Project Leadership’s Post

The 5 phases of project team development: Forming, Storming, Norming, Storming, & Mourning 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 The initial phase where the team meets and learns about the project. Pro: High enthusiasm (this is gonna be awesome!) Channel that enthusiasm into defining clear project goals. Con: Unclear roles (what am I even doing here!?). Clarify roles and responsibilities early on - and not just on paper. 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 This is when the honeymoon ends, conflict arises, and personalities clash. Pro: Emergence of ideas (trust me, this is brilliant!). Con: Potential for conflict (you can't be serious...). Managing Pro: Encourage constructive debate to foster innovation - see "burstiness." Managing Con: Develop conflict resolution strategies to maintain progress. AKA, have veryone take a Crossfit class together. 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 Team members resolve differences, developing closer relationships and cohesiveness. Respect. Pro: Increased collaboration (I know what you can do). Con: Complacency risk (the new's worn off). Managing Pro: Leverage collaboration to enhance project efficiency. Managing Con: Set challenging goals (to which everyone agrees!) to keep the team engaged and growing. 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 The team reaches optimal functioning, focusing on reaching the project goals. AKA: We are SPARTA!!! Pro: High productivity. Con: Overlooked maintenance. Managing Pro: Capitalize on productivity to innovate and improve processes. Removing formality is as important as establishing it. Managing Con: Schedule regular check-ins to ensure continuous improvement. No one uses all their budget. Blows my mind. 𝗔𝗱𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 (AKA Mourning) Concluding the project, the team disbands or transitions to new projects. Pro: Sense of achievement (share that customer video!). Con: Team disbandment (we'll always have Paris...). Managing Pro: Celebrate successes and capture learnings for future projects. Most people don't really know how to do this. Managing Con: I don't have any advice on this one. There's a piece of me that will always want to go back. Each of these phases are so full of memories. Write them down. Not many people shed more tears of both joy and grief at work than Project Managers. Hang in there, guys - it's Friday. #MedTech #ProjectManagement #Leadership

𝙆𝙚𝙮 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝘼𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙣 𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙂𝙤𝙖𝙡𝙨🚀 Achieving project success requires more than a roadmap; it demands a united team marching toward common goals. Here are key strategies to ensure team is not just on the same page but passionately aligned with project objectives: 1. 𝘾𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙡𝙨 📢: + Establish transparent communication channels. + Clearly articulate project goals, expectations, and the broader vision. + An informed team is an empowered team. 2. 𝘼𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙂𝙤𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙊𝙗𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 🎯: + Connect individual aspirations with project goals. + When team members see how their contributions directly impact the project's success, motivation soars. 3. 𝙍𝙚𝙜𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙧 𝙜𝙤𝙖𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙪𝙥𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨 🔄: + Keep goals dynamic. Regularly review and update project objectives based on evolving circumstances. + A flexible approach ensures continual alignment. 4. 𝙁𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 🤝: + Cultivate an environment where collaboration is not just encouraged but celebrated. + A cohesive team is more likely to rally behind shared goals. 5.𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨🏆: + Acknowledge achievements, both big and small. + Recognize individual and collective efforts, reinforcing the connection between hard work and project success. 6.𝙀𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 🌐: + Empower team members to make decisions within their scope. + Foster a sense of ownership and accountability, driving alignment with project goals. 7.𝙍𝙚𝙜𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙧 𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠-𝙄𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙇𝙤𝙤𝙥𝙨 🔄: + Conduct regular check-ins to gauge team sentiment and gather feedback. + An iterative feedback loop allows for continuous improvement and alignment adjustments. 8.𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩🚀: + Invest in skill development that aligns with project needs. + When team members feel equipped to tackle challenges, alignment becomes a natural outcome. A well-aligned team is a powerful force that can overcome obstacles and propel the project towards success. How do you ensure your team stays aligned with project goals? Let's share insights! 🌐 💡 #ProjectAlignment #TeamGoals #ProjectSuccess #LeadershipTips

