The challenges in daily Project Management are diverse, and today I would like to talk about taking over the management of an existing team.
Successful transition into the Project Management role in a company where running projects exist, requires forethought, prioritizing relationship-building and planning.
The following presentation will describe all the important steps that should be considered and approaches detailed subjects of interest with the scope of smoothing the takeover plan and driving success to the new leader.
Presentation topics :
- Get to know the team :
- Managers meeting
- Meet the entire team
- One on one meeting
- Understand the projects.
- Company overview.
- Taking hold of the team and projects.
- Vision about performance.
- Project calendar example
In hope this presentation is educational and will add value to all PM's interested, I wish you all the best.
Robert Nemeti
2. Introduction :
The following presentation represents a personal vision, not synchronized
with the corporate company vision.
Taking over the management of an existing team :
Successful transition into the P.M. role in a company where running
projects exist, requires forethought, prioritizing relationship-building
and planning.
“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself.
When you become a leader, success is all about growing
others.”
Jack Welck
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3. Presentation topics :
Get to know the team :
Managers meeting
Meet the entire team
One on one meeting
Understand the projects.
Company overview.
Taking hold of the team and projects.
Vision about performance.
Project calendar.
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4. 3. One on one meetings :2. Meet the entire team :
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Have people share their best
and worst team experiences.
(curiosity about the team
experience).
Tell team members what you
know. (Model transparency)
Clarify that you are a team
member not an evaluator.
Explain your vision.
Get the existing manager’s
perspective.
Understand your manager’s
expectations for your team.
Brief look over existing
assessments.
New tasks, responsibilities and
projects
Listen and learn.
Establishing a personal
relationship which is the basis
for building trust and credibility
Get to know the team:
1. Managers meeting :
5. 1. Managers meeting :
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Get the manager’s perspective:
Strengths and weaknesses of the team as a whole?
Strengths and weaknesses of individuals?
Current goals?
Obstacles to success?
Key players in other departments/teams?
Advice to you as the new manager?
Understand manager’s expectations for the team:
What does the managers see as working well and not working well for the
team?
What are the challenges?
How does the team interact with each other?
How does the team interact with other functions in the organization?
Brief look over existing assessments:
While this information is valuable, it will not influence own perception and
opinions about team members.
6. 1. Managers meeting :
6
Understand manager’s expectations for the PM role :
Expectations in terms of involvement
Deliverables
What kind of culture he should grow
etc.
7. 2. Meet the entire team :
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Have people share their best and worst team experiences.
(curiosity about the team experience). The challenges they have faced and what
concerns they have. By understanding what they have experienced, you develop a
more complete picture of the issues that you and your team will need to address
to move forward.
Tell team members what you know.
(Model transparency). Talk about need to know information's from previous
meeting and start creating a connection.
Clarify that you are a team member not an evaluator.
The days when managers could lead from a position of command and control are
over. In today’s high-performing teams, employees must take ownership of their
performance and act on their own to improve their capabilities. Managers
become coaches, rather than evaluators.
Explain your vision.
8. 3. One on one meetings :
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Mission:
Listen and learn.
Establishing a personal relationship which is the basis for building trust and
credibility
Discussion topics and questions :
Tell me about yourself?
What is your background, work experience, and experience with this team?
Tell me about the projects you are currently working on?
What do you see as the team’s challenges?
Any ideas or suggestions on improvements for the team?
What challenges do you face every day?
What is most frustrating about your role?
What areas of your role, or the organization, do you wish you knew more
about?
What skills or additional training would help you work more productively or
effectively?
If you were suddenly the team manager, what would your first, second and
third priorities be?
What are your longer, intermediate and short-term goals?
What support do you want from me as your manager?
9. 4. Understand the projects :
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Pre-Project takeover study:
Understand project objectives
Understand goals
Project sub-phases
Individual and team tasks
Resources
Budget on every project.
Schedule
Meet the stakeholders.
Get to know the projects & company :
5. Company overview:
Strategic reviews
Review cost centers
Concentrate looking for the rising stars in the team.
10. 4. Understand the projects :
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Pre-Project takeover study: Hand over project documentations, read and
understand documentation very well. (Business case documents, Contracts and
Agreements, Project Scope, project plan and stakeholder analysis, procurements
documents, project log and reports).
Understand project objectives and goals : Review and Analysis Performance
reports, Status report, progress report.
Resources and budget on every project. Review and Analysis Financial
documents, payments and Collections and bills and any commitments.
Meet the stakeholders: and figure if there are any pints to focus through take
over project
Prepare a hand over report and this report to include:
List of project documents you got from all parties.
Identify exactly what is done in project.
Clarify if the project behind the schedule budget or scope.
Identify any new risk or potential change request you discover through
take –over project.
11. 5. Company overview:
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Review strategic, financial, marketing, and industry reports.
Review cost centers: P&L, CAPEX, expenses against cost center,
Concentrate looking for the rising stars in the team.
12. 6. Taking hold of the team and projects:
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Period between 30 to 60 days.
Work with customers to define product direction.
Work with team to complete project strategy
Search for features that matter to customers together with the team.
13. 7. Vision about performance :
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Compensation decisions should be based on :
the critical nature of an employee’s skills,
the cost of replacing them,
their value to customers,
and the external labor market.
The team performance is driven by
personnel skill, attitude, customer empathy
- and by their ability to innovate and drive
change by working through teams.
These skills must be built over time, and
successful performance management must
be focused on constantly developing these
capabilities rather than ranking them at a
moment in time.
In today’s high-performing teams,
employees must take ownership of their
performance and act on their own to
improve their capabilities.
Managers become coaches, rather than
evaluators.
A critical feature of the new “coaching and
development” model of performance
management is separating feedback
provided to employees from compensation
decisions.