Testimonials and Endorsements

Testimonials and endorsements

           

 

 

People, not process and tools, are the key ingredient in making change happen. Peter has vast experience in project leadership and has used it to create a useful read that can help project managers get the best out of their interactions with those they work with.

Graham CoeManaging Consultant, Programme DeliverySerco Consulting

In the world of project assurance we look at two things to gain confidence that projects will be successful: processes and people. There is ample guidance for the processes bit but until recently precious little about the people. This book is a significant contribution to a limited genre of literature that aims to help people develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours to increase the chances of project success’

Roy Millard FAPMSenior Audit Manager – Projects, Transport for London Chairman of the APM Special Interest Group for Assurance

Soft skills are the difference that makes the difference in leadership of change. Getting change to work well is really all about people. Peter tirelessly promotes this in project management, both through Alchemy, and more specifically in this book, which is a major contribution to the discipline.

Paul MatthewsCertified Trainer in NLP MDAlchemy for Managers

For anyone who believes that people skills are important in the delivery of projects then this book is for you.

Paul GoodgeVice President, Bid & Programme Management, Thales

Project failures, whether in terms of delivery or benefits realisation, continue to grab the headlines and there is a widely held perception that the project management profession does not learn from its mistakes. Methodologies and processes are clearly part of the answer, but we also need to address the people dimension of project and programme management, and this means looking beyond traditional approaches premised on the rational economic man paradigm of incentives and sanctions. Let’s be clear, there is nothing wrong with such approaches, apart from the fact they don’t work! They may be necessary, but are rarely sufficient – the difference that makes the difference is to apply approaches that engage people in terms that tap into their creativity and desire to contribute to a worthwhile cause. This is where NLP, and this book in particular, is key. Read it, apply it and not only will it make you a more effective project manager, it will also ensure the projects you are engaged in are more successful.

Steve Jenner FAPMAuthor of 'Realising Benefits from Government ICT investment - a fool's errand' and co-author and chief examiner of the OGCs 'Management of Portfolios'. Chairman, Portfolio Management Specific Interest Group, APM (Formerly Director of IT for Criminal Justice)

International Project Management constitutes a complex world within which there are uncertainties and diverse stakeholder challenges. Peter’s book is not only informative but, through consideration of NLP tools and techniques, provides us with a deeper insight and much needed guidance in developing flexible solutions to complexities found in managing international projects effectively. I look forward to him talking to our students about it’

Amerjit Walia FAPM FCIPDMSc Project Management Programme LeaderUniversity of West London (formerly TVU) MD, Orbitus Consulting

Consistent feedback when we released early drafts of PRINCE2 was the need to describe those vital behavioural competences (or soft skills) that project managers require for successful project delivery. But it is not the remit of PRINCE2 to describe such skills as PRINCE2 is just a method, so we took the approach of sign-posting the additional competences that those involved in projects require. At last there is now a book that describes those skills, and more importantly in a way that puts them in context of project management. This book provides practical and easy to follow guidance on how to apply NLP techniques to a Project Manager’s every day work. I recommend every Project Manager reads this book (in addition to PRINCE2!)

Andy Murray CDirLead author PRINCE2 (2009 Refresh)Director, Outperform

(Project) Management is a combination of toolset and mindset. Currently the PM toolset box is overflowing and cluttered. It needs a good cleanout. On the other hand the PM mindset box is alarmingly empty except for some snake oil. The way ahead is a combination of mindset and toolset and we’ve done toolset to death. The articulation of an idea which works elsewhere and needed explaining in our language is therefore to be welcomed with open arms (and minds).

Steve WakeChairman APM PlanningSIG Chairman APM Earned Value SIG

To be effective, project managers must learn the language of the boardroom. Peter and this book will help you to do that.

Neville BainChairman of the Institute of DirectorsAuthor of ‘The effective Board’, ‘The effective Director’, ‘The people advantage’, ‘Winning ways through corporate governance’, and ‘Successful Management’

Method and process are important in project management, but knowing how to use them is even more so. Most project managers can increase their effectiveness most by developing their soft skills, recognising that finesse can be more effective than brute force. Once developed, they will find that their skills are much more transferable across not only project types, but whole industry sectors. This book showing the application of tools like NLP to develop competences will help you on that journey and will certainly whet your appetite for more. Peter’s lively style is compelling and benefits from his imaginative use of appropriate quotations and personal anecdotes. For me this book throws light on a major component of our journey towards greater professionalism in project management.

Bob AssiratiDeputy PresidentBCS – The Institute for Information Technology Honorary Fellow, Association for Project Management Major Projects Director, Office of Government Commerce