New project management articles published on the web during the week of November 18 – 24. We read all of this stuff so you don’t have to! Recommended:

Must read

• Scott Berkun shares the notes from his data analysis presentation at the Warm Gun 2013 conference on measurable design. The model matters more than the data!
• Michael Greer tells a story, illustrating how simply requesting sign-off in order to proceed can be a powerful tool for getting decisions finalized.

Leadership

• Terry Bunio lists four critical qualities for a good manager.
• Michael Lopp catalogs three basic roles for leaders. “In order to build epic shit at scale, a colorful tapestry of talent and degrees of experience is essential.”
• Martin Webster asks if your leadership is actually slowing progress.
• Peter de Jager shares his thoughts on helping a team form by creating opportunities for them to collaborate.
• Cheri Baker recaps a few good communications habits that can make our colleagues feel more at ease.
• Kenneth Darter takes a moment to help us develop our face-to-face social skills.
• Cyndee Miller offers one final observation from PMO Symposium 2013: PMO Directors need to think like executives.

PM Best Practices

• Elizabeth Harrin interviews Angel Berniz, who explains how the new project management standard, ISO 21500, will impact us.
• Vincent McGevna defends the application of processes to the execution of projects.
• Todd Williams breaks down the roles and responsibilities of the folks charged with rescuing a failed project.
• David Hillson suggests a framework for identifying project risks, based on Edward de Bono’s Six Value Medals. You might remember de Bono for the Six Thinking Hats.
• Luis Seabra Coelho examines the cognitive bias known as functional fixedness, and how it might apply to motivation.
• Anya Faingersh recounts an old story that illustrates why an expensive solution delivered now beats a cost-effective solution, delivered too late.

Podcasts and Videos

• Samad Aidane interviews Naomi Caietti, who explains how women in project management roles can achieve the right degree of assertiveness. Just 44 minutes, safe for work.
• Cornelius Fichtner interviews Ricardo Vargas, who explains his approach to quantifying a qualitative risk analysis. Nerdy, but interesting ; 23 minutes, safe for work.
• Cesar Abeid interviews Francis Wade on his consulting practice and book on time management. Just 48 minutes, safe for work.

Agile Methods

• Glen Alleman critiques NPR journalista Elise Hu’s article on why Heatlthcare.gov was doomed from the start.
• Jesse Fewell came from the Washington, D.C. Scrum User’s Groups with new insights into why the roll-out of Healthcare.gov failed so badly.
• Shim Marom articulates the difference between doing Agile and being Agile.
• Derek Huether covers the key barriers to Agile adoption, as found by VersionOne in their annual survey.

Pot Pouri

• Harold Kerzner describes a family Thanksgiving, from a project manager’s point of view. But the PM is not the person actually in charge …
• Karina Keith rounds up three blog articles on how to maintain your productivity over the holidays.  Makes me wonder if someone is missing the point.
• Belle Beth Cooper has collected ten statistics on social media that should inform your company’s strategy for marketing and communication.

Enjoy!