There is loads of advice out there regarding Project Management Process & documentation but here are some of my takes on building effective relationships & Teams, some may be obvious & others less so:-

1) Don’t play email tennis. We’ve all seen those boring long winded email chains copying the world & his wife on a topic of disagreement. Nip it in the bud at the first opportunity by picking up the phone & discussing it directly. Even better have a face to face. You will get a better understanding of the other parties perspective & in the vast majority of cases be able to reach a compromise without either party ‘losing face’ 

Also remember it may be you who has to revise their opinion on something – this is not a sign of weakness but strength – to be able to assimilate a different point of view & accept it for the overall benefit of the project..

2) Don’t embarass colleagues in a Team Meeting by highlighting an error they have made. Discuss offline with the colleague & seek solutions rather than blame. This can then be presented in subsequent meeting as ‘we mitigated the risk by doing x,y & z – Note the emphasis on We.

3) Give credit where its due highlighting the positive impact of an action & by expressing gratitude to the person responsible. Don’t try to take credit for the actions of other – you will negatively impact the Team & destroy your own credibility.

4) Own up to your own mistakes – we are all human & this will encourage others to do the same.

5) Be prpared to deliver bad news to stakeholders – however, before doing so always prepare a Contingency Plan highlighting Risk Mitigation. No one wants to hear a key milestone is going to be missed without knowing there is a back up plan in place which keeps the overalll plan on track.

6) Protect the Team by being the first point of contact for key stakeholders minimising the impact of organizational politics.

7) For Technical issues always consult the experts – don’t pretend you know everything – you don’t.

8) Celebrate success – there are always plenty of of challenges in any project so make the most of the high points !

Any other suggestions – please comment.

Chris@amberhill.biz

www.amberhill.biz