Igor ZdorovyakDirector of Projects| ImmunovantFair Lawn, Nj, United States
Common Mistakes Project Managers Need To Avoid. Even Senior Leaders Can Learn From. Moving From Contempt To Curiosity.
You probably heard of a saying "Sticks and stones can hurt my bones. But words will never hurt me." It is easier said than accomplished. Words do really hurt.
As a Project Manager you have to have think skin. Or this job isn't right for you.
You'll have competing priorities, urgent requests (some even absurd from your point of view), risks, issues, dependencies, and stakeholders from Hell. If you choose some of your words unwisely when your adrenaline is high you can cause others to be more confrontational, becoming enraged, or just act plain furious. Just remember when you point a finger and others and think how are they acting. Some of the fingers point back at yourself. We are all humans and are not immune from making mistakes, misinterpretations.
Rather than being contempt at the other person be Curious. Always give the benefit of the doubt.
Ask yourself:
How can a reasonable person act this way?
What do I want from this interaction?
What does the other person want from this interaction?
What is best for the group in this interaction?
For example: Say one of your stakeholders is starting to come late to the meetings, asking where we are in the agenda, asking for the recap. Rather than thinking how rude this person is - be Curious. Ask the person why they are coming my late to the meetings? Ask - if another time of day or another day would be better for them, provided it also works with the other stakeholders. Be proactive and ask what items on the agenda are important for that stakeholder and put those items towards the end of the meeting.
Being Curious rather than being in contempt will serve you better in the long run. Both in your project's health and your own health. Saving Changes...
1. Build trust with your team. those are the people who'll help you in every situation.
2. Track and update stakeholders on risks and take corrective actions are most important for overall project execution and success. Saving Changes...
I totally agree. Good points. Lean Agile principle "Respect for people" need to be followed. We need to treat people as people not as only resources. Saving Changes...
Igor ZdorovyakDirector of Projects| ImmunovantFair Lawn, Nj, United States
Thank you all for all the feedback, Saving Changes...
