People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast

Summary
In this episode, Andy welcomes Dr. John La Puma, a board-certified internal medicine physician, professionally trained chef, regenerative organic farmer, and two-time New York Times bestselling author of The Indoor Epidemic.
Did you know most of us spend about 93% of our lives indoors? Dr. John makes the case, backed by more than 2,200 studies, that where we spend our time may matter just as much as the soft skills and productivity systems we so often focus on. In this conversation, Andy and Dr. John dig into what he calls digital obesity and analog wellness, the science of morning sunlight and circadian rhythm, why looking at the horizon for just one minute per hour can improve focus and eye health, and what forest bathing actually does to your immune system. They also explore loneliness as a health crisis, the social dimension of outdoor time, and practical ways to build a 17-minute daily nature habit that doesn't require moving to Santa Barbara.
If you're looking for science-backed ways to boost your energy, focus, and long-term wellbeing, this episode is for you!
Sound Bites
"Digital obesity is when you consume more pixels than you can metabolize."
"What people don't understand about this is that it's not a character flaw, that it's a biological mismatch."
"People don't appreciate that nature is actually social, and that social part is good for you."
"And loneliness is what? 15 cigarettes a day in mortality."
"Nature works through your senses. You touch, you listen, you see, you smell, you taste."
"You have a 56% higher function and number of natural killer cells because you are in the company of trees that are making these chemicals, alpha-pinene, D-limonene in citrus trees, many other trees, that improve your ability to kill tumor cells and kill virus infected cells."
"But immersion in the forest means that you're immersing your senses in it, and the forest is, is the therapist, and the walk is the therapy."
"Rest is actually self-preservation and capital investment."
"Often you can upgrade the thinking in a room just by opening a window."
"But you don't need a forest, and you don't need a park even. You just need a sky view."
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:56 Start of Interview
02:06 Background: Origins of the Indoor Epidemic
07:03 Digital Obesity and Analog Wellness
10:33 Dr. John's Morning Outdoor Routine
13:21 The Benefits of Looking at the Horizon
17:22 Experiencing Vastness and Awe
22:47 Forest Bathing: More Than Just a Walk
24:32 Walking Habits and Nature Recalibration
26:52 Loneliness and Outdoor Social Connection
30:04 Practical Tips for Parents
32:03 End of Interview
32:39 Andy Comments After the Interview
35:15 Outtakes
Learn More
You can learn more about Dr. John and his work at drjohnlapuma.com.
For more learning on this topic, check out:
Episode 461 with Dr. Patricia Grabarek. We talk about why our typical approaches to wellness are missing the mark.
Episode 421 with Dr. Bijoy John. He's a practicing sleep doctor and I think you'll find some practical ideas from our discussion.
Episode 200 with Jeffrey Pfeffer. He's the author of a book entitled Dying for a Paycheck and I think you'll find his insights challenging enough to look at work differently.
Chat with PMeLa
You can chat directly with PMeLa—the podcast's AI persona—to get episode recommendations and answers to your project management and leadership questions. Visit PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com/PMeLa to chat with her.
Level Up Your AI Skills
Join other listeners from around the world who are taking our AI Made Simple course to prepare for an AI-infused future.
Just go to ai.PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com. Thanks!
Pass the PMP Exam
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: Nature, Digital Obesity, Analog Wellness, Productivity, Loneliness, Forest Bathing, Morning Sunlight, Wellbeing, Leadership, Sleep
The following music was used for this episode:
Music: On Point by Steven OBrien
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

Summary
In this episode, Andy talks with Stephen Shapiro, innovation expert and author of You're Not Playing With a Full Deck: Why the People Who Drive You Crazy Are Your Unfair Advantage. Stephen's journey starts with a costly failure: a $30 million innovation project at Accenture that fell apart, not from a lack of talent, but because everyone on the team thought the same way.
Out of that failure came a framework built around a familiar metaphor: a deck of cards. Stephen introduces four distinct personality styles tied to the four suits and explains why teams missing certain suits are setting themselves up to struggle, even when everyone is smart and capable. In this conversation, you'll hear why unanimous agreement is actually a warning sign, how strengths can quietly sabotage performance when overplayed, and why the people who drive you crazy may be exactly who your team needs. Andy and Stephen also explore what the rise of AI means for the uniquely human qualities that only certain suits can provide.
If you're looking for a fresh, practical framework to build stronger teams and unlock better results, this episode is for you!
Sound Bites
"We were smart people. We had smart people on the team, and we somehow failed miserably."
"I realized I was the problem. And it wasn't just me, it was the way we constructed the team."
"Anytime you have everybody agreeing, that's a warning sign."
