Project Management Ch. 11 (Managing Project Teams)

High performing teams have one special characteristic:

synergy

Characteristics of high performing teams

1. share a sense of common purpose

2. make effective use of individual talents and expertise

3. have balanced and shared roles

4. Maintain a problem solving focus

5. Accept differences of opinion and expression

6. encourage risk taking and creativity

7. set high personal performance standards

8. identify with the team

The 5 stage team development model

1. Forming

2. Storming

3. Norming

4. Performing

5. Adjourning

Stage 1: Forming

-orientation to the project

-testing and dependence

Stage 2: Storming

-emotional response to the demands of the project

- intragroup conflict

Stage 3: Norming

-open exchange of relevant information

-development of group cohesion

Stage 4: Performing

-emergence of a solution

-functional roles emerge

Stage 5: Adjourning

- dissolution of the group

Conditions favoring development of high performing teams:

- 10 or fewer team members

- voluntary team membership

- continuous service on the team

- full time assignment to the team

- an organization culture of cooperation and trust

- members report solely to the project manager

- all relevant functional areas are represented on the team

- the project involves a compelling objective

- members are in close communication with each other

Creating a high performance project team:

1. recruit team members

2. conduct project meetings

3. establish team identity

4. create a shared vision

5. build a reward system

6. manage decision making

7. manage conflict

8. rejuvinate the project team

Factors affecting recruiting

- importance of the project

- management structure used to complete the project

Conducting project team meetings

1. establish ground rules

2. planning decisions

3. tracking decisions

4. managing change decisions

5. relationship decisions

6. managing subsequent meetings

Norms of high performing teams

- confidentiality is maintained; no information is shared outside the team unless all agree to it

- it is acceptable to be in trouble, but it is not acceptable to surprise others; tell others immediately when deadlines will not be met

- there is zero tolerance for bulling a way through a problem

- agree to disagree

Establishing a team identity

- effective use of team meetings

- co-location of team members

- creation of project team name

- team rituals

Requirements for an effective shared vision

1. communicate

2. strategic sense

3. passion

4. inspire others

How to recognize individual performance

- letters of commendation

- public recognition for outstanding work

- desirable job assignments

- increased personal flexibility

Decision making process

1. Problem identification

2. Generating alternatives

3. Reaching a decision

4. Follow up

Encouraging functional conflict

- encourage dissent by asking tough questions

- bring in people with different points of view

- designate someone to be a devil's advocate

- ask the team member to consider an unthinkable alternative

Managing dysfunctional conflict

- mediate

- arbitrate

- control

- accept

- eliminate

Sources of conflict over the project life cycle:

1. Defining - priorities, procedures, schedules

2. Planning - priorities, schedule, procedures, technical, workforce

3. Executing - schedule, technical, workforce, priorities

4. Delivery - schedule

Informal techniques for rejuvenating the project team

- institute new rituals

- take an off site break as a team from the project

- view an inspiration message or movie

- have the project sponsor give a pep talk

Formal techniques for rejuvenating the project team

- hold a team building session facilitated by an outsider to clarify ownership issues affecting performance

- engage in an outside activity that provides an intense common experience to promote social development of the team

Challenges of managing virtual project teams

- devloping trust

- devloping effective patterns of communication

Project team pitfalls:

1. Groupthink

2. Bureaucratic bypass syndrome

3. Team spirit becomes team infatuation

4. Going native