PPP 468 | How to Lead When You’re Suddenly In Charge. What To Do in the First 45 Days, with Executive Coach James Turk
People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast
Release Date: 07/03/2025
PPP 494 | How to Stay Poised When Everything Starts to Slip, with author Andrew Wittman
People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast
Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Dr. Andrew Wittman, former Marine, police officer, federal agent, and leadership coach, about his new book . If you lead projects and teams, you already know pressure is coming. The real question is what you do when it arrives. Andrew explains why the brain can work against you under stress, and how the questions you ask yourself shape the options you can see. You’ll learn the Two Minute Rule and how it can help you shift from “we can’t” thinking into problem-solving mode. Andy and Andrew also explore how filters and assumptions influence what...
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PPP 493 | How to Future-Prep Your PM Career with AI Tools and Critical Skills, with Olivia Montgomery
People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast
Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Olivia Montgomery, Associate Principal Analyst at Capterra and a PMP. They discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping project management tools, skills, and expectations. Olivia brings a rare perspective, combining hands-on experience leading a PMO with years of research into how organizations evaluate, adopt, and struggle with project management software. Olivia and Andy explore why buying AI-powered tools is often easy, but realizing real value from them is much harder. Olivia explains the shift from buying software based on seat count to buying...
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PPP 492 | The Hidden Costs of Hybrid Teams, with Peter Cappelli and Ranya Nehmeh
People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast
Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Peter Cappelli and Ranya Nehmeh, co-authors of . In a world still grappling with virtual work, Peter and Ranya challenge us to take a fresh look at the workplace. Not just where we do work, but how that space shapes learning, culture, visibility, and performance. In this conversation, you’ll hear what gets lost when teams are always virtual, why hybrid work often underdelivers, and how proximity plays a surprising role in mentoring, innovation, and even career progression. Peter and Ranya explore how organizational culture shifts when people are...
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PPP 491 | What a Children’s Book Can Teach Leaders About Fear, with former news anchor Lynn Smith
People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast
Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Lynn Smith, former NBC News, MSNBC, and CNN Headline News anchor, executive communication coach, and author of . Lynn is best known for helping Fortune 500 leaders turn pressure into presence, but her newest book takes an unexpected form: a children’s story about fear, resilience, and perseverance. That surprising choice is exactly what makes this conversation so relevant for leaders. Andy and Lynn explore why the same fears that stop CEOs are often the ones that show up in kids, how our inner critic or “Brain Bully” shapes behavior under...
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PPP 490 | Why Psychology Might Be Hurting Your Team, with Barry Wolfe
People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast
Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Barry Wolfe, author of . Barry is a seasoned HR executive and business leader who has built a reputation as one of the rare “HR guys who actually has a head for business.” In this frank and eye-opening conversation, Barry challenges many of the tools and ideas we’ve come to rely on in leadership and management. Andy and Barry discuss why frameworks like Maslow’s hierarchy may be doing more harm than good, how personality assessments can become limiting narratives, and why our obsession with “fit” often backfires. But this isn’t just a...
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PPP 489 | Blindspots That Derail Project Managers and How To See Them, with author Marty Dubin
People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast
Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Martin Dubin, psychologist, former CEO, executive coach, and author of . Marty brings a rare combination of clinical insight and real-world leadership experience to a topic that affects every project manager and frontline leader: the blindspots that quietly shape our behavior, decisions, and impact. Together, the discussion explores how motives often drive our actions without us realizing it, why strengths can become liabilities when overused, and how emotion acts as one of the most powerful and least discussed forces in leadership. Marty explains his...
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PPP 488 | How to Be a Less Terrible Boss, with Joel Hilchey
People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast
Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Joel Hilchey, speaker, facilitator, and author of . Joel brings humor, honesty, and a refreshing amount of grace to a topic many leaders quietly struggle with: becoming a boss without training, preparation, or a clear roadmap. Andy and Joel explore what it really means to be an “accidental boss” and why most bad bosses are not bad people. They unpack the four quadrants every leader must balance: tasks vs. people and short-term vs. long-term, and why focusing only on tasks can quietly erode trust and engagement. You’ll hear practical ideas for...
