The right way to finish a project

The final stage in the life cycle of a project is the phase-out, during which your team completes its work. If all went as planned, it’s time to celebrate. But if you (more likely) hit some rough spots along the way — say, the project ran past deadline or exceeded the budget — it’s still important to recognize the team’s efforts and accomplishments. Before the team moves on to other projects, debrief and document the process together so that lessons learned can be shared. Conduct a post-project evaluation — one last meeting to identify what went well and what went wrong. Make a list of best practices to help future projects go more smoothly. Discuss how to improve the process and avoid problems during the next project. Since people can lose perspective after working so closely together, consider bringing in an outside facilitator to objectively assess the information.

(Adapted from Managing Projects, from the 20-Minute Manager series)

Stay motivated

Some bosses just aren’t that inspiring. The good news is you can motivate yourself to stay on top of your goals and improve your skills. But you have to know what drives you personally and professionally. Ask yourself: When was the last time I felt a sense of purpose at work? What made that happen? Then make a career plan to help you track your projects and results and set goals for your own development. Some of these might align with your role, but others can focus on learning and exploring interests outside of your job description. Evaluate your own performance and ask for feedback. You can get feedback directly by asking your boss, “How did you think the meeting went? Is there anything I should do differently next time?” You can also look for support elsewhere. Find mentors within your company to give guidance and perspective.

(Adapted from How to Motivate Yourself When Your Boss Doesn’t, by Julie Mosow)

Not let group dynamic quash critical thinking

People often censor themselves when working in groups because they don’t want to be punished for voicing an opinion that differs from everyone else’s. Leaders sometimes even promote this self-censorship by expressing their own views early on. (People don’t like challenging the boss.) So you need to show that you’re willing to hear different perspectives and disagreements. Try not to take a firm position at the outset to make space for more discussion and debate. And encourage critical thinking as soon as your group comes together so members will be more willing to contribute and less likely to keep silent. If people still aren’t participating, try restructuring incentives to reward group success. People will be more likely to jump in if they know that they have something to gain from a good group decision.

(Adapted from Making Dumb Groups Smarter, by Cass R. Sunstein and Reid Hastie)

Use better metaphors

If you’re trying to engage an audience, using well-chosen metaphors can offer a shortcut to understanding. You just have to pick the right ones. Dig for connections that make an idea clearer in your mind. The brighter the idea shines for you, the more likely it is to resonate with your audience. Very few people, if any, can come up with a brilliant metaphor on the first try. Brainstorm some ideas. Write down obvious choices right away to get them out of your head and to make room for more creative ones. For example, to illustrate partnership, steer clear of the cliché handshake in front of a globe, and go for something like a photo of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. To illustrate a goal, avoid the bull’s-eye and opt for something more unique, like a maze. The more unusual the metaphor, the more it’ll stand out in people’s minds.

(Adapted from Finding the Right Metaphor for Your Presentation, by Nancy Duarte)

Assign new challenges to keep staff satisfied

Employees don’t just want their skills used, they want them stretched. If your team members are spending a lot of time fixing other peoples’ problems or have become increasingly, but negative, it might be time to make them feel challenged again. The goal is to stretch them, not break them, so offer guidance along the way. Increase the difficulty. Try giving them higher-stakes work that addresses more complex problems and a more diverse set of stakeholders.

Turn them into rookies. Invite people to tackle projects in which they don’t have the full knowledge and skills required. Their comfort zones will expand, and they’ll take pride in mastering new things.

Pivot them to a new problem. Have people point their existing expertise at new problems.

(Adapted from An Easy Way to Make Your Employees Happier, by Liz Wiseman)

Published in Dawn, Economic & Business, February 23rd, 2015

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