What do you do if your team members are not aligned on project deadlines?

If team members aren’t aligned on project deadlines, here are some steps you can take: Facilitate a Discussion: Organize a meeting to openly discuss the deadlines. Encourage everyone to share their perspectives and any obstacles they’re facing Also: Clarify Expectations Assess Workloads Prioritize Tasks Regular Check-Ins By fostering open communication and collaboration, you can help the team get back on track and aligned on deadlines.

I believe that human cognitive side is always a challenge and use of Agile frameworks like Kanban, Agile, and SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) for software development and other services likes of application management and infrastructure support. These frameworks gives structure to work and gives clear responsibilities with timelines, as part of a particular phase, while progress is continuously monitored. In this structure, if someone struggles because gap in skill-competence or lack of motivation, then management can address the problem in a structured way.

Simple! Find the problem. Show them the way, sit with them and share screen. Code with them. If they are working over time. Message them that you are available on call or messages if they need any help. It more about the relation you carry with your team members. Remember, No one wants to be late. No one wants to spend 8 hours a day miss a deadline. If you have encountered such scenario then the problem mostly lies in the planning. Secondly, protect them. As a lead, it is my responsibility to face the wrath of seniors or clients. They should not be in touch with my team. I will not point out a single person who has led to the delay. No one can mess with my team. and if you do not have guts to do this, do not be a team lead.

Open Communication is the key. Below can be the issues and we can solve these problems as below: 1. Work Overload: If team members are overwhelmed, consider redistributing tasks or hiring additional resources. 2. Lack of Motivation: Identify the root causes of low motivation and address them through increased engagement or improved work-life balance. 3. Scope Creep: Ensure that any changes to the project scope are evaluated and approved before proceeding. 4. Technical Challenges: Provide the necessary resources and support to overcome technical obstacles.

When team members aren't aligned on project deadlines, call a meeting to discuss openly. Listen to all perspectives without judgment. There may be valid reasons for misalignment, like unclear expectations or resource issues. Review project goals and timeline together. Break down tasks and clarify responsibilities. Encourage open communication about challenges. Create a safe space for honest dialogue. If necessary, reassess and adjust the timeline. A realistic deadline everyone can commit is always better. Use project management tools to improve visibility and tracking. Regular check-ins help maintain alignment and catch issues early. Be prepared to offer support or reallocate resources.

I believe the use of Agile frameworks like Kanban, Agile, and SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) helps in these situations when issues are identified, there are embedded processes within these frameworks likes of "show and tell" where development teams show the work done in a sprint to business owners of software or product. Project retrospective is also carried out at regular intervals to analyse the issues faced and possible impact, which drives lessons learnt and updates for future sprints to avoid known issues. Also, backlog is a useful tool in the process, so if some tasks are not achieved in a particular sprint, these goes back to backlog and rescheduled in consensus with the business as they set priority of the tasks.

Gather everyone together to discuss the project's current status, the identified issues, and the proposed changes to the timeline. Clearly communicate the reasons for adjusting the deadlines, emphasizing the importance of meeting the new targets to achieve project success.

Après l'identification des problèmes, réinitialisez les attentes. Clarifiez les objectifs et les échéances avec l'équipe. Ajustez les délais si nécessaire, mais soulignez l'importance de les respecter. Renforcez la responsabilité collective et l'engagement envers les nouvelles attentes pour la réussite du projet.

By proactively identifying and addressing your team's resource needs, you can provide the support they require to meet the revised deadlines and achieve project success.

Le soutien de l'équipe est crucial pour respecter les délais. Identifiez les besoins en ressources, réaffectez les tâches, offrez des formations ou de l'aide supplémentaire. Montrez votre disponibilité pour soutenir, pas seulement pour imposer. Une équipe soutenue est motivée et plus efficace.

Tools like Trello, Asana, or Jira can help you visualize the project timeline, track tasks, and measure progress. Schedule regular meetings with team members to discuss progress, address any challenges, and make necessary adjustments.

The Agile frameworks like Kanban, Agile, and SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) in addition to Jira and Confluence can be a good combination to track progress, celebrate wins during show and tell sessions, while ensuing that team is not under pressure and work in optimised and sustainable delivery mode with no burn outs. In the structured approach an environment is created which is condusive for the development team and set the right expectations for the business, while everyone has full visibility of the progress, creating a healthy environment for delivery organisation and developers/testers.

Instaurez un suivi continu avec des contrôles réguliers et des rapports d'avancement. Utilisez ces occasions pour vérifier les progrès et célébrer les réussites. Cette approche maintient l'élan et le moral de l'équipe, éléments essentiels à la réussite du projet.

Also consider automation, create CI/CD pipelines, use some automated test tool and reduce the project tooling activites keeping the team focused on the code taks to increase productivity.

Analysez vos processus pour identifier les inefficacités. Rationalisez le flux de travail pour améliorer la productivité et faciliter le respect des délais. Envisagez d'adopter des méthodologies agiles ou d'autres cadres de gestion de projet favorisant la flexibilité et l'itération rapide.

By fostering a strong sense of teamwork, you can create a positive and productive work environment where team members are motivated to work together towards common goals and meet project deadlines.

Some activities outside the work also helps to engage people and create a more integrated environment. Bring the team to wacth some sports game or make a barbecue breaks the ice and build new conections while decompressing and relax. For sure that in the next work day everyone will be more up and refulled to jump in the daily project tasks.