Sue said, "I asked Jane to get the integration work completed by Friday, and she didn't complete the work on time...again. This is the third time she has missed a deadline without telling me. I am the project manager! I can't manage expectations if the team isn't communicating and doing what they say they will do. How can I hold her accountable for getting her work done?"
I said in reply, "You know, at the end of the day, only Jane can hold herself accountable. You can give her all the information she needs to make good decisions, and you can provide an environment in which Sue is comfortable asking for help, but you can't make her do the work. When it comes right down to it, its the old adage, 'you can bring the horse to water, but you can't make it drink.' Have you clearly explained to Jane what is needed and when, asked her to confirm that she understands what is required and that she can complete the work on time, and explained the consequences to her, the team, the project, and the client if she does not do what is needed?"
In reality, most people don't really spell "it" out in that way. We assume that the other person can read between the lines, understand the urgency and the implications if the work isn't done, and can make the right decisions about prioritizing his/her time. As a project manager, or even as a staff-level manager, your job is to NOT ASSUME. Be clear, spell it out - whether to a client, a partner, or a team member. Be crystal clear about what is needed, by whom and when, and what will happen if the requirements are not met. Be sure to get the other person to confirm that he understands and is on board with getting done what is needed. Only then do you really have a leg to stand on if the work is not done on time. If the others don't get what is needed, you need to follow through on the consequences, which may be escalating to a staff manager, reassigning the individual less mission critical (and interesting work) or removing the person from the project.
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