Justin Bateh, PhD, PMP

I write about project management, leadership, and AI | Follow to develop skills for faster, smarter, and more efficient project management and to build winning teams | Boost your career with my actionable insights

Most leaders are measured by one thing: results.

Titles don’t move the needle; execution does.

I help leaders build teams that execute with clarity, deliver under pressure, and use AI to make smarter, faster decisions.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve gone from Project Manager to COO; leading 80+ projects and teaching 25,000+ professionals at companies like Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, and Chevron.

Along the way, I created the Project Execution Framework™, a 7-step system that helps leaders align stakeholders, cut through chaos, and deliver projects that matter.

Today, I teach these methods through live workshops, corporate training, and cohort-based courses, where leaders learn to:

--Build trust and alignment across teams
--Focus on outcomes that truly matter
--Leverage AI to automate, analyze, and accelerate

Because here’s the truth:

--Leadership without execution is just talk.
--Execution without leadership burns people out.
--Ignoring AI makes both slower and less effective.

Let’s Connect
📩 justin@projectsright.com
📰 Join my free newsletter for weekly insights
🎓 Enroll in my top ranked cohort-based course
➕ Follow for daily posts on project execution & leadership

How I Help
🤝 Team Workshops 
🎯 Corporate Training
🚀 Cohort-Based Courses 

Highlights
🏆 8x Award-Winning Educator
🏢 Former COO | 🎓 PhD & PMP 
🛠️ Creator of the Project Execution Framework™
📊 80+ Projects Delivered | 👨‍🏫 LinkedIn Learning Instructor


*Disclaimer: Views expressed on social media, courses, newsletters, or emails are my own and do not represent those of my employer or any affiliated organizations.

Founder

I teach Project & Operations professionals the skills to drive sustainable growth, change, and profitability using data-driven decision making, lean tools, six sigma methodologies, agile projects, and data analytics. I have worked with executives and managers from numerous organizations, including Walmart, Verizon, Amazon, Pearson, UPS, Wiley, Cengage, Medtronic, US Department of Health, CSX, USPS, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Crowley Maritime, US Air Force, US Navy, Novartis, FedEx, McKesson, and many others.

Justin Bateh, PhD

10 Project Management Skills AI Still Can't Replace

(because humans run the room, not algorithms)

1/ Managing Difficult Stakeholders
→ AI briefs you on facts.
→ It can't calm egos or navigate power plays.
→ Human tension decides outcomes.

Your move: Read the person before reading the problem.

2/ Executive Buy-In
→ AI builds perfect presentations.
→ Executives buy trust, not slides.
→ Influence is earned, not automated.

Your move: Lead with outcomes, not features.

3/ Conflict Resolution
→ AI detects tension.
→ It can't broker peace.
→ People kill projects before data does.

Your move: Address issues at 30%, not 90%.

4/ Setting Direction
→ AI offers paths.
→ Humans choose priorities.
→ Vision comes from judgment.

Your move: Ask "What are we really trying to achieve?" before planning.

5/ Navigating Politics
→ AI reads org charts.
→ It misses unspoken power.
→ Smart PMs read between the lines.

Your move:  Track who influences decisions, not who makes them.

6/ Motivating Teams
→ AI finds blockers.
→ It can't spark belief.
→ People follow energy, not reports.

Your move: Celebrate progress publicly, address problems privately.

7/ Facilitating Alignment
→ AI maps dependencies.
→ It can't make humans agree.
→ Alignment is leadership work.

Your move: Get everyone to repeat the goal back in their own words.

8/ Leading Through Chaos
→ AI organizes mess into charts.
→ It can't lead humans through uncertainty.
→ Calm beats smart every time.

Your move: Breathe before reacting when stakes are high.

9/ Reading Subtext
→ AI hears words.
→ PMs hear intentions.
→ Real communication happens beneath the surface.

Your move: Listen for hesitation, not just agreement.

10/ Making Final Calls
→ AI gives perfect data.
→ It doesn't own consequences.
→ Accountability stays human.

Your move: Decide with incomplete information, own the result completely.

AI handles the tasks.

Humans handle the humans.

♻️ Repost and follow Justin Bateh, PhD for more

Expert in AI-Driven Project Management, Strategy, & Operations | Ex-COO Turned Award-Winning Professor, Founder & LinkedIn Instructor | Follow for posts on Project Management, AI Fluency, Leadership, and Career Growth.

Project Management Tasks AI Still Can’t Replace

Andy Kaufman

𝘈𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥-𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘒𝘦𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴 & 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘨𝘰, 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢, & 𝘈𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥. 

𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼! Most people know me as a keynote speaker, podcast host, and author focused on project management and leadership practices that actually work in the real world.

As President of the Institute for Leadership Excellence & Development Inc., I lead a team that equips professionals at every level with the practical tools to lead people and deliver projects with confidence. From new managers to seasoned executives, we work with organizations around the world to help their people grow, not just in knowledge, but in influence and impact.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of delivering keynotes and workshops to hundreds of thousands of people across six continents. Whether it's a corporate training initiative, an association meeting, or a leadership retreat, our focus is consistent: helping people develop the skills to successfully manage projects and lead teams with confidence.

