Wanda is a new project manager at her job. She’s noticed that meetings with her team are often unproductive because team members get distracted by socializing or other non-project-related work topics. Read the following possible courses of action and decide which is the BEST way to handle the situation and which is the WORST way to handle the situation. 1. Extend the meeting time so that team members can socialize more. 2. Stop having meetings and communicate by email or chat instead. 3. Create a well-defined meeting agenda to help everyone stay focused. 4. Try to take on the entire project alone since everyone else is distracted.
The correct answer and explanation is:
Best Way to Handle the Situation:
3. Create a well-defined meeting agenda to help everyone stay focused.
Worst Way to Handle the Situation:
4. Try to take on the entire project alone since everyone else is distracted.
Explanation:
Best Option – Create a well-defined meeting agenda:
The best solution is to create a structured and clear meeting agenda. An agenda sets expectations for the meeting, defines goals, and outlines the topics to be covered. When team members know what to expect and understand the purpose of the meeting, it helps them stay focused and prevents unnecessary distractions. A well-defined agenda also encourages accountability because everyone knows what they are responsible for contributing during the meeting. Wanda, as a project manager, can set time limits for each agenda item and designate a person to lead discussions for specific topics. Additionally, she can open or close the meeting with a brief moment for team bonding, so members still have a chance to connect socially without detracting from productivity. This approach promotes professionalism while fostering team cohesion.
Worst Option – Try to take on the entire project alone:
Taking on the entire project alone is the worst course of action because it undermines teamwork and collaboration, which are vital to project success. By isolating herself, Wanda risks burnout and may struggle to complete tasks that require specialized knowledge from team members. This approach also damages morale, as it signals a lack of trust in the team’s capabilities. Instead of solving the problem, this choice exacerbates it by discouraging team involvement and leaving Wanda overwhelmed. A project manager’s role is to lead and coordinate efforts, not to shoulder the entire workload. Addressing distractions through improved meeting strategies is far more effective than disengaging the team entirely.
In conclusion, the best approach is to focus on creating structure and accountability through a clear meeting agenda, while the worst is to isolate oneself from the team and attempt to handle everything alone.