J is for… Jettison
Monday, July 16, 2007
Your team are the single most import element in the success of your project. They equate to a lot of the eggs in your metaphorical project-basket. If you cannot rely on the individuals in your team to do their best for the cause, then you really need to consider whether they are suited to a career working for you.
Sometimes you can have a go at re-aligning their attitude, but you can only change a person’s behaviour and not the person, so 95% of the time you will find they will eventually revert to type. Bear in mind, the longer you carry the baggage, the more it is costing you, and the less return on your investment you are likely to get.
Add to this the negative effect they have on the team and project that you will have to recover afterwards, and you should be arriving at one conclusion: it’s better for all concerned to jettison the excess baggage sooner rather than later.
No-one said this job was easy, or pleasant, but the mark of a good manager is being able to do the tough things with equal professionalism and clarity.
