Your team members are pushing project boundaries. How can you guide them back on track?

Pushing project boundaries is not entirely negative if properly guided to re-align with the project scope. Team members will need to understand the harm if they lose focus, the impact on time and budget for instance. As the leader, I would channel their creativity or desire to explore alternative options on the project at hand and provide clarity to any area of misunderstanding.

At first glance, pushing boundaries can seem like a promising approach. However, in practice, it might not always be the best strategy. The primary objective of a team should remain focused on its original goals. Pushing boundaries often requires allocating more resources to the same task. The additional outcomes achieved by exceeding these objectives might not justify the extra resources spent. As leaders, we must be cautious about pushing boundaries. While it is possible to reach new levels of success, it is crucial to assess whether the benefits outweigh the costs. In such situations, evaluating the new boundaries becomes essential to ensure that the effort and resources are indeed worthwhile.

I once met the great author Stephen Covey, who said, "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." Start by listening and try to understand your team members' perspectives.

It is extremely important for a leader to understand the domain and subject matter at least to an extend that you can understand your team's accomplishments and challenges. Most misalignments happen due to lack of understanding. Also, it is very important to have crisp requirements which are hedged to prevent the goal post from shifting.

If team members are eager to innovate, work with them to identify way to be creative within the set boundaries. Look for opportunities for creative problem-solving that align with the project's goals.

One thing I’ve found helpful is striving to create an environment where team members feel safe to voice their ideas and concerns. We aim to achieve this through our retrospectives and 1:1 meetings by emphasizing psychological safety, ensuring that everyone can speak openly without fear of judgment. While we're still working towards this ideal, this approach has already started to help us address issues early and align on the project's direction more effectively.

These issues should be discussed openly in team meetings and privately in 1:1s. You'll likely encounter a mix of views: some team members may share your frustrations, while others might feel you don't understand their vision for the project. Ultimately, you'll need to make decisions. Be decisive, as it's a key aspect of leadership. Clearly communicate your decisions and reasoning, and expect everyone to support the chosen direction.

A comunica??o clara e contínua é um dos pilares fundamentais para o sucesso de qualquer projeto. Em um ambiente de trabalho dinamico, onde as equipes frequentemente enfrentam desafios e mudan?as, garantir que todos estejam alinhados com os objetivos e o escopo do projeto é essencial. Implementar uma estratégia de comunica??o eficaz pode ser a diferen?a entre o sucesso e o fracasso de um projeto.

Yes, definately so! Talk to your team members- connect more on human level- every discipline have their own woes and worries- it helps to connect at a human level FIRST- WORK LATER!

In my experience, project team members often propose added scope. I would often start by asking them if the proposed change would help us achieve the project’s defined scope faster or at lower cost. In this way, we would re-focus on the approved goals and how to best achieve them.

I've had the most success guiding engineers back on track by finding the valuable aspects of their work, treating it as research, and planning related features for future versions. This approach helps team members feel appreciated for their innovation, rather than criticized.

One thing I’ve found helpful is using OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to realign goals with the team. By clearly defining objectives and measurable outcomes, we ensure everyone understands the priorities and how their work contributes to the larger goals. This structured approach helps keep the team focused while allowing room for innovative ideas that align with our core objectives.

One thing I’ve found helpful is integrating risk assessment tools like SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis to evaluate potential impacts on the project. For example, by conducting regular risk reviews during our bi-weekly retrospectives, we could proactively identify and address issues before they escalated. This approach ensures that the team remains aware of potential risks and can adjust plans accordingly to keep the project on track.

This is more easily said than done. Afterall , any project means- uncertainty and managing change- use project procedures always when dealing with engineering design changes- not talk or argument or discussion- project process and procedures- which is so often lost in unecessary meetings or discussions

Monitoring progress and staying on track is a key reason the software industry has adopted Agile practices. This involves releasing software in small increments, checking in with stakeholders, and iterating based on feedback. Using this approach, with small increments, it's hard to get too wildly off track.

If some employees can't support your decisions, you'll need to address the issue with each one individually. If an employee continues to act against your decisions, disciplinary action may be necessary.

To guide team members back on track when they're pushing project boundaries, start by asking developers to provide task estimations. If you notice tasks extending beyond their estimates, have a conversation to understand the reasons and offer support if needed. For team members who are stubborn or consistently off track, set clear boundaries and lead by example, demonstrating the importance of staying within scope. Promote a positive and supportive environment, encouraging open communication and collaboration to ensure everyone aligns with the project's goals and timelines.