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Hear Susan
Speak
Listen to her
20 minute interview with David Wolf on 9/28/07
(.MP3 format, 14.5 MB)
Susan Junda
Dynamic Solutions
P.O. Box 3874
Albuquerque, NM 87190
(505) 888-4786
the Dynamic Solutions Electronic Newsletter
March/April 2008
- What’s going on out there? - a message from Susan
- Project Management World
- NEW! Where's Susan?
- Ask/Tell Susan
What's
Going On Out There - a message from Susan
Spring is certainly in the air, whether it be unexpected snow storms or intense wind and pollen or anything in between. Spring means CHANGE, a shift from one season to another when things are starting to grow again. A few things you might think about during this transition:
- What do YOU need to change, either
personally or professionally (which, by the way, IS personal!)? Is there
some “dynamic communication” you need to have with someone to clear
something up that has been on your mind? This time of year would be a
great time to clear it!
- What “seeds” do you want to plant to sprout though out the rest of the year? No, it’s not time for more New Year’s resolutions but it’s a great time of year to renew whatever it might be that you want to create in 2008 (and beyond).
The clearer you are in your life, the better your relationships will be, and thus, the running of your staffs, projects and teams. Who you are exudes into all of your life – isn’t Spring just a great time to do some of your own “Spring Cleaning”?
On another topic, please note that I have added a “Where’s Susan?” section to the newsletter. Most of you know I travel a great deal around mostly the U.S. – so if I am in your area and you want to meet with me (or have me meet someone you work with) I would be more than willing to work with you to make that happen!
And don’t forget! Send me YOUR most pressing issue or challenge, using the “Ask Susan” link below. Your issue may be addressed in a future newsletter!
All the best,
Susan Junda
Project Management World
The Problem...
"Constantly changing Team Members"
In my travels to various client sites, I get to hear from many Project Managers about what is working well on their projects and with their teams and what is NOT working well. One of the most common complaints I hear, one that most Project Managers feel they have little if any control over, is when team members are yanked off their projects by a boss or stakeholder and put onto another project. They get a “replacement” body, but the team is never the same.
Scroll down to see the solution from all three perspectives or jump to the Senior Management, Project Manager, or Team Member perspective.
The Solution...
From the Senior Management (or boss) Perspective...
What needs to be answered first here is WHY does a boss take a person off one project and put him or her on another? Most likely, some other project has been made a top priority and this person’s critical skills are now needed there.
Let’s look a bit further. What IS the impact of pulling this person off of a project in mid-stream?
- To the team, especially if it has
already “gelled” and is in a productive mode, it sets them back to have
to deal with more floundering and conflict.
Why? Because when a team member changes, all the relationships and connections and trust between people change...this is a FACT.
- To the project, the impact on “time, cost and quality/requirements” will have to be assessed. Do NOT assume that nothing will change as a result of this change in team membership, even if the replacement is just as qualified. Be willing to hear about the impact from the Project Manager!
REMEMBER – in a high-class project organization, it is the functional manager’s job to provide the right person, with the right skill level, at the right time to project teams. Do your best NOT to change team members unless it is the under the most critical of circumstances.
From the Project Manager Perspective...
Okay, so a Team Member X has been yanked off your team and replaced by Team Member Y. What do you do now to minimize the impact on the team and project?
- Understand first that there WILL be an
impact. I remember when it happened on my teams, at first I would think it
was “no
big deal” but then, 2 weeks later, the team would be in disarray. It took me a
while, but I finally figured out that it was, at least in part, due to the
change in team membership.
- Orient Team Member Y as quickly as possible to how THIS team works. What are
the ground rules? How are our meetings run? What are the teams’ dynamics
like?
- Encourage current team members who do NOT know Team Member Y to spend some
one-on-one time with him or her.
- Show Team Member Y the project plan, specifically the tasks, quality levels
and timing (estimates) that their predecessor committed to and ensure that
these commitments work for him or her.
- Assess the impact of the team member change to the current project plan – and communicate any adjustments to the plan to stakeholders. Remember, it’s your job to keep the plan VALID – if you do not communicate impact, know that stakeholders will assume there IS NONE!
From the Team Member Perspective...
So you are Team Member Y, the person now taking over for the newly departed Team Member X. It is NOT easy to start on a project in the middle. Here’s how to make the transition easier.
- If the Project Manager is clueless about
the impact of a team member change and is NOT doing what is suggested
above, then you can ASK him or her:
- What are your expectations of me?
- What did my predecessor commit to?
- What are the team’s ground rules?
- What are the team’s dynamics like?
- How are your meetings run?
- Invite other team members that you don’t
know well for “coffee” and chat about the project and team.
- And then, ASSESS if you are capable from
a skill level AND time perspective to complete what your predecessor
promised.
- KEEP BOTH YOUR BOSS AND THE PROJECT
MANAGER INFORMED!
The Project Manager might have to revise the project plan.
Your boss might have to free up your workload to allow time to accomplish your tasks on this project successfully.
Doing the above will accelerate your feeling that sense of belonging and trust with the team much more quickly, thus becoming a valued “part of the team” in much less time than usual under these circumstances.
Where's Susan?
Want to meet?
Late April/Early May - Tucson, AZ
May 5-21 - Northern NJ/NYC area
June 15-18 - Seattle, WA
June 22-25 - San Francisco, CAJuly 2-8 - West Palm Beach, FL
July 9-13 - Denver, CO area
Ask/Tell Susan
If you want more information on what we can do to help your Project Teams be more successful, please click here to visit my Project Management page or click here for my Team Development page.
Do you have any questions, comments, suggestions for improvement? If you do, I'd love to hear them. Your feedback will help make this e-newsletter better. To send me your feedback, .