audio-only preview episode | Play on YouTube Click above to play either the audio-only preview episode or video preview episode in a new window. Episode Summary Genocide survivor, educator, and leadership consultant Dr. Emad Rahim joins host Cornelius Fichtner to share the S.A.L.T. model—Survive, Adaptation, Love, Transformation—a framework he forged while rebuilding his life from the Khmer Rouge killing fields to the executive boardroom. Rahim explains why acknowledging a “survival state” is the first step toward meaningful change and how project managers can move beyond firefighting into strategic growth by embracing adaptation through value-based decisions. He highlights the critical role of supportive networks (“love”) in sustaining momentum and shows how transformation becomes attainable when leaders combine clear goals with short- and long-term wins.

  3. JUN 3 · VIDEO

    Episode 528: Emotionally Intelligent Team Leaderhip (Premium Preview)

    Premium This is a preview of our premium episode. Full access is available only to premium subscribers. Click here and learn about the Premium Podcast to access this interview and transcript... Play video preview episode | Play audio-only preview episode | Play on YouTube Click above to play either the audio-only preview episode or video preview episode in a new window. Episode Summary Project managers know that clear schedules and smart strategies cannot guarantee success. Jackie Barretta, award-winning CIO and author of Primal Teams, shows how emotion sits at the heart of team performance and why leaders who understand this outpace those who ignore it. Drawing on twenty-five years in Fortune 500 IT leadership and consulting, Jackie explains how authentic emotional awareness activates sharper thinking, faster creativity, and stronger collaboration, turning ordinary groups into high-performance engines.

  4. JUN 2 • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Episode 528 Premium: Emotionally Intelligent Team Leaderhip

    Play Video: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/leadership-academy.prepcastmedia.com/01-interviews/LA_03.00_Jackie_Barretta.mp4 Project managers know that clear schedules and smart strategies cannot guarantee success. Jackie Barretta, award-winning CIO and author of Primal Teams, shows how emotion sits at the heart of team performance and why leaders who understand this outpace those who ignore it. Drawing on twenty-five years in Fortune 500 IT leadership and consulting, Jackie explains how authentic emotional awareness activates sharper thinking, faster creativity, and stronger collaboration, turning ordinary groups into high-performance engines. Host Cornelius Fichtner guides a practical conversation that ranges from the “Stop, Breathe, Activate” technique for managing stress in real time to using spontaneous play to ignite innovation. Jackie shares ways to reduce fear, handle chronic negativity, and cultivate coherence—an energy state that boosts cognitive power for everyone in the room. You will hear stories of transforming “permanent complainers” into productive contributors, learn how mirror neurons help you sense hidden tension, and see why small changes in emotional habits ripple outward to clients and stakeholders. If you want to earn PDUs while gaining actionable insight on emotionally intelligent leadership, this interview delivers fresh tools you can apply on your next project. *In This Episode, You Will Learn:* - Teams & Emotions – How positive and negative feelings shape productivity, creativity, and results. - “Stop, Breathe, Activate” – A simple breathing technique that shifts stressful moments into focused action. - Coherence & Sixth Sense – Ways to generate contagious positive energy and read unspoken team signals. - Managing Chronic Negativity – Turning persistent critics into engaged, value-adding team members. *Resources Mentioned* -Primal Teams by Jackie Barretta – A guide to building high-performance teams through emotional intelligence. - HeartMath Institute – Research and tools for measuring and cultivating coherence in teams. *Quotes from This Episode* - "Emotion, more than anything, separates stellar teams from mediocre ones." – Jackie Barretta - "Ignoring negative feelings keeps them alive; acknowledging them lets performance soar." – Jackie Barretta - "Creativity thrives when leaders accept emotion as an authentic part of work." – Jackie Barretta *Connect with Jackie Barretta* - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackiebarretta/ *Time-Stamped Show Notes* [00:00] – Episode introduction and overview of topics [00:37] – Teams, emotions, and the concept of “primal teams” [11:12] – “Stop, Breathe, Activate” technique for stress management [16:33] – Handling chronic negativity and fear inside project teams [21:47] – Practical tools to reduce fear and build psychological safety [29:39] – Using spontaneous play and gamification to spark creativity [34:48] – Cultivating coherence for sharper collective thinking [42:30] – Tapping your sixth sense to read hidden team signals [46:55] – Managing “white knight” experts and empowering newcomers Exclusive Benefit for our Premium Subscribers - Download the members-only transcript: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/pmpodcast/LA_03.00_Jackie_Barretta.pdf

    1h 4m

  5. JUN 1 · VIDEO

    A Moment of Impact: You Can Make a Difference

    Play video episode This is an eighty-eight-second favor episode. Apple Podcasts is the main place other podcast apps pull ratings, so your honest review there helps more project managers discover the show. Tap the stars you feel we deserve; if that’s three or fewer, please add a short note so we know how to improve; no hard feelings.

  6. MAY 31 · VIDEO

    Episode 527: Flexible Project Leadership (Free)

    Play video episode | Play audio-only episode | Play on YouTube Click above to play either the audio-only episode or video episode in a new window. Episode Summary Constant change, evolving stakeholder needs, and dispersed teams can twist even the best-planned projects into knots. Leadership expert Kevin Eikenberry (Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group and author of Flexible Leadership) joins Cornelius Fichtner to unpack a practical roadmap for staying effective when everything around you shifts. Drawing on three decades of coaching leaders in more than 50 countries, Kevin explains why rigid command-and-control approaches snap under real-world pressure, how “flexors” help you bend without breaking, and where to start if your calendar already looks like a game of Tetris.

  7. MAY 25 · VIDEO

    Reporting PDUs? Omit Numbers in the Title

    Play video episode | Play audio-only episode | Play on YouTube Click above to play either the audio-only episode or video episode in a new window. Episode Summary The Project Management Institute (PMI) has introduced a new validation rule in the Continuing Certification Requirements System (CCRS) self-reporting form that automatically treats any number in the activity title as a PDU claim code. When the rule is triggered, for example by “Episode 525 - The Unofficial Project Manager” or “PMO Symposium 2025,” the form displays an error and blocks submission until the title is edited. This affects all self-reported learning activities whose names contain digits. Follow these steps to submit your Project Management Podcast PDUs without triggering the error:

  8. MAY 21 · VIDEO

    Episode 526: Chaos-Proof Project Leadership (Free)

    Play video episode | Play audio-only episode | Play on YouTube Click above to play either the audio-only episode or video episode in a new window. Episode Summary Project environments rarely slow down, yet outstanding leaders keep schedules intact, teams motivated, and stakeholders confident even when interruptions pile up. Leadership strategist Robert Heath Sr. joins the show to explain how he transforms shifting priorities into opportunities for greater impact. A former Marine officer and combat-tested communications expert, Robert now advises Fortune 500 firms on building cultures that thrive under pressure. He shares field-tested techniques that help project managers cut through noise, protect focus, and make decisions at speed while maintaining team morale.

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4.2
out of 5
330 Ratings

About

Become the project manager everyone wants on their team. Tune in to The Project Management Podcast™ and join Cornelius Fichtner, PMP, CSM, as he interviews global PM experts to uncover what drives their project success. Subscribe at https://www.pm-podcast.com and get actionable advice you can apply today. Each episode is packed with hands-on tips for beginners and experts to help you integrate good practices and the latest insights to lead your projects more effectively.

Information

  • Creator
    Cornelius Fichtner
  • Years Active
    2005 - 2025
  • Episodes
    616
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright (c) 2005-2025 by Cornelius Fichtner. All Rights Reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Project Management Podcast
  • Provider
    Cornelius Fichtner

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