Ask and You Shall Receive
This week, I set out to practice what I preach on the PM Mindset episode # 8 - Be Curious Take 2 and scheduled time with each project team member. I asked, "What am I doing that is working and what am I doing that is not working."
They’re busy. I am busy, but that is exactly the reason to ask.
Learning what is helpful makes darn sure that is my priority.
Learning what is not helpful gives me a chance to adjust.
Asking, listening and receiving the team's feedback offers the opportunity to create a better experience for all of us. Here is what I learned:
What’s working?
Providing consistent, timely and relevant project information around our top priorities was valued the most. As a team we are responsible for many ongoing projects related to our client's web properties. There are so many moving parts and pieces in various stages (I bet you can relate). To help guide our focus, I create a weekly email delivered to the team Monday mornings prior to our touch base meeting (which also serves as our agenda). It contains:
Short list of upcoming key milestones - not ALL of our milestones but the most timely and relevant ones the team needs to know about this week. Keeping the list short is key.
The week's priority by individual, color coded for easy scanning with the deadline and a link for quick access to the project tool where they will find all the details.
That's it. Seems simple because it is. To help stay on top of it, I create a copy of the project priority list each week and work it as I go. Then Friday afternoon I go through and make sure the project tasks and details are updated in the tool, add the links to the email and off it goes.
What isn’t working?
To receive this information, it was critical for me to acknowledge my ego, if you haven't met her, her name is Franny, you can Iearn more about the ego's interference in feedback in this PM Mindset video. I first acknowledged that Franny might receive some information that would make her feel unsafe, unloved, unsuccessful, unwhatever so I assured her we are safe then told her to take a back seat because growing isn't always comfortable (in fact it rarely is). The thing is I am WAY more interested in getting better than I am about making sure good ole' Franny is loved and protected so sit down Franny. Here we go, deep breath, face-to-face I asked, "What I am doing that is not working for you?"
Kudos to my team! Everyone stepped up, made the time and delivered thoughtful feedback in a respectful manner! Boy, does that make a difference.
Here is what I heard….In my race to the finish line, I was delivering directives rather than opening the door to creative solutioning.
This is where Franny pipes in, I am a MAXIMIZER, my PM style is to get 'er done and the team is slammed right now. By being short, concise and getting out of the way, I thought I was being helpful. I hear you Franny…..it's all good…. back of the bus please.
Once Franny sat down, I asked, “Tell me more.” I heard, and then understood, these short and to-the-point assignments made some team members feel undervalued. It appeared that I was simply assigning them tasks, no thinking required and they LOVE the thinking part. So, I was unknowingly taking away the fun part of the job. Plus, these smart individuals I have the privilege of working with are THE experts, that is why they are on the team so we will all benefit from less directives and deeper engagement.
With this new insight, we made a plan that I would start the assignments with a short background on the problem we need to solve, they would in turn, communicate any capacity concerns with delivering in a timely manner.
I also heard that I should NEVER EVER skip a quality check before moving to the next step. That was both valued and imperative. Noted!
Moving Forward
These important conversations are already inspiring positive change and helping us to grow together as a team.
Be brave. Be curious. Be inspired. Go ask your team, “How’s it going?” then really listen to what they have to tell you.