Mike FrenetteManager, IT PMO| Halifax Water (retired)Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
What was the toughest team decision you had to make as a project manager or PMO Leader? Saving Changes...
Sort By:
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Mike Frenette One of the hardest team decisions I’ve had to make as a project leader was to remove a technically brilliant team member whose behavior was undermining collaboration and team morale.
Individual performance couldn’t outweigh the collective impact — and that required courage, active listening, and a decision aligned with the project’s values and culture.
Before reaching that point, I offered multiple rounds of structured feedback, support, and space for change.
But when transformation didn’t happen, I realized that keeping this person would compromise trust and engagement across the team.
These decisions are never easy.
But sometimes, leading means protecting the health of the team — even when it hurts.
...
1 reply by Mike Frenette
Jun 02, 2025 9:36 PM
Mike Frenette
...
Emotional Intelligence is sadly often in short supply, and is really more important than technical brilliance.
Decisions to let people go are always the hardest given the real human impact. As a PMO leader having to lay off some of my team because of a company financial downturn was very hard.
As a project manager, asking my team to work through a weekend to meet a "must meet" deadline was the hardest team decision I had to make. I was going to be there with them, but shared misery is still misery.
Kiron
...
2 replies by Kwiyuh Michael Wepngong and Mike Frenette
May 31, 2025 11:28 AM
Mike Frenette
...
Yes - the human side of project management can be the most fulfilling and the most devastating at the same time. Having to let someone go, whatever the reason, is always tough, especially when it is for poor performance despite best efforts on all sides.
Jun 02, 2025 2:58 AM
Kwiyuh Michael Wepngong
...
Thanks Kiron, This could really be hard!
Saving Changes...
Mike FrenetteManager, IT PMO| Halifax Water (retired)Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
May 31, 2025 7:21 AM
Replying to Kiron Bondale
...
Mike -
Decisions to let people go are always the hardest given the real human impact. As a PMO leader having to lay off some of my team because of a company financial downturn was very hard.
As a project manager, asking my team to work through a weekend to meet a "must meet" deadline was the hardest team decision I had to make. I was going to be there with them, but shared misery is still misery.
Kiron
Yes - the human side of project management can be the most fulfilling and the most devastating at the same time. Having to let someone go, whatever the reason, is always tough, especially when it is for poor performance despite best efforts on all sides. Saving Changes...
I read the news yesterday, and it’s clear that even when performance isn’t the issue, some organizations are still laying off staff as part of restructuring efforts to prepare for a better future. It reminds me that change is an inevitable part of life, no matter which path or project we choose. Saving Changes...
Financial Management Specialist | US Peace CorpsYaounde, Centre, Cameroon
May 31, 2025 7:21 AM
Replying to Kiron Bondale
...
Mike -
Decisions to let people go are always the hardest given the real human impact. As a PMO leader having to lay off some of my team because of a company financial downturn was very hard.
As a project manager, asking my team to work through a weekend to meet a "must meet" deadline was the hardest team decision I had to make. I was going to be there with them, but shared misery is still misery.
Kiron
Thanks Kiron, This could really be hard! Saving Changes...
Mike FrenetteManager, IT PMO| Halifax Water (retired)Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
May 31, 2025 5:45 AM
Replying to Luis Branco
...
Mike Frenette One of the hardest team decisions I’ve had to make as a project leader was to remove a technically brilliant team member whose behavior was undermining collaboration and team morale.
Individual performance couldn’t outweigh the collective impact — and that required courage, active listening, and a decision aligned with the project’s values and culture.
Before reaching that point, I offered multiple rounds of structured feedback, support, and space for change.
But when transformation didn’t happen, I realized that keeping this person would compromise trust and engagement across the team.
These decisions are never easy.
But sometimes, leading means protecting the health of the team — even when it hurts.
Emotional Intelligence is sadly often in short supply, and is really more important than technical brilliance.
Decisões difíceis sobre pessoas quase sempre nos tiram da zona técnica e nos colocam no terreno humano da liderança. Não é confortável mas é necessário.
Já precisei desligar profissionais tecnicamente bons, mas desalinhados com o ritmo ou os valores do projeto. A decisão nunca é simples, mas aprendi que manter alguém pela competência técnica, ignorando os impactos comportamentais, costuma custar muito mais à equipe e ao resultado final.
O que funciona, para mim, é ser transparente, objetivo e respeitoso. Decisão difícil não precisa ser fria mas precisa ser firme. Adiar esse tipo de confronto por receio ou conveniência só prolonga um desgaste que, mais cedo ou mais tarde, afeta o todo.
Projetos são feitos por pessoas. E, às vezes, cuidar do projeto é ter coragem de tomar a decisão que ninguém quer tomar.
Community Champion
