The Project Management Process - Week 7 Managing Teams

Project Management 7. Managing Teams

Week 7

Our goal today is to develop and facilitate leadership, team building, performance management, and conflict management skills in the context of an IT environment

Main reference: Gray & Larson, 2006, Ch 11.

Effective Team Characteristics

Why Join Teams?

Team Development

Keys to Managing People

Managing Project Teams

Project Team Conflict

Project Team Pitfalls

What is a Team?

A team

is a group of individuals who cooperate and work together to achieve a given set of objectives or goals (Horodyski, 1995).

is close cooperation between cross-trained employees who are familiar with a wide range of jobs in their organization

Teamwork

Team-building

is high interaction among group members to increase trust and openness

1

Project Team Size

2

Common Characteristics

Project Team Size

Performance is based on balance of members carrying out roles and meeting social and emotional needs

Project teams of 5 to 12 members work best

There are problems you encounter as size increases

It gets more difficult to interact with and influence the group

Individuals get less satisfaction from their involvement in the team

People end up with less commitment to the team goals

It requires more centralized decision making

There is lesser feeling as being part of team

Project Team Size

The Mythical Man-Month

Assigning more programmers to a project running behind schedule will make it even later, due to the time required for the new programmers to learn about the project, as well as the increased communication overhead. - Fred Brooks

Fred Brooks The Mythical Man-Month

Group Intercommunication Formula

n ( n − 1) / 2

n ( n − 1) / 2

Examples

n ( n − 1) / 2

Examples

5 developers -> 5(5 − 1) / 2 = 10 channels of communication

n ( n − 1) / 2

Examples

n ( n − 1) / 2

Examples

Common Characteristics of High Performing Teams

Goals are clearly defined and matched with measurable outcomes

Accurate effective 2-way communication

Leadership is shared and participation encouraged

Effective decision making and problem solving

Team identity and cohesiveness

Diverse backgrounds and experience

Cooperation and collaboration

They share a common identity

Figure 1 Characteristics or needs of effective teams ( Horodyski, 1995 , p12)

Why Join Teams?

Why do people want to join teams?

Individual reasons

Security

Status

Self-esteem

Affiliation

Power

Goal achievement

Why do teams work well for organizations?

Team Development

Project teams usually come together for a project and then disband. What challenges does this create?

Project team

Tuckman (1960s) published five stage model of team development

Figure 9.1 Stages of Team Development ( Robbins et al, 1998 , p309)

Figure 11.1 The Five-Stage Team Development Model ( Gray & Larson, 2006 , p345)

Implications for teams:

A project manager needs to devote initial attention to helping the group evolve quickly to the (performing phase).

This model provides a framework for the group to understand its own development.

It stresses the importance of the norming phase which contributes to the level of productivity.

Recent studies suggest that there is no standardized pattern of group development. What do you think about Tuckman’s model?

Does it feel right to you?

Punctuated Equilibrium Model

(1988) Gersick found that there are natural transition points during the life of teams in which the group is receptive to change and that such a moment naturally occurs at the scheduled midpoint of a project

By imposing a series of deadlines, with milestones, it is possible to create multiple transition points for natural group development

Figure 11.2 The Punctuated Equilibrium Model of Group Development ( Gray & Larson, 2006 , p346)

Training can help people understand themselves and each other, and understand how to work better in teams.

Training The main goal of team development is to help people work together more effectively to improve project performance.

Team building activities include physical challenges and psychological preference indicator tools

MBTI

What are you?

extrovert introvert sensation intuition thinking feeling judgement perception e s t j i n f p

extrovert introvert sensation intuition thinking feeling judgement perception e s t j i n f p e n t j me

NTs are attracted to technology fields

There is a belief that IT people differ from population in a tendency to not be extroverted or sensing.

extrovert introvert sensation intuition thinking feeling judgement perception e s t j i n f p n i

The Max Wideman MTBI article “ Do we have enough of the right kind of people?”

R. Max Wideman, (1998) Project Teamwork, Personality Profiles and the Population at Large: Do we have enough of the right kind of people? FPMI, AEW Services, Vancouver, BC, Canada. http://www.maxwideman.com/papers/profiles/profiles.pdf

What is your suitability to Project Work? * Wideman, R. Max. “Project Teamwork, Personality Profiles and the Population at Large: Do we have enough of the right kind of people?” (http://www.maxwideman.com/papers/profiles/profiles.pdf ).

Another model

Social Styles Profile

People are perceived as behaving primarily in one of four zones, based on their assertiveness and responsiveness

Assertiveness Responsiveness

Another model Analytical Driver Amiable Expressive Responsiveness Assertiveness Ask Tell People Task

Reward and Recognition Systems

Team-based reward and recognition systems can promote teamwork

Focus on rewarding teams for achieving specific goals

Allow time for team members to mentor and help each other to meet project goals and develop human resources

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hi-phi/1100036300/

Reward and Recognition Systems cont’d…

Recognize individual performance?

letters of commendation

public recognition for outstanding work

desirable job assignments

increased personal flexibility

Team Development cont’d…

Keys to Managing People

Psychologists and management theorists have devoted much research and thought to the field of managing people at work. Important areas related to project management include (1)Motivation, (2)Influence and power, and (3) Effectiveness

Intrinsic motivation causes people to participate in an activity for their own enjoyment

eg. read, gardening…

Extrinsic motivation causes people to do something for a reward or to avoid a penalty

eg. homework

Motivation

Motivation Theorists

Maslow’s hierarch of needs

Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene

McClelland’s acquired-needs

McGregor’s X and Y

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

(1960s) Abraham Maslow developed a hierarchy of needs to illustrate his theory that people’s behaviors are guided by a sequence of needs

Maslow argued that humans possess unique qualities that enable them to make independent choices, thus giving them control of their destiny

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs http://talkingtails.wordpress.com/2007/07/23/maslow-greek-philosophy-indian-mysticism/

Hertzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory

In the late 1960s Frederick Herzberg wrote about worker motivation.

