People Management

 

“A chain is as strong as it’s weakest link”

 

An axiom that rings true even before it was conceived. This is very appropriate for Project Management.

 

There are many ways of managing a project. It is very important for a manager to identify the weak links at a pre-nuptial stage as it can hamper daily activities later.

 

Here I share some of the people experiences that improved my perception, during the bygone years, to be in control of those missing links. Here’s how:

 

  1. Sit with every team member individually (for team size < 30) and understand where they come from: their education, experience, interests and aspirations. This is very essential before you form an opinion. If you ask me, never form an opinion. I have been surprised at what people are capable of obscuring unknowingly.
  2. In the beginning you may be a little gullible but that’s OK, if you have misread a team member.  There are going to be many more occasions when you will be able to know him/her more and make up for the shortfall.
  3. Watch his/her progress carefully. Analyze the activities that he/she is doing and provide feedback on the same. Make it iron-clad, as to what you are expecting from the team member. The initial time is crucial. He/She is giving you proof of the pudding.
  4. Be professional. Conversations should narrow down to work first, always. And then the fringe news that runs through the grapevine, as and where applicable.
  5. Discourage negativity. Have a contagious amount of optimism in the air. Ever heard of a negative person having accomplished much?
  6. Work more, criticize less. If you need to be critical, always have a solution before hand. Let me tell you this: Criticism need to be exercised carefully (not in the presence of peers)
  7. Run it by numbers. Always measure. Be it performance or estimation or whatever. Let the team know of the yard sticks that you use.
  8. Review, Review and Review. You should be on the top of all activities. This does not mean that you micromanage.
  9. Strive for perfection and accuracy. Look at Apple. They go to the minutest areas pertaining to user interface / experience.
  10. Let your team meet the end users, unless you are working in a embedded or third party workspaces. Like I say always ‘Your work does not get over until you see a satisfactory smile on your users face’
  11. Always set directions, at-least once in a week. Try to make it as non-malleable as it can be. You don’t have to be Bill Gates or Narayana Muthy for this.
  12. Although the bottom line is work, discuss areas related to work also like technology, work culture and improvements as and when free time is available.
  13. Lead First and Then Manage. You may be me great at knowing that a transfer pricing project for France works out better than South Africa. But unless you have the information that some projects from France are due, you are probably sniffing in the wrong places.
  14. Appeal to the greater self of the individual. This means being able to give a concrete meaning to those endless hours that everyone puts through. Always occupy the team with intellectual challenges. Or better yet spiritual, but this needs a lot of maturity.
  15. Lastly, be genuine. Care for them and their future as you would for yours.

 

 

 

Rajesh Menon (Nickname Guru30)

 

e-mail:             rajesh.menon@guru-30.com

rajesh30menon@yahoo.com

 

Website:          www.guru-30.com

 

Tel:                  91-22-25890408

Mobile:            9867071790