Project Teams Meredith and Mantel (2012 p.1) state “Project management has emerged because the characteristics of our contemporary society demand the development of new methods of management.”

1. Groups and Teams
Kjell Sudenius 25/10/2017
Project Teams
Meredith and Mantel (2012 p.1) state “Project management has emerged because the
characteristics of our contemporary society demand the development of new methods of
management.” A team project involves a group of people with complementary skills and
experiences, working together to perform complex or specialized tasks of a multidisciplinary
nature. They represent an essential type of team in organizations that complete the assigned
tasks by a specified date or dates and then adjure (Ammeter and Dukerich, 2002 p.3).
Belbin (2015 p. 1) states “A team should be put together for a specific purpose. Each team
member should be chosen to ensure that the correct balance of skill and behavior is achieved.”
The process of developing an organization or a team is a comprehensive and challenging task.
It is crucial to understand relationship issues around the capacity to solve conflicts build trust
and achieve effective communications (Bubshait and Farooq, 1999 p.34).
There is said to be no universal theory on how to motivate a team (Brooks, 2009 p.107).
Although motivated people are critical aspects for individuals, groups and organizations
successes. Project managers must motivate individuals to contribute with ideas and not
compete for personal gain with one another. Personal expectations must be met as far as it can,
but not to the cost of the team (Hackman, 2005 p.272). Moreover, one must build trust; trust is
a core belief and faith that is a deeper understanding of whom they are what motivates and
what demotivates them and how they would like to be treated.
It is no doubt that organizations motivating their people are more likely to achieve their
organizational objectives (Brooks, 2009 p.80). Tolman and Honzik (1930 cited in Brooks, 2009
p.83) argue that “the motivation to behave in a particular way determines by an individual's

2. expectation that behavior will lead to a particular outcome, multiplied by the preference or
valence that person has for that outcome.”
Individualism in teams must be respected to perform well as a team. Because individual
behavior is very subjective regarding expectations and that behavior will lead to a particular
outcome (Brooks, 2009 p. 83). For instance, if a team member takes independent actions
without team awareness or approval, the person will be criticized by the team for her/his
behavior. Then the individual will feel less trusted by the team. Such mistrust is avoidable by
implementing clear defined ground rules of what decisions and actions team members can do
or not do when taking on a task. The authority level must be clear to the team otherwise team
members will assume their level of independent, which may not be acceptable to the team. The
team needs to agree what triggers a team review and approval (Wong, 2007 p. 72).
Teamwork Facets
A cognitive goal theory suggested by Locke (1968 cited in Brooks, 2009 p.84) states that “if
individuals are set with stimulating and acceptable goals and feedback is given based on
performance, the motivation and performance will be higher.” Project Managers must identify
the needs, drivers and ambitions, the outcome they want from each team member and accept
the fact that each member differs from one another regarding personality and needs.
A significant issue for organizations using project teams is how to ensure that they will achieve
not only at acceptable levels of performance but to an exceptional level of performance
(Ammeter and Dukerich, 2002 p. 3). Typically, a good team and its effectiveness is a team that
has good team players with behaviors that consist of five characteristical dimensions of being
emotionally stable, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness (Driskell et
al., 2006 p. 251). These characteristics are composed of multiple hierarchical facets as
depicted in the hierarchical model is illustrated in figure 1:
Figure 1. Hierarchical Model of Facets Related to Teamwork
Sources: Driskell et al., (2006 p. 251)
The dissimilarity between groups and teams is that team members differ to the degree that their
members are interdependent. Therefore teams are more interrelated and that the team itself,

