Karthik RamamurthyAuthor, Say YES to Project Success| Founder KeyResultzChennai, Tamilnadu, Tamilnadu, India
My colleague Sripriya and I are presenting this engaging session at the PMI EMEA Congress at Dublin in May: "Mi7: Motivate, Inspire with Seven Proven Steps to Project Success."
We are very interested in hearing from you on any other innovative techniques you've successfully used in your projects. We will select the best, and with your permission, mention in our preentation with due accreditation.
Please add your wisdom to our session.
THESE ARE THE SEVEN STEPS WE ARE PRESENTING: 1. As PM, act as CEO, selling big your big picture vision, and using project logos, motivational tag lines, etc. 2. Analyze and leverage cultural diversity in your project team 3. Catch people doing the right things and be appreciative, rather than constantly finding fault and criticizing 4. Serve as a demonstrably Ethical leader 5. Use the key Leadership skill of Empathy 6. Leverage social media tools to understand individual strengths, motivations, etc. 7. Use visibility to motivate and inspire Saving Changes...
Lily MurariuResearch Council Officer Program Advisor| National Research Council CanadaCantley, Quebec, Canada
Hi Kartik,
The work of the team has to be appreciated and considered from the initiation to the completion stage of the project. Here are a few thoughts for consideration:
-Provide coaching, training, continued support, to the staff at any point in time.
-Recognize, appreciate and give credit to all the accomplishments of individual team members and the team overall. It is never enough appreciation. Done individually is powerful but done as a team and publicly across the organization speaks loudly to the culture of respect, recognition, and strengthen the bond among the leader and its team.
Lily Saving Changes...
Gordon AlexanderSenior Principal - Global Programme Director| IndepndentChelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom
Hi Karthik, Great post and good luck with the presentations. I think you have covered a great deal in your seven steps. The input I have is fairly simple and crosses 5,6 and 7.
For 5 it covers Using Key Leadership skills to build trust
For 6 it becomes a direct face to face understanding of the people on the project, using social media is a great start but understanding your team’s motivations can really only come from direct contact, people will never put their biggest fears worries or problems on social media.
For 7 it is always being visible
My mantra is “Always be a coach and a Mentor to those who need it” this means having an open door policy for the team not just the PM’s or senior people.
1. Get to know your team’s names, its amazing how much a “Good morning John” or “Jacqui” to someone who may think you don’t know they exist can motivate someone.
2. Project Kickoff’s – Things like “the cocktail party” and the aim is to find 3 people you have something in common with and getting them to present this at the end can unveil some life long friendships beginning, even if these people were unacquainted or suspicious of each other before the meeting
3. Don’t just hold project review meetings, hold team review meetings where everyone can attend, maybe once a month. Go round the table to get peoples thoughts, let them know their inputs are always welcome to you and the rest of the team, manage the nay Sayers of course.
4. Be a Mentor and Coach, give advice when requested, guide people who are unsure and always follow up on your promises or actions.
Direct contact and openness can build the trust you need to manage a successful project
Best Regards and Good Luck
Gordon Saving Changes...
