One message all project managers should convey to the project team members, but often don’t, is to simply focus on their work, their tasks, and their responsibilities. If team members would ignore the superfluous activities of the project and hone in on what their responsibilities are, the project would scream along with few interruptions. Of course, this depends on the level of detail you have completed in the planning phase.

This is not to say that team members shouldn’t be involved in project planning— they should! However, once the plan has been created, the team should just get to work, ignore the gossip and the details that don’t involve them, and focus on their duties to complete their tasks. The planning phase is not, however, one that’s completed and never returned to. Planning is an iterative process throughout the project. As issues and needs arise, which they will, the project shifts back into planning mode to discover the best response to issues and concerns that have happened within the project.

Part of planning is to find the most appropriate resource for each project task. The assignment of resources to tasks allows the team members to know what they have to do and when they need to do it. If team members could just ignore the activities that are not related to them, the attraction of other technology, and the world of office politics, what a fantastic team they’d make! As a project manager, you should directly encourage your team to focus on their individual tasks. Encourage them to focus on their duties and their commitment to completing their assignments, and ignore what anyone else may or may not be doing.

Like a machine, this team is collectively working toward deliverable results, but within the machine there are many moving parts to make the deliverable happen. Each component of the machine is responsible for only certain tasks; one component cannot do everything—and all components are required to make the machine work. The same is true within your project. The team is a collection of individuals who need to work together, but also have the ability to work independently as their tasks require it.

This doesn’t mean that team members should not help each other with tasks because the work may not be assigned to their realm of responsibility. The goal is that team members know their responsibilities, focus on them, take pride in them, and complete them successfully. If other team members need help with tasks, the team should by all means be fluid enough to help a colleague and keep the project moving toward its completion.