Meeting deadlines is crucial for any IT project, but it can be challenging to ensure that every team member is on track and accountable for their tasks. In this article, you will learn some effective ways to hold team members accountable for meeting deadlines, without micromanaging or creating unnecessary stress.
The first step to holding team members accountable is to set clear and realistic expectations for the project scope, timeline, deliverables, and roles. You should communicate these expectations to the team at the start of the project, and make sure they are aligned with the client's or stakeholder's needs and priorities. You should also document these expectations in a project plan or a charter, and review them regularly with the team to monitor progress and address any issues or changes.
One thing that always works for me is to instill the importance and the impact that each of the deliverable is going to have on the end stakeholders. If every team member understands this, the sense of responsibility and accountability on their deliverables increase multifold. This principle is applicable to all the deliverables, irrespective of how small or large it is.
Few things which I have found helpful were: - Simplify and amplify the expectations - leave less ambiguities, and declare the unknowns. - Define a meaningful measurement technique, and secure following, and not policing. - Listen and refine your approach.
In order to make everyone accountable first they should feel they are part of the solution. To get there we should give them empowerment to think, understand and achieve outcomes .. the moment they are part of the solution accountability comes and while we are talking about solution .. they will plan and come up with approach .. this also builds trust in leadership, transparency in teams and finally a collaborative process to achieve long lasting success
As recipient of the outcome, please be clear on what are the measurable objectives. Remove all 'noise' from goals. Focus on being crisp & clear on measures. Choose the right team. Do not compromise on quality of key team members. Highlight the benefits of success as a team. Establish status meetings that focus on 'measurable progress' rather than why things went wrong or didn't progress. Set expectations from team to have crystal clear communication. Ask questions of bureaucratic processes. "Is this necessary?" should be the guiding principle to stop procrastination. Celebrate mini-milestones appropriately. Don't wait till the end. Weed out team members who don't see the outcomes expected with the same passion/energy as you do.
1. Defining the persons are key steps to achieve this step. Every persona profiling will provide different prospectives. 2. Prioritisation and mapping with the overall business strategy would be the next step
A project management tool can help you keep track of the tasks, deadlines, dependencies, and statuses of your project. It can also help you assign responsibilities, communicate updates, and provide feedback to your team members. You should choose a project management tool that suits your project's size, complexity, and methodology, and that allows you to customize and automate workflows, alerts, and reports. Some examples of project management tools are Asana, Trello, Jira, and Microsoft Project.
You need a project management PROCESS. The tool only gets you so far. Part of the process is communication. Projects don't miss deadlines all at once, they get late one day at a time. So, how do you know if your team has their eye on the ball? From my experience, it is about managing risk daily. This means, updating RAG status, RAIDD register, budget tracking, etc. on a regular schedule. If that is up-to-date, comprehensive, and transparent, then you are halfway there at getting your team on track with deadlines.
The tool is perhaps less important than the process. Clear objectives and requirements, defined stakeholders for validation/ escalation/ sign-off, right sized team with right skills and knowledge, and defined project reporting cadence ( stand-ups, show cases, sprints, …) are key for success.
A good project management tool is a game-changer in handling projects efficiently. It's not just about tracking tasks and deadlines, but also about streamlining communication and collaboration within the team. By centralizing information, everyone stays on the same page and can quickly identify potential bottlenecks or overlaps in responsibilities.
Organisational change management (and associated tasks) and stakeholder engagement, are key to project success. An effective team is responsible for getting information needed in advance of when it is required, whilst managing risk.
Use project management and task management software measurement tools using Scrum methodologies. Told can include Jira, DevOps, Jenkins, Github etc
Another way to hold team members accountable is to establish regular check-ins and feedback sessions throughout the project. These can be done individually or in groups, depending on the nature and stage of the project. The purpose of these check-ins is to review the progress, achievements, challenges, and risks of the project, and to provide constructive feedback, recognition, and support to your team members. You should also encourage your team members to share their feedback, concerns, and suggestions with you and with each other, and to collaborate and help each other when needed.
Set clear direction for the team. Regular check-in allow us to address issue along the way as soon as possible especially when the timeline is very tight.
