Making Sure They Connect

As a project lead, probably my most important job is simply to make sure people are talking to each other. I've found that it's best to treat this as normal business: no hysterics, no beating people up, just simple, 'have you talked with so-n-so?'. Since project leads have the big picture of a project, they tend to have a good idea of who to talk to.

Here are some reasons people get stuck:

• They don't know who to talk to.
• They believe their part is done. We get stuck in our own little world and forget systems have pieces that need to come together.
• They sent an email and didn't hear anything back. We rely on this one too often.
• They have bad information. Someone told them why it doesn't work and their waiting for a fix, when in fact it's not the reason they were given.
• They don't have the power to speed things up. This is where the project lead comes in. Sometimes a word from the lead or escalation, and things get moving
• They get lost in the weeds - too many things going on, and they drop the ball. Just need a reminder or some quick help.

So to help, the lead needs to start with a status question. If it isn't moving, then ask, who have you talked to, or who are you waiting on. Simple follow the lines of communication.

These issues are amplified on virtual work teams and project leads needs to be more diligent on this issue. It would be nice if everyone would follow through, but often times reality is something else.

So, make sure they connect!