People And Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast

Lies About Work? There are ideas about leadership and management that you and I have learned over the years that sound reasonable. We do them all the time. Surely they must work, right? For example, having competency models to identify what makes, let’s say, an effective project manager or team leader. Using 360-degree feedback instruments to understand our strengths. That strengths are things we’re good at, weaknesses are things we’re bad at, and that we should focus on the things we’re good at. That people need feedback to improve performance, and that annual cascading goals from the top down to teams is a responsible way to run a business. But what if those, as in all of those, were wrong. Or at least wanting for evidence that they’re right. Or, in the words of today’s guest, they’re actually lies? Marcus Buckingham is the co-author of a new book entitled Nine Lies About Work, and he takes a provocative look at work as it is--not how we’d like it to be. And the results are both challenging and refreshing.