Scott Berkun

I’m a pm for a web development company – I have what we call a zombie: a project that lives on forever for no good reason. The client continually makes rounds of tiny changes, often to things where they can’t provide specific or actionable feedback so we can’t get it right the first time. The project scope (contract) of work, sadly, doesn’t have language that caps these things as they were unexpected. So, through either politics, influence, bands of garlic, or changing the process, how do you put a zombie
project to rest?

- Hunting project zombies

After two years as a general manager, building a team of 25 from scratch, my VP is showing me the door. More precisely, I’m being asked to find a role elsewhere in the company. Yes I’m devistated, but that’s not the point.

My challenge: how do I message my leaving why I’m leaving? Most of them came to the org because of me: I recruited them on the basis of my commitment to them and the project. I don’t want to be ugly and badmouth the VP, but I don’t want to lie either. How do I message this honestly, but create the least damage for the team and whoever has to replace me?

- Signed, trying to close the door (TCTD)

For about 16 months my big problem. in forming a new team, was finding top talent – but now that I’ve nailed that goal, I have an unexpectedly annoying problem: keeping top talent. The surprising downside to having rock star people is that they know they can easily find jobs elsewhere, and they demand more from me in terms of assignments and the challenge level of their projects than most of the people I’ve managed before.

I’m starting to think I’m overstaffed – my team has more talent than I really need for the kinds of projects we’re going to have over the next year.

Should I:

• a)  Stop complaining. This is a good problem to have. I should do whatever it takes to hold on to as many talented people as possible, regardless of the circumstances.
• b) Call the talent’s bluff and let them leave. I’ve over-hired, and if folks feel they can do better I should let them go, working towards a balanced pool of talent to match the more balanced work I have.
• c) Fight for bigger projects based on the talent level I have.
• d) ?

Signed, – Trying to keep top talent

The manager for my team is one of the company founders. He’s smart, but oh man, is he annoying. He has a litany of habits that make my life, as a team leader, frustrating: from disrupting my authority in front of others, to changing his mind and then changing it back, to just being downright egotistical, snide and resistant to ideas from others. He is smart and does contribute, and listens about 1/3rd of the time, just enough to prevent the other founders from doing anything about him.

So I have to work with this man: he’s not going anywhere, and he has significant power over me, my team, and the company. So how can I protect myself and my team from his many less than delightful habits?

- Stuck in Annoyanceville