It’s Time We Project Managers Get Our Stuff Together: Getting Things Done with David Allen

August 11, 2015

*Hello! This is the show notes for today’s podcast episode.  To listen, press the play button above*

Many project managers, and for many years myself, are great at delivering their projects on time, on budget, and within scope….

… for their sponsors, for their bosses, for their companies.

Yet, deep inside, our lives are disorganized, we feel stressed out, and have that nagging feeling that we are dropping the ball somewhere.

I am of the opinion that we cannot give what do not have.  If we are to be excellent project managers for other people, it can help tremendously to have our own personal projects in order and our lives organized.

This became clear to me when I read David Allen’s Getting Things Done: the Art of Stress-Free Productivity many years ago.  Up to that moment I had difficulty finishing what I started, and I was at times unreliable and forgetful – and these are terrible traits in a project manager.

GTD has taught me to understand my brain and what it is good for, and provided me with a system that I trust so my life is in order.

David Allen is back on the show today to talk about the second edition of GTD, which came out early 2015.  We talk about productivity and what has changed since the first edition of his book came out in 2002.

David Allen

david allenDavid Allen is the world’s leading expert in personal and organizational productivity.  In over 25 years he has coached the CEOs of some of the world’s most successful corporations and institutions.  Forbes has even recognized him as one of the top 5 executive coaches in the world.  Fast Company Magazine has also called David “one of the world’s most influential thinkers” in the arena of personal productivity, for his outstanding programs and writing on time and stress management, the power of aligned focus and vision, and his groundbreaking methodologies in management and executive peak performance.

David is the international bestselling author of Getting Things Done: the Art of Stress-Free Productivity, and Ready for Anything: 52 Productivity Principles for Work and Life.

Must Read Project Management Articles of the Week

Dave Gordon is back on the show to share his picks for this week’s PM Articles of the week.  Check it out here.

Special Project Management Training Bundle

Today’s episode is sponsored by my friends at CareerAcademy and their absolutely AMAZING Project Management Certification Training Bundle, especially created for the PM for the Masses community.

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CareerAcademy is a global leader in on-demand training solutions for IT and business professionals.  For the PM for the Masses community, they put together a training/certification bundle tailor made for us.

The value is UNBELIEVABLE:

  • Users can earn up to 180 PDUs / Contact Hours
  • US$99 for 12 months access ($995 value)
  • On-demand training, may be accessed at any time
  • Comes with review quizzes
  • Printable courseware (workbooks)
  • Certificates of Completion provided for proof of successful completion of course
  • PMI REP recognized
  • Taught by highly certified, expert instructors
  • This bundle is for people that are new to the Project Management field or need to maintain their certifications
  • Certifications covered with this training: PMP, PMI-ACP, CAPM, & PMI-RMP

Here’s a breakdown of all that is included in the US$99 PM for the Masses Package:

Course Title Course Duration PDU/Contact Hours
Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP) Exam Prep 5:48:04 21
Executive Strategy & Management (ESM01) 1:50:02 14
Introduction to Project Management (PM101) 6:11:50 21
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) Exam Prep 6:49:25 21
PMP 2013 Exam Prep (PMP01) 7:09:52 21
Quality Management (PQM01) 2:19:55 7
Risk Management Professional (RMP) Exam Prep 3:33:11 14
Schedule & Cost Control (SCHCC) 2:13:22 14
Scope & Requirements (REQ02) 3:14:19 21
SCRUM Immersion 4:38:32 14
Managing Project Teams 2:12:35 4
Project Management Skills for Non Project Managers 2:18:40 4
Strategic Planning Skills 2:01:42 4
Microsoft Office 2003 Project 5:56:27
Microsoft Office 2007 Project L1 3:10:43
Microsoft Office 2007 Project L2 2:49:01
Microsoft Office 2010 Project (Advanced) 3:04:00
Microsoft Office 2010 Project (Basic) 3:06:50
Microsoft Office Project 2013: Part 1 3:36:19
Microsoft Office Project 2013: Part 2 3:47:20
TOTAL 73:42:09 180

I hope you take advantage of this offer that was custom made for us.  Whether you are someone starting the PM path looking for a few certifications or a certified PM looking for PDUs, this is a no-brainer (did I mention it is only US$99?).

The link to access this special offer is http://pmforthemassescom.mystagingwebsite.com/academy.