4 Tips to Help Improve Teamwork in Project Management While your skills as a project manager are vital to enjoying a successful outcome for projects, you can’t go it alone. You need a team. What’s more, you need a team that knows it’s a team and with members who are not only willing but able to work together to create better results, stay on schedule and within scope for the project. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but here are some important tips to help you maximize teamwork. Understand the Importance of Input Your team members are part of the project for a reason. They all bring unique skills, outlooks and abilities to the table. That means that when they have something to say, you need to pay attention. While not all input will be earthshaking advice that must be acted on immediately, there’s value in almost all information from your team members. What’s more, there’s no faster way to destroy the feeling of being part of a team than by having your input dismissed out of hand. Make sure that you show appreciation and never discount someone’s idea out of hand. In order to create an effective team that works well together, all members need to feel valuable. You can encourage that feeling of being valued by encouraging your team to share ideas and thoughts (you’ll also find that taking input encourages team members to be more open later on, too). Make Wise Choices from the Beginning If you’re given any control over the selection of those who form your team, make sure that you make wise choices from the outset. This will require some effort and research on your part, even if you’re just choosing from a list of candidates provided by management. It’s best to make team selection a formal process, including an interview, in order to ensure that you really are building an effective team that can work well together, share ideas and be accountable for their actions. Recognize When Training Is Needed Training throughout a project may well be a necessity, particularly if you bring in unfamiliar software for communication and productivity. Make sure that you are not only aware of this fact, but actively dedicated to ensuring that your team members receive any training needed as soon as possible. A well-trained team is far more effective and capable of achieving your project’s goals than one that is fumbling for their footing. If necessary, assign mentors to your team members – this can encourage leadership and teamwork, but also ensure accurate training and education. Share the Vision with Them Part of building an effective team is ensuring that everyone is on the same page. It can be easy for each team member to become caught up with their own specific tasks and lose sight of the large objectives. Make sure that each team member shares the vision of the project, as well as how their specific tasks lead to achieving those goals in the long term. source:internet
