Project Managers at Work 1st ed. Edition, Kindle Edition

Bruce Harpham’s book Project Managers at Work is filled with career lessons and valuable advice from notable project and program managers, executives, entrepreneurs, and CEOs.The content is presented in interview format. The chapters are broken out into the 25 interviews Harpham conducted. Each has a chapter summary at the end with key takeaway points. This layout makes it easy to reference later.But you won’t want to read only the end summaries. Each interview is packed with value throughout. The author presents thoughtful questions that elicit valuable insight and advice from each person being interviewed. They offer suggestions for other great books, career lessons, advice they’ve gotten from mentors, ways they work, career decisions, and more.The book starts out with an interview with Michael Lubrano, Senior Program Manager at Google. Michael explains how he moved into project management by identifying his strengths and proactively taking a bold move when he saw an opportunity – something many folks don’t realize they can do, and great advice for anyone.And all the following interviews contain advice that can help you grow in your career, along with suggestions you can use right away.For example, one of my favorite suggestions was offered by Sarina Arcari, Vice President of Enterprise Program Management at Amtrack. She points out the value in “…regularly setting aside time for strategic thinking.” She explains it makes her a better leader, and how she does it. It’s hard for many project managers to recognize this since project managers are usually tactical and less prone to take time for strategic thinking.This book is loaded with valuable advice and guidance. It’s a very accessible and enjoyable read.I highly recommend it no matter where you are in your project management career.If you’re just starting out, this book will help you move ahead faster. If you’ve been in project management for years, you’ll get advice to help you improve and go further in your career.If you know someone new on the project management career path, this would be a great gift. But also order a copy for yourself - you'll want to read it, too.

As Newbie to Project Management, I really enjoyed this book. It is an easy read and well organized. The first chapter, I began to highlight key takeaways that I want to remember. Then at the end of the chapter was a summary that include the exact same lines that I highlighted. It is like Mr. Harpham and I are on the same page. I have attended several of Bruce's webinars on the topic of Project Management and find his approach very helpful in my gaining knowledge through others' experiences. Thank you for taking on this project and creating a book on Project Management that is not dry. It is like you are a fly on the wall listening to the interviews of these highly talented individuals.

Harpham's insightful questions elicit wisdom from some of the greatest leaders in project and program management today. In the interview at the top of the book with Lubrano from NASA there is a great quote: "If you're not an expert at relationship development, you should not be a program manager. That's what we do." As a PMI certified project manager with 15 years experience, this wisdom could not be truer. The book is filled with such insights.To sum it up, if you're working in the PM space you MUST READ THIS BOOK to shave off years of learning and meaningfully improve your results.A shout out to the author for making our lives (and projects) easier!

This book provides an interesting perspective for experienced project workers of all kinds: managers, engineers or anyone else who is working on or in projects daily.This book follows no system or method, and doesnt't try to teach -- which is exactly its strength.Instead, it's a series of interviews by Bruce Harpham with experienced project managers from different industries. Every reader will gain different knowledge from each interview, depending on their individual position, interests and the pelicularities of their projects.Very different industries with very different demands are highlighted: from move-fast-and-break-things Internet companies, to NASA and failure-is-not-an-option.A pleasant to read and instructive book for all those who want to learn from situations similar or dissimilar to their own.

Bruce Harpham has put together a great collection of insightful interviews and wisdom that any type of manager who aspires to leadership should read. The questions he asks are thought provoking, often creative, and prods the interviewee to reveal greater depth and clarity. You can see that it gets the interviewee thinking more, and that helps the reader gain more. A well done book.Update (1/2/2019): I've changed jobs recently and after a few months, went back to re-reading select interviews from Bruce's book. With the breadth of industries/sectors that the interviewees represent, I have been able to focus on a few interviews particularly relevant to my new industry that will help me get a leg up on critical insights into some challenges I may face as a PM. thanks again Bruce!

Great Book

Bruce Harpham’s Project Managers at Work contains 25 in-depth interviews with dynamic and seasoned project managers in the technology sector—and beyond. The book is perfect for those who wish to enter project management, as well as for those who are already practicing. Topics range from winning assignments to managing the pressures of the work, and recovering from operational failures. I highly recommend this smart, insightful guide!