He distinguished between motivation factors and hygiene factors.

motivation factors Help motivate workers directly eg. achievement, recognition, work, responsibility hygiene factors cause dissatisfaction if absent but do not motivate, eg. Money, working conditions,

http://www.provenmodels.com/21/motivation-hygiene-theory/herzberg-mausner-snyderman

( Robbins et al, 1998, p221)

McClelland’s Acquired-Needs Theory

(1961) David McClelland proposed an individual’s specific needs are acquired or learned over time and shaped by life experiences.

Categories:

achievement

affiliation

power

McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y

In the 1960’s Douglas McGregor popularized the human relations approach

Theory X: workers dislike and avoid work

Theory Y: work is as natural as play or rest

Theory Z: emphasizing trust, quality, collective decision making, and cultural values

http://www.provenmodels.com/20/theory-x-&-y/mcgregor

Thamhain and Wilemon’s influence bases

(1970’s) HJ Thamhain and DL Wilemon identified nine influence bases available to project managers

authority

assignment

budget

promotion

money

penalty

work challenge

expertise

friendship

Steven Covey’s 7 habits

Ca be applied to improve effectiveness on projects

Be proactive

Begin with the end in mind

Put first things first

Think win/win

Seek first to understand, then to be understood

Synergize

Sharpen the saw

Covey’s Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood

Managing Project Teams

Project managers must lead their teams in performing various project activities

After assessing team performance and related information, the project manager must decide:

if changes should be requested to the project

if corrective or preventive actions should be recommended

if updates are needed to the project management plan or organizational process assets

Tools and techniques available to assist in managing project teams include:

observation and conversation

project performance appraisals

conflict management

issue logs

Develop your team

Be patient and kind with your team

Fix the problem instead of blaming people

Establish regular, effective meetings

Allow time for teams to go through the basic team-building stages

Limit the size of work teams to five to twelve members

Plan some social activities to help project team members and other stakeholders

Stress team identity

Nurture team members and encourage them to help each other

Take additional actions to work with virtual team members

Develop your team

Voluntary team membership

Continuous service on the team

Full-time assignment to the team

An organization culture of cooperation and trust

Members report only to the project manager

Functional areas are represented on the team

The project has a compelling objective

Members are in speaking distance of each other

Know the conditions favorable for development of high performing teams

Meetings?

A brief diversion into Management and Meetings

Don’t waste my time

Conducting Project Meetings Conducting Project Meetings Establishing Ground Rules Planning Decisions Tracking Decisions Managing Change Decisions Relationship Decisions Managing Subsequent Meetings

Time

Date

Place

Who must be there

Meeting goals

Agenda

Expected outcome

Preparation required

Factors affecting recruiting

importance of the project

management structure used to complete the project

How to recruit?

ask for volunteers

Who to recruit?

problem-solving ability

availability

technological expertise

credibility

political connections

ambition, initiative, and energy

Recruiting Project Members

Figure 11.32 Creating a High-Performance Project Team ( Gray & Larson, 2006 , p348)

Establishing a Team Identity

Effective Use of Meetings Co-location of team members Creation of project team name Team rituals

Figure 11.4 Requirements for an Effective Project Vision ( Gray & Larson, 2006 , p357)

Orchestrating the Decision-Making Process

Problem Identification Generating Alternatives Reaching a Decision Follow-up

Rejuvenating the Project Team

Informal Techniques

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

Rejuvenating the Project Team

Formal Techniques

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 Teams

Developing trust

exchange of social information

set clear roles for each team member

Developing effective patterns of communication

include face-to-face if at all possible

keep team members informed on how the overall project is going

don’t let team members vanish

establish a code of conduct to avoid delays

establish clear norms and protocols for surfacing assumptions and conflicts

Figure 11.6 24-Hour Global Clock ( Gray & Larson, 2006 , p369)

Project Team Conflict

Managing Conflict in the Project Team

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 to consider an alternative

Managing Conflict in the Project Team

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 to consider an alternative

Managing Dysfunctional Conflict

mediate the conflict

arbitrate the conflict

control the conflict

accept the conflict

eliminate the conflict

Project Team Pitfalls

Figure 11.5 Conflict Intensity over the Project Life Cycle ( Gray & Larson, 2006 , p363)

Project Team Pitfalls Groupthink Bureaucratic Bypass Syndrome Team Spirit Becomes Team Infatuation Going Native

Review

Effective teams have common characteristics such as; size range, purpose, communication, leadership, cohesiveness, identity, diversity, and cooperation.

Traditional research suggests teams develop in 5-stage process ; forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Modern approach indicates growth occurs at project transition points.

Team development can be facilitated through training, personality indicators, social styles profiles, and reward systems.

PM’s can utilize people handling strategies from motivation theorists and other theorists such as; Maslow, Hertzberg, McClelland, McGregor and Covey …

Other areas of importance include; recruitment, maintenance, and conflict management of project teams.

References

Horodyski, K. (1995). Managing and developing teams . Footscray, Vic.: Open Training Services.

Greenberg, J. & Baron, R. (1993). Behavior in organizations (4 th ed.). Syd., NSW: Allyn and Bacon.

Robbins, S., et al. (1998). Organisational behaviour (2nd ed.). Sydney: Prentice-Hall

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