You're working on a project with a team member who is not following the plan. What's your next move?

I agree with first thing to identify the problem. But what I had seen in my career that the project manager or the section head should be experienced and polished with right practices and sequence of work. The person who is not following the plan could be his short sightedness and focusing the individual work and ignoring the right materials, methodology, coordination, study the work with team including other trades. As a manager to bring things into the plan would require complete work knowledge including materials, drawings, sequence, methodology, equipment and manpower required to do the work can only lead the job on track.

If you are his boss ask him as to why he did he not take you in confidence before deviating from plan !! If the reason is worthwhile share with your team and if not need to motivate and/or discipline the member.

the goal is to address the issue constructively, seeking resolution rather than punishment. Open communication, understanding, and collaboration are essential for maintaining a positive team dynamic and ensuring project success.

As his colleague I will have to have a meeting with him to reiterate the goals and the plans of the project to him to be able to know if he clearly understands it or not

Working on a project with a team member who deviates from the agreed-upon plan can lead to significant challenges, including misaligned objectives, wasted resources, and potential conflicts within the team. Such behavior disrupts the project's workflow, undermines the team's cohesion, and can jeopardize the project's success. Addressing this issue promptly is crucial to realign the team member's actions with the project's goals, ensure efficient use of time and resources, and maintain a harmonious and productive team environment. Open communication, reiterating the project's objectives, and understanding the reasons behind the deviation are key steps in resolving this issue.

Schedule a private meeting with the team member to discuss your concerns. Approach the conversation with a positive and open mindset, focusing on understanding their perspective before providing feedback. Use "I" statements to express how their actions are affecting the project.

The communication should be done step by step: start with active listening. It might that during this phase some problems are already solved. Furthermore confidence from the team member to you might increase. You should clearly formulate what you expect from the team member. If the gap between reality and your expectation is quite high start with small things. Have a next communication where you can hopefully give positive about the small things.

The next step is to communicate effectively with your team member and try to understand why they are not following the plan. Maybe they have a different perspective, a personal issue, a lack of skills, or a misunderstanding of the expectations. You should approach them in a respectful and professional manner, and avoid blaming, accusing, or criticizing them. Instead, use constructive feedback, active listening, and open-ended questions to express your concerns and expectations, and to explore their reasons and motivations.

Initiate a conversation with the team member to understand their perspective. Approach the discussion with an open mind and seek to understand their reasons for not following the plan. Listen actively and ask clarifying questions to get to the root cause of the issue.

The solution for a problem should be a win-win situation for everyone. Win-win negotiation can enable both parties in a discussion to feel that they have made a satisfactory deal, and that neither is the "loser." "Principled negotiation" is a common win-win strategy, devised by Roger Fisher and William Ury, that can help you to negotiate an agreement in a civil way. The technique consists of five stages, or principles: 1. Separate the people from the problem. 2. Focus on interests, not positions. 3. Invent options for mutual gain. 4. Use objective criteria. 5. Know your BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement).

The only solution is TRAINING at first and evaluation at later stage. - System training - Job Specific Training - Procedures Training - Quality Tool Box - Evaluation of implementation - Lesson Learning - Continual Improvement

You could actually act as a stop gap for possible errors that non conformance will be lead to. Set up a system for review. In standard organisations, we have different layers of technical assurance to ensure consistency and that there is no deviation from project requirements. Also, you could assist by providing deviant teammate with copies of documents detailing project requirements for easy access and usage.

Entender por que las cosas no funcionan es el primer paso, luego preguntar cuales son los motivos para alejarse de lo planeado,por ultimo entregar una o varias soluciones de como solucionar el problema y exponerlas ampliamente para que el colaborador tenga varias opciones de volver al plan y estar dentro del equipo.

Allow the team member to explain their perspective and any challenges they may be facing. Active listening can help us understand their concerns and find a resolution. Offer assistance or resources if the team member is struggling to fulfill their responsibilities. They may need additional training, guidance, or help from other team members to stay on track.

