ICPM

What can you do if a participant at your project status meeting is only a representative and has no power to make decisions provide information?

As a proactive and proficient project manager you have done everything possible to guaranty that the right people show up at your weekly or monthly project status meetings.

Your project is in trouble.  You know it.  Your team knows it.  But somehow you have been able to keep it from your management.  You need a quick fix.  But there aren’t any.  What can be done to get back on track?  Since yesterday's ideas didn't help, here are some suggestions that might point you in the right direction.

One of the most important traits of a leader is "Confidence". Confidence is sometimes appearing as knowing what to do. Both Customers and project team members expect the Project Manager to have the answer.  The team will come to the PM asking what to do in a given situation. Sometimes answer is easy, other times.... Someone once said to me: “People are coming to me with problems, but when I ask about possible solutions they often provide a well-thought out, reasonable solution which is usually a good resolution. However, they are hesitant to make decision on their own and wait for the PM to make it for them. Can this be thought of as "Risk Transfer"? Sure... Team members don’t want to make decisions, even when they’re rather safe decisions, they would rather transfer the risk of the decisions outcome to the PM. Makes sense right? I'm sure you've seen this before in a project you've lead. A good leader is one who knows what to do and looks confident with his decisions. When the PM appears as though he/she doesn’t know what to do, you can be sure the project team is even in worse condition.