At one time, it was unthinkable for a man to walk into an office without a neck-tie, or for a woman to arrive in trousers. Just as that taboo slips off quietly into history, so others arrive to replace them.
Curiously, we let some of our most damaging taboos go unchallenged. The needs of the project team that extend beyond ‘employee benefits’ are not discussed. Imagine the scene if you really understood your own needs as one of the team and articulated them to the project sponsor…
You: ‘I understand how you expect the project to run, and my part in the plan. Basically, you want me to work to a schedule I don’t agree with, and manage unrealistic budgets put together by a number-juggler in some far-off part of the solar system. You’ll be expecting me to smile when I find myself working into the early hours of the morning to cover somebody else’s screw-up. Naturally, I’ll keep a straight face when you wheel me in front of the users to explain that the technology solution – which you chose – won’t deliver what they need. Then you’ll blackmail me into taking the blame for any discrepancies between what the business needs and what we deliver.’
Them: That’s a pretty fair summary.’
You: ‘What about the traditional tightening-of-the-belt?’
Them: ‘How perceptive of you! Of course we will be reducing the budget well before the project is complete, but we are keeping the exact percentage and date a surprise because we are thinking of completely revising the delivery date.’
You: ‘Do you want me to take all the blame or are you running a distributed-blame system amongst all the contractors?
Them: ‘30% share.
You: ‘Only 30?’
Them: ‘…renewable’
You: ‘I see. …and the media pillory?’
Them: ‘Yes, but just the tabloids. We’ve lined up a big-name for the broadsheets.’
You: ‘So what’s in the project for me?’
Them: ‘Well we will be paying you (eventually), and you can have a pass for the car park.
You: ‘Yes…’
Them: ‘What more could you ask?’
You: ‘I want a share of the satisfaction, a big chunk of pride, acknowledgement, encouragement – and when the job’s finished – something worthwhile to put on my CV. I want to feel part of a collaborative effort, sharing all the joys and difficulties of the team – helping and being helped. I want to be spiritually enriched by the challenge. I’ll expect to be listened to – to be assured my contribution is valuable. I need to feel that I am learning, growing both as a person and as a professional. I want to know that I am, in some way, making the world a better place.’
Them: That all?
You: ‘Yes.’
Them: ‘We don’t do that. How about a special company-branded coffee mug?’
In a worsening economy, people will tend to sublimate their less tangible needs in order to maintain their income. As economies start to recover, the reverse is true. When work is scarce, contractors and staff will sign up for any project that provides income for the time being. As the economy picks up and good people become a little harder to find, they will start looking for a project that offers satisfaction of their broader needs.
So how can we ensure we are catering for the unspoken needs of our project teams? If you are a leader, then you are probably already doing so, and this will be a reminder to hone your awareness. If you are a manager, it’s time to add ‘What’s in it for them’ to your check-list.