Adding new members to a team shouldn’t be a big deal, but often it is. If you need to add people to an existing team, take care not to impose the individual on the team. One approach is to involve the team in determining the skill set the team needs and in interviewing candidates, either one at a time or as a group. Teams that participate in selecting new team members tend to be much more committed to making the right decision.
Of course, the job’s not done once new people are hired, because you need to consider how you’ll integrate them into the team. Initially, at least, new team members are likely to slow down the project. They need to be trained in technical aspects of the job and generally in how work is carried out. They’ll need help from other team members. They’ll add to communication complexity.
If it’s a virtual project—or even if it isn’t—be sure to introduce the new person to the other team members. Clarify ground rules for how team members communicate and manage projects. Allow time for getting up to speed; don’t underestimate the amount of information a new team member has to absorb.
But what about bringing on new team members when the project is already late? After all, as Frederick P. Brooks, Jr., author of the much-quoted and much-admired classic, The Mythical Man: Essays on Software Engineering, put it, “ Adding manpower to a late software project, makes it later.”
If the release date is fast approaching, it may be best to refuse to add new team members. If you’re not given a say in the matter, seek top talent, people who are already knowledgeable and will take minimal time to train. Aim to have all the new people start at the same time, so you have the effort of getting them started just once.
If possible, create a temporary team staffed by the new people along with members of the existing team. This may not minimize their start-up time, but it can minimize their impact on others.
And here’s a surprising tidbit. An academic study of team changes found that a new member who is comparatively less intelligent doesn’t disrupt a team as much as a new member of average intelligence.
Someone of average intelligence is going to try too hard to make changes, thereby potentially disrupting team performance. New members of high intelligence easily integrate into the team.
What advice would you offer for adding new members to a team?
