The Devil is in the Details: It's the Boring Stuff that Matters

 

I recently started reading The Lean Startup by Eric Ries. The author writes about entrepreneurship and innovation. Unlike many books on this topic, despite the title, he doesn't seem to be limiting his comments and suggestions to startups—he's also suggesting that any company can innovate like a startup does if they are willing to look at product development in the same way. I'll talk more about the book once I'm further into it, but I read something last night that struck me.

It's the boring stuff that matters.

I once worked for an online accounting school. We sold small business accounting education to entrepreneurs interested in starting a small business accounting practice. As part of my training everyone took the course. Although I passed the course and have a pretty good understanding of how to read a balance sheet, I understand what a T-account is and learned how to calculate markups, etc., I'm not nor will I probably ever be a small business accountant. My mind doesn't work that way. I'd probably end up in a padded cell mumbling if I had made that my career. Saying that, I do have a greater appreciation for what my colleagues in that department do and how the Devil really is in the details.

I think the same applies to how we manage projects.

However, maybe not in the way most people think about the details of managing projects. Although the mechanics of building a work breakdown structure or milestone path are important, there are four small (maybe even insignificant things) that need to take place for members of any project team to perform at the highest level.

1. Do individuals on the team have the opportunity to do what they do best? I know there are a lot of tasks that team members are asked to do that may or may not be part of their primary skill set. I have to deal with responsibilities that compel me to learn new skills and stretch almost daily, but I do get to spend time doing the things I'm best at and have come to love. When people are able to do what they do best, they feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that helps them deal with all the other things they have to do to help bring a project to a successful completion.
2. Does everyone on the team have the right materials and equipment to do the work? This probably sounds very obvious, but something as simple as the way the phone system works or the email server doesn't, can make it difficult for people to perform at their best. Consider the tools your team uses and make sure they have what they need to do the job well. In my garage I have a big red tool box filled with just about every tool I need for a project around the house or on the car. Reaching for and finding the right tool makes all the difference between a frustrating Saturday afternoon doing a project and an enjoyable one.
3. Does the team regularly receive recognition or praise for doing good work? Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, said, "There are two things people want more than sex and money—recognition and praise." If the only time the team hears from the project manager is when there's a problem or something has fallen behind, there's a real problem. I've seen people willing to metaphorically crawl over broken glass for a leader who recognizes and is aware of their contributions. This is not about insincere platitudes, but is about being aware and sincerely acknowledging accomplishment and performance. Sometimes it's even as simple as a brief conversation in the hall on the way to a meeting. As a general rule, be specific about what your are praising. "John, the extra work you did to complete Project X really made a difference and helped push us over the finish line," is much more effective than, "Good job John."
4. Does everyone on the team understand what's expected of them? Here's another one that we often assume is happening, but isn't. I have always had the best success when I clearly define what's expected and have people report to me on how their performance compares with the expectation. Most of the time, when they're having problems, they bring them up to me—there's no need for me to do it. People generally want to do a good job—I've never known anyone who driving into work is thinking, "I really want to suck today." Most of the time, they just need to know what a good job is.

These are four little details, maybe even boring stuff, that make all the difference in whether or not your team is performing at their best. How well are you able to get into all the details—at least the ones that really matter?