Project Management

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Team Management & Leaderhip

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JONATHAN DONADO
As Project Manager, how do you manage/work with someone who Isn’t a team player, but who is a key "piece" in the project based on his/her skills and knowledge?
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Sungjoon Park Coral Springs, Fl, United States
1. Words of "key piece" in your statements should be clarified further.
2. I would not make any decisions against effective team building.
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1 reply by JONATHAN DONADO
Apr 25, 2017 11:46 PM
JONATHAN DONADO
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Subject Matter Expert or someone who has a technical knowledge that others in the team do not have.

Let me know if you need more clarifications.

Thanks!
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Ken Bradshaw Project Manager| CRA Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
It depends if not being a team player is having a negative impact, or is openly subverting the project. If this is the case, then a discussion with the person should take place. If a necessary change doesn't happen, then a performance action plan needs to be put in place scheduled reviews. If the person is not able to change enough to not affect the project, then the choice is living with the issue or replacing them. Ultimately, the goal should be to bring the person onboard and help them be a functioning team player.
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Thilo Wack Head of Existing Product and Test Lab| optimed Tholey-Hasborn, Germany
Talk to these persons and try to find out the root cause for their behavior before just putting this tag on them and decide they need to change. There could be so many good reasons or at least reasons you'd better understand before passing judgement. Maybe they know something about the project that from their experience will probably lead to failure and no one listened before and if the PM now does listen (and takes action) not only the project could be saved but these people would actually change their behavior all by themselves...Or SMEs suffer from such overload that they just think they do not have the time for (in their eyes) niceties and meetings and administrative trivia like constant progress reporting and explaining to the team what and why they are going to do because (again from their perspective) they have to get a job done...
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Ruben Dario Abello Medina PM Specialist| Barranquilla Barranquilla, Atlantico, Colombia
You need to try to engagment this person, talk with him/her and identify the rasons why its not part of the change or what are the interest (or not) that have in the project
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Lonnie Pacelli Author & President| ProjectManagementAdvisor.com Bellevue, Wa, United States
Right-size the team player requirement. Is it because it's not fitting your definition of team player or because it's causing stress on the project? If the team member is being disruptive then you have no choice but to address it otherwise the rest of the team will disrespect you. It could be that the team member just wants to be heard and doesn't feel like he/she is being listened to.
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Vincent Guerard Coach - Trainer - Speaker - Advisor| Freelance Mont-Royal, Quebec, Canada
Not a team player? Not involve or playing against the team spirit?
A SME, is often not a team member.
Does the ressources need be a team player?
Build the team, then it will be the choice of the ressources not to be in the team!
If not disruptive, can you work with that?
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1 reply by JONATHAN DONADO
Apr 25, 2017 11:47 PM
JONATHAN DONADO
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Great questions! Thanks
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JONATHAN DONADO
Apr 24, 2017 2:26 PM
Replying to Sungjoon Park
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1. Words of "key piece" in your statements should be clarified further.
2. I would not make any decisions against effective team building.
Subject Matter Expert or someone who has a technical knowledge that others in the team do not have.

Let me know if you need more clarifications.

Thanks!
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1 reply by Sungjoon Park
Apr 26, 2017 5:32 PM
Sungjoon Park
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Thank you for your further clarification. As I commented earlier, effective team building is one of the most important factors to deliver the defined goals of project. If someone destroys the team spirits I don't recommend you to keep him in the team regardless of his/her technical capabilities unless otherwise he or she should be assigned as per the contract or by the senior management. You may find a better team player out there and it will help the team successfully complete the project in the long run.
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JONATHAN DONADO
Apr 24, 2017 10:15 PM
Replying to Vincent Guerard
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Not a team player? Not involve or playing against the team spirit?
A SME, is often not a team member.
Does the ressources need be a team player?
Build the team, then it will be the choice of the ressources not to be in the team!
If not disruptive, can you work with that?
Great questions! Thanks
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Deepesh Rammoorthy ICT Project Manager ( PMP®AgilePM®Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®))| Australian Red Cross Blood Service Tarneit, Vic, Australia
Maslow's Hierarchy of needs may give pointers to where in the pyramid this person fits and what would motivate them to perform better and become a more supportive participant .
I would also read up books or articles on Conversational Intelligence which touches on how can "WE " work together
Off course Emotional Intelligence can also help on how "I can work with this person" . A combination of both may provide value
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Mike Dewing Senior Project Manager / Program Manager| MLD Holdings Ltd. Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Sounds like an honest and open conversation is needed.
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