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Steps for creating forward momentum
- Communicate with core team members to monitor progress.
- Hold frequent short meetings with the core team. You can establish a 15-minute time frame or conduct stand-up meetings to guarantee brevity.
- Ask for brief, weekly status reports from members, and respond to them.
- Listen for obstacles and signs of slipping morale. Be supportive and positive.
- Advertise progress to external parties who have an interest in your success.
- Send memos or e-mails to key stakeholders to let them know that you are moving ahead.
- Make frequent presentations to upper management to ensure their ongoing support.
- Broadcast early rewards and successes to your group and/or organization. Publicly recognize the achievements of those who deserve credit.
- Deal with conflict when it arises
Conflict is a natural response to change, and some conflict can be healthy and constructive. Use your communication skills to regulate the temperature of the conflict.
- Pace the flow of information. Give the group time to digest new information and ideas.
- Listen. Get perspectives on the conflict from key players. Get a sense of people's tolerance levels so that the temperature can be turned up or down, as necessary.
- Be objective and calm.
- Keep talking about the issues. Don't let people change the subject.
- Ask questions that draw issues out into the open. Force people to discuss them and to work out solutions.
- If the group's temperature is already too high, withhold information you feel might cause an explosion.
- If destructive conflict surfaces, try to persuade the people involved that their behavior is counterproductive, or enlist the help of others in resolving the conflict. Otherwise, revise your strategy so that it addresses or eliminates the issue.
- Maintain perspective.
Throughout any stressful and complex project or initiative, it's vital that you take a step back every now and then -- so that you can see the broad sweep of what's happening. It often helps to talk through problems and issues with a close friend, spouse, mentor, or other confidant.
Listen to voices from the front lines. Maintain connections with those in different areas and levels of authority so that you don't lose touch with any critical perspective. Be open and approachable so that people are willing to share information with you in a way that is timely and honest.
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