I'd like to put a question to the forum users regarding when (or if), as a manager and functional lead, you should intervene in the workings of a project team. I've searched the podcasts and forums and didn't recognize this topic before, but apologies if I missed it and a pointer to the right spot would be greatly appreciated.
I'm currently a manager and functional lead in R&D, and so several of my reports end up being technical leads on innovation projects, and sometimes, project leads. I've been engaged with the management trinity for quite some time now, with varying degrees of success.
Maybe the most straightforward way to ask this question is this - if you think a project team is headed off the rails for some particular reason specific to your management function, is it ok to directly engage with the team if you can't get the issue resolved through your direct report, and if so, when and how? In these cases I've provided the coaching and feedback to my direct report who is on the team, but their input has been neglected, sometimes for good reason but for many more times by louder voices or force of will of someone else on the team who lacks the functional and resource perspective for which I'm responsible. I've been hesitant to intervene directly, but at some point I'm thinking that additional guidance to the whole team is warranted to avoid serious problems down the road, and there should be some best practices out there to address this.
Any and all thoughts welcomed!
Bob
Do you know the project lead?
I think the easiest way to address this is to call the project manager 1:1. Gives you a chance to state your concerns and hear responses without pulling rank or stirring things up too much. There may be a legitimate reason for the direction, and you may not have all the information.... you might also just be wrong, and it's easier to clear up in a short phone call. You might even be right, but there's more than one way to success. Even if your way is faster and better, there's something to be said for empowering the team to work on their own even if you wouldn't do things their way.
There's the angle that the direction they are taking is the right thing for the project, but is the wrong thing for your group (causing more work, conflicts with existing processes, etc). That should be a sign to the project manager that they need to do a better job of change management as part of their delivery. This might also be a good learning experience for the project manager. I figured out a while ago that managing projects is usually more about managing relationships with all interested parties than it is about managing resources and schedules.
Good luck!
-JIB
JIB, Many thanks for your
JIB,
Many thanks for your thoughts - the project manager sounds like a very reasonable path forward.
All the best!