The Practical Project Manager

The Practical Project Manager

A Mentor’s Guide to Surviving and Succeeding on Real ProjectsBy Eric Bannavti Suiseka
Michael Caine
Listen with Sir Michael Caine™ and 1,000+ voices
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

Table of contents

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
Show all chapters
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

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