General-Purpose AI in the Spotlight: What the EU AI Act Means for Your Projects

In this episode, Ricardo discusses the impact of the AI Act, the European regulation on artificial intelligence (General-Purpose AI models). The law, passed in 2024 and fully in force in 2026, began imposing strict rules on general-purpose AI models such as GPT, Claude, and Gemini on August 2, 2025. Projects using these AIs, even for simple integration, must also follow ethical, privacy, and transparency requirements.

Cut the Talk, Keep the Impact: 5 Tips for Better Meetings in the times of AI

In this episode, Ricardo shares five tips to optimize meetings. First, keep them short and focused—long calls often waste time. Second, ask if a meeting is truly necessary; many decisions can be handled via Slack or email. Third, when a meeting is needed, send a clear agenda and define objectives in advance. Fourth, use AI tools to record and summarize meetings so participants can focus on the discussion.

Leadership in Crisis: 3 Lessons for Projects from the Astronomer Case

In this episode, Ricardo discusses a case involving the CEO of Astronomer, who was caught with a subordinate during a concert, leading to both of their departures from the company. The episode highlights three main lessons: (1) A leader's reputation is a strategic asset, directly linked to the company's image. (2) There is no longer a separation between personal and professional life; behavior outside of work also impacts the organization.

In the Eye of the Storm: How to Stay Calm Amid Uncertainty

In this episode, Ricardo talks about the importance of staying calm when everything seems out of control. He shares eight practical tips for dealing with moments of chaos in projects — from doing a reality check to taking care of your well-being. Ricardo highlights that under pressure, common sense is often the first thing to go, and impulsive decisions tend to make things worse.

Not Every Project Has to Be Straight: The Magic of Frank Gehry

In this episode, Ricardo visits the Marqués de Riscal winery, highlighting the hotel designed by Frank Gehry as an example of creativity outside the box. He reflects on how disruptive ideas, like this architectural work made of titanium and stainless steel, often emerge when rigid frameworks are abandoned and “ordered chaos” is explored. Ricardo emphasizes that, in projects, thinking outside the box can lead to genuine innovations.

The Fear That Sabotages Your Projects — And How to Overcome It

In this episode, Ricardo discusses the impact of fear on project management and the role of psychological safety in transforming fear into positive and effective actions. Fears such as making mistakes, being judged, or losing your job can silence teams, hindering decisions and innovation. Psychological safety, a concept developed by Amy Edmondson, allows people to express themselves without fear of punishment.

When the Brazilian Way Becomes a Trap: The Risk of Normalizing Improvisation

In this episode, Ricardo discusses the “Jeitinho Brasileiro” — the Brazilian way of solving problems creatively, often with limited resources. While this ingenuity is a strength, it becomes risky when improvisation turns into standard practice. He shares a story of a glass installer who used chewing gum instead of putty, which worked but became a habit.

According to PwC, AI Has Already Changed the Game — And You Can’t Keep Playing in the Past

In this episode, Ricardo discusses insights from PwC’s 2024 AI Jobs Barometer, analyzing 500 million job postings across 15 countries. He shows that AI-exposed sectors like IT and project management see 4.8x higher productivity. Jobs requiring AI skills grow three times faster and offer a 25% wage premium. AI’s biggest impact comes from everyday professionals using tools like ChatGPT.

Why Earned Value Still Matters — Even with AI

In this episode, Ricardo talks about the ongoing importance of earned value analysis in project management. Despite advancements in AI, real-time dashboards, earned value remains a precise, structured, and effective tool—especially in complex environments. AI can automate data collection and forecasting, but it cannot replace human judgment. Metrics like the cost performance index (CPI) require interpretation to guide decisions.

Search in Podcasts
Section Statistics
735
Total Episodes
31
Published in 2025
14,334,892
views (All Episodes)
Last updated at: Aug 04, 2025
About the podcast statistics Starting in December 2020, the podcast total view count includes the views on the website plus the download statistics from Amazon's S3, where the files are hosted, and also statistics generated from applications including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, etc. that consume the podcast RSS feeds.
Book recommendations

Read Ricardo's reviews of some of the best technical books published.

View recommendations Powered by Goodreads.com logo