How can I handle a project team member who asks the PM to set up meetings instead of meeting own tasks
Mark NestelDevelopment Project Manager| CernerOverland Park, Ks, United States
Team member does nothing for the project for a week and then asks the PM why he didn’t do anything. Team member excpect PM to coordinate her teams tasks. How can I get this person to do work? As the PM I said sure I will set up calls to get you going. However, this same person says she to busy to help me through the project. Saving Changes...
Anton OosthuizenSenior Business Analyst / Project Manager| Self EmployedPretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
That team will clearly not work very well in an Agile team;)
This is obviously part of performance management which in it simplest form is plan, monitor and evaluate. My experience has always been that you will always have resources like this. They tend to be heavy on monitoring. Once they have been assigned tasks you have to monitor progress closely and take action as soon as you notice deviation. The action is most likely a progress meeting to discuss the progress and any possible roadblocks that might be preventing them from delivering. Unfortunately it might end up becoming an HR issue when despite best effort they still so not perform.
It would however seem like this resource has the traditional 1980's view of the PM who would back then do everything for the team i.e. be the runner. Maybe it is just a matter of sitting down with the team and going over roles and responsibilities so that they understand when they ask the question 'who's your daddy' it won't be you answering. Saving Changes...
Eric SimmsSenior Program ManagerBaltimore, Maryland, United States
Are you in a weak matrix organization? It doesn't sound as if you have any authority to direct this resource's work. Assuming that's the case, you need to talk to her Manager and get the Manager to agree to have this resource do the work you need. Saving Changes...
I'd agree with Anton - what sort of team working agreements or rules of engagement have been defined? If expectations haven't been set up front and if (as Eric has asked) you are in a weak matrix or functional organization, then a given team member might not know what they are expected to be doing when assigned to a project...
Kiron Saving Changes...
Wade HarshmanScrum Master| GDITIndianapolis, In, United States
How big of a jerk can you be?
I don't say that to insult, but sometimes being a PM means people won't like you.
One thing you could do, for example, is involve the project sponsor(s), who are paying for the project. Review the project status with them, and let them see that the project is falling behind because this team member is not doing work. Is it kind of mean? Yes. But it's your job to speak facts and drive the project. Saving Changes...
I suggest you complete a RACI matrix. Then review the RACI and schedule with them and let them know they are responsible for meeting their tasks. Once the person knows what they own and when it is due, if they disagree or complain that they don't have the time, as the PM you can raise this with their manager. Saving Changes...
Mark NestelDevelopment Project Manager| CernerOverland Park, Ks, United States
Great comments. It the manager who is too busy and has the 1980s mentality. Saving Changes...
Lenka PincotChief of Staff to the CEO| Project Management InstituteParis, France
Oh oh... any chance to replace the person on the team? Or work directly with people who report to her? If not I would consider formal communication where I would state clear tasks, deadlines, all in writing, and I would demand written confirmation of assignment and response according to the given tasks.
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1 reply by Adrian Carlogea
Nov 04, 2018 2:27 PM
Adrian Carlogea
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Assigning clear tasks is easier said than done. Good project management skills are not enough to assign clear tasks to someone. The one that assigns the tasks must have detailed knowledge about the work that needs to be done otherwise he may just assign high level tasks that lack crucial information needed to complete the work.
Maybe this is the case here too. The tasks that Mark has assigned perhaps are just some high level requirements than need additional lower level details in order to be implemented. The team member probably needs to talk with relevant stakeholders in order to complete the work but apparently he is unable or unwilling to do that and expects the PM to resolve these issues.
Saving Changes...
Anish AbrahamPrivacy Program Manager| University of WashingtonAuburn, Wa, United States
I concur with my colleagues here. Communication is the key, perhaps an RACI matrix would help you in this case. Saving Changes...
If you asked such a question I can make two assumptions (they both can be wrong):
1) you have no formal authority over the team member; this is typical for most PMs
2) you have no work experience in the line of work of the team member; this is also very common at least in IT.
Some employees simply don't want to do more than perform the actual execution work and expect their leader to provide them with all the required information needed for the work.
These people have no leadership potential and need to be led by someone else. The leader needed for this kind of employees however must come from the same line of work as they do otherwise he can't give them instructions.
What you probably need is a technical lead capable of leading such team members or the involvement of the functional manager; functional managers usually come from the same line of work as the employees they manage.
This employee may not necessarily be lazy or incompetent he may simply need someone to lead him at the technical level. He may expect you to serve him with the information needed for him to complete the work. You probably lack the skills to do that, unfortunately. Saving Changes...
Oh oh... any chance to replace the person on the team? Or work directly with people who report to her? If not I would consider formal communication where I would state clear tasks, deadlines, all in writing, and I would demand written confirmation of assignment and response according to the given tasks.
Assigning clear tasks is easier said than done. Good project management skills are not enough to assign clear tasks to someone. The one that assigns the tasks must have detailed knowledge about the work that needs to be done otherwise he may just assign high level tasks that lack crucial information needed to complete the work.
Maybe this is the case here too. The tasks that Mark has assigned perhaps are just some high level requirements than need additional lower level details in order to be implemented. The team member probably needs to talk with relevant stakeholders in order to complete the work but apparently he is unable or unwilling to do that and expects the PM to resolve these issues. Saving Changes...
