Great teamwork

Most of the time, I don't put too much about my work on my blog. However, I thought I'd say just a little about the leadership exhibited by one of the people on my team as she led an amazingly complex project to a successful conclusion this month.

What I observed (and, in fact encouraged) was the simplification of the project by doing a couple of things. One, was to stay focused on the end result -- eye on the prize, so to speak. Second, was to work the naysayers either into the game, or out of the way. One would be amazed at how much damage negative thoughts can do to project work. When people use words like "fail" or phrases like "there's no way we'll finish on time" it is debilitating.

Positive affirmations about the desired outcome aren't delusional and they're not just wishful thinking. They are very empowering and tend to send the team in the right direction.

It was also interesting to see how much emotion came into play. When folks get tired or frustrated, they often feel the bottom drop out from underneath them, or the wind die down in their sails. However, it's amazing how much resilience we have available once we know how to tap into it.

I saw my project manager keep the team focused, tap into their creativity, work toward a positive outcome, manage the naysayers, and at the end of the story have a happy ending -- the desired outcome.

It reminds me of a saying I heard from one of my colleagues: "You may believe you can, or you may believe you can't. Either way, you're right."