"I actually think the bigger enemy of innovation is, 'Wow, this is a great idea!' because then what ends up happening is we believe it's a great idea."
"It's less of a personality test and more of an opportunity to just stimulate some conversation that typically doesn't happen inside of organizations."
"Left to their own devices, diverse teams perform terribly."
"So it's not just diversity, it's diversity plus appreciation."
"I try to make it very clear to AI: don't agree with me!"
"Part of this is who are we really versus who did we become?"
"There's a difference between a strength and a strong suit. A strength means you're good at it. A strong suit means you're good at it and it energizes you because it's who you are at your core."
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:25 Start of Interview
01:37 When Teaming Started Going Wrong
02:52 Recognizing the Real Root Cause
03:38 Choosing Your Team Members
04:45 Similarity vs. Genuine Trust
06:00 A Real-World Team Turnaround
07:51 Overcoming Resistance to Difference
09:04 The Origin of the Card-Based Framework
10:47 When Strengths Become Liabilities
13:10 Warning Signs of Strengths Gone Wild
16:03 Meeting Personalities and How to Balance Them
22:00 How AI Changes the Human Equation on Teams
23:45 Which Personality Suits Are Hardest for AI to Replace
24:53 How Stephen Uses AI in His Own Work
26:18 Applying the Framework Outside of Work
29:42 End of Interview
30:20 Andy Comments After the Interview
33:36 Outtakes
Learn More
You can learn more about Stephen and his work at StephenShapiro.com/fulldeck.
For more learning on this topic, check out:
Episode 286 with Ruth Pearce. Ruth wrote a book about the power of character strengths, and she definitely comes at it through the lens of project managers. Check out episode 286 to learn more.
Episode 283 with Tom Rath. Tom is the StrengthsFinder guy and it's an engaging discussion that goes beyond personality to what he thinks is the most important question you need to be asking.
Episode 489 with Martin Dubin. It's an intriguing discussion about blind spots that, if you haven't already listened to, I highly recommend.
Chat with PMeLa
You can chat directly with PMeLa—the podcast's AI persona—to get episode recommendations and answers to your project management and leadership questions. Visit PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com/PMeLa to chat with her.
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: Team Building, Leadership, Cognitive Diversity, Collaboration, Innovation, Project Management, Meeting Effectiveness, Personality Frameworks, AI, Human Potential, Self-Awareness, Strengths, Organizational Culture
The following music was used for this episode:
Music: Summer Awakening by Frank Schroeter
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Music: Synthiemania by Frank Schroeter
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Summary
In this episode, Andy welcomes Rebecca Hinds, organizational behavior researcher and author of Your Best Meeting Ever. Rebecca brings a behavioral science lens to one of the most persistent pain points in modern work: meetings that multiply, linger, and drain rather than deliver.
Andy and Rebecca explore the concept of meeting debt, and why reducing meeting volume often matters far more than optimizing agendas. They discuss why meetings have become status symbols and performance art, how a simple social contract makes it nearly impossible to decline an invite, and what meeting minimalism actually means (hint: it's not about ruthless efficiency). Rebecca shares practical ideas, like calendar cleanses, Return on Time Invested (ROTI) ratings, and unexpected guardrails, including the fascinating case of the 27-minute meeting. They also wrestle with AI's potential to either genuinely improve meeting culture or simply make expensive, inefficient meetings feel more productive.
If you're looking for a research-backed, practical guide to finally taking back your calendar, this episode is for you!
Sound Bites
"Why do we cling to this practice that has largely remained unchanged for decades and decades, and yet we know, we're highly aware that it's highly inefficient and dysfunctional."
"It's ironic and unfortunate that we now consider so many of these dysfunctional practices, so many of these tactics as business as usual."
"We tend to associate visibility with value and presence with productivity. A packed calendar is a very clear indication that you are busy, you're important, and you have high status within the organization."
"Meetings are the most important product in our entire organization, and yet also the least optimized."
"Meeting debt is so bad that it's not worth it to tinker at the edges and try to optimize the meetings that already exist because fundamentally, many of them should not exist in the first place."
"Return on Time Invested (ROTI) is a concept I learned from my colleague Elise Keith. It asks people to rate the effectiveness of a meeting on a scale of zero to five based on whether this meeting was well worth it in terms of the time invested."
"I don't mean efficiency for efficiency's sake, right? The goal isn't to make our meetings ruthlessly efficient at all costs."
"He was tasked with running these 30-minute meetings. He was seeing them drag on and on rather than make the meeting longer, he made them exactly 27 minutes, and that jolted people out of autopilot."
"What we're seeing in meetings overwhelmingly is people using AI to cognitively offload the work that they should be doing as humans."
