How to Manage the Very Different Personalities of Your Developers
Posted May 10th, 2016
Every project manager knows that developers can be…esoteric. And while their unique qualities are often part of what makes them great at their job, they can also make building, managing, and improving teams a challenge. If you’re trying to juggle a bunch of conflicting personalities, here are some strategies to help you connect with common types of developers.
The Developer on the Brink of Burnout
The long hours, short deadlines, and high expectations that developers are confronted with can quickly lead to burnout. A common sign is when someone starts missing meetings, showing up late, or projecting an apathetic attitude. Make things easier on these stressed out developers by getting rid of extraneous meetings, unnecessary communications, and bureaucratic inefficiencies.
The Developer Resistant to Change
In order to increase productivity, improve efficiency, lower costs, and produce better outcomes, many companies are introducing new development strategies. Inevitably, one or two members of your team will be resistant to these changes and will create problems for you and the test of the team. In response, establish how new methodologies benefit developers while giving your team members some freedom in how they pursue projects.
The Developer Who Under-Performs
Every team has a weak link, and usually that link is the last person to realize they’re holding the team back. Instead of letting this person go, make an effort to improve their performance. First, point out that missing deadlines and falling short of quotas has become a consistent and consequential problem. Then, work together to introduce more structure into the developer’s workflow. A simple project management tool might be all it takes to help this developer live up to expectations.
The Developer Who Stews Silently
In the previous instances, the problem behavior was pretty easy to identify. But development teams often have a person who disagrees with projects and plans but keeps their skepticism silent. If you suspect that one of your developers is not fully onboard, you can try giving out bonuses for team rather than individual performance, or give the developer a more private, consequence-free environment to express his concerns.
The Developer that Worships Metrics
Data is obviously important in IT, but not all data. Some developers take analysis to a pathological level and obsess over metrics that are either incomplete or irrelevant. Ultimately, this over complicates projects and can lead to dubious decision making. Point out that this behavior is counterproductive, and consider bringing in a consultant who can teach your team to use metrics sparingly but effectively.
Make every effort to manage the personalities you already have in place, but acknowledge that some developers are simply not the right fit for your team. If and when you need to make a replacement, rely on Bayside Solutions to help you find qualified candidates faster.
