In the whirlwind world of project management, the success of a project often hinges on the strength and consistency of the team behind it. Imagine embarking on a journey where building a high-performing project team is not just about assembling a group of skilled individuals; it’s about fostering collaboration, trust, and a shared sense of purpose. Based on my personal experiences, let me take you through this journey with some strategies I use to help you build and lead a high-performing project team.
Foundation: Defining Clear Roles and Responsibilities
Every journey begins with laying a solid foundation. One of the first steps in building a high-performing team is to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each team member. Picture the best restaurant you ever went to, you probably left happy and satiated. The staff has clearly defined roles to ensure that each guest leaves believing it was the best meal of their lives. This clarity ensures that everyone knows what is expected of them and can focus on their specific tasks. It also helps to prevent overlaps and gaps in responsibilities; no one wants to wait 10 minutes for their meal after the rest of the table has gotten theirs. A well-written working agreement for the team does wonders to provide the much-needed clarity and gives everyone a roadmap for what is expected of them on the project.
Bridge: Fostering Open Communication
Next, we need to define the bridge that connects all team members – effective communication. A team should understand everyone’s preferred method and style of communication. It’s your job, as the project manager, to encourage an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their ideas, concerns, and feedback. Regular team meetings, both formal and informal, can help to keep everyone on the same page and address any issues quickly. This bridge of communication is the backbone of any successful team.
For example, in one of Paradigm’s projects, fostering open communication significantly reduced roadblock and issue resolution times from 5-10 days to just 4-8 hours. By ensuring that communication channels remained open and efficient, the client team was able to address problems proactively and maintain momentum.
Pathway: Promoting Collaboration and Teamwork
We’ve crossed the bridge and now we find ourselves on a pathway that promotes collaboration and teamwork. A high-performing team is one that works well together. Company and team culture, where team members support each other and work towards common goals, is very important. Use of collaborative tools and technologies to facilitate teamwork, especially if your team is distributed across different locations, will lead to an easy stroll down this pathway leading to a cohesive and united team. Some examples of collaborative tools that I have found helpful on past projects include using automated Smartsheets, business and technical workshops to ensure seamless knowledge sharing, and utilizing tools such as MS Teams and Azure DevOps to facilitate communication and collaboration among team members, regardless of location.
In one instance, prioritizing well-structured collaboration through our client’s steering committee helped them eliminate weeks of unplanned delays. By proactively driving discussions, the team was able to catch and mitigate cross-functional impacts before they turned into roadblocks, keeping the project on track and ensuring smooth execution.
Growth: Providing Opportunities for Professional Development
As we travel further, we encounter opportunities for growth. Investing in the professional development of your team members can pay off in the long run. Work to provide and encourage opportunities for training, skill development, and career growth. Maybe this means encouraging attendance at industry conferences, completion of online courses and/or certifications, or cross-training to foster diverse skill sets. These examples and so many more will not only enhance the capabilities of your team but also boost morale and job satisfaction.
Milestones: Recognizing and Rewarding Achievements
As with any journey, you will reach important milestones along the way. Make sure to recognize and reward the achievements of your team members. Celebrating both individual and team successes is crucial for maintaining motivation and morale. Strive to find ways to privately and publicly be a cheerleader for your team members. These milestones build a positive and productive team culture.
Leadership: Leading by Example
Finally, we arrive at the leadership summit. As a project manager, your leadership style sets the tone for the entire team. Lead by example by demonstrating the values and behaviors you expect from your team members. Showcase your ability to proactively identify and resolve issues, actively participate in meetings, and continuously walk the talk! Your actions will inspire and motivate your team to follow suit.
The Destination
Our trek concludes with the realization that building a high-performing project team requires a combination of clear communication, collaboration, professional development, and strong leadership. By implementing these strategies, you can create a team that is not only skilled and efficient but also motivated and cohesive. Remember, a high-performing team is the foundation of any successful project.
As Michael Jordan said, “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.”
By Brandy Riley, Project Manager