6 Ways Project Managers Can Connect Better with Teammates

September 27, 2021 Stan

As a Project Manager, my role is vastly different from other team members. They are the doers—the ultra-smart experts who collaborate to produce the work. They’re responsible for strategy, technique, and quality. They prioritize innovation and impact. I am the facilitator, responsible for hitting milestones, removing roadblocks, and keeping everyone on track.

This dynamic can be alienating. While PMs are accountable for project completion, we’re not actually doing the work—and we’re not anyone’s boss. So how do we keep teams motivated without devolving into nagging nannies? The answer is simple: Change the dynamic. Become a truly integrated, trusted part of the team.

To that end, here are a few techniques that have served me well. Tailor them to your unique circumstances and use them to strengthen your connections with fellow teammates.

Get to Know Your Team

Taking an active interest in your coworkers will show them that you don’t only care about the work they produce—you care about them as human beings. This can be as simple as paying attention when they say they aren’t feeling well and following up the next day. If they mention a special event is coming up, make a mental note to ask how it went afterwards. Sharp listening and observation are key here. Don’t bombard your teammates with personal questions—just make the most of the information they offer freely.

Want to go a step further? Study up on various personality types and their preferred communication styles. You can build a lot of trust by understanding who is comfortable speaking in a crowd and who would rather set their own hair on fire than speak in a group setting. Who prefers written messages that they can easily reference and organize rather than impromptu hallway confabs? Who sticks to more formal, professional communications, and who likes to let loose and tell jokes about their in-laws? Meet a teammate in their own comfort zone and you become part of that comfort zone.

There are countless books, articles, and entire websites devoted to this subject—and you can always ask your coworkers directly about their core values and preferences as well. The ultimate goal is to understand each team member well enough on a personal level that you can become the thread that weaves them all together into an ever-more-cohesive group.

Let Your Team Get to Know You

Yes, the “getting to know each other” gate swings both ways. Often the quickest and easiest way to get people to open up is to show some vulnerability and trust in them first. Within the confines of your personal preferences (and professional boundaries of course), be open and honest with your team. Tell them how you like to communicate. Tell them about your personality, your priorities, and your pet peeves. Not only will they more quickly offer up their own perspective, they’ll also be more likely to accommodate and adapt to yours.

Make Their Priorities Your Priorities

Ask your coworkers what they need and—here’s the important part—genuinely care about fulfilling those needs. If they’re running into process issues or don’t have the right resources to work the way they want, do some quick legwork. Ask around to see if anyone has the needed resources. Devise process hacks. Get creative with project schedules. Even if you ultimately fail, the effort will not go unnoticed.

If you aren’t naturally inclined to go that extra mile, fake it ‘til you make it for a while. You might be surprised at how helping to pave the way for your team not only streamlines projects but also improves the overall group dynamic. Your coworkers may even start to return the favor, doing what they can to help you in your hour of need, should one ever arise.

Spill the Tea

Keep your team in the loop even on seemingly inconsequential items. Sharing the latest bit of work-related information promotes feelings of trust and inclusion. It can also humanize the client and cast the PM in a more sympathetic light for team members who don’t interact as much with the team. Understanding the specifics of the client’s larger challenges may push teams to work at an expedited rate vs. ‘because my PM said so.’

Be Flexible

No PM should have a “my way or the highway” mentality. We must be chameleons, adapting to meet the unique needs of every team we work with—even if those teams operate within the same company. Obviously, this doesn’t mean we should abandon baseline standards. But allowing for some variability in processes and expectations based on individual skillsets, requirements, and personalities is a great way to fit in with your team rather than sticking out like a sore thumb.

Give Praise Where Praise is Due

Letting your teammates know how much you value their hard work is absolutely essential. Whether it’s a verbal “Great job!” or a quick email with some deeper detail, a little praise goes a long way toward making the team feel appreciated, motivating them to continue doing great work, and building trust. That said, the praise needs to be genuine. If someone is struggling, don’t condescend to them with false compliments.

Most importantly, you should share your praise with your team members’ managers. PMs typically meet with upper management on a regular basis to discuss resourcing and priorities. This is the perfect opportunity to let leadership know how well their direct reports are doing from a “boots on the ground” perspective. This simple act can uplift the energy of the entire team.

The bottom line?

Be human. Be vulnerable. Encourage your teammates to be human and vulnerable. If we can build trust and deeper connections with one another, we can not only form more cohesive, productive teams but have a real impact on each other’s job satisfaction and overall happiness. That may be more difficult for PMs than other team members, but it’s not impossible—and it’s well worth the effort.

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