Domain People : Task 4 Empower Team Members and Stakeholders
Task 4 Empower team members and stakeholders
-Organize around team strengths
-Support team task accountability
-Evaluate demonstration of task accountability
-Determine and bestow level(s) of decision-making authority
Empowering Team Members and Stakeholders: A Pivotal Task for Project Managers in PMP
In the framework of the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam, one of the critical tasks outlined in the People domain is empowering team members and stakeholders. This task, which holds substantial interrelation with other aspects of project leadership, revolves around creating the right environment for team and stakeholder empowerment.
Creating a Collaborative Environment
The first step in empowering team members and stakeholders is to establish a collaborative environment. This involves cultivating respect, stewardship, and servant leadership, which is all about supporting and caring for team members and stakeholders. A project manager should focus on developing others and exerting a positive influence, enhancing the project’s overall performance.
Organizing Around Team Strengths
To maximize team performance, a project manager must identify and organize work around team strengths. This process involves:
- Conducting team-building activities and assessments to understand each member’s strengths and capabilities.
- Promoting T-shaped professionalism, where team members have deep skills in a particular area but are also capable of contributing in other areas.
- Being flexible in role definitions and avoiding a single point of failure by not relying on one person for a specific task.
Decision-Making Authority
Determining levels of decision-making authority is crucial for empowerment. It involves categorizing decisions based on who should make them – whether it’s an individual team member, the team collectively, the project manager, or higher governance groups. This clarity in decision-making helps in fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility among team members.
Supporting Task Accountability
Task accountability is vital for ensuring that project goals are met. This includes:
- Engaging team members in planning and estimation.
- Establishing clear performance goals at both team and individual levels.
- Regular feedback sessions, retrospectives, and 1-on-1 feedback to promote continuous improvement.
Demonstrating Task Accountability
To display task accountability transparently, project managers can utilize:
- Frequent team meetings and information radiators.
- Open communication channels.
- Tools like team charters, Kanban boards, or Gantt charts, depending on the project management approach (predictive or adaptive).
Balancing Tone and Urgency
Project managers must balance the tone of urgency for business delivery with clarity about accountability. This balance is essential for ensuring that the team understands the importance of meeting stakeholder and client expectations.
Continuous Feedback and Improvement
Continuously providing feedback and facilitating improvement is key. This may involve coaching, mentoring, and facilitating team and individual growth. The feedback process should be constructive, promoting a growth mindset and encouraging team members to take ownership of their tasks and development.
Conclusion
Empowering team members and stakeholders is not a one-time task but a continuous process in project management. It requires a project manager to foster a collaborative environment, identify and utilize team strengths, clarify decision-making authority, support task accountability, and maintain open and regular feedback channels. By focusing on these aspects, project managers can effectively empower their teams and stakeholders, leading to successful project outcomes and enhanced team dynamics.
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