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People and Projects Podcast: Project Management PodcastAuthor: Andy Kaufman, PMP, PMI-ACP
Welcome to the People and Projects Podcast, where we provide interviews and insights to help you lead people and deliver projects. Since 2009, this show is brought to you by speaker, author, and executive coach Andy Kaufman. If you're looking for insights on project management, leadership, and how AI influences both of those, you've come to the right place! And if you hold a project management certification, you can even earn free PDUs for listening! Language: en-us Genres: Business, Careers, Management Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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PPP 498 | Have Better Conversations: Small Moves That Save Projects and Relationships, with Joe Ferraro
Monday, 16 February, 2026
Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Joe Ferraro, host of the One Percent Better podcast and a coach who helps leaders have stronger conversations when the stakes are high. If you lead projects, you know how quickly a meeting, a status update, or a feedback moment can either build trust or quietly drain it. Joe shares small, practical moves that make conversations more memorable and more useful. You will hear why being "good at talking" is not the same as being good at conversation, and how preparation can be a generous act toward the other person. They also discuss how to avoid default, predictable questions, how to turn a one-way presentation into something more interactive, and how to keep your composure when you feel defensive. Joe even offers a simple technique for pressure testing ideas without starting a fight, plus a listening cue you can use the next time you feel tempted to jump in. If you're looking for insights on having better conversations that save projects and strengthen relationships, this episode is for you! Sound Bites "And you know what's a great barometer there is for people listening to ask themselves on a daily basis? How many questions do they ask?" "But the reality is a generous conversation is one where you're prepared." "And the easiest path, the simplest path is to ask more questions and then listen, like your life depends on it." "The human ear driving, or on the treadmill or in a board meeting doesn't want to hear the same length answer every time from Andy or Joe or Sheila." "If you feel like you're bursting at the seams and you need to share something, that's when you know to hold it in and to focus on them." "I teach people the technique of inserting devil's advocate, where you, you don't wanna necessarily become the villain, but you say, you know, Andy, you know, it's a great point." "But when I go back to, to Mitch Albom one time, he paused seven seconds before I asked him, before he answered the question." "If you have a recorded conversation, simply ask it to pull out every question that was asked." "My favorite question to ask is the one that I think will elicit the best response for what I'm interested in learning in this moment." Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:44 Start of Interview 02:04 When Conversation Became More Than Talking 04:32 Curiosity as a Practical Advantage 05:47 Sending Questions Ahead of Time 06:49 Why Most Real Conversations Feel Like Improv 07:40 A Recent Conversation Joe Still Thinks About 09:44 What Makes a Conversation Actually Memorable 11:14 How Joe's Background Shaped His Approach 12:47 Breaking the Habit of Predictable Answers 13:54 The Risk of Chasing "Standard" Questions 15:16 Using Recording as a Growth Tool 16:29 How to Build Better Listening Discipline 18:38 Turning a One-Way Presentation Into Conversation 20:12 What to Do When You Need Real Buy-In 21:44 The Listening Cue to Use When You Want to Jump In 23:34 Helping Others Feel Heard Without Hijacking the Moment 24:30 Staying Composed When You Feel Defensive 27:27 Using "Devil's Advocate" Without Becoming the Villain 30:15 When the Best Move Is to Pause 32:25 How to Ask Questions That Create Better Stories 33:43 The Question That Fits the Moment 36:19 What Joe Thinks People Get Wrong About "Small Talk" 39:12 Interviewers Joe Thinks More People Should Study 45:13 Using AI to Improve Your Conversations 49:20 What Joe Sees Changing in Communication Skills 50:00 Helping Kids Build Conversational Stamina 53:26 Where to Learn More About Joe 54:42 End of Interview 55:08 Andy Comments After the Interview 57:56 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Joe and his work here: OnePercentBetterProject.com Joe on X Joe on LinkedIn For more learning on this topic, check out: Episode 380 with Monica Guzman. It's about navigating stressful conversations with people you don't agree with. Episode 284 with Peter Boghossian. It's another episode on conversations that seem impossible. Think of difficult bosses and other stakeholders. Episode 195 with Celeste Headlee. She's an NPR anchor who first introduced me to the idea of conversational narcissism. Pass the PMP Exam This Year If you or someone you know is thinking about getting PMP certified, we've put together a helpful guide called The 5 Best Resources to Help You Pass the PMP Exam on Your First Try. We've helped thousands of people earn their certification, and we'd love to help you too. It's totally free, and it's a great way to get a head start. Just go to 5BestResources.PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com to grab your copy. I'd love to help you get your PMP this year! Join Us for LEAD52 I know you want to be a more confident leader, that's why you listen to this podcast. LEAD52 is a global community of people like you who are committed to transforming their ability to lead and deliver. It's 52 weeks of leadership learning, delivered right to your inbox, taking less than 5 minutes a week. And it's all for free. Learn more and sign up at GetLEAD52.com. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills Topics: Communication, Difficult Conversations, Active Listening, Stakeholder Management, Leadership Presence, Psychological Safety, Meeting Facilitation, Coaching, Feedback, Influence, Conflict Management, Relationship Building The following music was used for this episode: Music: Summer Morning Full Version by MusicLFiles License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Energetic Drive Indie Rock by WinnieTheMoog License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
