Everyone loves a good project! Particularly with projects that are short and sweet, team members can feel a real sense of accomplishment. This contrasts daily work routines, which may feel repetitive and never-ending. When a project is planned out to last a year or more, however, a sense of project fatigue may set in amongst the project team. It is no surprise that engaged and motivated team members perform their work more efficiently and effectively. One key component of a project manager’s (PM’s) job is to keep their team motivated throughout the project lifecycle. Below are a few areas of focus that will help PMs drive their teams to success.
Co-workers “high-fiving” over a computer
Keep the team focused on the value of the final goal
As a team works through the daily activities of a project, they may begin to forget why they are doing all this work. Strong PMs will consistently remind their team of the path to the final goal. They help their teams understand the importance of each task, large or small, and how each is integral to the project’s success. Below are a few ways to keep teams focused on the end goal:
At the beginning of each team meeting, relay a short reminder of the final goal and its importance to the organization.
If there is a visible team Kanban or dashboard, post fun pictures or phrases that remind the team of the project’s importance.
Establish a project-end celebration plan that the team can look forward to. Use this celebration at the end of the project to honor the team’s success, bring closure to the work and help set a tone of success and accomplishment in achieving these long-term goals that the team can carry into future projects.
Make sure meetings add value to the project
Especially during long projects, establishing an appropriate and intentional meeting culture is essential. There are only three reasons for a meeting:
To solve a problem
To relay information
To provide coaching or feedback
If the agenda of your meeting doesn’t address one of these three goals, you need to rethink the need for the meeting.
When planning a meeting agenda, one of the most important items to consider is whether the agenda can realistically be accomplished in the time allotted. Prior to the meeting, the PM should estimate how long it will take to run through each agenda item. If the entire agenda cannot be accomplished during the allotted time, the PM should make necessary adjustments. The best solution is rarely to create a longer meeting. Instead, a PM should consider how to adjust the agenda to prioritize crucial topics and delay less urgent ones. The PM may also want to consider whether the topics need to be relayed in a meeting, or if some information could be successfully delivered asynchronously.
One major mishap that happens across many teams is over-scheduling meetings. Especially as the project moves forward, it is important for the PM to be thoughtful regarding who they invite to the meetings. As they prepare a list of meeting invitees, the PM should consider each team member, does the person need to be present to help make a decision? Is it important for them to give or receive information? If the answer to either of these questions is no, this stakeholder most likely doesn’t need to attend this meeting. Being thoughtful and respectful of team members’ time can boost morale and productivity.
Once the meeting starts, it is key for the PM to keep the team on track. The goal is to efficiently progress through all items on the agenda. Team members can easily get off track discussing technical details and providing input for decision making. It is the PM’s responsibility to help the team pivot away from those sidetracked moments, without squashing the team’s motivation. Using phrases like, “These are great ideas, let’s put them in the parking lot for future agendas” can be helpful; the PM should also ensure they have a system for tracking items that the team would like to circle back to for future discussion to ensure trust from the team.
In the end, the team should leave the meeting on time, feeling confident that all perspectives were heard, confident that their time was not wasted. This small sense of accomplishment in regular team meetings will help keep the team motivated.
Keep communications well planned and executed
It is important for PMs not to over- or under-communicate to their stakeholders. A stakeholder register and communication plan are two effective tools to help PMs plan their communication strategy. A stakeholder register is an important starting point, as it defines all the stakeholders for a particular project, including their involvement, interest, influence, and communication preferences. From there, a project’s communication plan defines what information will be shared – or not shared – with each stakeholder.
The communication plan also lays out what channels or modes of communication will be used to disseminate different types of information. This helps set expectations for team members so they know what information will be flowing their way. If stakeholders know information they will be receiving has already been identified as important to their role in the project, they will be more engaged with said information.
Communication should be clear and concise, using the mode outlined in the communication plan. What are the key points that need to be relayed? It may be appropriate to relay meeting notes and action items in a summary email or a shared SharePoint or Teams site. Notes should be clear and not subject to misinterpretation, nor should they be overly detailed. Put bluntly, meeting notes should get to the point. The reader should feel informed and prepared for the next step of the project.
Ensure team members feel a sense of belonging and inclusion along the way
Project stakeholders should always feel comfortable voicing their ideas and concerns. It is a PM’s responsibility to ensure stakeholder feedback is actively solicited and that stakeholders feel heard. Of course, not all feedback can be acted upon, but team members should never feel like their ideas were shared in vain. You never know what great idea could accelerate project delivery or improve quality, and you want to make sure that your team members keep the creativity flowing.
It is also important to consistently inform the team when changes or adjustments are made to the project plan. Transparently sharing the rationale for project changes can help make stakeholders feel included and motivated to keep going. Not everyone will always agree with adjustments, but they will likely appreciate being informed. It also ensures all team members are working off the same set of assumptions.
Finally, be sure to celebrate small achievements along the way. Set milestones for the team and take time to show appreciation for all the effort being put in to achieve the project’s end goal. By celebrating small wins along the way, the team is reminded that, even if they haven’t hit the final goal yet, their accomplishments are truly valued.
Motivation across a long period of time naturally ebbs and flows. The tools and strategies described in this article won’t completely erase times of low motivation across project teams, but by using them, a PM can help avoid sustained lulls and drive teams towards achievement of their end goals.
