Free Project Management Templates and Successful PM Resources

Learn how project management templates will help you be successful, as well as gain insight into free productivity tips, and techniques.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Recommendations for Dealing with Challenging Staff

You may find that you have a staff member that is a challege to work with. The following are recommendation to help you manage through the challenge.

1. First keep in mind that a good leader will have challenges. The universe often provides us with challenges to help us realize our weaknesses and help us evolve.

2. We can never control another person. Most conflicts arise due to ego. Ego meaning the perception of our self that we hold in our mind and how we think the world should respond to us. You will find that when you let go of any ideas of self and not take things personally, that you will more accurately see the situation and be able to respond to it rather than react to it. Reacting often results in an unbalanced state of mind, lack of mental clarity, and state of emotional weakness. When we stop thinking of our self and perceive the situation as it is, then we can respond in a clear state of mind to the challenge at hand.

From my experience, the best way to deal with negative people is to be kind, polite, and professional. Usually if they cannot get a reaction from you then they back off.

3. Speak to the person and communicate your concern. If that does not resolve the situation then escalate to your manage for recommendations. During this process be kind, polite, professional, and keep in mind that all things will pass. The one constant in this world is change.

4. Another strategy is to go to lunch or do some off site activity and try to get to know the person better. You can build a relationship this way that will impact your work life.

Finally, keep in mind that a good leader is a good follower. It is not necessary to assert ourselves on others nor require them to respond to us in a specific way in order to be an excellent leader.

What additional questions or comments do you have?

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Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Productivity tip #6 - Weekly Status Report

Weekly status reports are short and simple. Monthly status reports contain more detail. Go to my website and login to pick up your free project management templates, including various weekly and monthy status report templates.

- If it takes you more than 15-30 minutes to complete the status report then there is an issue with the status report template you are using.

- A good status report template has instructions.

- If you have metrics such as 'probability' you must include a legend that defines what 1-5 means. If some one hands you a status report template with metrics of 1-10 ask them why they need 10 numbers. An effective impact and probabilty scale has 5 options NOT 10 or more.

- Be aware of content areas in the status report. Do not duplicate information in the report. Do not exepect users to duplicate information that they maintain in a 'CHAIR' log (changes, action items, issues, and risks) or project schedule.

- If you are trying to introduce standards into an organization that has none you need to make your templates simple, clear to understand,short (one page), and user friendly.

If you apply these tips you will be able to get more done.

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