Motorcycle Tires and Project Teams

 

Before I started my ride on Saturday, I washed and polished  my bike and prepared for a few hours in the saddle. Taking time to clean the motorcycle gives me an opportunity to inspect it and make sure that there are no glaring issues in need of attention. One of the things I like to keep a pretty close eye on are my tires. Tire condition is a pretty important indicator of the safety of your next ride. I can think of few things worse than a blow-out at 70 mph going around a corner on the highway. After Saturday morning's inspection, it looks like I'll be setting up an appointment for a new rear tire this week.

As project leaders, there are also subtle indicators that can give a savvy project manager an idea of how the team is performing—before a blow-out. Last spring I wrote about some of the early warning signs of a project in trouble, the equivalent of checking the tires and inspecting the bike before a ride. Although I think this list applies to almost every project, I'm sure there are some warning signs that are unique to your team. As a project leader, you should identify what they are and regularly monitor them to make sure that everyone is operating at peak performance.

Please feel to share some of the early warning signs you watch out for.