<div class="feed-description"><p> <a title="To download: Right click here and select 'Save as...' or 'Save target as...'" target="_blank" href="https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/pmpodcast/PM_Podcast_551_2026_05_15_Movies_and_Project_Management.mp3">Play audio-only episode</a> | <a title="Watch it on YouTube" target="_blank" href="https://youtu.be/qheSsFOOU1Q">Play on YouTube</a> | <a title="Watch it on Spotify" target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/7e2GjjQbP66J0m9ptyLlZc">Play on Spotify</a> </p> <div> <iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/7e2GjjQbP66J0m9ptyLlZc/video" style="width:100%; aspect-ratio:16/9; height:auto; border:0; display:block;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"> </iframe> </div> <h2>Episode Summary</h2> <p> Project managers often joke that their projects feel like a movie. In this conversation, that idea becomes the central theme as Cornelius Fichtner welcomes Dawn Mahan and Jerry Manas to discuss their book <em>Projectland Goes to the Movies</em>. Together, they examine how famous films reflect real project management challenges involving leadership, teamwork, risk, stakeholder management, planning, and adaptation under pressure. From <em>Apollo 13</em> and <em>The Martian</em> to <em>Jurassic Park</em>, <em>Twelve Angry Men</em>, and <em>Ocean’s Eleven</em>, the discussion highlights how storytelling creates memorable examples of project leadership in action. The guests explain why movies resonate so strongly with project managers, how fictional situations often mirror real workplace dynamics, and why stories stick with people more effectively than abstract theory. The conversation also connects several examples back to practical project management concepts such as servant leadership, agile adaptation, collaborative problem-solving, stakeholder influence, and the importance of remaining calm during uncertainty. </p> </div>