Page 178 - Project+

Not all project managers have the resources to reward team members either

individually or collectively, but that does not mean superior performance should go
unrecognized. One of the easiest things you can do is simply to tell people that you are
aware of their accomplishments and that you appreciate their efforts. A simple thank-
you works wonders. A handwritten note of appreciation only takes a few minutes and
is something the employee can keep in their file.

Make certain that rewards are proportional to the achievement and are distributed
equitably among team members. Playing favorites or recognizing the same team

member with awards multiple times can kill morale rather than improve it.

Also, be sensitive to your team members and their cultural backgrounds. Some people
love to be praised in public, and others may actually be shamed by this action rather
than feeling appreciated.

You should develop and document the criteria for rewards, especially monetary
awards. Work with your human resource department to understand the guidelines for

reward systems in your organization.

The key is to establish a program to acknowledge the efforts of your project team
members, whether it involves money, prizes, letters of commendation, or a simple
thank-you. Whatever form your rewards and recognition program takes, you must
make sure that it is applied consistently to all project team members and that the
reward is appropriate for the level of effort expended or the results that were achieved.
Inconsistent application of rewards is often construed as favoritism.

Rewards for superior performance can be given publicly, but a discussion
of inadequate performance should always be done privately. Berating a team
member in front of others is inappropriate and will likely make the person angry
and defensive. It may also negatively impact the morale of the team members who
witnessed the berating.

Developing your team and improving overall performance can also be accomplished
through training. I’ll discuss this next.

Training

Training involves determining your team member’s skills and abilities, assessing the
project needs, and providing the training necessary for the team members to perform
their activities. In some industries or organizations, one of the perks associated with
being assigned to a new project is the opportunity to expand a skill set or get training
on new products or processes.

One of the most common types of training provided to project teams is project
management training. Project management training may include a session developed

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