Your team is facing resource constraints. How can you keep them motivated and productive?

Identify Essentials: First, I list all project tasks and determine which ones are crucial for the product’s success. Focus on Impact: I concentrate our limited resources on these key tasks. Simplify or Pause: Less critical tasks are either simplified or put on hold. Boost Team Morale: By focusing on priorities, we achieve visible progress, keeping the team motivated. For example, during a project at Instaaastro, we had limited resources. We focused on key features first, which led to a successful launch and boosted team morale.

To reward employees successfully, it can be said that organizations should focus on rewarding performance and organizational achievements, and rewards should be supported by a word of appreciation for the individual. In prioritization, select tasks on the basis of their relevance to goals and objectives, analyze their importance and urgency, assign tasks with high importance, and allocate resources accordingly.

I start by applauding the efforts of each team member, giving accolades were necessary and ensuring that every one on the team sees themselves as a valuable player on the team. Next is to ensure that tasks and features to be built are prioritized in other of utmost importance, so the limited resources can be utilized for this.

1. Prioritize (as team + stakeholders) what really matters and cut everything that doesn't. 2. Make prioritization transparent and the reasons for the coices. 3. Protect the Product Engineering Team from noise. 4. Celebrate the wins, acknowledge the loses and solve the rootcause. 5. Make sure everyone wants to get it done (intrinsic or extrinsic) motivation. More often then not, a Team is happy to go the extra mile with the right goals and rewards. P.S make sure resource constraints vs expectations are not the "default" problem.

When resources become tight, it's time to get very focused and strategic. We regrouped to evaluated our project requirements, identifying the features and components that were critical to our product's success, and made tough decisions on where to focus our efforts - temporarily shelving less critical projects. Prioritization proved (again) to be the most powerful tool for navigating resource challenges and keeping teams driven. By concentrating on what mattered most, we made tangible progress despite the constraints, which kept the team motivated and engaged.

Value Creative Input: Show that you appreciate and consider all ideas. This boosts morale and encourages everyone to contribute. Think Outside the Box: Challenge your team to explore unconventional solutions, like using alternative materials or simplifying processes. Redesign with Constraints: Sometimes, constraints push us to reimagine our product designs, making them more efficient and resourceful. For example, when I led a project with a limited budget, we reimagined our product using cost-effective materials, which not only saved money but also led to a more sustainable design. This approach increased team motivation and productivity, proving that constraints can indeed spark innovation.

As cliché as it sounds, when we have grappled with resource limitations, encouraging 'outside the box' thinking has led to innovative approaches, sidestepping our constraints. We've even gone so far as to reimagine our product's design to better fit the resources we had. Not everything can be gold - but by valuing and implementing the team's creative ideas, they felt empowered to solve problems and make a real impact despite the challenges we faced.

Hemos de ser claros y francos con el equipo en todo lo que respecta a la ejecución del proyecto, en especial con las limitaciones, bien sean de partida o sobrevenidas. No debemos ocultarlas ni minusvalorarlas. Debemos exponerlas cuando aparecen e, incluso, tener planes de contingencia si creemos que puedan aparecer.

Be Transparent: Always share the real situation. In my previous project, I made sure everyone knew the challenges we faced. Invite Input: Ask for team ideas on overcoming hurdles. Once, when resources were tight, we brainstormed solutions together, leading to innovative ideas. Encourage Ownership: Involve everyone in decision-making. When my team felt their opinions mattered, they became more committed to our goals. Boost Morale: Open dialogue builds trust and morale. By discussing issues openly, my team stayed motivated and productive, even with limited resources.

With any negative pressure on productivity and/or morale - transparency and input are key. Regular communication to keep teams focused and aligned with strategic goals and getting input on how we could best manage the constraints kept them engaged and motivated. By involving them in the decision-making, I saw not only boosted morale but also some of our most effective solutions implemented with limited resources.

Verbal Praise: A simple "well done" during meetings can boost morale. Personal Acknowledgement: Mention individual achievements publicly. Small Celebrations: Celebrate even minor milestones; it shows progress. Formal Rewards: Consider awards or incentives to highlight exceptional work. For instance, in my role at Instaaastro, I often praised my team for their dedication, which significantly increased their motivation and productivity. Appreciation makes people feel valued, driving them to maintain high performance.

Esta flexibilidad ha de ser una característica del equipo que hemos de asegurar que se posee desde la propia constitución del mismo. Es decir, los miembros del equipo han de tener esta capacidad, si no en todos, al menos en la mayoría y, desde luego, ha de estar presente en el manager del equipo.

Ownership Drives Investment: When team members are in charge of specific tasks, they care more about the outcomes. Proactive Approach: Responsibility makes them more proactive, ensuring their work is successful despite challenges. Increased Motivation: This sense of ownership boosts motivation and productivity.

Empoderar a los miembros de tu equipo cuando aparecen problemas por limitación de recursos, en mi opinión, ya es tarde. El sentido de la propiedad de su trabajo, el empoderamiento al fin y al cabo, ha de darse desde la fase inicial del proyecto, desde el momento en que se comparte el alcance del mismo. El equipo nacerá motivado y más productivo, y capaz de afrontar los problemas que vayan apareciendo a lo largo de la ejecución del proyecto.