Épisodes

  • Stop Fighting the Questions — Start Conducting the Orchestra
    Sep 25 2025

    If you need help with PMP questions and you want to pass the PMP exam, call me, Scott, at 757-759-5282 and we’ll talk through a plan for you.

    In this episode, I break down one of the biggest mistakes smart professionals make when tackling PMP exam questions: they fight the system. Instead of stepping into the role of a project leader, they slip back into an individual contributor mindset—arguing about how unrealistic the question is, or how the team “should have done it differently.”

    But on the exam, and in real project management, your job isn’t to nitpick the system. Your job is to conduct the orchestra.

    I walk you through an example to show how shifting your perspective—from player to conductor—completely changes how you approach questions and situations. Once you stop fighting the question and start thinking like the orchestrator, the right answers become clear.

    Tune in to reframe how you think, approach PMP questions with confidence, and start leading like the conductor your team (and your exam) needs.

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    17 min
  • AMAZING PMP Exam Success Interview (James Drops Knowledge BOMBS)
    Sep 18 2025

    If you want the same kind of help James got to crush his PMP exam, call me directly at 757-759-5282.

    This episode is pure fire. 🎤 James just passed the PMP Exam and came back to drop straight knowledge bombs on one of our Hard Questions Made Easy calls. He breaks down exactly how he studied, how he stayed confident, and how he kept his mindset locked in all the way through exam day.

    All I had to do was throw him a few questions—James did the rest. His insights on how to overcome fear, build confidence, and master the exam will get you pumped up and ready to succeed.

    If you’ve been wondering how real students make it to the finish line, this conversation will give you the clarity, energy, and belief that you can do it too.

    Tune in, take notes, and let James show you what’s possible.

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    23 min
  • Successful PMP Students Do This Everyday (Do You?)
    Sep 16 2025

    What separates students who pass the PMP from those who give up or stall out? It’s not talent. It’s not luck. It’s the tiny decisions they make — every single day.

    In this episode, Scott shares a raw, real-life moment and unpacks the daily discipline that fuels real success. You’ll learn:

    • Why “just one day off” can kill your momentum

    • How to shift from chasing results to building habits

    • Why you should celebrate small wins like a maniac

    • The weight-loss metaphor that explains why your progress feels invisible

    • 5 small things you can do today to stay in the fight

    This episode is a wake-up call and a roadmap. Listen in, lock in, and recommit to the daily habits that move the needle — even when it’s dark, cold, or you’re just not feeling it.

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    16 min
  • Dinner Delays and the Critical Path: Why Projects Run at the Speed of the Slowest Task
    Sep 11 2025

    If you love these stories and want more, reach out to me at 757-759-5282.

    Ever waited at a restaurant while everyone’s food was ready except one steak — and the whole table had to wait? That’s the critical path in action. In this episode, Scott Payne breaks down how a dinner out mirrors the reality of project schedules. You’ll learn:

    • Why the slowest task (the “steak”) determines when the whole project is done

    • How dependencies create chains that can make or break your timeline

    • The role of float (wiggle room) in keeping things flexible

    • What Goldratt’s “Herbie” teaches us about bottlenecks

    • How to spot and manage your own project’s critical path

    By the end, you’ll see how understanding your critical path — and focusing resources where it matters most — keeps your project moving and your team finishing strong.

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    14 min
  • Extreme Programming (XP) Explained with Jimi from Fearless Agile: Myths, Lessons & Modern Practices
    Sep 8 2025

    If you have more questions about XP, reach out to me at 757-759-5282 or Jimi at www.fearlessagility.com.

    Jimi is the absolute best. You will love this episode. Jimi from Fearless Agility to unpack Extreme Programming (XP) — what it really is, why it was created, and why it still matters today. He dives DEEEP into its core practices like pair programming and continuous integration, the myths that keep teams from embracing it, and how XP fits with Scrum and modern Agile.


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    36 min
  • PMO Explained: The Air Traffic Control Tower for Projects
    Sep 5 2025

    If you like these PMP stories and want more, reach out to me, Scott, at 757-759-5282.

    In this episode, I break down why the PMO is like air traffic control for your projects. Pilots (project managers) fly the planes, but the PMO clears the runways, prevents collisions, and makes sure the right projects land at the right time. Without it, chaos takes over.

    If your organization feels like 30 planes circling the same runway, this episode will show you why a PMO isn’t bureaucracy — it’s the system that creates clarity, alignment, and real value.

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    15 min
  • Vision to Bricks: How LEGO Teaches Project Managers Scope, WBS, and Planning
    Sep 2 2025

    If you love this style of story-based teaching, reach out to me: 757-759-5282

    LEGO isn’t just a toy—it’s a masterclass in project management.

    In this episode, You and I sit down at the dining room table with a massive LEGO Hogwarts set and realizes: this isn’t just building for fun—it’s a live-action lesson in scope, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), scheduling, cost estimation, and integration.

    Using vivid storytelling and real-life project parallels, you will learn to realize:

    • How the picture on the LEGO box is actually the project scope

    • Why the numbered bags represent perfect Work Packages

    • How the step-by-step instructions are just like a project schedule

    • What LEGO teaches us about cost control

    • And how all of it—scope, schedule, and cost—must work together to deliver magic

    Whether you're a PMP veteran or a curious builder, this episode will change the way you see LEGOs—and your next project.

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    14 min
  • I Taught Agile to a Firefighter — This Conversation Will Change How You See Scrum
    Aug 29 2025

    What happens when you teach Agile to someone who makes life-or-death decisions every day?

    In this powerful one-on-one coaching session, I sit down with a professional firefighter — and what starts as a simple training call turns into one of the most eye-opening Agile conversations I’ve ever had.

    We break down the Scrum roles using real fireground command structures, dive deep into velocity, story points, and Kanban, and connect Agile principles to real-world teamwork, urgency, and leadership under pressure.

    Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned Scrum Master, this episode will reframe how you understand Agile — and why the best teams don’t need permission to take action when things get hot.

    💡 Topics We Cover:
    • Who’s really in charge on an Agile team?

    • What firefighting teaches us about decentralized decision-making

    • Story points vs. hours — the real reason we use them

    • Burn down charts, velocity, Kanban boards — made simple

    • Why collaboration beats control (in sprints and in smoke)

    👀 If You’ve Ever Thought:
    • “Scrum sounds good on paper, but what about in the real world?”

    • “I still don’t get story points or velocity.”

    • “How do I lead without being the bottleneck?”

    This conversation is for you.

    No buzzwords. No theory. Just real talk.
    Listen now. Your Scrum mindset will never be the same.

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    51 min