How do you manage team members that are not working to their full potential?
Dean JonesOperations manager| Airbus Defence and SpaceNewport, Wls, United Kingdom
I find this a hard nut to crack on some occasion, I like to see myself as firm but fair, and I try to get to the root cause before acting as there may well be issues we do not understand or know about.
Curious how others deal with this sticky, at times issue. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
The key point is to define what does mean "full potential" for you or the organization that is asking you for that. Saving Changes...
Anton OosthuizenSenior Business Analyst / Project Manager| Self EmployedPretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Sergio asks a good question. 'Full potential' is different to different people. But I get the gist of your question - How do you deal with slackers ;)
I agree with your approach to understand why they are not performing to their full potential. Is it a habit or just started recently? Having a good relationship with the project team is vital. If there is a boss/worker relationship then you would probably be the last to know about issues relating to HR. If it just started then clearly there is an underlying human issue that needs to be taken into account. If it is habit then you have no other
options than to follow HR protocol i.e. verbal, written, boot. Sometimes there is just no fixing it. It might be an organizational thing over which you have no control and you will need to escalate to HR. Saving Changes...
Drew CraigSr. Agile & Product Coach| VanguardPhiladelphia, Pa, United States
Careful to not place subjectiveness on the situation. If efforts are below standards and expectations, take the formal route as Anton describes above. In a functional environment, this would mainly be outside of your jurisdiction, and the team ends up being simply downstream from the result. Of course, could have a conversation initially to remind of the expectations and the impact. For some, could have a reason such as personal items to contend with and it is temporary, others may just have given up, trying to slide by on cruise control. Saving Changes...
Drake SettsuProject Manager / BloggerHi, United States
My 2 cents.
Create a spreadsheet of expected deliverables for that person. Be specific on the due dates. Have that person update the spreadsheet weekly with comments on the progress of the deliverables. This will be your audit trail to track this person. Give it a try. Saving Changes...
John A. WilliamsOwner| JAW Consultancy | The PragmaticionerNootdorp, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
I see all the formal managerial approaches here but I prefer a leadership approach. Every team member has this question in the back of their mind: "What's in it for me?" Take the human approach and listen to them and find a way to ease their pain. You will become their hero and they will become your followers. Saving Changes...
Defining a set of time-bound goals and objective is one of the practical approaches for this issue. Saving Changes...
VASUDEV NARAYANANProgram Manager| Pentapolis FoundationChennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Every project is unique. So does every team member. Consider the same question coming from your Supervisor. What would be the answer? No offense.
Talking to your team, and having a one-on-one discussion will immensely help. Understanding the impedance personally and professionally can assist you in guiding your team member to perform optimally. Please remember, you are supposed to monitor and control only the deliverables and not your team member. Do you understand what that means? You own the plan for your project deliverables and not the team member.
You should not worry too much. You should be able to define the scope of work for every team member. That sets the playground. Saving Changes...
Cheikh FAYE Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Expert, CEO and owner| Eurêka TechnologiesDakar, Senegal
There only one strategy to motivate people in project: carrot first and stick later. Unlock the Power of Incentives to Get Things Done by talking privately and kindly to a reluctant team member. If he stubbornly persists on his bad behavior, the consequences should be sanctions. Generally, the result is without appeal for the successful progress and achievement of the project. Saving Changes...
Paulo RoqueChartered Civil Engineer, PMP| BECHTELSetubal, Portugal
A motivation strategy plays an important role to prevent reluctant members within the team.
Transmitting enthusiasm and offering empathy and acknowledgement is the best way to build confidence within the team, but it’s crucial a clear communication to make sure that all the team members are in the same page, since when people are told exactly what is wanted and expected from them, they will feel driven to provide it.
And by the end the success of the team needs to be shared and to succeed all the members of the team need to know their significance for the team’s success. Saving Changes...
