Tough times may have led to a lot of staffing shakeups, plus put a damper on the size and scope of the projects management teams are managing. If your Project Team’s post-recession image needs some polishing, we’ve put together a roadmap to take you into a brighter future.
Reintroduce your team. There’s a good chance at least one of your stakeholder segments doesn’t know who’s who anymore. Take this opportunity to tout each team member’s strengths and skills, and consider scheduling an afternoon meet-and-greet if it fits your organization’s culture. Building stakeholder support is often easier when they know your team as more than just photos on an intranet page.
Advertise recent successes. Projects might have been cut or postponed in the last few years, but you still have a lot of positive news to share. Pull out a few success stories and toot your own horn. Stakeholders are more willing to support new initiatives when they see your Project Team was successful even during the darkest days. Team members will also be buoyed by recalling those challenging objectives they reached.
Outline the road ahead. Even if your Project Team’s schedule isn’t as full as it used to be, it’s important for your team and its stakeholders to be looking forward. Be sure to send regular “what’s on the horizon” news blurbs, and send a quick update when new projects are added.
Clean up your lists. Make a break with what may have been a depressing past and update your distribution and communication lists. Delete anyone who’s no longer on the team and add new members. Update contact information for supporters, end users, and vendors as well. Remember to give some attention to your less formal communication channels, too—bulletin boards, department calendars and emergency contact lists should all be brought up to date.
PMAlliance uses a team of highly experienced and certified professionals to provide project management consulting, project management training and project office development services.
