Everybody on Project Team is the Project Manager

When I started my first software development company (It was SoftroniX in 1995), I had to start everything from scratch. I did not know much about the Project Management. I did not have skills and managing a firm. I knew almost nothing about keeping accounts and running a company.

I was thriving to be an entrepreneur and thats all. During last 13 years, I have worked in many in-house, offshore and international projects and handled varieties of situations in project management.

When you start a new project, most of the firms don't clearly designate roles and responsibilities among project members. Most of the projects fail when team members don't understand their role in the project. Project activities should be assigned to each of project members and let them know that they are accountable for those activities.

Clear accountability is important, specially when firm is undertaking large, complex and multi-stakeholder projects. Each and every member of the project should be accountable to the activities they are assigned and they should be project manager for their own. One of the reasons of project success is the feeling of responsibility and accountability of project members to their tasks assigned.

What do you do to make project members realize accountable to their job?

I suggest to assign the tasks in writings. First divide the project into logical parts and describe each part in detail. I know, this is the most challenging job and we end up with abstract division of project. Don't be lazy at all, learn to be precise to details. Project members always try to stick with the points listed in the documents given to them. So be specific and describe in much details where ever needed.

Clearly assign name of the team member who is accountable for that part of the project and mark the project milestones. Never assign a task open ended. In many firms, I have seen that Project managers get documents signed by the members. You will see team members perform in more responsible and accountable manner if you assign their name against each task. If their roles and accountability is clearly defined, they will be able to focus more on their assigned tasks. They will not have to do research on the problems by themselves and project goes smoothly.

I am sure, most of the team members may feel this approach more strict, but believe me, with this you will improve the project output comparatively much better. To make team members more comfortable with the project and tasks assigned to them, involve them in project design, time estimations, dividing the project into modules, feedback on project problems, critical problem areas etc. If they are asked for their suggestions, they feel more relaxed and feel more accountable to what they are assigned.

Make each of team members feel themselves the Project Manager for their job regardless of the project size and duration.

If you enjoyed reading my posts, then please Click Here to Subscribe to my RSS feed.