Developing Project Team Members

One of the duties of a project manager is to develop those project team members assigned to the project.  Sometimes the this means enhancing the skills of those project team members involved in the project or it means to ensure that project team members get stretch assignments to teach them new skills for future projects.

Everyone wants to have the best employees assigned to their projects.  Those employees that are the best for the project, are those employees with the skills need to complete the project.  Sometimes there employees assigned to the project do not have the skills and as part of the planning for the project, the employees need to be trained to do the project.

The project manager needs to perform a skill gap analysis.  To perform a skills gap analysis the project manager needs to identify the skills that are required to perform the tasks required to complete the project and compare those skills to those current skills in which the employee already has.  The gap identified is where the project manager needs to focus training.

The skills in the gap are the skills that are placed on the individual development plan (IDP).  This IDP is the plan developed by the project manager and the employee on gaining the skills needed to complete the project.  The employee can gain those skills by on the job training (OJT), a stretch assignment, or classroom training.  This is one way that a project manager can not only ensure project success, but can also take care of the employees that do the job and set them up for success.