The 3 "Cs" of Project Management: Collaboration, Creativity and Change

In my role of project manager, collaboration, creativity, and change are of the utmost importance.

Collaboration

Team collaboration does not happen overnight as it requires the following key ingredients: alignment, communication, psychological safety, trust, and empathy.

Alignment means that the team understands what they need to accomplish together even if the plan is not yet formulated. The goal may be obvious for some, but not for all. Take the time to remind everyone of their interdependent roles and responsibilities towards their common goals. The team needs to truly appreciate how they can positively leverage their skills, experience, diverse perspectives, and opinions of each other.

Communication is nothing new in project management practice. The success of your communication lies in the method you use (i.e., email, text, messaging, in person) and how you ensure your recipients received the message. Keep your communication clear, honest, short, and positive. Ensure their cadence is reasonable and regular. And vice versa, ensure you apply active listening skills when the team communicates. 

Psychological safety is essential for personal risk-taking. Do the members of your team feel safe speaking up? Are they afraid of being ridiculed or bullied by other team members? Remember to address negative comments or sarcasm right away. There is no room for disdain, or down-putting. Respect is a must. Even disagreements can be handled politely. Nurture an environment based on transparency, equity, and compassion.

Trust is the element that is the hardest to develop in a team. It is a complex feeling that entails a mix of ability, integrity, and kindness. Can each team member do the job they are supposed to do?  Will they do the right thing if/when the time comes? And can they be generous and kind with each other? When one of the three elements is missing, trust disappears. Have a plan to address any shortcomings in each area.

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Though it may be a complex feeling  (or even an unattainable one sometimes), the main goal is to show that you care and that you are willing to truly listen.

Creativity

Creativity leads to new avenues and produces better results. It leads to more engaged and committed team members. Give your team time to explore possibilities. Allow them to ask the question, “What-If?”.  

Remember that creativity can be broached anytime and anywhere. It is not just about serving big and lofty goals. Make it and keep it fun. It can’t be a forced exercise. Be brave and ask the difficult questions that may lead to an uncharted path. This may not be just a “done-deal” after all.

Capitalize on all the team’s skills so they can combine their capabilities resulting in an even stronger outcome/solution. Continue to encourage creativity even when some ideas are not selected.

When a creative idea comes from one person, make sure the whole team participates in its implementation.  It is always a team effort.

Change

True to the Agile manifesto “responding to change over following a plan,” I recommend inspecting your project outcomes on a regular basis (be it: the backlog items, the quality/timing of the deliverables, the team happiness level, etc.), asses what you learn, be ready to adjust and evolve.

Projects come with unknowns throughout their duration. Breaking the project deliverables into smaller “packets” of functionality will prevent you and your team from going too far down a path that may be the wrong one. 

Learn how to respond to new information, facilitate more conversation about issues, and dive deep into the requirements to ensure they still fit the customer’s needs as markets change fast and often.

The factors that cause change to your project may be external as well as internal. Overall, stay pragmatic and open minded. Do not dwell in the past and drive forward!