There is a fine balance between checking in frequently and s micromanaging and wasting time. The best product leaders give clear guidance based upon listening to the strategic vision and understanding how to apply the vision to serve the various user roles and personas. If you need to play Mommy or Bully, the product suffers.
Use the office time more effectively. In today's hybrid work environment, it is important for teams to have in person check ins, whiteboard sessions, casual gatherings. There is no alternative to just a good old gathering after work or a lunch with team members. People build relationships and open up more. You really get to see and hear the concerns of the team in a casual setting.
Dont give anyone enough rope to hang themselves. Ensure you check in often enough to course correct so they learn, modify their work to meet expectations. Nothing feels as bad as thinking you are doing what the boss said she wants, thinking you heard her, and just falling short. Open, two-way comms is key for mutual success
In my experience the most important thing to get right is to create an environment where the team member feels: a) trusted and empowered to do the work b) supported if they run into difficulty c) comfortable to speak up if something isn't right d) the work has purpose We all want a team of experts to deliver the best results as fast as possible, but some of the best work is done by those doing it for the first time, learning, driving motivation and engagement. That's where people really enjoy what they work on.
Holding team members accountable does not mean controlling or punishing them. It means empowering and motivating them to take ownership and initiative for their tasks, and to deliver quality work on time. You can empower and motivate your team members by giving them autonomy, flexibility, and resources to complete their tasks, by involving them in decision-making and problem-solving, by recognizing their contributions and achievements, and by rewarding them for meeting or exceeding their deadlines.
Most leaders end up pushing their ideas and ways of implementing to their team and expect the team to take accountability which isn’t going to happen. Teams need to feel it’s their idea and they have the framework to execute them. Hence leaders need to make it collaborative. Another thing is the validity of idea itself. In 80% of cases ideas come top down saying we need to get this done… even here inclusivity and collaboration is critical
Empowering and leading the way for the team members to achieve the objectives on time, is the only way. It’s not about micromanaging, creating stressful environment and pointing fingers. It’s about creating the environment of support and where the team can flourish and deliver the best possible way. However 90% of times leaders get it wrong and forget all about it (above) and become very tactical and de-motivating.
In my experience, accountability in a team is about empowerment, not control. I focused on motivating team members to take ownership and initiative. Providing them with autonomy, flexibility, and necessary resources was key to enabling them to complete tasks effectively. Involving them in decision-making and problem-solving fostered a sense of belonging and responsibility. Acknowledging and rewarding their contributions and achievements further boosted their motivation. This approach led to team members consistently meeting, often exceeding, their deadlines, and delivering quality work, driven by a genuine commitment to the project's success.
Accountability is the single most powerful tool in any leaders tool box, if you empower your team correctly then they will never win or lose alone. Words matter and making them feel accountable, making them feel like they are in control (every step of the way) will make them likely to succeed. No ones wakes up in the morning and purposefully goes out to fail, make your team feel them own it and support / guide them when they don't.
Un profesor que tuve de agilismo me dijo que "un líder no empodera a los equipos, sino que gestiona el contexto que rodea a los mismos para las personas se sientan empoderadas", es una frase que tiene un gran poder ya que muchos responsables de equipos creemos que podemos cambiar la forma de actuar de las personas y realmente es algo que no funciona así sino que se necesita tener la claridad que las personas cambian sus acciones por su convencimiento,no porque se lo diga alguien. Una vez que tienes claro esto tus acciones como líder se deben enfocar en como cambiar lo que rodea tus equipos para terminar de convencerles que realmente pueden tomar decisiones, tomar riesgos, ... es decir, sentirse motivados a aportar un valor diferencial.
Finally, you should address any issues or conflicts that may arise during the project that could affect the deadlines or the quality of the work. You should be proactive and transparent in identifying and resolving these issues or conflicts, and involve your team members and stakeholders as appropriate. You should also be fair and consistent in enforcing the expectations and consequences of meeting or missing the deadlines, and avoid blaming or shaming your team members. Instead, you should focus on finding solutions and learning from mistakes.
Effectively managing conflicts and navigating tough conversations in a project requires one to manage own emotions and be self-aware Access to data and project information indeed plays a crucial role, but the human aspect, is equally vital. It's about fostering a collaborative environment.
