Ensuring Everyone Understands Project Milestones

One of the hardest balances to master as a leader is staying informed about your team’s work without crossing the line into micromanaging them. You want to support them, remove roadblocks, and guide outcomes without making them feel like you’re hovering. Here’s a framework I’ve found effective for maintaining that balance: 1. Set the Tone Early Make it clear that your intent is to support, not control. For example: “We’ll need regular updates to discuss progress and so I can effectively champion this work in other forums. My goal is to ensure you have what you need, to help where it’s most valuable, and help others see the value you’re delivering.” 2. Create a Cadence of Check-Ins Establish structured moments for updates to avoid constant interruptions. Weekly or biweekly check-ins with a clear agenda help: • Progress: What’s done? • Challenges: What’s blocking progress? • Next Steps: What’s coming up? This predictability builds trust while keeping everyone aligned. 3. Ask High-Leverage Questions Stay focused on outcomes by asking strategic questions like: • “What’s the biggest risk right now?” • “What decisions need my input?” • “What’s working that we can replicate?” This approach keeps the conversation productive and empowering. 4. Define Metrics and Milestones Collaborate with your team to define success metrics and use shared dashboards to track progress. This allows you to stay updated without manual reporting or extra meetings. 5. Empower Ownership Show your trust by encouraging problem-solving: “If you run into an issue, let me know your proposed solutions, and we’ll work through it together.” When the team owns their work, they’ll take greater pride in the results. 6. Leverage Technology Use tools like Asana, Jira, or Trello to centralize updates. Shared project platforms give you visibility while letting your team focus on execution. 7. Solicit Feedback Ask your team: “Am I giving you enough space, or would you prefer more or less input from me?” This not only fosters trust but also helps you refine your approach as a leader. Final Thought: Growing up playing sports, none of my coaches ever suited up and got in the game with the players on the field. As a leader, you should follow the same discipline. How do you stay informed without micromanaging? What would you add? #leadership #peoplemanagement #projectmanagement #leadershipdevelopment

Stop nodding and start clarifying. Every vague answer is a new risk waiting to explode. I learned this the hard way. Earlier in my career I was quick to move on when someone said “this looks alright.” I thought being a good PM meant moving things along. Eventually, I saw what 'looked alright' grow into big problems that cost time, energy and money. Projects don’t go off track because people lack skills, but because of our habit of filling gaps in understanding with assumptions. It’s easy to think everyone is on the same page. We assume stakeholders understand risks, that team members know what their priorities are, and that clients agree with our approach. But every time we assume, we set ourselves up for confusion and wasted effort down the road. Now, I take three steps to avoid these hidden problems: (1) I repeat back what I hear, in my own words. I wait for confirmation. (2) I ask clear follow-up questions, even if it’s uncomfortable. A little discomfort now saves a ton of energy later. "When you say ASAP, what's the latest date you need this delivered?" "What specifically doesn't look right to you?" (3) I pause and dig deeper. I keep the conversation focused until the gap has been addressed. An underappreciated aspect of the PM job is to build trust between the functional and technical teams. Doing that means being willing to surface the awkward gaps in understanding. That’s how we keep projects healthy. #projectmanagement #changemanagement #culture ___________ If this post resonated, you learned something, found it interesting, or I challenged your perspective and you'd like to keep the conversation going, feel free to follow or connect. I welcome new connections and perspectives. I write about the messy, human side of project and change management 2-3x a week, and occasionally share my thoughts on AI.

Unclear expectations are a project killer When I first started managing projects, I thought everyone would be on the same page. Alignment on roles, responsibilities, timelines, & deliverables Spoiler alert - they weren't. Fast forward 6 months: → A task was delayed because no one owned it → A stakeholder expected something we never agreed to → The team was frustrated by murky priorities It all came back to unclear expectations. Now, every time I kick off a project, I focus on 3 key things: ☝ Define roles & responsibilities Who owns what? Don't assume people know. Spell it out. RACI charts work wonders. ✌ Clarify deliverables & deadlines What are we delivering and when? Be specific. Confirm alignment with your team/stakeholders. 🤟 Overcommunicate early Repeat key details. Document agreements/decisions. Follow-up to ensure understanding. Clarity by setting expectations prevents future problems. It also establishes trust, teamwork, and successful delivery. When everyone knows what's expected, they can execute instead of guess. PS: what's your go-to strategy for setting clear expectations? 🤙