Yet Another Project Team Meeting

Is anything going to get done!

A friend of mine is involved in a large project for her company. She called me the other night exasperated about a recent team meeting (“Yet another one!” she shouted). The project she was involved in was started three months ago. Since then she has been in meetings three times a week. That’s right…three times a week for the last three months. No wonder she is so upset!

When I asked how come so many meetings; she told me that the project manager was a “newbie” at the company and she believed that he was nervous about being assigned such a large project and wanted to be sure everyone stayed on track. He was, effectively, micromanaging everyone on the project.  His meetings basically took the form of asking all team members exactly what they were working on, how they were doing it, and when it would be done. Additionally, the other team members were constantly complaining to her about the situation. My friend has been involved in a variety of strategic projects at the organization – both in project management roles and also as a member of a larger team. Therefore, she had a lot of credibility in the organization and with the other team members.

She asked my advice on how to fix the situation. I told her to take the following steps to help out the project manager:

1. Meet with him in person to discuss the situation and the input it was having on the team members, and likely would have on the project.
2. Provide him suggestions/ideas on more appropriate ways to manage the team and schedule status meetings. Offer him ways that he can increase him confidence in the team so that he doesn’t feel he has to micromanage them. (Note that she has worked with every team member in the past and therefore can provide him insight into the team members that will help increase his comfort level.)
3. Offer to help him manage the project “behind the scenes.” He’ll still get all the glory but can learn from my friend’s experience within the company.

Certainly if none of this works and the situation doesn’t change she’ll have to go in another direction. This may mean going to the project sponsor or a member of the management team to discuss the impact this project manager was having on the project and the project team. However – no need to go there yet. Let’s give the guy a chance to figure it out.

Your thoughts? What would you advise? Please share in the Comments field below. Thanks!