Difficult Team Member is good for a Manager in terms of lesson learned. - To handle them, be polite, listen first, train and set objectives second, and evalute third, and define project's requirements and department's expectations clearly. Keep the record of all events through email. - Still, if he is underperforming after defining Job responsibilities, clear objective and targets, short and long term assignments - refer to HR and his contractual terms and conditions, if he is right or you are right. - If you are right, then escalate matter to the regional or corporate Manager and your unbiased report about the unerperforming team member.

If the team member's non-compliance persists and is jeopardizing the project, escalate the matter to higher management or the appropriate authority within the organization. Provide the documented evidence and seek guidance on the next steps.

Esta opcion debe ser un recurso desesperado si ninguna estrategia logra convencer al colaborador de mantenerse dentro de lo planeado. Se debe exponer las acciones tomadas, la actitud y disposicion del colaborador y ademas entregar su concepto personal al jefe para que el actue en el sentido acordado.

Assessing what the issue is at hand and facilitating examples from prior projects that directly relate to the problem is only half of the solution. The other half is to foster a partnership in order to get all parties onboard. A change order is a prime example of this. Approaching these discussions with insight again will only illustrate what has to be done. Keeping in mind that this has to be resolved in a timely manner to mitigate time loss on the change itself and the overall base schedule. Leading the team and ensuring everyone is communicating is owning the project.

De acuerdo con mi experiencia mantener la calma, entender la posicion de la otra persona y argumentar sin el animo de convencer si no de explicar todo de una manera academica ayuda a entender el problema y a encarrilarse nuevamente en el camino que se habia trazado desde un principio, siempre enfocados en el producto final.

In my experience allowing the team member to explain their perspective and any challenges they may be facing is very important. Active listening can help us understand their concerns and find a resolution. If necessary, reassess the project plan and adjust goals or timelines to accommodate any changes or challenges that have arisen. Make sure everyone on the team understands and agrees to the revised plan. Monitor the team member's progress closely and follow up regularly to ensure they are adhering to the plan. Providing feedback and guidance is needed to keep them on track.

Almost no one intentionally slips from the plan. When the slip occurs not to become reactive mode is essential. Quickly the root cause or causes to be ascertained. Constraints are to be de bottle necked. Mitigation plan should be an Action Plan with responsibility is fixed with time line. Transparency and proper populating and tracking the Action Plan is very important.

Send them to sleep with the fishes? I’m kidding! Well, first of all, this occurence clearly shows me that there’s also a disconnect with how the team failed to ensure clarity of message as well as duties and obligations. It also shows me that as an organization, we need to revisit our values and culture. I won’t repeat what others have commented above. Suffice it to say that if all of that is done, the next best thing it to dismiss the team member. If you’ve carefully listened to their concerns. Ensured you went back and re-verified every possible or plausible source from your organization and revised or re-calibrated them. There is nothing wrong with dismissal. Nor is there anything wrong with the individual resigning.

I recommend the following 1. Call the team member along with his or her functional leader for a in camera discussion 2. Ask for the reason for such behaviour frankly. Give the team member to express his feelings 3. If the reason is communication gap, clearly explain what is the expectations or project requirements 4. In case the team member needs extra help, request the Lead to extend the same 5. Offer the team member a chance to recover from the slippage with a defined time limit 6. Make the Lead responsible for the fulfilment of the project requirements 7. If the above action is not turning out successful, swap the resource with help of the concerned functional Lead

In my opinion, if I am the project manager, and if one slips out on the plan , understanding the problem, removing the constraints -using the organisation hierarchy, man management, personal communication need to be deployed. In all these efforts the project schedule is to be kept on top priority and stimulation or inspiration on this larger interest has to impressed upon the individuals. If team work and team spirit are understood by the team members to achieve a higher goal, rest will fall in place.

It is better to check the problem first, then we can find the root of the problems in different meetings. It is possible that the project team does not implement the schedule for various reasons, including the lack of provision of milestones by the client , lack of supply of machinery, manpower or project materials. After reviwing each and every case, in the meeting with the executive directors, it is emphasized to review and provide catch up plan and perform the works according to the plan, and the project control team will be responsible for following up the works according to the catch up schedule.