🏆 When management is on point, it sets the stage for success! Here are a few thoughts on how good management reflects on project progress: 1️⃣ Clear Communication: Effective managers ensure all team members are on the same page by providing clear instructions, delegating tasks, and fostering open communication channels. This clarity promotes collaboration and ensures everyone knows what needs to be done to achieve project milestones. 2️⃣ Resource Optimization: Great managers understand the strengths and weaknesses of their team members and allocate resources efficiently. By matching the right people with the right tasks, they maximize productivity, creativity, and innovation, ultimately propelling the project towards success. 3️⃣ Problem Solving: Projects often encounter roadblocks and challenges along the way. When faced with obstacles, skilled managers step up to the plate, keeping a cool head, and swiftly finding solutions. Their problem-solving skills not only ensure the smooth continuation of the project but also boost team morale and confidence. 4️⃣ Motivation and Support: Exceptional managers recognize that a motivated team is an unstoppable force. They provide encouragement, support, and recognition for achievements, creating an environment where team members feel valued and inspired to give their best. This positive atmosphere fuels the project's progress and drives everyone towards excellence. 🌈 When all these elements come together, the impact on project progress is truly remarkable. It's like watching a symphony of collaboration, innovation, and achievement unfold before your eyes!

Building and maintaining a high-performing team is crucial for project success. As a team member, I've witnessed the incredible outcomes of a high-performing team. High-performing teams need to have the following key qualities: ▶ Open communication: An environment that fosters open and safe communication allows for productive meetings, problem solving, brainstorming, and so forth. It is also the cornerstone for other factors, such as shared understanding, trust, and collaboration. ▶ Shared understanding: The purpose for the project and the benefits it will provide are held in common. ▶ Shared ownership: The more ownership of the outcomes that project team members feel, the better they are likely to perform. ▶ Trust: A project team in which its members trust each other is willing to go the extra distance to deliver success. People are less likely to do the extra work it may take to succeed if they do not trust their project team members, project manager, or the organization. ▶ Collaboration: Project teams that collaborate and work with each other rather than work in silos or compete tend to generate more diverse ideas and end up with better outcomes. ▶ Adaptability: Project teams that are able to adapt the way they work to the environment and the situation are more effective. ▶ Resilience: When issues or failures occur, high-performing project teams recover quickly. ▶ Empowerment: Project team members who feel empowered to make decisions about the way they work perform better than those who are micromanaged. ▶ Recognition: Project teams who are recognized for the work they put in and the performance they achieve are more likely to continue to perform well. Even the simple act of showing appreciation reinforces positive team behavior #HighPerformingTeams #OpenToLearn #TeamExcellence #Collaboration

If your team is brainstorming project ideas, it might be time to look for a new team. In my experience, if a team is filling large parts of their roadmap by “looking for work”, then either 1) the company overall is bloated or does not have enough urgency, or 2) the team does not have a strong mandate. In a high-growth environment, there are more high-impact things that need to get done than bandwidth on the relevant teams. A lot of planning revolves around ruthless prioritization, and the backlog of asks from leadership, requests from cross-functional teams etc. is huge. Prioritization decisions should be painful, and resourcing should be scarce and valuable. While this type of environment stretches teams and comes with high intensity, it ensures work feels impactful and it comes with massive growth opportunities for individuals. I’m not saying there should be no brainstorming at all, or ideas from the team shouldn’t make it onto the roadmap. But the idea generation needs to be focused on solving a specific, urgent problem for the business rather than an open-ended exploration. You can also use this as a candidate to gauge whether you should join a team; if the hiring manager cannot clearly articulate the team’s mandate or give you at least a high-level idea of what they need to get done this and next quarter (i.e. before going through another planning exercise), then it’s unlikely the team is driving a lot of impact.

Good questions in a management context emerge from an authentic desire to foster a collaborative and positive team environment—and this requires intentionality. There are four rules of thumb to consider for intentional questions. Read further in the article. Ref.: Toptal Article: Powerful Conversations: How Project Managers Can Transform Teams Through Strategic Questions - by: Mădălina Marincaș, https://lnkd.in/gkhKJigc

Project Managers: Are you introducing enough conflict to your team at the beginning of a project? You might not have enough conflict, or the right types of conflict. At the start of a project, short bursts of conflict can be incredibly beneficial. Team members challenging ideas and debating solutions in a healthy manner, drives innovation and ensures all perspectives are considered. Constructive conflict fosters creative problem-solving and helps teams make more informed decisions. By navigating these initial disagreements, teams build trust and set a strong foundation for collaboration. As a project manager, encourage open communication and create a safe space for this respectful conflict. Sound counter-intuitive to you?

