People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast · Andy Kaufman, PMP, PMI-ACP

PPP 488 | How to Be a Less Terrible Boss, with Joel Hilchey

·56 min·5 clips

Joel Hilchey warns that if your top performers are leaving, it's a 'major canary in the coal mine' signaling you might be a 'hassle maker' or 'mediocrity monger'.

The host starts with an accidental promotion. A company buyout cleared out managers, and a reasonably good software developer ended up in charge mostly because he was competent and decent to people. That story gives the episode its bite. Management, here, is not treated like a natural gift. It is a job people often stumble into before anyone shows them the tools. Joel Hilchey brings one that is plain enough to use right away: define done before the work starts drifting. His frame is facts, feelings, functionality. Facts are the visible checks, like whether the roof is on, the date was met, or the budget held. Feelings still count. Hilchey talks about confidence, pride, better working relationships, and keeping a client relationship from turning sour. Functionality asks what the finished thing lets someone do. In software, that is where tidy-looking work gets exposed; done has to support the task it was built for. The approach can sound fussy until the missing question shows up later. Hilchey admits that when he skips writing down the essentials, someone eventually asks about the thing he should have made clear. The useful part is the breathing room it creates. Once done is clear, the person doing the work can choose the method. The episode stays close to bosses and project managers dealing with dates, priorities, culture, and people. Andy and Joel close warmly, like the conversation could pick back up another day.

As heard by us

A practical look at accidental management, with enough detail to be useful.

Joel Hilchey's conversation treats accidental management as a work problem, not a character flaw. It keeps returning to a few practical basics: define what done looks like, spell out success before the work starts, and notice that micromanaging often comes from fear more than a…

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Need a clearer way to manage without becoming the boss people dread?

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