BOOK REVIEW
Book Title: The Persuasive Project Manager: Communicating for understanding
Author: Dr. Bill Brantley
Publisher: Bill Brantley
List Price: $5.99
Format: Soft cover, 87 pages
Publication Date: 2019
ISBN: 978-1-79572-849-2
Reviewer: Valentina Rada, MBA, PMP, PMI-ACP
Review Date: September 2019
Introduction
One of the most vital elements of project management is communication. In average a project manager spends, or should, spend 90% of the time communicating. The author of The Persuasive Project Manager book, Dr. Bill Brantley, a project management practitioner, is outlining the understanding as the key part of the communication. We all communicate, but how much our message is truly understood by our team members, stakeholders.
Overall communication is influenced by multiple factors, such as online technologies that add to the communication barriers, the number of people in the teams that increases communication channels and culture. A project manager should know how to leverage project management communication strategies to be a persuasive project manager.
Overview of Book’s Structure
The Persuasive Project Manager emphasizes how to overcome communication challenges. It’s about understanding instead of just offering information, persuading through logical arguments and emotional impact.
The book is structured key eight areas that help a project manager how to master persuasive communication: 1) Communication is more than information transfer. Understanding is about know-what, know-how and know-why; 2) Ethos, Pathos and Logos. Aristotle’s triad is the foundation of being persuasive following your credibility, emotions and logic; 3) Emergent communication model. We build meaning from our communication before, during and after communication occurs; 4) Information transfer model. It’s important for project managers to have effective ways of transmitting and receiving project information; 5) Emotional vs cultural intelligence. Understanding cultural differences helps project managers to be better communicators; 6) Cognitive biases. Cognitive biases can lead to organizational failure by harming project teams and are erroneous ways to receive and process information; 7) Effective communication with remote team members and stakeholders. That’s important to build trust with remote team members; 8) Emergent communication model. Emergent communication model is the foundation of the three leadership models: situational, servant and coaching.
Highlights
The author, Dr. Bill Bratley, refers back to ancient Aristotle’s persuasive triad of ethos, logos, pathos that is still relevant to today’s communication principles. Ethos and pathos help you gain your audience attention and engagement with your message, but it is your logos that persuade your audience. Ethos is about your credibility, pathos about your emotions, logos shows your logic…
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About the Reviewer
Valentina Rada
Texas, USA
Valentina Rada’s professional experience includes twenty years of experience in market research, retail and restaurant industries as research analyst and project manager. She is a Project Management Professional and an Agile Certified Practitioner. She has a Master in Business Administration from the University of the Incarnate Word. She is currently a Senior Project Manager for the City of San Antonio in Texas. Valentina can be reached at valirada@hotmail.com or www.linkedin.com/in/valentina-rada
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