In my experience this is one of the keys to success. If you consider expectations have been properly set, a process and or tool is being used to track progress, regular checkins are occurring and the team members feel they are empowered to make decisions (as they are closest to the work) the main issue many projects run aground on relate to the lack conflict identification and resolution. By making a part of each checkin a discussion on issues or concerns and asking what as a leader you can do to remove those obstacles you are increasing your chances of success exponentially. I find people are conditioned and happy to deliver good news but reluctant to deliver the bad - it’s the “bad” however where we can make the greatest positive impact.
Nunca esconder la cabeza a modo de Avestruz. Evaluar los pros y los contras de cualquier acción y resolución. Los acuerdos deben ser consensuados pero con un "arbitro" que decida finalmente. Si sabemos que no vamos a llegar en una entrega, debemos siempre hablarlo con el cliente, puede ser que le hagamos más da?o, por no comentárselo (otros proyectos que dependan de este, compra de material, etc), que por la propia entrega... El cliente no es el enemigo.
Focus on Solutions, not Blame: When a deadline is missed, shift the conversation from "who's to blame" to "how can we fix this?" Brainstorm solutions together, empowering team members to take ownership of their recovery. This promotes a learning environment and builds trust
Absolutely, addressing issues and conflicts promptly is crucial for maintaining accountability: -Encourage team members to voice concerns or obstacles that might hinder progress. -Understand the issues from the perspective of those involved before devising a solution. -Work collaboratively to find solutions that address the conflict while keeping the project on track. -Act promptly to resolve conflicts to prevent further delays or misunderstandings. -Ensure that the resolution is implemented effectively and check in to confirm its success in keeping the team on schedule.
In my opinion it starts with everyone in the team understanding the what, the why and then getting into the how. If the what and why isn’t clear the how is just a series of dates and deliverables. We need to inspire teams on what the implications of meeting and not meeting timelines means for the overall outcomes and objectives. That’s fundamental and that’s when we can define success, milestones and plans. I do believe if we get this right then the teams will get creative in forging through roadblocks, setting right expectations and taking a solution mindset to the need at hand.
Adaptability: We adapt to tech changes swiftly. For example, when updates disrupted timelines, we adjusted. Collaboration: We work closely across tech domains and the clients technology and digital teams. A workshop led to a breakthrough in cloud migration using existing software and tools. Efficient Tech: Regular tech tool evaluations keep us efficient. Switching to agile-friendly tools improved productivity. Risk Management: Predicting risks upfront is key. Rigorous risk assessments help us prepare for disruptions. When supply chain issues emerged, pre-planned alternative task and vendor strategies saved the day. Mentorship: Developing leaders ensures our future. A Principal Consultant are mentored to lead critical projects to success.
Creating a sense of ownership of the success as well as the failure. People tend to pass the blame on others once they miss the deadlines. This act can be prevented by creating a sense of ownership within the stakeholders while setting deadlines. Secondly the deadlines should be mutually agreed and understood rather than imposed.
The discussion related to the premise of the article promotes the leadership attributes we should all have in our kit bags. I agree that coaching and mentoring, in all its forms, should be used to deliver successful outcomes. However, there is a consequence if a deadline is not met (otherwise why have a deadline). I'm not talking about disciplinary actions (although this may be required), I'm talking about explaining to the team what happens if deadlines are not met. What the consequences could be (profits impacted, product release delays, costs increase, etc.). It's exciting to successfully complete a project. Understanding the implications of deadlines being missed and then making sure this doesn't happen gives everyone a "buzz".
People like to feel valued and that they have a purpose and are making a difference…without this hitting targets feels pointless! Share the bigger vision make sure your department or project has a clear vision and purpose and all of the targets and tasks align with those of the company. That is EVERYONE not just the managers but the new starters, temps contractors and the most junior person…you will find if they share the vision feel valued and worthwhile that they will manage themselves. They will all want to perform in case they let the team down. I have seen this and implemented it across various organisations…not easy, takes time but wow when it works it is a sight to behold and you can then say you have a ‘High Performing Team’!