Think about parameters as the edges of a soccer pitch. Within the parameters is the creative space where players put in the hard work. For a team, parameters may include things like timeframes, budget and quality but also things like accountabilities.
It’s no use just a few team members understanding these parameters, ensure everyone is clear on them. Unclear parameters can impact the team’s confidence to make decisions or might have the team operating outside of their scope.
Zooming out from a team view to an organisation-wide view, clear parameters reflect operations as a whole and, providing they are tracked well, can be used to measure progress, (overall budgets, timelines and quality). All individual team parameters reference to organisational parameters to ensure everything is synchronised. Senior leaders have over-sight of the ‘whole’.
When parameters are clear, it’ll mean that everyone is playing on the same pitch – less headaches down the road!
HOWEVER, it doesn’t mean parameters shouldn’t be tested or challenged. A healthy team will have conversations from time-to-time to check if the parameters are reasonable and useful … or in the way!
Actions
- Check the basics on your projects/goals. Are timeframes, budgets and quality clear?
- Check other factors – reporting lines, accountabilities and expectations. If you discover ambiguities, work to have them clarified and avoid uncertainty.
- Are your team parameters aligned to your organisations parameters?
Photo by Adrian Diaz-Sieckel on Unsplash