Team Building In Project Management

Project management isn't really about managing projects. Sure, there's the larger project life cycle and associated tasks, dependencies, timing, and budget that need to be managed. But effective project management is really PEOPLE management. Projects largely deal with change, and change has everything to do with people. → Getting people from A to B. → Getting them to embrace "new" or "different" → Getting people to reject "this is the way we've always done things" And because we deal in the business of people, we've got to be good at everything dealing with them. ✅ Support ✅ Education ✅ Facilitation ✅ Negotiation ✅ Critical thinking ✅ Problem-solving ✅ Conflict resolution ✅ Emotional intelligence ✅ Servant leadership ✅ Communication ✅ Active listening ✅ Collaboration ✅ Adaptability ✅ Teamwork ✅ Training There's a whole lot more that PMs have to be good at beyond these power skills. Ex: process development, risk management, planning, change control, etc. But the foundation lies with being good with people. So get good at that first. Develop a reputation as the "go-to" for knowledge + support. Be your team's most collaborative weapon. Embrace challenging conversations. It's in the drive to be multiskilled that a PM truly becomes effective. Always be looking to add to your toolbox.

If you want stronger fundraising results this year, start with how you recognize your team. Research shows when employees feel valued, it leads to increased motivation, performance, and retention. In one of my favorite studies, fundraisers who received personal thanks from their manager increased their outreach by 50%. In advancement, recognition leads directly to increased fundraising outcomes. The good news: Recognizing your team doesn’t require extraordinary expense or effort—but it does require intentionality. Here are 15 ways you can put this into practice with your team: 1. Send a handwritten thank you note to your team member. 2. Acknowledge your team member’s accomplishments at an all-staff meeting. 3. Don’t miss the moment, such as after a meeting or presentation, to recognize what a team member did well and how it helps the organization. 4. Ask a senior academic leader (President, Dean, Provost, etc.) or advancement VP to personally thank a team member. 5. Start a team meeting by asking team members to acknowledge someone else on the team who helped them recently. 6. Extend access by inviting a team member to attend a strategy meeting or board meeting—a seat at the table they might not otherwise have access to. 7. Nominate your team member to lead or participate in a cross-functional committee that advances an important initiative for the organization. 8. Make a meaningful introduction to a trusted mentor in your network. 9. Create clarity on growth within your organization through a career pathways document. 10. Include learning and development goals as part of the performance evaluation process, not just fundraising metrics. 11. Acknowledge work anniversaries with university swag or a balloon at their desk. 12. Build a ritual to celebrate as a team when fundraisers close an aspirational gift. 13. Surprise a team member by sending a $5 Venmo for coffee to cheer them on when they’re en route to an early morning donor meeting or speaking at a conference. 14. Set up a thread (text/email/Slack) to celebrate your team’s Win of the Day (WOTD) where they can chime in with their progress and work wins. 15. Before you move on to the new fiscal year where the efforts start all over again, celebrate your team’s progress and accomplishments for the year. One of my favorite work memories was dreaming up and implementing a New Year’s Eve party (with party hats and confetti) in June to honor all of the work that went into a successful fundraising year. You don’t need to do all 15 at once. Start somewhere. Recognition builds connection, community, and culture in your advancement organization. What’s one of your favorite ways to recognize your team members?

You tell your team, "Good job." But they don't seem motivated. You celebrate wins in meetings. But engagement is still low. Here's why: Generic appreciation doesn't land. Your team can tell when it's not genuine. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝟭: 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Acknowledge their work in front of others. Not just "Great job." Be specific. "𝘔𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶." When to use it: For achievements that impacted the team or company. 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝟮: 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 Pull them aside. One-on-one. "𝘐 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶." When to use it: For quiet contributions that might go unnoticed. 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝟯: 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 Show you value them by investing in their growth. "𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶." When to use it: When someone is ready for more responsibility. 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝟰: 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 Ask: "𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘳?" Then do it. Time off. Resources. Flexibility. When to use it: When someone is carrying a heavy load. When appreciation is specific, personal, and meaningful, people feel valued. Not just recognized. 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄? #LeadWithSimmone #Motivation #EmployeeEngagement #GenuineAppreciation #TeamAchievement #IndividualRecognition #GrowthOpportunities #SupportiveLeadership