"I continue to believe there's nothing that communicates your leadership more clearly than being able to run a good meeting, but also being able to steer a bad meeting back on track because people very quickly make the cognitive jump that if you can lead a meeting, if you can lead a meeting back on track, you can probably lead a team, you can probably lead a project, you can maybe lead a function."
"And the reverse is also true. If you can't lead a good meeting, it doesn't instill a whole lot of confidence in your ability to lead anything bigger."
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:27 Start of Interview
01:36 Rebecca's Background and Journey
02:51 The Meeting Sabotage Manual
04:38 Meetings as Status Symbols and Performance Art
07:30 Meeting Debt: Why Reducing Volume Comes First
10:12 Calendar Cleanses: Wiping the Slate Clean
11:28 Guardrails Against Meeting Bloat
14:30 Better Meeting Metrics: Return on Time Invested
17:34 Meeting Minimalism: What It Really Means
18:43 Minimalism in Practice
21:30 AI and Meeting Culture
27:50 Changing Meeting Culture Without Full Authority
32:06 End of Interview
32:39 Andy Comments After the Interview
35:34 Outtakes
Learn More
You can learn more about Rebecca and her work at RebeccaHinds.com.
For more learning on this topic, check out:
Episode 503 with Evan Unger. Evan shares some helpful ideas on leading better decision-making meetings.
Episode 246 with Steven Rogelberg. Steven is a leading meeting researcher whose work also appears in Rebecca's book.
Episode 72 with Steven Rogelberg. An earlier conversation with this leading meeting researcher.
Episode 245 with Elise Keith. Elise shares some practical insights on how to make meetings more effective.
Chat with PMeLa
You can chat directly with PMeLa—the podcast's AI persona—to get episode recommendations and answers to your project management and leadership questions. Visit PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com/PMeLa to chat with her.
Pass the PMP Exam
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: Meeting Culture, Meeting Debt, Meeting Facilitation, Return on Time Invested, Organizational Behavior, Leadership, Project Management, Behavioral Science, Meeting Minimalism, AI and Meetings, Team Productivity
The following music was used for this episode:
Music: Brooklyn Nights by Tim Kulig
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Music: Fashion Corporate by Frank Schroeter
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Summary
In this episode, Andy talks with Ashley Herd, HR and legal leader turned management coach, and author of The Manager Method. Ashley has led HR and legal teams at organizations like McKinsey and Yum Brands, and she brings a refreshingly real-talk approach to the challenges every manager faces, especially those quiet moments of self-doubt that come with growing responsibility.
In this conversation, you'll hear Ashley's take on why imposter feelings are so common among thoughtful leaders, and how her concept of the "career quilt" reframes even the most uncomfortable professional experiences. She introduces her simple but powerful Pause, Consider, Act framework, which is a practical tool for navigating tough management moments without reacting on instinct. You'll also hear how the language we use about people shapes the way we lead them, why delegation is harder than it looks, and how accountability can be reframed as a positive force on your team. Ashley even shares how Pause, Consider, Act has made her a better parent.
If you're looking for a grounded, practical guide to leading people well (without burning yourself out) this episode is for you!
Sound Bites
"We all have our career quilts. And sometimes those are different, like different jobs, actual different experiences like that."
"I felt very much like the other at McKinsey."
"When you open up and show that you are real, you tend to gain the trust and respect that you're so afraid you'll lose if you do that."
"People don't care that you know the message. They want to hear the message for themselves."
"What would I want to have happen to me if I were in the other person's shoes?"
"A rolling stone gathers stress, not moss."
"Just thinking about the people that are doing a lot of the work, how you treat them and talk with and about them? That can shape a lot of the outcomes."
"Tasks can quietly become symbols of our value."
"When you treat your people well, they are a better parent, friend, relative."
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
02:17 Start of Interview
02:45 What's A Leadership Experience That Shaped You?
05:27 The Career Quilt Concept
07:47 Imposter Phenomenon in Leadership
11:45 Spotlight Effect and How We Worry About Being Watched
14:10 Introducing Pause, Consider, Act
15:05 What Pausing Actually Looks Like
21:30 Empathy Without Carrying Too Much
23:47 Rethinking Empathy
25:40 How Language Shapes How We Lead People
28:52 The Delegation Trap
30:33 What Ashley Still Struggles to Delegate
33:15 Reframing Accountability
38:10 Applying the Book Outside of Work
39:43 End of Interview
40:22 Andy Comments After the Interview
43:20 Outtakes
Learn More
You can learn more about Ashley and her work at ManagerMethod.com.
For more learning on this topic, check out:
Episode 468 with James Turk. It's a discussion about what to do during the first 45 days when you take on new responsibility.
