Podcast Episode #166: Susanne Madsen – Changes in project leadership It’s been five years since Susanne Madsen released her book The Power of Project Leadership. In that time she’s worked with project leaders in nearly every corner of the globe, and noticed a lot of changes in the demands and expectations placed on them– enough changes that she’s released a new edition of the book with all her new insights. In this podcast, Susanne speaks to Elise Stevens about the trends she’s noticed in project leadership and why innovation is more important than ever before. Points raised in this podcast with Susanne Madsen: Project managers often have more influence than they think because they can feel limited by their team, their budget, and the scope of the project. The “VUCA” theory, which acknowledges the world generally is becoming more Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous, is more pronounced in project management than ever as the world becomes more competitive and interconnected and technological change occurs exponentially faster. Leaders must now not only instruct, but collaborate, empower and innovate – which doesn’t have to mean new products, but also new ways of operating. Some organisations that once believed they must operate as either Agile or Waterfall, are now considering their own hybrid systems that remove limitations and restraints. Changing behaviour in project leaders is challenging. While some may want to change their behaviour to be more collaborate and conciliative, they may be stymied by the environment set up by their organisation. There is now more demand than ever for coaches to speak on the topic of stress in project management. Project leaders should take time to think about their leadership style and how it impacts their teams and seek feedback. Taking time out to consider your own development and to observe the development of the project will help you become a more effective leader. About Susanne Madsen: Susanne Madsen is an internationally recognised project leadership coach, trainer and consultant and the founder and director of Susanne Madsen International Ltd. Susanne also founded The Project Leadership Institute in 2017. She has extensive experience in the corporate sector, having worked for Standard Bank, Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase and is the author of two books, The Project Management Coaching Workbook and The Power of Project Leadership, now in a second edition. You can connect with Susanne on LinkedIn or Twitter.   Need More Inspiration? Visit my online shop to grab a copy of my #1 best selling book: Age Defying Careers For Women At 40, along with my brilliant Guidebook for those wanting to really nail out the details of their goals with complete clarity. You might also like to learn about the Workshops I offer, or see my project management eCourse to help you deal with difficult stakeholders. Have you heard of the Celebrating Women in Project Management event? I started it right here, and now it’s a global network of incredible women! Register your interest for the 2020 event. We have a very active community online too! Get involved. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter. See other projects I’ve been involved with on the Press page. If you would like to work on a collaboration, or simply say hi – send me a message here. I’d love to hear from you.