Can small gestures of #recognition transform employee morale? A simple "thank you" takes seconds to give but can reshape an employee's entire work experience. In high-pressure environments like logistics, where margins are tight and deadlines tighter, recognition isn't just nice, it's necessary. Some findings that support this: - Employees who feel recognized are 5x more likely to stay with their organization (Gallup) - Teams with strong recognition cultures see 31% lower voluntary turnover (Workhuman) - 69% of employees say they'd work harder if their efforts were better appreciated (O.C. Tanner) In logistics operations, recognition has measurable #operational #impacts: ➡️ For drivers: Spot bonuses for perfect safety records reduce preventable accidents by up to 27% ➡️ In warehouses: Public recognition of efficiency leaders improves average pick rates by 12% ➡️ Across teams: Peer-to-peer recognition programs decrease interdepartmental friction by 41% The most effective recognition follows three principles: 1️⃣ #Specificity: "Your creative routing solution saved 14 hours last week" lands better than "Good job" 2️⃣ #Timeliness: Recognition within 48 hours of the action has 3x the impact 3️⃣ #Authenticity: Scripted praise feels hollow; personalized notes show real appreciation The ROI is clear: Companies that excel at recognition are 12x more likely to have strong business outcomes. In an industry where every minute and dollar counts, that's not soft, it's strategic. #EmployeeEngagement #Leadership

Throwing money at retention problems doesn't work. These 8 reward types actually move the needle: 1. Career Development Most companies talk about growth opportunities but never follow through. Real career development means learning stipends, role shadowing, and stretch projects that actually build new skills. When people see a clear path forward, they stop looking elsewhere. 2. Flexible Schedules The "push and cooldown" model beats constant grind every time. After intense deadlines, offer optional 4-day weeks or no-meeting Fridays. When people feel trusted with their time, productivity goes up, not down. 3. Public Recognition "Weekly Wins" or "Shoutout Sundays" work because they show impact, not just effort. Don't say "thanks for the hard work" - say "your API optimization reduced load time by 40% and improved conversion rates." Specific recognition hits different. 4. Surprise Time Off Half-days after major launches or unexpected long weekends signal that you value their wellbeing. It costs nothing but creates more goodwill than cash bonuses. 5. Personalized Gifts Skip the generic gift cards. Pay attention to what people actually care about - books for the reader, tools for the hobbyist, gear for new parents. Thoughtful beats expensive. 6. Growth Feedback Most feedback focuses on problems. Flip it - highlight how someone has grown and what new capabilities you've observed. Recognition should celebrate progress, not just performance. 7. Team Celebrations Tie group rewards to milestones. Hit quarterly goals? Team dinner. Launch on time? Escape room afternoon. Shared victories build stronger teams than individual bonuses. 8. Autonomy Rewards Let top performers choose their next challenge. Want to own the integration project? It's yours. Ownership builds investment. When people feel like they're building something meaningful, they don't leave. TAKEAWAY: Money motivates up to a point, then it stops working. What actually drives people is growth, recognition, flexibility, and autonomy. The companies that understand this don't just retain talent - they attract it. P.S. What's the best non-monetary reward you've received at work? And what creative rewards have worked for your teams?

When I started out in Project Management, I thought success meant mastering tools, timelines, and templates. Well, I was wrong. I came to realize that real #success as a project leader comes from understanding people, leading with empathy, and learning the lessons no certification will teach you. Here are some of the truths I’ve learned along the way. They are lessons that shape how you can lead beyond just delivering: 1️⃣ Emotional intelligence > technical skills. You can master frameworks, but if you can’t read the room or manage your emotions under pressure, you’ll struggle to lead effectively. 2️⃣ Listening is your strongest leadership skill. Most of the answers you need already exist within your team if you’re patient enough to listen. 3️⃣ Empathy isn’t softness. It’s strength. Understanding your people’s pressures and perspectives helps you lead with context, not control. 4️⃣ Deliver bad news clearly, not carefully. Stakeholders trust honesty more than polished excuses. Lead with truth and solutions, not spin. 5️⃣ Relationships drive delivery. Projects move at the speed of trust. Invest time in people, not just progress reports. 6️⃣ Learn to hold conflict, not avoid it. Disagreements are data. What matters is how you create safety for tough conversations that lead to better decisions. 7️⃣ You’ll never know everything, and that’s okay. “I don’t know, but I’ll find out” is one of the most powerful things a project manager can say. 8️⃣ Boundaries protect your team’s brilliance. Saying no to one thing is how you say yes to what truly matters. 9️⃣ Imposter syndrome is like a lifelong companion. It'll show up from time to time and it doesn’t mean you’re unqualified. It means you care. Acknowledge it, but don’t bow to it. 🔟 Take care of yourself. You can’t build calm, focused teams when you’re running on fumes. Rest isn’t optional; it’s part of leadership. 1️⃣1️⃣ Clarity is your superpower. When chaos hits, people look for direction. Be the voice that simplifies, not amplifies, confusion. 1️⃣2️⃣ #Leadership is influence, not control. Your role isn’t to manage every move. It’s to create the conditions for your team to thrive. #Projectmanagement isn’t about perfection. It’s about… - Presence: the kind that keeps you grounded when things get chaotic. - Empathy: the kind that turns tasks into teamwork. - And #Continuousgrowth: the kind that reshapes you with every project, success, and setback. Because in the end, the real project you’re managing is yourself, your mindset, your energy, your ability to lead with both strength and heart. 📍What’s been your biggest ‘aha!’ moment as a project leader? ♻️Share to help others start right. Follow Benjamina Mbah Acha for insights that help you plan, execute, and deliver projects with confidence.

