Leading Projects Through Danger

We're very passionate about our work in this industry, and we'll go to great lengths to defend its integrity. Unfortunately, the businesses in which we work are complex systems- politics, conflicts, budgets, and time restraints are all very real components of these systems, and they can be very dangerous to the quality of our projects. However, losing sight of the fact that people make up the core of these complex systems can seriously impede our ability to lead our projects safely through danger, especially as the nature of our work itself becomes more abstract.

In this talk, PJ shares stories of the things Amazon has taught him about leading complex people at complex companies through complex projects.

Transcript

1. Leading Projects Through Danger PJ McCormick | @mynameispj
3. Video Photo Branding & Marketing Visual Design UX Design
13. (And, yes, we’re hiring.) Lead Designer Sr. Art Director Visual Designer Lead Designer
14. Product Team Business Product User
15. Product User UX Dev Marketing Visual PR Content Legal Execs Vendor Customer Service HR
18. This is dangerous.
21. Fear Fear Fear Fear
22. Fear Fear Fear Fear This is what happens in the absence of a leader
23. EPISODE 127 Loki Situation” “
24. Leaders
    are not: Bosses Managers Official authority figures
26. Leaders
    don’t always: Have the right answers Have the best skills
27. 2 things
    leaders do: Listen Build confidence & trust
31. Uh, what am I looking at here? “ ”
32. You are about to make an enormous mistake. “ ”
33. This looks terrible. “ ”
34. It took me so long to find the add to cart button. “ ”
36. Here it is. Sigh.
38. ...people who were right a lot were people who often changed their minds. “ ”
40. I hate it so much. “ ”
42. “I hate it so much”
43. “I hate it so much” “I hate sticky elements”
44. “I hate it so much” “I hate sticky elements” “I hate poorly done sticky elements”
45. I am scared. “ ”
46. Leading Projects Through Danger
47. Leading Projects Through Danger People Projects
48. My secret weapon: Tell me more about “
49. 2 things
    leaders do: Listen Build confidence & trust
50. 2 things
    leaders do: Listen Build confidence & trust 1. 2.
51. 2 things
    leaders do: Listen 1.
57. Fear Fear Fear Fear
58. Thank you! PJ McCormick | @mynameispj