Episode 467 with Sabina Nawaz. She was a coach to Microsoft leaders, such as Bill Gates, and she shares insights that, according to her, no one tells you about becoming a boss.
Episode 142 with Amy Cuddy. Amy is most famous for her TED Talk on power posing. But episode 142 is more about presence and how you can more confidently rise to the most daunting challenges. It's a nice follow-up to what Ashley talked about with the imposter phenomenon.
Chat with PMeLa
You can chat directly with PMeLa—the podcast's AI persona—to get episode recommendations and answers to your project management and leadership questions. Visit PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com/PMeLa to chat with her.
Level Up Your AI Skills
Join other listeners from around the world who are taking our AI Made Simple course to prepare for an AI-infused future.
Just go to ai.PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com. Thanks!
Pass the PMP Exam
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: Leadership, Management, Imposter Phenomenon, Delegation, Accountability, Empathy, Team Culture, Communication, Self-Awareness, New Managers, Personal Growth, Psychological Safety
The following music was used for this episode:
Music: Underground Shadows by MusicLFiles
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Music: Tuesday by Sascha Ende
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Summary
In this episode, Andy talks with Amy Leneker, leadership coach, joy strategist, and author of Cheers to Monday. Amy's journey began with a burnout so severe that her doctor put her on medical leave. It took 10 words on a medical form to change everything: "What are your hobbies? What do you do for fun?" She couldn't answer it. That moment sent her on a mission to help leaders recognize stress earlier and respond to it far more intentionally.
In this conversation, Amy shares the stress stories many leaders carry without ever questioning them, and why those stories get quietly rewarded in so many organizations. You'll hear how the body whispers warnings long before burnout hits, why most common stress-relief advice actually makes things worse, and how Amy's three-step Un-Stressing Method gives leaders a clear, practical framework to move forward. She also shares a powerful real-world example of a team carrying 73 stressors that simply didn't need to be there—and what happened when they finally saw that.
If you're looking for a practical, empowering guide to break the cycle of stress and overwhelm in leadership, this episode is for you!
Sound Bites
"The story that I inherited, either intentionally or unintentionally, was you just work hard because that's the only choice you have."
"I think one of the biggest mistakes that I made was not recognizing how much choice I had."
"I couldn't remember the last time that I had real fun."
"Those unhealthy stress stories are rewarded."
"The majority of ways that we try to manage stress at work actually increase our stress."
"When I ignored the whispers, it got to the point where ignoring it was no longer an option.... If you ignore them long enough, then the body's going to scream."
"Talking about stress is stressful, but we've got to be able to see it if we're going to be able to do anything about it."
"Unclear expectations are resentments waiting to happen."
"People pleasing—it's not a healthy dynamic. It's not something that serves you or the people around you."
"Stress is contagious. There is no question about it."
"Yes, stress is wildly contagious, but so is joy."
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:39 Start of Interview
01:52 Early Messages About Work and Stress
04:36 The 10 Words That Changed Everything
06:39 Postponing Joy
07:30 Stress Stories Leaders Believe
08:19 How the Body Signals Burnout Before the Brain Does
11:44 What's Broken About Typical Stress Advice
12:58 Walking Through the Un-Stressing Method
15:03 Why Sequence Matters: See, Sort, Solve
17:32 Solving Stress vs. Fixing It
18:44 The Un-Stressing Method in Action: A Team Story
21:58 The Danger of Unstated Priorities
22:42 People Pleasing as a Warning Sign
23:38 Breaking the Cycle of Stress as a Parent
24:41 End of Interview
25:11 Andy Comments After the Interview
28:16 Outtakes
Learn More
You can learn more about Amy and her work at AmyLeneker.com.
For more learning on this topic, check out:
Episode 448 with Marie-Helene Pelletier. It's a book on how to develop resilience when demands are piling up. It's a great follow-up to today's discussion.
Episode 398 with Dr. Neha Sangwan, which is a book about learning to recognize wake up calls to help us avoid burnout.
Episode 164 with stress researcher Derek Roger. Derek brings a unique perspective to the discussion about stress.
Chat with PMeLa
You can chat directly with PMeLa—the podcast's AI persona—to get episode recommendations and answers to your project management and leadership questions. Visit PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com/PMeLa to chat with her.
Pass the PMP Exam
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: Stress Management, Leadership, Burnout Prevention, Wellbeing, Resilience, Team Culture, People Pleasing, Priority Setting, Workplace Conflict, Joy, Self-Awareness, Communication
The following music was used for this episode:
Music: Tropical Vibe by WinnieTheMoog
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Music: Summer Morning Full Version by MusicLFiles
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license