Everyone talks about tools, frameworks, certifications…But the skills that actually make a Project Manager great? They’re the ones nobody teaches and rarely get credit for. The real PM superpowers look like this: • Being easy to work with • Asking the “obvious” questions before they become problems • Treating every stakeholder with respect • Protecting the timeline without turning into a dictator • Focusing on delivery instead of getting dragged into drama • Helping teammates get unstuck • Writing updates people actually understand • Staying calm when everything is on fire • Saying “no” without sounding difficult • Learning skills outside your job description • Owning mistakes even when they’re not 100% yours • Following up (again… and again) • Reading the room and spotting risks nobody mentioned • Keeping the whole team aligned when chaos hits These aren’t glamorous. They don’t show up on certificates. But this is the difference between an average PM and an unforgettable one. If you’re a PM, you’re doing more than you think.

The future of PM isn't ChatGPT 5. It's the human skills that become 10x more valuable. Don't get me wrong - I use AI daily: - AI writes my meeting summaries - Creates agendas and drafts PM docs - Helps me write clearer tasks for developers Last Friday reminded me why human skills matter most. Stakeholder called with completely different sprint goals. We'd committed to our goals. The team was ready. Monday's sprint start was approaching. I could feel this wasn't just another change request. He was ready to fight for it. No AI prompt could navigate what happened next. I had to: → Read the room → Sense his urgency → Make a split-second decision Here's what I realized: 𝗔𝘀 𝗔𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝗠 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀, 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝟭𝟬𝘅 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. The situations that make or break projects? They're 100% human. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟲 𝗙𝗨𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗠 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀: 𝗙acilitation mastery ↳I suggested Monday morning meeting instead of fighting Friday 𝗨nderstanding psychology ↳I sensed his readiness to escalate and defused it 𝗧rust building ↳I acknowledged his priorities while protecting commitments 𝗨ncertainty navigation ↳I created a path forward when everyone felt stuck 𝗥esults storytelling ↳I framed delay as strategic planning, not pushback 𝗘motional intelligence ↳I managed his frustration and team anxiety By Monday morning: - We had alignment - Team started with agreed urgent tasks - Stakeholders worked through priorities Crisis became collaboration. Technology gets smarter. Humans stay human. That's your competitive advantage. Which of these 6 skills do you need to develop most?

The hardest part of project management is people. Not because people are difficult. But because people are human. They bring stress, ambition, fear, pride, exhaustion, and hope into every project. And none of that fits neatly into a plan. A timeline does not worry about job security. A dependency does not feel ignored. A milestone does not shut down when feedback feels personal. People do. Project managers live in that space. Between what needs to be done and what people are actually capable of on any given day. Between leadership expectations and team reality. Between urgency and sustainability. This is the work no one teaches you in a training course: → Reading the room before reading the report. → Knowing when to push and when to pause. → Choosing the right conversation, not just the right sequence. Great PMs do not just manage delivery. They manage morale. They manage trust. They manage momentum when motivation dips. That is why the best project managers are calm under pressure. They understand that projects move at the speed of people, not plans. If you have done this job long enough, you know this. When people are aligned, almost anything is possible. When they are not, nothing else matters. Agree? 🌳 If you are serious about becoming a stronger, more strategic PM, reach out for 1-on-1 coaching: https://lnkd.in/g9NDAvSK

I didn’t learn project management from templates. I learned it when things went wrong. Deadlines slipping. Stakeholders frustrated. Teams overwhelmed. Pressure rising quietly. That’s when project management stops being a role and starts being responsibility. Most people think PMs manage tasks. They don’t. PMs manage: ➤ uncertainty ➤ emotion ➤ expectations ➤ trust ➤ and decisions made with incomplete information The real work happens in moments no framework prepares you for. ➤ When a team is burnt out but still delivering ➤ When leadership wants certainty you can’t honestly give yet ➤ When conflict is brewing beneath polite meetings ➤ When silence in the room tells you more than any status update That’s where effective project managers earn their value. Not by being loud. Not by controlling. Not by chasing authority. But by doing a few things consistently well. ➤ Staying calm when others escalate ➤ Translating between executives and delivery teams ➤ Naming risks early even when it’s uncomfortable ➤ Protecting the team’s energy as fiercely as the timeline ➤ Making people feel seen, trusted, and supported I’ve learned this the hard way. The best PMs I’ve worked with were rarely the most visible. But they were always the most reliable. They didn’t chase credit. They created conditions where others could perform. That’s why project management is not an entry-level skill. It requires: ➤ judgment before certainty ➤ empathy under pressure ➤ clarity without authority ➤ and integrity when outcomes are on the line Project management isn’t about running the project. It’s about holding the space so the work, the people, and the outcome don’t fall apart. And when it’s done right, most people never notice. That’s not invisibility. That’s quiet leadership.