How to Stack the Deck so that your Project Succeeds

A project leader is only as successful as their team.

Project teams that exceed expectations may be few but, as you build your team, the odds will certainly be in your favor if you follow a few basic rules:

• Create Project Team Diversity. Having only one set of skills, an overly predominant working style, or a point of view limited by organizational roles will hamper the project team’s effectiveness. Look for a variety of strengths in your team to enrich discussion and add breadth to the solutions offered as you tackle complex problems and make effective decisions.

• Establish Clear Project Intentions. Be clear about the purpose of the project and the team. It should be organized around a meaningful and attainable objective that is understood and hopefully co-created with key project stakeholders.

• Ensure Team Buy-in. Each project team member should share in the design of the team goal. You need their buy-in and commitment. With commitment comes engagement and accountability, an absolutely critical factor in any team’s success.

• Encourage Open Communication. The more you can foster respectful dialogue among team members, the more they will trust one another. And trust is the ultimate glue that holds effective project teams together.  

If you want to succeed on your projects, be smart about how you select and manage your project team.