You might have heard of the term "risk management". In project management, risks are a given, yet they can be prevented and avoided with proper planning. But, what if the risk turns out to be, uh, you? If you become involved in a project with other people, of course you don't want to be the one causing problems, right?
Here are 5 things you should NOT do so you won't end up being the "weakest link":
1. Keep to yourself.
One element that always stands out as the most crucial to any project's success is adequate and timely communication. Especially when a project involves many people, you have to deal with varying schedules, limitations, capabilities, levels of commitment, etc. Regularly communicating plans, requirements, timelines, updates, problems, milestones, feedback, among other must-know info helps keep the team on track and synchronized. If you don't participate in the efforts to keep everyone informed and coordinated, then you are only making things hard, not just for others, but also for yourself.
2. Assume without asking first.
Usually, risks and problems happen because people don't ask the questions that should be asked at the time they have to do so. Each team member in a project have specific roles to play and things to contribute. If it's not clear who can do what, all you need to do is ask. Don't assume what people can do based on your own understanding of what they're supposed to do. In the same way, don't let others make their own assumptions about what you're supposed to bring to the table. When they do, it's only because you were not clear and you did not explain yourself anyway. Again -- communicate!
3. Make promises you can't keep.
I've just finished contributing to a project that took forever (it seems) to get figured out and done. I only recently learned that the delays and general haziness around that project were caused by two people who made promises they couldn't keep. Their self-centeredness not only greatly inconvenienced others, but also caused the project to almost fail entirely. Here's my advice: be a team player; take your ego out of the equation. Every person has limitations and weaknesses. It will help your colleagues, the project, and yourself to immediately be upfront about what you can and cannot do.
4. Be vague.
Don't expect people to understand or know what you mean if you're sparse with details and don't give any further explanation. Overcommunicate to ensure that there is clear and coordinated understanding among everyone involved.
5. Be inconsiderate.
In a way, this sums up everything I've written here. "There is no 'i' in 'team'" -- funny but true. A good team player is not the one who does things the best, rather it is the person who can do his/her part in sync with and in support of the rest of the team.
Here are 5 things you should NOT do so you won't end up being the "weakest link":
1. Keep to yourself.
One element that always stands out as the most crucial to any project's success is adequate and timely communication. Especially when a project involves many people, you have to deal with varying schedules, limitations, capabilities, levels of commitment, etc. Regularly communicating plans, requirements, timelines, updates, problems, milestones, feedback, among other must-know info helps keep the team on track and synchronized. If you don't participate in the efforts to keep everyone informed and coordinated, then you are only making things hard, not just for others, but also for yourself.
2. Assume without asking first.
Usually, risks and problems happen because people don't ask the questions that should be asked at the time they have to do so. Each team member in a project have specific roles to play and things to contribute. If it's not clear who can do what, all you need to do is ask. Don't assume what people can do based on your own understanding of what they're supposed to do. In the same way, don't let others make their own assumptions about what you're supposed to bring to the table. When they do, it's only because you were not clear and you did not explain yourself anyway. Again -- communicate!
3. Make promises you can't keep.
I've just finished contributing to a project that took forever (it seems) to get figured out and done. I only recently learned that the delays and general haziness around that project were caused by two people who made promises they couldn't keep. Their self-centeredness not only greatly inconvenienced others, but also caused the project to almost fail entirely. Here's my advice: be a team player; take your ego out of the equation. Every person has limitations and weaknesses. It will help your colleagues, the project, and yourself to immediately be upfront about what you can and cannot do.
4. Be vague.
Don't expect people to understand or know what you mean if you're sparse with details and don't give any further explanation. Overcommunicate to ensure that there is clear and coordinated understanding among everyone involved.
5. Be inconsiderate.
In a way, this sums up everything I've written here. "There is no 'i' in 'team'" -- funny but true. A good team player is not the one who does things the best, rather it is the person who can do his/her part in sync with and in support of the rest of the team.
No comments:
Post a Comment