Respect is one of those words and concepts that carries with it big ideas and expectations

Equally critical to creating and maintaining trust among project teams has to do with having respect for each other.

Part 3:

Equally critical to creating and maintaining trust among project teams has to do with having respect for each other. That includes respect for the client organization…what they’re trying to accomplish, the steps that they must go through in their process and their challenges, and respect for what each team member brings with them to a project.

Respect is one of those words and concepts that carries with it big ideas and expectations. It happens that in my role as project manager, sometimes I’m the only one who may have worked with everyone on the team, and often the team members may not even know each other. And yes, in those cases there can be skepticism about the value of team members, what they can contribute and initial impressions of personality, knowledge and/or skill may need to be overcome. In building trust in these situations there are some things I’ve found that work well.

  • It’s important to allow each team member to share with me, and when appropriate, with the other team members, the experiences and ideas they have that they think are relevant to the project at hand. That doesn’t mean that at times discussions aren’t stopped because they are headed in the wrong direction, but even that can be done in a respectful manner that acknowledges the person offering the suggestions.
  • It’s important to be mindful of personal preferences and to accommodate those whenever possible. It may seem small, but being considerate of meeting times and locations, of restaurant choices/dietary restrictions of team members, and of family or other personal obligations can go a long way in building trust.
  • It’s important to understand the capabilities of people and to respect that they may need additional help in new areas OR that they may be a great team resource and can provide assistance in a particular area of expertise.

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