Nightmare team projects - tips to "turnaround" into success

My worst team project ever turned into my most successful accomplishment.  How?  By rebuilding the group into a great team! 

A DAUNTING TASK +  IMMOVABLE DEADLINE



Here was the recipe we started with:

- a daunting task never-before accomplished in our business or industry,

- an immovable deadline (failure could sink the business),

- a team of intense, diverse individuals who fought, stormed and drove each other crazy.  

Imagine the following individuals (identities have been changed to protect privacy):

Chris - a.k.a. "Eeyore", the gloom and doom guy.  Slow but thorough in his work.  Knows operational issues within the company better than most.



Sandy - a.k.a. "Gerbil on speed" - talks forty miles a minute, thinks even faster.  Easily annoyed by people who cannot keep up to her trail of thought.  New to the company but quick to understand and improve processes.

Jerry - a.k.a. The Comic with a strange, warped sense of humor.  Giggles  and offers humorous (or not so humorous) commentary without mercy until the group cannot stand it.  Very high technical skills, can troubleshoot anything in the business.

Alex - Social butterfly.  Loves coming to work, but gets little done because of time spent walking around and chatting.  Good understanding of market issues which could impact the project.

Ryan - Control freek.  Project leader in charge of making the objectives on a very tight deadline with the above individuals, who are the only "experts" in the particular areas needed on the project.



Month 1 - the group worked on this project 50% of their time.  They spent every afternoon in month 1 formulating a critical path timeline with key milestones.   Ryan (the leader) was late to most meetings, building resentment in the group for wasting their time.  Within 2 weeks, every individual had complained about other team members to anyone in the company who would listen.

.......time for group dynamics review: 

1) admit breakdown within the group

 - gain acknowledgement from all group members of frustration

 - identify key frustrations and areas of breakdown

 - group identified frustrations into "themes"

2) review end vision and goals to ensure all group members agree

- identify "gaps" in vision

- brainstorm solutions to gaps

- conclude with all group member on the same page for the "final vision"

3) have the group set its own ground rules of behavior

      - attend meetings on time - personal commitment

      - come prepared with all relevant materials

      - don't commit to more than you can deliver

      - acknowledge the others' contributions

      - agrue respectfully if you disagree with an approach

      - bring solutions not complaints to the group

      - MRI (most respectful interpretation) used at all times

4) identify group members' strengths and contributions

     - senior leaders regrouped with the team in a teambuilding setting

     - senior leaders identified each group member's unique contribution to the team

     - team members each acknowledged their own individual styles and the advantages of the group's diversity

This DISC evaluation process helped "restart" the project - members refocused on the end goal, learned to appreciate team members' differences and were able to gain traction in their execution of the project plan.  
Bottom line: don't forget to deal with the people issues on your project - they are the key to your eventual success!