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Showing posts with label project teams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label project teams. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Effective Project Teams


Teams are dynamic and always changing.  Teams work when the individual team members unite around a common goal and have a vested interest in each others successes.  Once team members begin to bicker and fight amongst themselves, the team begins to lose its effectiveness and the reputations of the each of the team members can suffer.

Once teams lose that "all for one and one for all" dynamic the whole team loses.  Win-lose relationships on teams are never an option.  There are only two options when working with another person on your team.  You either both win or you both lose.  The team leader and team members must openly discuss issues that hinder the team from performing at their highest level and work through the issues quickly.  Lingering problems between team members can only fester and worsen, which drags down the effectiveness of the whole team.

EMOTIONAL OUTBURST - team members that display a pattern of destructive or caustic behavior to others (inside or outside of the team) should be removed from the team immediately.

Remember, when working through team dysfunction, compromise doesn't satisfy anybody and doesn't solve problems.  Collaboration is key to working through team issues and getting team performance working at a high level.  Compromise and capitulation are flawed strategies for working through problems as they don't support a win-win outcome.

In closing, keep in mind that poor listeners are not good collaborators.  In order to be an effective team leader you must listen carefully and think win-win while working through problems with your team.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Great Project Team Leaders


If you watch professional sports you often see the positive results of a great coach and a great team (Go Tampa Bay Rays!).

Great team results come from good coaching, and the right team talent all coming together at the same time to obtain a mutual goal...Winning!

A project manager is often thrust into the role of team coach.  A coach is a critical component of the team, and their job involves ensuring the team is ready and able to deliver the "desired results".  No matter what your style of communication, or your level of team building skills, it is important to lead the team in a way that ensures they use their talents to their fullest potential.


My Three Random Team Rules

1.)  You must know each team member's skills, talents, and abilities and manage them accordingly.

2.)  As team leader you must be respected, you must be a tireless champion for the cause (desired results, winning, meeting milestones, etc), and you must form a bond built on trust with each member of the team.

3.)  The weakest relationships you have on the team can often be your project's biggest risk.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Free Project Management Planning Tips

Most projects that fail, were failures before they started

Your project stakeholders are your best allies or your worst enemies – you decide

If your project plan hasn’t changed – be afraid

Ask for help, advice, assistance...from everyone! – early and often

Focus first on delivering the benefits then focus on costs

Don’t own the project, own the process

Document all valid assumptions

Don't allow jerks to work on your project....ever

Make friends not war