Human Elements of Project Success
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Nobody on my teams wants to make a decision. What can I do?
A: Usually, failure to make a decision is a result of an inherent fear or lack of confidence in the ability or willingness to carry out the decision. In other words, people sometimes hesitate to make a decision; especially if they think they will actually be held accountable for their choices. By leaving the decision open, there is more room for negotiation in the event things change. In this way, there is less chance that a person could jeopardize their position if the “wrong” decision is made.
Ways to help the situation include building fundamental team trust, engaging in authentic debate about the topic, committing as a group, and then holding one another jointly accountable for the outcome. In this way, the desired result can usually be achieved.
Q: Once a decision is made, it is usually challenged or changed at the next meeting. What can I do about this?
A: This scenario is usually the result of a lack of accountability and is closely related to the issues listed above. Once a decision is made by the group, the entire group must be committed to reaching the objective. Normally, people who attempt to change already made decisions are those who were absent at the prior meeting, or those who profess to have “new information” which could alter the desire to maintain the earlier decision.
By engaging all team members in the process, a committed decision is easier to achieve –and maintain. It is helpful if team members have a sense of contribution in arriving at the decision. It is best to remind the team that everyone is bound together and will function best when they stick together and respect one another.
Q: My sponsor doesn't care about my project. What can I do?
A: Sometimes, sponsors or other stakeholders do not continue to see the benefit in the successful completion of the project. Among other reasons, this can be due to changes in budget, scope or delivery timeframes. Other times, sponsors become engaged in other projects that may be higher profile or are less risky. If your sponsor has recently lost interest in being your advocate, many times it is due to a lack of information about progress and benefit. Normally, we make our stakeholders aware of our project features (i.e. the latest and greatest tech support) but fail to communicate the benefit of having these new features (i.e. quicker customer response time, fewer legal issues, increased profitability, etc.)
This issue can usually be resolved, or at least minimized, by creating a portable story that your team members can communicate to others in the corporate environment. This creates team unity, improves the project profile, and makes it easier for others to understand the benefits as well as the features of your project. Build rapport with your sponsor, communicate frequently, create a safe environment to ask questions which you can answer, and try to match the style of your project sponsor. This will create familiarity and build trust; which will in turn create a closer relationship between the team and project sponsor(s) as well as other stakeholders.
Q: I have great people on my team –but they just don’t seem to work together well. What should I do?
A: Many times, we have the right people on our teams; we just have them assigned in sub-optimal positions or roles. Each of us has a unique combination of competencies, passion and style which are unlike anyone else. When we are placed or allowed to assume duties which come naturally to us, we perform at our maximum output, with the least amount of non-productive energy expended. When we are asked to assume responsibilities far outside our comfort levels (natural behaviors), we find it increasingly difficult to maintain this behavior. This is called “adaptive” behavior and takes excessive energy to maintain. Highly functional teams have discovered that having the right people, in the right places, at the right time, maximize natural behavior and minimize adaptive behavior.
To achieve this balance in your team, invite your team members to assess their style through one of the instruments available in the market. This will help you to determine whether they are people or task oriented (how they are energized) and how structured they are (how they are organized). By discussing the results of this exercise, you may wish to re-assign team members to maximize natural behavior. This should improve team performance, as well as increase trust and create a more peaceful work environment.
Q: I am having a problem leading my team and don’t want to admit it. What can I do about improving my leadership capabilities?
A: Many people think that all leaders have the same skill sets. In fact, a leader is “one who goes first”. As projects progress, many times different leadership styles are called for. Examples may include strategic leaders, tactical leaders, managing leaders, directional leaders and entrepreneurial leaders. Each of us, due to our unique combination of competencies, passions and style exhibits different leadership capabilities under various project scenarios. And we will not perform all the different leadership roles with the same degree of enthusiasm or success. Successful teams have found it beneficial to recognize that not all phases of project management will be led the same way.
To increase your own leadership skills, recognize that leadership is not a destination; it is a journey. Each of us can improve our skills in some way. Most leaders improve their skills by reading books on leadership and finding at least one mentor who is willing to invest in their leadership improvement. These mentoring relationships are difficult to find, as they must be founded on trust and total willingness to reveal one’s own weaknesses for the sake of ultimate improvement. It can be a very humbling experience, but one well worth the effort. Most successful leaders can directly attribute their success to a mentor who invested time and care at critical career intersections. Don’t be afraid to seek out a mentor –just remember that they operate on the basis of “pay it forward”. This means that some day you will have the responsibility of assisting an emerging leader through the giving of your time and talent. And you can learn just as much from this experience as you do from being mentored.