Technology

Education and Learning

The Practical Project Manager

A Mentor’s Guide to Surviving and Succeeding on Real ProjectsBy Eric Bannavti Suiseka

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Length1h 31m

About this audiobook

Project Management Isn’t About the Plan. It’s About What Happens When the Plan Stops Working. If you’ve ever managed a project that looked perfect on paper—but quickly fell apart in reality—this book is for you. The Practical Project Manager is not another theory-heavy guide or certification manual. It’s a real-world, mentor-style playbook for professionals who want to succeed when projects get messy, stakeholders push back, and pressure rises. Whether you’re already managing projects or preparing to step into the role, this book gives you what most training programs don’t: practical judgment, leadership clarity, and execution confidence.

Audiobook details

GenreTechnology, Education and Learning

Length1 hr 31 mins

Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices

FormateBook with Audio

Publish dateAug 18, 2013

LanguageEnglish

1Introduction

2Why This Book Exists

3AUTHOR’S NOTE

4Chapter 1: So, You Want to Be a Project Manager

5The Job You Think You’re Signing Up For

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6What Project Management Really Is

7Why Certifications Don’t Prepare You for This

8The First Mindset Shift You Must Make

9What Experience Teaches You (Sometimes the Hard Way)

10A Word for Aspiring Project Managers

11A Word for Practicing Project Managers

12How to Use This Book

13Mentor’s Takeaway

14Chapter 2: The Gap Between Certification and Reality

15What Certifications Actually Do Well

16The First Reality Check: Projects Are Not Controlled Environments

17The Myth of the Perfect Plan

18Why “Following the Process” Isn’t Enough

19The Unspoken Skill: Judgment

20The Stakeholder Reality Certifications Gloss Over

21The Emotional Labor of the Role

22Closing the Gap Without Rejecting the Framework

23For Aspiring Project Managers: What to Do Now

24For Practicing Project Managers: Reframing the Role

25Mentor’s Takeaway

26Chapter 3: Why Projects Really Fail

27The Comfortable Lie About Tools

28The Most Common Root Causes of Project Failure

291. Lack of True Alignment

302. Unclear or Weak Sponsorship

313. Fear of Difficult Conversations

324. Overcommitment and Unrealistic Expectations

335. Decision Paralysis

34Why Blaming the Tool Feels Safe

35The Project Manager’s Real Levers

36A Practical Example

37What This Means for Aspiring Project Managers

38What This Means for Practicing Project Managers

39Mentor’s Takeaway

40Chapter 4: Thinking Like an Owner

41There is a moment in every Project Manager’s career when something becomes painfully clear:You can do everything you were asked to do—and still be seen as ineffective.

42The Coordinator Trap

43What It Means to Think Like an Owner

44Ownership Is About Accountability, Not Control

45How Owners See Risk Differently

46Ownership Changes How You Communicate

47The Courage to Challenge (Respectfully)

48The Difference Between Escalation and Ownership

49What Ownership Looks Like Day to Day

50A Reality Check for Aspiring Project Managers