Feeling a larger team is needed may be a sign that you need to work on expanding the capacity of the team, not just grow the team in size. When a team member asks directly or indirectly about expanding their responsibilities, consider these four alternatives:
- If team member performance is a concern, discuss it with them. Individual improvements expand team capacity.
- If team member performance is average, allow them to expand their responsibilities on a trial basis. Their added effort expands team capacity.
- If team member performance is above average, consider if they are under-utilized. Allow them to expand their responsibilities while you consider how they may be able to serve the organization in a different, promotional capacity.
- If team members haven't asked about expanding their responsibilities, consider the three scenarios, and how you might ask them to expand their capacity based on their performance. Always be a good steward of your resources and team.
Want to learn more about how to integrate these practices into a project methodology? Check out our Micro Guide to the PROJECT Methodology.
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