Getting Fired to Harvard Business Review: Project Management Revolution

Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez got fired for trying to bring project management to a top consulting firm.

Today, he's the most published expert on project management in Harvard Business Review and a Thinkers 50 global authority.

His new book "Powered by Projects" makes a bold claim: Every organization is project-driven, but the leaders don't know it.

IN THIS EPISODE:

The Origin Story:

- Almost went professional with Real Madrid (broke his knee)

- Got fired for pitching project management ("too tactical")

- The moment that sparked his mission

Getting HBR to Listen:

- Chased Harvard Business Review for 5 years

- The pitch: "Everyone's a project manager but nobody knows it"

- Became their most published PM expert

COVID Changed Everything:

- 3 days to do what used to take 3 months

- Laser-sharp focus on priorities

- Then we lost all that knowledge

The Project-Driven Organization:

- Shift from operations to transformation

- AI taking over operations; people work on projects

- "Back to normal" doesn't exist

Three Dimensions Framework:

1. Organization (culture, structure, governance)

2. Leadership (prioritization, HR, performance)

3. Value Creation (operations, execution)

Key Examples:

- Haier: Stop projects if no value in 3 months

- Fixed to exponential mindset

- Lean governance (match intensity to risk)

Best Advice:

- Do the hardest thing first every day

- Care about people (Marshall Goldsmith)

- Speak up constructively to leaders

KEY QUOTES:

"Your projects are your future. If you do them wrong, you put your future at risk."

"During COVID we did in 3 days what took 3 months. Then we went back to thousands of projects going nowhere."

"There's no back to normal. Change will happen."

About Antonio:

- Author: "Powered by Projects" & "HBR Project Management Handbook"

- Thinkers 50 ranking (2023, 2025)

- 25 years corporate (PwC, BNP Paribas, GSK)

- Website: antonionietorodriguez.com

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