Episode 73: The Animals in Projectland with Dawn Mahan

In this engaging conversation, Josephine Palermo speaks with Dawn Mahan, PMP, about her journey into project management, the challenges faced in the field, and the importance of leadership and team dynamics. Dawn shares insights from her book, ‘Projectland,’ where she introduces the concept of using animal avatars to represent different roles in project management. The discussion emphasises the need for emotional management, the significance of setting projects up for success, and the evolving nature of project management in today’s fast-paced environment.

Dawn Mahan, PMP, has trained thousands of professionals around the world. As the founder of PMOtraining.com, she’s a go-to advisor for C-level leaders and project managers across industries.  

Read her book 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene

01:56 Dawn’s Career Journey and Project Management Discovery

09:21 Defining Project Management and Its Challenges

11:09 The Importance of People in Project Success

14:48 Exploring Project Land: A New Paradigm

18:36 The Dream Team: Animal Avatars in Project Management

22:01 The Gazelle Metaphor in Project Management

23:32 Dolphins: The Social Creatures of Project Teams

26:02 The Lion Avatar: Leadership and Authority

27:48 The Partnership Between Leaders and Project Managers

29:48 Team Dynamics: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing

31:12 The Importance of Kickoff Meetings

33:18 Managing Project Endings and Emotions

33:57 Navigating Challenges in Project Leadership

36:51 The Role of Project Managers as Team Leaders

40:12 Setting Projects Up for Success

#projectmanagement #projectland #dawnmahan #gearedforgrowth.biz #teamscultureyou #businessgrowth #businessgrowthstrategy #smallbusinesstips #startuplife #workwell #wellbeingatwork #6teamconditions #teams #areyouaneffectiveteam #workingwell #feelsatwork #workliveplaywell #feelsatwork #postivemindset #positivepsychology #mindsetshift #mindset