Avoid Pitfalls and Boost Morale
Words have power, especially when you’re leading a project team. Even one poorly chosen comment can create confusion, damage trust, or spark conflict.
That’s why as a project manager, you should know what communication missteps to avoid. And, when you know what to say instead, it’ll go a long way towards keeping the team motivated and on track.
Here’s what not to say – and why!
“Not my problem”
When you brush off a team member’s concerns with a comment like this, you risk alienating the people you rely on. It’s your job as PM to guide your team and help them find solutions – even if you’re not personally fixing every snag that pops up.
When a team member comes to you with a problem, try to see it as an chance to build trust and promote collaboration, rather than something that’ll slow you down.
“I don’t know why we’re doing this”
Telling a team member is essentially questioning the project’s purpose. When you get to that place, it’s pretty much impossible to motivate a team.
As the PM, you need to be crystal clear on project priorities and goals so you can connect all the dots for your team. Pro tip: use your project charter to anchor everyone in the project’s why, including yourself!
What else not to say to your project team
There are three more phrases you should strike from your vocabulary while managing projects, and I cover them in my latest video. It also explains how avoiding them will help you:
- show humility
- gain respect
- avoid alienating your team
Follow me over to YouTube and we’ll keep chatting about this!
Meanwhile, if you really are committed to mastering your next project, definitely consider taking my SLAY Project Management online course. It shows you step-by-step how to successfully manage a project, and it gives you access to every template you’ll need, along with detailed video instructions on how to fill them out.
Adriana Girdler, PMP | Creator of Slay Project Management™
P.S. Check out what one of my students said recently about SLAY:
“An amazing Project 101 that provides the confidence you need to deploy a project, as well as a great refresher on concepts you may be previously equipped with.” LZ
