QUESTION - The question was raised Question 2: How do you inspire and motivate your project team?. Elaborate on a motivational theory that you as a project leader may adopt to identify the needs of your project team members that, if satisfied, would encourage them to be more productive on the project ?

Question 1: What are the main challenges when leading projects?

People, processes, politics and everything in between. You must focus as much on leadership as you do on technical skills.

The role a PM plays in the org and its culture will add challenges. Focus on your role as a pm, program or portfolio manager.

Resistance can come from your team, stakeholders and customers. Transparency and leadership are key in PM.

Break down those walls of resistance by building relationships, partnering with your stakeholders, gaining buy in, support. Project managers will be tested regularly on their technical skills, leadership and strategic and business management core competencies from the beginning to the end of their projects. The reality is that projects will put you in the spotlight, so you must focus on your ability to learn to dance in the rain.

Leadership

Question 2:

How do you inspire and motivate your project team?

PM is an art & science; expect conflict and manage it.

Inspire and motivate a team? How? Model the way, emotional intelligence (EI) will help you understand others motivations, empathy is important!

Your team expects you to show up, lead & model the way every day!

Critical success factors are important to flush out for the project team; document it, measure & manage it!

People are different; one size fits all may not work for everyone.

Absolutely; all project teams should have culture training.

People are your most important asset of your organization; invest in them. Project management is like a team sport; it requires the PM to be a leader, coach, mentor, cheerleader and deflector of all obstacles that get in the way of their projects crossing that finish line. vmc Productivity

Question 3: What are your tips for keeping a project on time and within budget?

Manage your plan or it will manage you. PMP, risk/issue log, schedule. Find the right fit of tools for the right client/project.

Manage your scope, change management & stakeholder expectations.

Keep calm; youre a PM. Project managers need to understand and master the triple constraint to: 1. Plan the project 2. Analyze risk, negotiate with the sponsor 3. Manage stakeholder expectations while maintaining a fine balance of quality

Question 4:

What are your tips for rescuing a project thats not running to plan?

Organizations need superstar PMs, projects need adaptable PMs & projects need PMs with leadership skills. You must be self-motivated with the drive and passion to multi-task in most environments today. You may be managing multiple projects and need to be a juggler of time management and focus your attention on a myriad of project activities. Dont let your other projects become troubled, too; they can take on a life of their own and quickly get off track.

Question 5:

What key features must project management tools have?

Pick a tool that is mobile, suits the scale & size of the project; sometimes whiteboards, sticky notes & pens work well.

You may have a small, medium or large project. Pick tools that fit; your team may use more than one tool. Usually, I recommend that PMs should pick the right fit of toolsfor the right project and for the right customer. The right fit of tools should meet the team, project and stakeholder needs to communicate, track, report and more. Project leaders today should actively seek ways to get just-in-time advice and tips on project management, leadership and productivity for continuous development and mastery of the three areas of the PMI Talent Triangle. Youll be running to your next big project opportunity in no timeand managing fewer troubled projects.

Source:Caietti (2017)