The other day, a member of my project team, a Gen Y business analyst, e-mailed me and proposed that we consider starting a new project. The new project would complement a project we are currently working on.
Eventually, I learned that the project board had rejected this proposed project before. I discovered that a stakeholder who had pushed to start the project several times — despite the fact that the board discarded it — approached my Gen Y business analyst, who happened to be a junior member and new graduate.
On-boarding Gen Y Team Members
As a new member to our team, I had to explain the Gen Y business analyst the project selection process of our organization. The board selects projects from a business-oriented approach. Under this direction, projects produce business benefits that will contribute to achieve organization’s strategic objectives. The proposed project did not fit this mindset, but as a new Gen Y business analyst, how could he has known?
I explained further to the Gen Y business analyst that in this mindset, project management professionals must wear a business and technical hat. Depending on the situation, project managers must ensure that their project teams deliver projects that will produce the benefits and results that the organization is looking for.
This is just one example of how project management professionals will need to be able to coach “multi” teams, especially those made up of new and young project members, like this Gen Y business analyst. You can’t assume that everyone on the team shares your same knowledge.
Eventually, the Gen Y business analyst understood why only projects that will help the organization fulfill its intended purpose should be selected. A few days later, we met with the stakeholder to ask for specifics about the project with regard to the organizational benefits.
How do you coach Gen Y project team members when they are less knowledgeable?
