Coffee & Project Management – Episode 11

Featuring: Daniel Zitter| Author | Consultant | Gamifier of Project Management

“I won!”

“Wait… what does winning even mean in a project?”

That was the moment everything clicked in Daniel Zitter’s board game workshop.

Daniel, a project management consultant and author of Being a Project Manager, doesn’t just teach frameworks—he transforms how people think about the role entirely. In this episode, we explored what it truly means to move from textbook knowledge to real-world readiness.

Daniel Zitter| Author | Consultant | Gamifier of Project Management

Defining What Winning Means

At the end of his board game simulation, Daniel asks participants who “won.” The responses vary—fastest to finish, most resources left, fewest mistakes. But then he asks the real question:“What was your project’s goal?”

And suddenly, the room goes quiet. Because many never defined it.

Takeaway: If you don’t clarify the goal upfront—profit, speed, satisfaction—no tool or task list will help you succeed.

From Knowing PM to Being a PM

Daniel shared something most PM courses gloss over:Students leave training asking, “What do I do Monday morning?”

That question drove him to rethink everything. He realized it’s not enough to teach methodologies—you need to teach people how to think and act like project managers.

At the heart of it:

• Plan.

• Control.

• Communicate.

Simple on paper. Complex in practice.

Communication, Culture & Courage

One of the most personal and powerful parts of our conversation was about communication styles. Daniel opened up about how cultural expectations—from Israel to India—shape how people engage, challenge, and lead.

We talked about:

• How shyness (especially among women and younger professionals) can limit impact

• Why setting communication expectations is a PM's superpower

• How culture clashes (like saying “yes” when you mean “no”) derail teams

Daniel’s advice? Don’t try to change who you are—find your own way to show up and speak up.

Tools Are Not the Mission

Daniel’s take on tools was refreshingly honest. He’s worked with everything from Microsoft Project to Jira to Trello, and his verdict is clear:

“Tools are a means to an end—not the goal.”

The real question:Does your tool help you see, align, and act?

If yes—stick with it. If not—change it. But don’t switch tools for the sake of trendiness.

And yes—his must-have tool? AI. Not a specific one—just a mindset to use it intelligently and often.

When Projects Fail

Daniel shared a tough lesson from a technically successful project that never launched. Why? The team forgot to engage the employee union early—and a single stakeholder brought everything down.

Lesson: Stakeholder identification is not a checkbox. It’s a lifeline.

Teaching Through Stories

Finally, we talked about storytelling. Daniel believes the best instructors are part teacher, part performer. Facts fade—stories stick. “You may forget the framework, but you’ll remember the story behind it.”

He credits his partner, Kontal, as a master of this—someone who teaches not just with logic, but emotion.

Final Thought

Daniel’s approach reminded me that being a project manager isn’t about rigidly following a process. It’s about staying grounded in goals, being flexible with people, and communicating with clarity.

Episode 11 was packed with wisdom—and I’m grateful for Daniel’s honesty, warmth, and real-world perspective.

Curious to explore more?Check out Daniel’s work at beingaprojectmanager.com

What did this episode make you rethink about being a PM?

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