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Sharing crucial information is only half the battle for successful communication.

Project leaders need to make sure that good communication is taking place in their teams and also verify that team members thoroughly understand the information they are given. Regina Spellman is a Senior Project Manager for Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). In the video above at time marker 7:54 through 14:50, she talks about people and communication factors that a manager should be aware of to make sure that a project team is successful.

Video key learning points:

    1. 1.

      People issues will cause problems if you do not solve them. You need to invest in the development of people on your team.

    2. 2.

      You can never communicate enough. For important issues you need to have direct communication such as a phone call or face-to-face discussion to make sure that all parties understand the issue.

    3. 3.

      Team members need clear direction from their leaders so they can do their job.

    4. 4.

      Mistakes will happen on a project. It is important how you respond to the mistakes, how you fix the mistake, how you learn from the mistake, and who you tell so they don’t make the same mistake.

    5. 5.

      Talk to people and share your problems and issues during a project with other team members. Acknowledging that you don’t have all the answers will lead you to find someone who has the solution to your problem.

Related Resources:

NASA Knowledge Toolbox: Collaboration

OPM: Building a Collaborative Team Environment

APPEL Course: Team Leadership

APPEL Course: Team Membership

Mars Science Laboratory: Integrating Science and Engineering Teams

Good Team Design

Cross-training Within the Project Team

 

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