team meetings, savvy project managers recognize that more
important business is often conducted through informal means.
It can be beneficial to visit team members in their workplace
occasionally or to call team members from time to time “just to
see how it’s going.” It’ll help you maintain good relationships,
show your interest, and offer an avenue of information that may
help you run the project more effectively.
One caution: you must do it for the right reasons, in good
faith, and primarily in order to manage the project better. If you
chat just to get one team member to tell you about another, for
example, the strategy will quickly backfire. Also, if your interest
in team members is not sincere, it will probably show.
Note: All Team Members Are Not Created Equal
One of the best methods for getting the most from individual
team members is to simply treat them as individuals. There are
several models that attempt to describe the principle of flexible
leadership by using factors such as the work to be done vs. the
readiness of the individual to successfully perform the work.
These models use this kind of analysis to yield a recommended
leadership style for a given individual. The styles that most mod-
94 Project Management
Project Managers Expect Team
Members to:- Be committed to the project
- Provide accurate and truthful sta-
tus - Follow the project plan and defined
processes - Demonstrate proactivity
- Take direction, but push back
appropriately - Propose things that make sense
- Communicate / inform proactively
- Be accountable for decisions
- Be respectful of other team mem-
bers - Maintain a positive attitude
Team Members Expect the
Project Manager to:- Stimulate group interaction
- Promote participative planning
- Define all relevant work processes
- Define performance expectations
- Manage conflict in a constructive
manner - Share information appropriately
- Remove obstacles
- Insulate team from unproductive
pressures - Resist unnecessary changes
- Recognize and reward achievement
Figure 5-2. Developing mutual expectations