Many project managers have likely been subjected to “resource selection” well before they knew what selection criteria, roles and responsibilities, or project management for that matter was. Many may recall their elementary or primary school days, and perhaps the selection of sports team members in the school yard or playground. Typically, two captains were likely chosen by someone in authority (such as the sports teacher), and then each captain selected their teams based on a perceived ability to perform, the positions or roles they needed, and maybe how well the captain thought the people would fit into their team. That was then. Fast forward to today. School yard “captains” are now the equivalent of project managers and/or resource line managers, and their “sports team” has become the project team. How different is your project resource selection from that of the school yard and do certain risks exist in your current approach?
Work Passion and Heart as Critical Behaviors: What Every Project Manager Should Bear in Mind…
Informal Group Dynamics at Work
Jeff Lane was at his wits end. As a newly appointed production manager, he had tried virtually everything to get his group to abide by the production standards. The equipment was operating properly, and the group had been trained and was experienced enough. Yet it was not performing well. What was wrong? What could he do to correct the situation? Many managers and supervisors frequently face such a dilemma. What they fail to realize is that within every organization, there are often informal group pressures that influence and regulate individual behavior.
Dealing With a Secretive, Distant Team Member
A project manager once said that his job would be much easier if only he did not have to deal with people. Some of the biggest challenges on a project are not managing scope or risk, but effectively managing and working with people. Let us talk about a person that has decided that they not longer want to be a part of the team. He or she may try to keep knowledge to himself or herself. He or she starts talking negatively about the company and the project. He or she may request to start working from home or different hours from the rest of the team.
Your first thought may be that the person needs to be fired, or replaced. But that is not always practical. Even if it was, there are some things you need to do first to make sure you understand the problem and what the impact to the project will be.
A Leader’s Imprints
Making leaders a force to reckon with… Emboldening the spirit of leadership is by far the best way to glorify leadership! Leadership is a demanding job. It calls for a concerted effort by the leader to create and innovate continuously. Innovation is at the core of effective leadership. The underlying principle of effective leadership is experimentation. However, not many leaders take up the challenge. Hence the work they do is more like a maintenance job. Today’s competitive world has little or no place for people of the “maintenance” genre. Companies are thirsty for corporate scientists who are constantly trying new and innovative ways of doing business. The risks involved in the process seldom deter them in this effort. Such an ability to take risk improves the chances of success and boosts the confidence levels of employees in their leader.
How Many Hats Do You Wear?
In the technologically bound environment today, access to multiple functions at one time is possible. With cell phones, beepers, laptops and other office gizmos, a manager can take care of more than one area of work.
Unfortunately, multi-tasking goes a long way towards binding people to their desks permanently. The reality is that individuals work day and night for one single employer. With cell phones ringing all night long and messages popping on the computer screen all day, it is difficult to stay away from workplace, even on holidays. Ever seen people work on holidays just so that they can have a relaxing week ahead? It doesn’t work that way. As much as people think that they can schedule their week better if a holiday is sacrificed, it reduces the person’s efficiency levels to a great extent.
Multi-tasking in some ways is not good for an individual’s positive well-being. Stressed out employees have more demands, more options and more health hazards. It is difficult for them to avoid taking work home.
Its hard to maintain a well-balanced life with so many things to do and so little time. Family friendly perks and flexible work options are not a solution to this ‘juggle’ in life. More time for personal life is the answer to this acute corporate problem.
This problem is more evident in smaller organizations where employees wear many hats. Stress in such places is greater among the manager levels than the lower level employees. However, such situations can be avoided by thinking about employees’ personal and professional needs.
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