HBR Guide to Leading Teams (HBR Guide Series)

Chapter 14

Deliver the Goods

As your team’s work begins to wrap up, you may find yourself starting to mentally and emotionally move on. It’s hard not to. You’re thinking about everything you’ve put on hold during this project—all the other work that’s once again screaming for your attention. Maybe your mind is starting to wander a little in meetings or you’re quicker to lose patience with a team member who grates on your nerves. You might be tempted to cut a corner or two just to finish things up.

Chances are, your team members feel the same way. How do you keep everyone, including yourself, focused and working productively so that your team delivers the goods on time and up to quality standards? By devoting as much care to maintaining the relationships ...