3. rather than the individual members has performance and reward goals even though the
boundaries are blurry (Brooks, 2009 p. 121)
High level of communications within the organization, among team members and managers,
is essential ingredients for motivation (Brooks, 2009 p. 101). Wong (2007 p.25) further states
“Team dynamics, and human factors are critical elements in project management.” As a project
manager, I have to lead and influence the behavior of the team to build awareness around
factors that affect their performance and effectiveness (Brooks, 2009 p. 112). Most committed
team members are those who feel they have something significant to gain or lose from the
team’s output. Everyone has to have a stake in the game, and it is essential to assess this at an
early stage (Wong, 2007, p 73).
As a project manager, I have never used the Belbin Team-Role Self-Perception Inventory
(BTRSPI) to measure “individual’s behavioral characteristics.” Nevertheless, I see it as a useful
technique for initial screening of potential team members. For me, it has been important to try
to create dynamic and cohesive teams that can perform as a team. In a previous project in
South-Korea based on a stop in constructions. I choose to have a mixed group of age, gender,
skills attitudes, attributes and cultural backgrounds (since the client where a Korean Shipyard)
focusing on their strengths and weaknesses and the chemistry as selection criteria’s.
A way to secure that my team was motivated and perform at its highest level, it was essential
to remove sources that lead to dissatisfaction. In my case, I started to supervise as opposed to
my predecessor that used a top-down controlling style. Allowed them more freedom in
performing their actions and created a scope that encourages them to stretch themselves for
personal growth that gave them acknowledgment through trust and intrinsic rewards (Brooks,
2009 p. 104).
We rewarded team members when the particular milestone was achieved with a Korean style
ceremony during team building dinners (intrinsic rewards and not any extrinsic rewards). It is
vital that the team agree on such rewards mechanisms because one motivational factor works
for one, but not for others (Brooks, 2009 p. 87).
Globalization and Virtual Teams
With today's globalization and increased inclination in organizations downsizing, organizations
outsource and subcontract more of its activities and virtual groups, workplaces and teams have
become a corporate theme for actions. That has created a virtual domain where interactions are
dependent upon the technology for efficient communications that allow team members to
interact with time zones, space and cultures (Brooks, 2009 p. 145).
Even though technologies have improved, research shows that even virtual teams still find
effective collaboration performs better in face-to-face meetings. Claiming physical interactions
and verbal exchange increases the quality of communications (Brooks, 2009 p. 146). Even with
enhanced communications technologies available, the challenges for virtual teams is that these
groups work in different locations, have different management, styles and diverse working
culture and even time zones. They have little to no direct personal interactions, and it is a
challenge to find a way for teams to work cohesively and efficiently together (Brooks, 2009 p.
147).
Forming and negotiating project teams is very much linked to project managers authority,
status, power and influence in organizations. The PM must understand organizations politics

4. to secure resources required from another part of the organizations necessary to achieve project
success. Mature project managers know the importance of strong political ties to the entire
organization and use it as an asset when negotiating and forming a good project team for
achieving project success. The key to succeeding in negotiations, project managers must
understand the game and aim for principled forms of negotiations where the focus and outcome
should be a win-win mutual and acceptable solution for all parties (Pinto, 2000 pp. 86, 89).
Therefore, one can conclude this by saying that successful project managers are vigorously
aware that politics if used correctly, can have a remarkably positive impact on the
implementation of their projects (Pinto, 2000 p. 91).
References
Ammeter, A., P., & Dukerich, J., M., (2002) Leadership, Team Building, and Team Member
Characteristics in High-Performance Project Teams, Engineering Management Journal, Vol.
14 No.4, p. 3.
Belbin Associates (n.d.) Belbin Team Roles [Online]. Available
from: http://www.belbin.com/rte.asp?id=8 (Accessed: 24 August 2015).
Brooks, I. (ed.) (2009) Organisational behavior: individuals, groups, and organization.
Chapter 4, 4th ed. Harlow: Pearson.
Brooks, I. (ed.) (2009) Organisational behavior: individuals, groups, and organization.
Chapter 5, 4th ed. Harlow: Pearson.
Bubshait, A., A., & Farooq, G., (1999) Team Building and Project Success, Cost
Engineering, 41, 7, pp. 34 – 38.
Driskell, J., E., Goodwin, G., F., Salas, E., Patrick & O’Shea, P., G., (2006) What Makes a
Good Team Player? Personality and Team Effectiveness, American Psychological
Association, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 249 – 271.
Hackman, R., J., (2005) A Theory of Team Coaching, The Academy of Management Review,
Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 269-287.
Johnson, T., (2015) PMP®
Exam Success Series: PMP Booth Camp Manual, Crosswind
Learning.
Meredith, J., R. & Mantel, S., J., (2012) Project Management: A Managerial Approach, 8th
Edition. John Wiley & Sons.
Project Management Institute (2013) A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK® Guide) – Fifth Edition.
Wong, Z., (2007) Human Factors in Project Management, Concept, Tools, and Techniques
for Inspiring Team Work and Motivation, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.