Any organization’s results are directly created by the BEHAVIORS of the organization’s people. So if you want to have the best project management outcomes, you should create a project environment which encourages the very best project behaviors. So, what exactly are those behaviors? Stop reading for just a moment and write down one to three ideal project behaviors, then return here.
<space intentionally left blank while you think about your best project behaviors.>
Spoilers! Ok, here we go. Here is my own view of the Top Four Project Team Behaviors based on two decades of direct project experience.
- Management provides clear and unique task priorities. Operationally, these priorities are provided by Project Managers using a method and tool which calculates relative task priority. However, it’s vital that the team perceives that these are indeed Management priorities. This is even more true (is that even possible?) when project team members are also expected to perform non-project work!
- Team members focus work on their highest priority until Stuck or Done™. If we go through the trouble of guiding teams with the top priority tasks, the very least we should expect is focus on that task until it’s done. Or, until they get stuck. One of the great uncertainties inherent in projects is that people stop working a task because of some obstacle. When stuck, work on the next priority in line. But first…
- When stuck, team members escalate the issues immediately. People are proud. They believe they have the accountability to work through difficulties. Overcoming those is simply part of the job. I can’t tell how many times an obstacle wasn’t revealed until the weekly project team meeting. Worse yet is hearing of the obstacle when the task was originally due! I know a highly successful executive who said his number one BAD project behavior was: “People fail to ask for help when they should.” This “escalate” behavior is a positive articulation of what he was looking for.
- Management troubleshoots obstacles and risks on priority tasks. This is one behavior which leverages the power of management in running a great project. Management has access to resources, expertise and troubleshooting, as well as the responsibility to allocate them. Once obstacles or risks are revealed, management must target improvement efforts and “A” Players on those priority tasks.
I think it’s notable that two of these are project team behaviors and two are management behaviors. One always hears of the importance of “management sponsorship.” Precisely knowing the behaviors that demonstrate sponsorship is even more helpful. Behaviors 1 and 4 do just that.
While these are my own views on the best project management behaviors, I’m interested in hearing your thoughts on the best project behaviors. I invite you to take a moment and add a comment below revealing what you thought earlier, or your reaction to my Favorite Four.
