A Solid Launch Consulting

A Human-Centered Approach to Leadership & Team Development

team leadership

Can I Get A Word In Edgewise?

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Remember the days of being in the same room as your team?

Most of the world has been remote for a long time. But I’ve heard rumblings that some people are heading back to the office…and some aren’t.

While I don’t bring this up to comment on the state of the world in the coming months, I do want to talk about the difficulties managing a team that’s only partially remote.

One particular time sticks in my head. I was on a conference call with my Core Team. Usually, I was in the room and could keep the meeting on track. But this time I was one of the team members who dialed in, while others were in the office.

WOW. That was one tough meeting.

I felt like I was “on mute” the whole time – I couldn’t get a word in without someone talking over me! It was as if the people in the room felt like they were the only people involved in the project – those on the phone were on the outside looking in.

As the leader, I struggled to communicate with the folks in the room. It was a really big reminder of how my remote team members feel whenever I held a meeting from the main office.

The reality moving forward may be a partially remote team. That’s so much more difficult than everyone remote!

So what’s the solution? How can we make sure everyone feels involved?

One way is what I call “All On or All In”.

That means, if everyone isn’t in the room, everyone dials in from their desk. I realize that “all on” can be challenging, as some people work next door to each other in the office.

But there are ways to handle that. The most obvious is to use headphones so you don’t hear audio from the cubicle next door.

What it does not mean is “cheating” and having 3 people in a conference room looking at 1 person’s projection on the wall.

Make it a level playing ground. If no one can have a sidebar conversation, the whole team feels included. And that makes team bonding a whole lot easier.

Stay safe, stay healthy – and lead on!

Soup to Nuts?or Hors d’Ouevres to Mignardise

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I have a question for you: have you ever been at one of those fancy “12 Course Meal” restaurants?

A lot of us are so busy we throw together a quick dinner with everything served on the same plate, skipping the green beans because it would take too long and it’s too much effort.

Although we’re “fed”, we may not feel satisfied, and we aren’t getting the nutrients we need to stay healthy!

But think about that 12-course meal for a moment. It’s fascinating! The point is not just to fill your belly, but to let you experience the meal with all your senses, and each course builds upon the last – it’s a journey, not a destination. ?and they don’t skimp on the veggies!

The chef paints a complete picture – each course is an element essential to the whole. One that provides both experience and nutrition.

Often, our team members are hyper-focused on their own work. They are so deep in the weeds that they lose sight of what?s around them. They don?t see how they fit into the project as a whole, or how important it is to connect with the rest of the team.

Part of our role as Project Manager is to help the team step back and see the larger picture.

Here are 3 suggestions to help your people think beyond their box:

  • End to Ends: if your project is process-oriented, have the team members get together to run through a critical process (*warning: this can be really bumpy!)
  • Cross-Training: this is good practice anyway, but terrific for understanding how we’re all part of a whole
  • Introduce Errors: similar to End to Ends, have someone make a mistake in the first step of a process and see how it impacts everyone else

Your team will work better – and more effectively – if they pick up their head every once in a while. The way you help them do that is only limited by your imagination. Maybe you can paint them a picture with some fancy food!

Speaking of fancy, here’s an article that explains what goes into each course in that 12-course meal you just volunteered to make: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/2578/full-course-meal.html


Stay safe, stay healthy – and lead on!
Amy

PS ? I sent this post to my dad, who happens to be an amazing leader. Here’s what he said: “Your mother never skips the green beans. As far as working as a team, take time to celebrate everyone’s talent or contribution.”
Wise words from a wise man!

Pivot

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The world is demanding that we change the way we live, work, and communicate. We?re in crisis mode right now, and people are feeling everything from ?mildly unsettled? to ?completely panicked?.

When a crisis happens on your project…because the SteerCo chopped your timeline, the company decided to reorg, or you lose a key resource:

  • How does your team react?
  • Who do they turn to?
  • How do you settle them down?
  • How do you get your project running smoothly again?

I bet you can answer these questions without having to think about them very long.

You are a Project Manager. You are used to shifting and flexing based on changes in the environment. It?s what you do and who you are.
And what your team relies on you for.

So my question for you is: what is the difference between a crisis due to an internal factor and an external one? 

The fact is, people will panic when something happens! 

  • Not everyone on your team is going to be comfortable ? or able to ? work from home
  • Some extended team members may not be available right now
  • IT may be backed up

So what do you do when the world shakes everything up? The exact same things you do when the reason is internal.

Need more convincing? Let’s see what your new challenges could look like in the old world (aka 3 weeks ago):

New World: You are being held to the SAME timeline, but your team isn?t as efficient
Old World: Your timeline got chopped

New World: you can?t reach your Sponsor because they are in crisis-management meetings every day. Or one of your Leads suddenly gets pulled for additional responsibilities in the plant because the usual supervisor is considered high risk and must stay home
Old World: The company reorganized

New World: A key resource doesn’t have a laptop, or they need to home-school their kids during the day. Or all the IT folks have been re-purposed to supporting all the resources who suddenly need to work from home.
Old World: You lost a key resource

Same effect, different cause.

Trust yourself in this new world. You pivot. You adjust. You are the rudder for your team no matter where the storm is coming from. You’re the Project Manager and YOU’VE GOT THIS!

Project Management Trends Favor A Human Approach

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Companies seek PMs with higher emotional intelligence

I’ve been researching trends in Project Management. Yes, the trends for Big Data and for Agile/Scrum are still out there. Fortunately, there’s also a big trend towards ?humanity.? Meaning? companies are looking for project managers who have Emotional Intelligence (EQ), and they?re realizing that, regardless of the methodology, it?s the people on the team who make it happen.

Why is this good news? Let?s take them one at a time.

Emotional Intelligence
Sure, data is important. So are timelines, budget, etc. But in order to hit your milestones, to complete tasks so they don?t come back to bite you later on, you must be aware of the needs, agendas, and skillset of the people around you. When you lead a discussion, observe the faces and body language around you. Most of what is being communicated is not through words. If someone is sitting back and keeping their mouth shut, it?s your job to discern whether they don?t have anything to contribute, or if they don?t want to speak up for some reason. Then, if they don?t want to speak up, why is that? That quiet person may be the key to making a solid decision? or a big mistake that will cause time and money a few months down the road.

If you’re an Introvert, this is great news! Introverts are used to observing. You take in the stimuli from the room and naturally read the crowd. If you’re an Ambivert or Extrovert, take heart. To be effective, you only need to lean into this ability. Make sure you notice the signs around you and take the next step to draw out the information you know is there. Pay attention to what doesn?t feel right. Use your innate skills to listen, redirect, and acknowledge contributions from those around the table.

Success Through Team
Anyone who has been on a team?great or horrible?knows that it?s not the methodology that drives success, but the team itself. A well-functioning team can handle changing requirements, challenging issues, shrinking timelines. Trust between players is paramount.

When it comes to personal relationships, the important lesson is: don?t dance for the crowd – get to know individuals. As you build your team, work on developing trust with each team member but also between them. It?s not a given that folks in different areas (think Finance and R&D) will naturally blend or believe they can help each other with project tasks. Use your personal skills to bring them together, building one relationship at a time until there?s a web of trust throughout your team.

As the trends focus on EQ and Team, all leaders must keep in mind that gathering information, listening, and acknowledging aren?t goals in themselves. What you learn by listening, and what you do with that information, is what matters the most. Give your team the opportunity to put their good ideas into practice. This will benefit your project directly and give your team members the confidence to let their ideas be known in the future.