One of the major aspects that need monitoring and controlling is performance and this can be recorded in personal and team performance reports.
Imagine that you were assigned as the project manager of a brand new team in the middle of a project they have been working on. You take a look at the team performance reports and see that the scores are very low. What are some techniques that you can implement to help improve the overall team's performance?
As the project manager, I would have a team meeting. I think the most important thing to do is to go over the goal of the project. Making sure everyone knows what is at stake is important. Next, I would make sure that everyone understands their tasks. Without this clarity, the team might work on the project without understanding the project plan. Lastly, I would go over the project deadline. Once the team understands the project fully, I think the team scores will improve. For the remaining time of the project, I would ensure effective communication with the team and ensure visibility and transparency.
The first thing I would do is to make sure there is excellent internal communication going on between the team members. I think communication is key for the success of any team. Next, I would make sure that all team members are undergoing proper training and development so that every individual is constantly improving, which in turn develops the team as a whole. Moreover, another way to improve the team’s performance is to incentives performance. Most employees care about incentives such as rewards, gifts, bonuses, and reimbursements, so they will work harder to get those incentives. Lastly, I would constantly remind all the team members on our shared purpose, vision, and culture to have a more cohesive team.
Communication is always key in these settings. Meeting and discussing the overall team morale and what can be done from a project managers perspective to assist in increasing productivity. It is common to lose steam especially over the course of a long term project. Re-evaluating the objectives and realigning teams focus is key.
I would agree with @csimmonds23 about communication being the key to helping team performance increase. However, I would like to add that team events will help since they will give teammates time to stop thinking about work and get closer to each other. I would suggest having a raffle at the party to get people to look forward to coming to the party. This will allow teammates to bond outside of a work environment and connect more inside the work environment, which will overall lead to improving the team's performance as a whole.
I agree with @tiavance23. I am sure that an abrupt change in the project manager during the middle of the project is not what the team would've expected. Thus, it would highly beneficial to sit and meet with the team and discuss what they have accomplished thus far and what more needs to be done. Showing the team that the new PM is invested in the project and can be reached for assistance will be helpful if any roadblocks occur. Next, I would openly discuss the low scores and ask how they can be improved and if the team members have any suggestions. By doing this, the team members are able to contribute to the discussion and we can come to a solution together to collectively increase performance scores. Lastly, I would reiterate the importance of the project and the deadline. I want to make sure that the other team members are clear on why the project is important for the company and stress that it is completed on time. This way, we are all on the same page moving forward.
As the others have stated, communication is definitely a key aspect in making sure that a project succeeds so one of the first areas I would investigate is how the communications channels were being run before I was brought in. I would also hold a team meeting to get to know the team I am working with and making sure that they understand the stakes of the project. Aside from those two givens, I would also try to determine what the morale of the team is looking like. Often times, a person does not perform their best when their morale is low and as such if the morale of the team is low, I would look for where the issues are stemming from and do my best to figure out a way to resolve the issue as opposed to sweeping it under the rug to improve the morale of the team. It could be something as simple as hosting a casual social event for the team to unwind, destress, and get to know each other on a more interpersonal level so they can be more relaxed around each other in their professional environment and work better together. Like @Terril_Vallikalam and @tiavance23 stated, getting a new project manager in the middle of a project is definitely stressful, especially if it is a bigger project for the company so my first steps would most definitely be to try to establish myself amongst the team and try to alleviate that stress as much as I can so that the team can move forward as productively as they can.
first time i would do is to set up meeting with everyone on the team to know them and go over each tasks and reschedule the time line. divided each task to smaller and easier one. improve the communication channel. Also find some way to cheer up them.
After being assigned as the PM of a brand new team in the midst of a project and noticing that the performance report scores are very low, I would implement multiple techniques to improve the team's performance. I would first start by taking the time to talk to each team member one by one and understanding everyone's role and responsibility. This would allow for personal time with each team member allowing me to understand what may be causing pitfalls. After speaking to each team member, I would hold a meeting with all team members to go over the current goals for the project, our current status and what outstanding tasks remain and whose responsibility they fall under. By using this approach, the goals are properly defined and team members are made aware of their responsibilities and deadlines which should help to improve overall team's performance.
One of the major aspects that need monitoring and controlling is performance and this can be recorded in personal and team performance reports.
Imagine that you were assigned as the project manager of a brand new team in the middle of a project they have been working on. You take a look at the team performance reports and see that the scores are very low. What are some techniques that you can implement to help improve the overall team's performance?
Project managers are only as successful as their projects’ outcomes, which greatly depends on the quality of the team. Coming into the middle of a low-performance project will require an effective project manager. The PM needs to maintain team dynamics by focusing on what is best for individual team members and the group. Addressing poor performance avoids conflict and keeps everyone working together. The purpose of performance management is the continuous assessment of progress against agreed goals and metrics, with feedback and support provided as needed. I believe frequent check-ins are key and a great way to discuss upcoming tasks and priorities, review recent work and provide any required feedback or guidance. These meetings help team members understand what is expected of them and how they can deliver their best work in the coming days.
If coming to a low performing project with an already assembled team, the PM will need to review of each of the team members assignments. Each team member would need to briefly state their responsibility and the plan laid out to hit the target. The PM would then assess the plan and offer any guidance to improve the team members process. Consistent check-ins on progress and time deadlines will improve the performance scores of the team. Managing team members and understanding their strengths and weaknesses will also aid in assigning tasks more appropriately.
Hi, I would like to say that I agree with you on that approach, in addition to that I would also allow individuals to meet with, in some cases team members who have personal issues that they do not want to discuss publicly, given an individual opportunity to converse let them know that you understand had are there to help them and support them. Home, social determinants, and spiritual, lifestyle, and transportation challenges play a big part in a team member's performance.
Some ways to improve the team's performance are:
- Diversify your team
- Lead with gratitude and share yours regularly
- Be authentic and vulnerable
- Prioritize well-being
- Clarify each person's role
- Ruthlessly prioritize
- Communicate with context
- Make the daily workflow more efficient
Another technique I have often used is to have daily stand-down meetings on the progress so far and to offer insight and assistance where needed.
I think it's important to meet with each team member to discuss their individual motivation techniques as each individual responds differently to different rewards. Some may prefer verbal recognition, some may prefer free merchandise, others may want more opportunities for development. Whatever it may be it's important to identify those motivational factors and apply them specifically to each individual to reward good working behaviors and promote them as well. It may also be necessary to bring in varied and new resources into the team to help them do their jobs.
I agree with all posts here, that communication would be a very large part of getting the team back on track. In addition, I agree with @ridmehta, in having a sit-down meeting with each team member individually. I would want to know more about each team member and see if any outstanding reasons are leading them to low performance. If there is something that I could do as their new project manager to mitigate these problems and help them better be able to do their job, I will work toward making a better work environment for them. I think one of the most important characteristics of a leader is to make sure your team feels listened to and appreciated to continue producing quality work. I would make sure that they are properly communicating with each other about getting the project done, and if they needed different resources would work to get them for the team. It is important as the leader to advocate for your team, and after meeting with the group and the individuals, I would advocate for whatever they needed to get the job done.
I have not been in a situation like this but has anyone had a situation where they were put in charge of a team halfway through or had a manager or boss switch? What worked when they came in and what did not?