Along the way, I’ve written three books:
📘 Navigating the Winds of Change: Staying on Course in Business & in Life
📘 Shining the Light on The Secret
📘 How to Organize Your Inbox & Get Rid of E-Mail Clutter

All published by Zurich Press, these resources reflect our belief that practical insights, grounded in values, can lead to lasting change.

I have PMP® and PMI-ACP® certifications, and am a long-time member of the Project Management Institute. I’ve helped thousands earn their certifications, and many more learn how to lead projects, regardless of their title.

One of the great joys of my work is hosting the People and Projects Podcast (🎙️ PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com), a Top 50 All-Time Management Podcast. In each episode, I interview leading voices in business and leadership to bring fresh insights to our global audience. 

👉 Meeting planners, if you're looking for an engaging speaker who brings both insight and energy, visit i-leadonline.com/meeting-planners to start a conversation.

Specialties: KEYWORDS: Project management, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership keynotes, project management training in Chicago and around the world, international keynote speaker, conflict management, risk management, team-building, meeting facilitation, Christian, retrospectives (Post-Mortems, Lessons Learned, Key Learnings)

Host

Succeeding in business often comes down to your ability to lead people and deliver results. Anyone can talk a good game. But at the end of the day you have to deliver. Rarely can you do that on your own, which is why we must excel at leading people.

Welcome to the People and Projects Podcast where we provide interviews and insights to help you lead people and deliver projects. This podcast focuses on the intersection of People and Projects--where work gets done in the real world. 

I have the privilege of helping organizations around the world who want to improve their ability to deliver projects and lead teams. I have worked with people from organizations across industries and cultures, helping them deliver their projects, become more confident leaders, take focused action, and achieve results. 

Join me as I interview leading thinkers and practitioners from around the world on subjects related to project management and leadership. You'll hear from experts such as Adam Grant, Robert Cialdini, Dan Pink, Roger L. Martin, Amy Cuddy, Daniel Shapiro, John Kotter, Jim Kouzes, Michael Bungay Stanier, Jeffrey Pfeffer, Morten T. Hansen, and more.

Podcasts are a great resource to pour into your personal development (and earning PDUs if you hold a project management certification from PMI). And you can't beat the price (free!). You are invited to listen to each episode on your favorite app or on the web (https://PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com). 

Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or comments!

What if project management is not just a career skill, but a life skill?

Tony Weaver me this in episode 480:

“Project management absolutely changed my life.”

And he meant it literally.

Tony used principles from the PM world to lose more than 100 pounds.
Breaking big goals into smaller steps. Tracking progress. Managing risks. Building routines. Creating accountability.

The same thinking we use for schedules and risk management at work can transform habits, health, and personal growth.

Project management is not only about leading teams and projects at work.
It can help you deliver in any domain with clarity, structure, and intention.

👉👉 How have PM principles helped you outside of work?

Project Management & Leadership Keynote Speaker | Host of the People and Projects Podcast 🎙️ | Helping you lead & deliver projects with confidence | #ProjectManagement #Leadership #PMP

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At some point, another resume tweak is not what will get you hired.

Kayla Quijas joined me in episode 482. Here is what she shared:

“You don’t need a perfect resume to get hired. You need to tell a better story about your experience.”

It is tempting to spend hours adjusting bullet points or rearranging sections.

But opportunities are rarely lost because a resume is imperfect.
They are more often lost because the real strengths behind the experience never come through.

Your story is not just what you have done.
It is how you think, how you solve, how you adapt, and how you help others succeed.

If you are job searching, try this:

Identify a few of the top challenges you have faced over the years. How did you respond, and what did you learn?

That is your story. Build from there.

👉👉 What lessons have you learned about improving your chances of getting an interview and thriving during it?

Our joy at work is rarely only about the task.
It is usually about the people.

In episode 478, Bree Groff shared this:

“Even shoveling tough work can be joyful if you like your co-shovelers.”

My favorite teams over the years got serious work done. We delivered great value despite significant obstacles.

But what I remember most is the people. Teams that laugh together, check in with each other, and genuinely care for each other tend to carry the load with more energy.

Good teams are not just efficient.
They are connected.

👉👉 What is one practice that has helped your team feel more connected during intense work?

For years, I've been a happy em-dash user. Then AI ruined it. 

It's always been the easiest tell that someone used AI. So I severely reduced the use of my friend, the em-dash.

If Sam lives up to his promise, I can now start bringing the em-dash back. 

Sometimes it's the little things. Happy Friday!

taplio

The Battle

Justin Bateh, PhD

Andy Kaufman

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taplio

The Battle

Justin Bateh, PhD

Andy Kaufman

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Justin Bateh, PhD's LinkedIn Performance

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