Project managers may effectively prepare for and manage team dynamics throughout the project life cycle with the help of the "Tuckman Ladder". The underlying premise is that teams evolve through five distinct stages that are known to occur: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. 1. Forming (excitement, interest, uneasiness, and uncertainty) Team members are simply getting to know one another, their responsibilities within the group, and their specific tasks during the formation phase. Right now, everything is quite hazy. 2. Storming (disagreement, rivalry, and frustration) Usually, the most uncomfortable stage is the storming stage. This happens when groups start to see that they aren't performing as well as they may be and that the productivity of the team will be impacted by individual personalities. 3. Norming (helping others, being cooperative, and solving problems) The crew is now cohesive at this point since everything has truly come together. The team members get along well with one another and feel at ease in the setting. The group is currently more goal-focused and productive. 4. Acting (inventiveness, delivery, and creativity) Performing: This is the part where you are delivering. There is a high degree of trust and inventiveness on the team, and everyone believes that they are being treated fairly. The team has come together well. The group is aware of the objectives and works together with a common purpose. The group will be able to overcome obstacles and find answers by productively handling conflict. 5. Adjourning (thinking back, succeeding, and splitting up) The Tuckman Ladder's final level, called adjourning, is identified by the team getting ready to break up. This indicates that every task has either been finished or is nearing completion. At this point, team members could also start to grow depressed about their collaboration coming to an end and consider how much they will miss one other. Since the project is no longer the team's primary focus, interpersonal connections are starting to become more normal. #teambuilding #teamdevelopment #TuckmanLadderModel

The secret to the success of any project? Team motivation! The success of a project strongly depends on the Project Manager's ability not only to act as a coordinator but as a true catalyst for positive energy. Within a project, it is crucial that every team member feels involved and indispensable, perceiving their work as an integral part of collective success. This is where the Project Manager becomes a key figure. An exceptional Project Manager goes beyond merely delegating tasks; they commit to building an environment where communication is open and bidirectional. Actively listening to the team's concerns and ideas not only improves workflow but also strengthens each individual's sense of belonging and importance. This active inclusion fosters a deeper commitment and greater motivation to pursue shared goals. Moreover, clarity in defining goals is crucial. A Project Manager must be adept at translating business objectives into specific, understandable, and achievable tasks, setting clear progress indicators that allow the team to see and celebrate each step forward. This visibility of progress not only keeps motivation high but also helps to mitigate the frustration and fatigue that can arise in long or particularly complex projects. Another fundamental aspect is adaptability. The best Project Managers are those who recognize when it is necessary to deviate from the original plan and adjust strategies in response to team feedback and project evolutions. This flexibility not only prevents stagnation and frustration but also shows the team that their input has a direct impact on the project's course, further increasing their motivation and involvement. Ultimately, the Project Manager should be a master at recognizing and celebrating the team's successes. Even the smallest milestone achieved can be an opportunity to celebrate and bolster team morale. These celebrations serve to remind all team members of the importance of their contribution and the value of their hard work, fueling a virtuous cycle of motivation and ongoing commitment. #ProjectManagement #TeamDynamics #EffectiveLeadership #Motivation

Excited to share five essential tips for achieving project success! 1️⃣ Define Clear Objectives: Start with a crystal-clear understanding of what you aim to achieve. Clearly defined objectives serve as a roadmap for the entire project team. 2️⃣ Build a Strong Team: Surround yourself with talented individuals who bring diverse skills and perspectives to the table. Collaboration and effective communication are key! 3️⃣ Set Realistic Milestones: Break down the project into manageable tasks and set realistic deadlines for each milestone. This keeps everyone accountable and ensures steady progress. 4️⃣ Embrace Flexibility: While it's important to stick to the plan, be open to adjusting course when necessary. Adaptability is crucial in the face of unforeseen challenges or changes in requirements. 5️⃣ Celebrate Achievements: Recognize and celebrate milestones, big or small, along the way. Positive reinforcement boosts morale and keeps motivation high throughout the project lifecycle. By implementing these strategies, you'll be well-equipped to navigate the complexities of any project and achieve outstanding results! #ProjectManagement #SuccessTips #Teamwork #LeadershipSuccess