May 28, 2024
According to The Project Management Institute (PMI), the most effective project managers spend over 90% of their time communicating or preparing to communicate. Recognizing this critical skill, Jeff Cadieux, Gantt Academy’s lead trainer, shared insights from over 25 years of project leadership at the PMI Regional Conference held in Albuquerque on May 17-19th.
The conference, which drew PMI chapter officers and board members from the Central and Western United States, was hosted at the lovely Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in downtown Albuquerque. Jeff’s session delved into the strategic poartnership between PMI and Toastmasters, the world’s largest public speaking training organization. The presentation included effective verbal communication, emphasizing how project managers face unique communication challenges not addressed by most public speaking training.
“We have to persuade without selling.” said Jeff. “We have to inform without lecturing. Most of all, we have to maintain credibility and engagement through a lot of boring, information dense presentations.”
Jeff explored several vital areas during his presentation:
The benefits of Public Speaking Training for Project Managers: Jeff reviewed the need for communication training for Project Managers and how PMI chapter programs can address those needs.
Project Management Techniques: He explored advanced communication techniques unique to project management, such as the link between storytelling and status reports.
PMI Chapter Engagement: He shared insights into how PMI Chapters can start and leverage a Toastmasters chapter.
The feedback from the session was tangibly positive, with many attendees expressing how Jeff’s ideas could be implemented into their daily management tasks. “The section on ‘Don’t try to be funny’ was both practical and funny!” said one attendee.
For more insights and upcoming events featuring expert speakers like Jeff, stay tuned to our blog and follow Gantt Academy on our social media channels.