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PPP 487 | Why Humor Is a Serious Leadership Skill, with comedian Adam Christing
People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast
Summary In this episode, Andy talks with comedian and corporate emcee Adam Christing, author of . If you have ever hesitated to use humor at work because you were unsure it would land, or worried it might backfire, this conversation offers both encouragement and a practical path forward. Adam shares how his early influences shaped his approach to humor and why he believes every human is also a “humor being.” You will hear why humor is more than chasing chuckles, including how it can build trust, improve learning, and strengthen relationships on teams. Adam introduces the concept of "laugh...
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PPP 486 | How to Solve Some of the Toughest Leadership Problems, with business coach Dr. Katie Best
People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast
Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Dr. Katie Best, leadership coach and author of . Drawing on years of coaching leaders across industries, Katie shares practical insights that help you tackle high-stakes leadership moments—especially when a coach isn't available. They explore Katie’s SOLVE framework for problem-solving under pressure, the danger of performative busyness, and how to make better decisions when trade-offs and uncertainty rule the day. You’ll also hear how to unlock authentic influence without manipulation, foster healthy debate on overly “nice” teams, and support...
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PPP 485 | What Project Teams Can Learn From Sketch Comedy, with author John Krewson
People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast
Summary In this episode, Andy talks with John Krewson, co-author of . John’s journey spans software development, acting, and even a stint with Saturday Night Live. He now leads Sketch Development, where he helps teams build products people actually want, faster and with more joy. In this conversation, John explains why project teams should behave more like creative troupes than traditional org charts. You’ll hear how laughter can be a feedback loop, why messy first drafts matter, and how simple tools like sticky notes, Elmo cards, and Lean Coffee can radically improve your team’s...
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When you're promoted into management, the shift can feel like you're suddenly in charge, but with very little guidance. In this episode, Andy chats with executive coach and author James Turk about his insightful book The Giving Game: A Manager’s Playbook for the First Year of Leadership. James brings decades of experience helping leaders navigate that tricky transition from individual contributor to team leader.
They explore why being a subject-matter expert doesn’t automatically make you an effective leader, and why the first 45 days in a new role are so critical. James shares practical advice for building a strong team climate, coaching instead of controlling, and why clarity is one of the greatest gifts you can offer as a manager. Plus, they discuss what new managers often miss about feedback and delegation (and how to avoid those traps).
Whether you’re newly promoted or preparing to step into a leadership role, this conversation is filled with actionable insights. If you’re looking for real-world advice on how to lead when you’re suddenly in charge, this episode is for you!
Sound Bites
- “The number one reason employees don’t do what they’re supposed to do is that they don’t know what it is.”
- “Leadership isn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about creating the conditions for others to succeed.”
- “Climate is how it feels to work for you, and as a leader, that’s something you have the power to shape every day.”
- “Coaching isn’t fixing the past. It’s investing in someone’s future performance.”
- “Most people, when they’re promoted, don’t have the skills, and they’re afraid to admit it.”
- “If I want people to do the work, they need to know what’s expected of them.”
Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction
- 01:57 Start of Interview
- 02:06 What early experiences shaped how you think about leadership?
- 05:30 Why call it 'The Giving Game'?
- 08:39 What would you coach me to do differently in my first 45 days as a new manager?
- 11:01 Why focus on climate instead of culture?
- 15:57 How do we shift teams from renter mode to ownership?
- 20:18 Why do so many managers think we're being clear?
- 21:42 How can leaders delegate in a way that builds ownership?
- 22:47 When did you make a delegation mistake because of lack of clarity?
- 25:25 What's an example of feedback that changed your career?
- 27:59 What do you think about the 'feedback sandwich' technique?
- 29:44 How can these ideas help parents at home?
- 32:10 End of Interview
- 32:31 Andy Comments After the Interview
- 36:15 Outtakes
Learn More
You can learn more about James Turk and his work at TheTurkGroup.com/TheGivingGameBook.
For more learning on this topic, check out:
- Episode 466 with Sabina Nawaz. Sabina was the executive coach for Bill Gates and other Microsoft leaders and wrote a book that would be an excellent follow-up to this one.
- Episode 455 with Janet Polach. It’s a great follow-on to what we talked with James here today.
- Episode 391 with Adam Bryant about his book The Leap to Leader.
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Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast!
Talent Triangle: Power Skills
Topics: Leadership, First-Time Managers, Team Climate, Feedback, Coaching, Clarity, Delegation, Emotional Intelligence, Ownership, Communication, People Management, Personal Development, Project Management, Career Development
The following music was used for this episode:
Music: Imagefilm 034 by Sascha Ende
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Music: Fashion Corporate by Frank Schroeter
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license