LEAD THE PACK

No man (or woman) is an island and no project manager should carry the burden of a project alone. A very wise person and professional organizer extraordinaire, Barbara Hemphill, often says, “Together we are better.” She is right.

Following is a quote from Muppeteer Jim Henson.

“A film is not done by one person. It’s done by a lot of people. I love this whole collaborative aspect. When it works well, you end up with something better than any of us started out to do.”

If you want to meet deadlines and produce a great outcome, you need to plan carefully. This is true, especially if you are also managing the people who are involved with the project.

Here are a few tips that will go along way to keep you and your team on track:
Delegate like your life depended on it. That is, choose the right people. Don’t place a 110 lb. person in the position of fullback on the football team and don’t make a 325 lb. behemoth the jockey in a pony race. It’s unfair to the people on the job (not to mention the pony) and the end result could be disastrous.
Be very clear regarding responsibilities and deadlines. If I sent you to the grocery store and asked you to bring me some milk, would you know what I want? No. There are all types, brands, and sizes of milk products available. If I sent you out for a quart of Farmland whole milk in a carton with at least 5 days until expiration and told you I need it by 5 PM today, I would probably be pleased with the outcome. Clarity is king!
Don’t micro-manage. Have confidence in your team because you chose it wisely and planned carefully. There is no need to go to the grocery store with the delegated milk fetcher if you are clear about what you want. Do, however, have scheduled checkpoints when you hold each member accountable for reporting progress.
Use a template that you can fill out and use to track progress. Give each team member one. I can supply one if you email me.

Let me know how your next project goes.