« Managing Projects, Vendors, and Ulcers
Project Management Lack of Detail »

Roles And Responsibilities Are Not Spelled Out - Project Management Mistake # 4

August 16, 2008 | Author: PM Hut | Filed under: Team Building

Roles And Responsibilities Are Not Spelled Out - Project Management Mistake # 4 (#4 in the series 15 Deadly Project Management Mistakes Government Agencies Make Which Cost Them Revenue, Time & Efficiency)
By Keith Mathis - PM Expert Live

Many projects are hurt because the team members are unaware of their roles and responsibilities. This comes about due to a number of reasons. Foolishly, project managers and sponsors think that their team should already know which role they are fulfilling. When roles and responsibilities are not explained, we are leaving this understanding up to the individual team member. When this happens, they are going to miss the mark and function in a role which is not consistent with a project manager’s outcome. When they do not perform as desired, there is frustration and anxiety. Let’s examine the most common reasons roles and responsibilities are not fulfilled.

Misunderstanding of role

Project team members work on a number of project teams. On some of the teams they are expected to be more influential in the manner of interaction, while on other teams they are expected to function in a supportive nature. Making sure the roles and responsibilities are discussed in the early stages of a team meeting will reduce these frustrations and cause the team member to engage in a manner which is desirable.

Being placed in a role which is out of one’s expertise

Team members are expected to walk on water, if needed. This causes many of them to take on jobs within the project team which are out of their comfort zone and expertise. What you will notice is many of the team members are wonderful people, and they will try anything the project sponsor or manager desires. However, if we really want success in these new roles, one should make sure you are providing education to expand their skill set and then put these new skills into practice.

Explaining where they can get information and help

Working on a team requires accountability. Project managers are assuming the individuals know where to get the needed help and assistance. They think that if they do not know, they should just ask. For some team members, they are assertive and confident enough to do this when needed. But what about the non-assertive team member? What about the quiet team member? There are times when a team member is not sure what to do and where to get help when problems arise. Project managers can reduce a great deal of stress and encourage their team in a powerful way if they will give direction on where they can get questions answered and help on their assignments.

In closing, if you desire for your team to take on more in the project, take steps to equip them with the correct skills and provide them support on how to solve their problems.

Dr. Keith Mathis, founder and CEO of The Mathis Group, specializes in Project Management, Management Leadership, and Marketing training for private businesses and government agencies of all kinds. He offers 33 Project Management courses, is a Project Management Professional, is certified by the Project Management Institute and will customize every training session to your individual company’s needs. The Mathis Group also sponsors www.pmexpertlive.com, which is a powerful project management resource with free reports, podcasts, videos, and a monthly newsletter. He also offers customized management training and coaching on any subject with prolific communication and professionalism.

Share this article:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Google
  • blogmarks
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • TwitThis
  • Yahoo! Buzz

Related Articles

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 16th, 2008 and is filed under Team Building. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

No comments yet.

feel free to leave a comment

Comment Guidelines: Basic XHTML is allowed (a href, strong, em, code). All line breaks and paragraphs are automatically generated. Off-topic or inappropriate comments will be edited or deleted. Email addresses will never be published. Keep it PG-13 people!

XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

All fields marked with " * " are required.

Project Management Categories