Fixing a Dysfunctional Project Team

Ken Whitaker of Leading Software Maniacs (LSM) has more than 25 years of software development executive leadership and training experience in a variety of technology roles and industries. He has led commercial software teams at Software Publishing (remember Harvard Graphics?), Data General, embedded systems software companies, and enterprise software suppliers. Ken is an active PMI member, Project Management Professional (PMP) certified, and a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM). Sources for LSM's material come from case studies, personal leadership experience, the PMI Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) and Ken's leadership books: Managing Software Maniacs, Principles of Software Development Leadership and I'm Not God, I'm Just a Project Manager.

  Agile   Communications Management   Quality   Risk Management   Schedule Management   Scheduling   Talent Management  

Way back in 1993, I became the executive in charge of development at a software company in Dallas (where most great software was built!). I was the seventh VP in that position in just over eight years. Needless to say, the environment wasn’t very stable. To make matters worse, the day I showed up for work was the day the incumbent VP was told that he was fired.

Seriously???

I walk in on my first day saying, “Howdy!” The fellow I replaced was very upset and stormed out of the building, the department’s secretary was crying and everyone else was in a state of shock. I could hear voices in the hallway: “Great…here we go with yet another one that will try to tame us!”

What does this situation have to do with project management? Plenty! It isn’t unusual that project managers get thrown at new projects consisting of burnt-out, frustrated software/IT development teams. Whether you are faced with taking over a new project team or a software/IT department, I hope some of these best practices will help you be successful.

What does this situation have to do with agile? Plenty, as you’ll soon see. You can approach a turnaround situation in a very dictatorial, tactical and controlling manner--or you can lead a term destined for the long term by balancing a time-boxed sense of urgency while adjusting as you go.

…

Please log in or sign up below to read the rest of the article.