“Project your voice so we can hear you.” Or were you thinking, “finish the project so we can start a new one!”?
Today, let’s talk about the project upon which people work alone or together to achieve a team, department, or organizational goal. A project is tactical, hands-on, work accomplishment. A project produces a tangible result that those working on it, and others, can see.
Some people complete one project and move on to another. Other people enjoy having multiple projects open and in process all at one time. Still others feel burdened with multiple projects open and none nearly completed.
What project work style do you prefer? Which balance of open and completing projects do your team members prefer. When we are not working in our optimal zones, work and well-being tend to suffer. Some of your team members will tell you they are last-minute completers because they get it done and like the rush of last-minute. Meanwhile, other team members will tell you their work suffers while waiting on the last-minute completers.
As a leader, deciphering who has which work mode preferences and how to group team members together for success is critical to goal accomplishments and mission fulfillments.
In my 20s, I found that my project completion by deadline and on-budget skills were appreciated when a sales organization communicated “You are the first product manager to have items in the warehouse for purchase at the time of our annual sales conference. This has NEVER happened before; the new products have typically been released in back order status.” This was shocking news to me. I managed the project as though the deadline was non-negotiable; as I had learned during a decade-plus of preparing on-time projects for the annual county fair. My skills were strong, yet the “real” world of work was not prepared for the competence. “Hmmm.” I remember puzzling why this might be the case and came up with no reasonable answers.
In my 30s, I again found that on-time and within budget project leadership skills were an anomaly when giving a final report to an administration/department in Washington, D.C. “We’ve never had a contractor deliver on time and within budget. We always get change-order requests. How did you do it?” My team-mates smiled and said we’d of course be happy to work on future projects!
Which of your team members are delivering to expectation? Which need coaching and support? As a leader, your project-hours include both task- and people-management projects.
Projects: let’s talk about project how-to tips for success.
Jana Kemp 208-367-1701
As the author of seven books, three of which are on use of time and decision-making, Jana has been interviewed by U.S., Canadian, and European programs, and magazines.
Workplace – the Blog: Managing the moments of our day-to-day business lives takes work. Together, let’s explore what issues and activities affect us every day (or some days) that we go to work. Together we can find working solutions.