A continuing post in the Project 911 series…
Your project is going sideways, it’s in critical condition and you can’t figure out why. After you have defined scope, the next question to address is do I have the right people?
Let the scope guide you – what skillsets do I need to effectively achieve the objectives of the project. Too often we focus on just the technical skills. What back-office help will I need, marketing, production, etc… Once you understand the skillsets, consider personalities. We all want to have congenial team members that all get along. Makes things easier, right? If you have concerns about accountability, consider adding a Shark to the team. Sharks are those that add value based on their expertise, but don’t always get along with others. Now and then, that’s ok. They are direct and call people out when the work or quality is lacking. Just be sure that you’re the one in the shark tank, that is, select the Shark you can influence.
Another consideration when selecting your team is to avoid the usual suspects. By adding someone new, we bring fresh perspectives to the team. We further the professional development of our colleagues all the while growing the talent pool we can choose from for future projects.
Selecting the right team is everything – plans and schedules do nothing if you cannot execute. If you feel good about your project team, check out the next post in the Project 911 series – Project Communication.