PMI Global Insights

By: Seth Greenwald

Hey PM, the game is happening now. Are you in?

You may be asking yourself, "what’s at stake in the game?" Well, it’s whatever you’re playing for. Are you pitching to a prospective client? Are you interviewing for a new position? Are you giving a project briefing to senior management? Are you negotiating with a vendor? You have one shot to do your best. That’s why you need to be on your PM A-Game. And the prerequisite to playing at your peak is to ensure your head is in the game. In other words, you won’t get A-Game results with a B-Game mindset. The game is happening now. What can you do to ensure you’re in?

There are many ways to practice maintaining your focus in the ever-changing present moment. One of most effective ways I’ve found is through tapping into the transformational mind state called Flow. In sports parlance, it’s called "being in the zone". This is the realm of pure doing. No thinking, no hesitation, no self-consciousness. In this almost magical state of consciousness, you have no choice but to perform at your optimal level because you’ve banished doubt, uncertainty and fear. You may be thinking that all sounds too good to be true. And you’d be right IF you never experience Flow.

PMs, I have good news...you don't need to be an athlete to access the power of Flow. In fact, you can practice tapping into Flow anytime, anywhere. You can even try while communicating with your team, presenting to your customers or reporting to your vertical chain. Unfortunately, much of what we are attempting to communicate falls on deaf ears because our audience's attention is not in the game. What can a lone PM do? Well, we can supercharge our presentation skills by crafting a better project narrative through the power of storytelling. Let's help our audience listen to us by using Flow to present stories which are memorable, and subsequently we become storytellers who are unforgettable. Let's get stickier!

Here are five strategies you can implement right away to tell stickier project-based stories:

1. Be crystal clear about your message before you speak. If you don't know the point of your project's story, you'll start to meander, and your audience will get confused. Game over. 
2. Make sure you have one message and one message only. More than one primary idea will weaken your presentation and dilute your story. 
3. Don't use abstract vague language. Sprinkle in plenty of concrete details. Energize your audience's imagination by including specifics into your story. 
4. Flesh out your characters so they become actual people with emotions. Our brains are hardwired to remember stories that make us feel the feels. 
5. Starting your project story with a twist can perk up your audience's attention. Keep them on the edge of their seats by providing novel or unexpected turns throughout your story. 

Incorporating stories into your presentations will supercharge your communication and leadership skills and, in the process, help take your career to the next level.

I hope to see you at PMI Global Summit 2023 on October 27 at 1:00 PM ET to experience a seriously fun storytelling workshop! 

PMs, feel free to reach out to me with pre-conference questions - Seth Greenwald