Bryan Fosmark is the IT and Automation Director at Sagepoint Energy and a Project Insight customer. Like many of our guests, his path to project management has taken some unexpected turns. But like so many superhero project managers, his cape shines through in each of his roles. He's amazing at leading teams through project work that doesn't have a process yet. And the coolest part? He's able to do it without a white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel. If you want to learn how to keep cool under pressure while giving your team incredible autonomy to do their best work, this episode is for you.
In the episode:
1:13 Bryan's path from retail to construction and how he learned to bring out people's talents.
3:09 The move from residential to commercial construction and the challenge of managing larger teams and more activity.
4:32 How humble beginnings led to managing complex renewable energy projects.
5:05 The value of growing into new responsibilities throughout your career.
5:41 Bryan's natural talent for project development under pressure and with little guidance.
6:30 A complex project that tested Bryan under pressure.
8:00 Why spreadsheets and basic work-management tools fall short on complex projects.
8:15 How Bryan encourages project managers to use Claude to help define their initial project requirements.
9:00 Choosing the right project management tools for the complexity of the project.
10:28 Why long projects often shift as goals and circumstances change.
11:00 Keeping a loose grip on the steering wheel and allowing a project to evolve.
11:43 How kids and water sports taught Bryan to become more adaptable and comfortable with change.
12:00 Sometimes new project information may require you to backtrack, revisit a decision, or adjust the process.
13:25 When should a project manager hold the line instead of drifting from the process?
15:23 Bridging business and technology needs while serving business leaders, project managers, and technical teams.
18:15 Letting your talents and interests guide your career path in ways that benefit both you and the business.
20:00 Giving teams room to experiment with new technology, including AI, while maintaining clear guardrails.
23:00 Whether project management could ever take the human completely out of the loop.
24:00 Using Project Insight's API and support team to fit the platform to unique business processes.
26:10 The 'playground' Bryan gives his teams and why the right culture lets people use their talents.
30:00 Why project managers are the superheroes of their organizations and how a light grip helps them navigate change.
31:00 Bryan credits the people on his team who make the work successful.
Download the Project Data Backbone Guides for more reliable reporting.
Listen to the Wear Your Cape to Work Podcast on:
YouTube
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
RSS