Team Management

1. Ourcome1: Project Team Management
Developed from SQA COLEG pack by Margaret Pearson, Lauder
College.
Forth Valley College 2015

2. By the end of this unit you should be able to:
• Describe an appropriate management
structure for project development
• Identify and describe the effects of project
team organisation on development work
• Identify the factors which affect the
productivity of project team members

3. A project can be defined as a piece of work
which:
• has a specific objective
• has a beginning and an end
• has a series of linked activities in between

4. A project:
Creates change. You have to plan and budget on
forecasts and estimates rather than on past experience.
By definition the task of the project is something which
has not been done before.
Is Unique. It may be impossible to rely on existing
practice, rules or procedures.
Has composite goals and objectives. You have to balance
possibly conflicting requirements.
Is limited in time and scope. There is only one chance to
get it right.
Requires a variety of resources. You have to create
business and personal relationships among people who
do not normally work together.

5. The Project Manager has responsibilities to
 management
 the client
 the product
 the project Team
 him/herself

6. Using the above, list the responsibilities
you can identify in each category.
When you have spent some time making up your list of
responsibilities, discuss your answers and compare your
with those on page 7 of your Teaching Notes.

7.  Accept responsibility for the project.
 Understand the management's objectives for this
project.
 Only accept commitments which can realistically be
met.
 Maintain open communication. Report on progress
and ask for assistance when required.
 Control the project so that it is completed on
schedule and within budget.

8.  Understand the client's requirements.
 Provide him/her with a total understanding of the
project outcomes.
 Ensure his/her understanding of the problems and
solutions of the project.
 Ensure he/she has a realistic appreciation of the
extent and limitations of the project manager's
commitment.

9.  Total responsibility for delivery and acceptance
 Assure that the product functions as specified.
 Leave no un-described loose ends.
 The product meets professional standards.

10.  Each team member should have a fulfilling job
which carries with it a sense of achievement
and personal development.
 Provide the best possible working
environment.
 Provide leadership by making decisions and
supervising the work of team members.

11.  Don't sacrifice personal, moral or
professional principles.
 Don't accept impossible commitments.
 Share the load.
 Be open to learning.

12. Leadership Style: The choice of leadership style adopted by a
project manager depends on:
 The type of organisation. Leading a platoon of soldiers is
different from leading a group of volunteers from a charity.
 The maturity and characteristics of subordinates.A system
designer may need different leadership from a skill seeker.
 The project environment. A creative development environment
or a production environment with tight deadlines.
 The objective should be to adopt the right leadership style at
the right time appropriate to the subordinate. Leadership
should be supportive, participative and instrumental.

13. Members: Team members must be clear about the level of
responsibility they are assuming with each task undertaken.
Levels include:
 Executing the work.
 Taking decisions solely or jointly.
 Managing progress.
 Providing on-the-job tuition to other team members.
 Having to be consulted.
 Having to be informed.
 Giving advice.

14. Name Group climate can make or break a project. These factors
contribute to a good group climate:
 The team gets encouragement from the leader.
 The leader gets support from the team.
 The team's contribution is valued.
 The team is involved in discussions.
 The team sets its own standards and procedures where possible.
 Personality problems are raised and resolved.
 The team members adhere to and respect group decisions.

15. Destructive behavior can damage the group
climate of a project team. This behavior
includes:
 being highly aggressive or competitive
 being very withdrawn
 being disruptive

16. Please study the scenario for Activity 3 on page 11 of
your teaching notes and If possible discuss these points
with your group.
Check your answers with those given on page 12.

17. Putting a project team together is a very difficult task.
Theory says that you start with analysing the task and
activities to be done.
You then look for people who would be committed and
able to contribute towards the successful achievement
of the objectives of the project. .
In most organisations, however, organisational politics
and common practice will play a part in whom you can
get into the team.

18. Common practices include:
 One or more senior managers appoints team members. The
project manager has no say in the procedure and is left guessing
why he/she got the individuals.
 The project manager influences the selection process, putting
together a team from within the organisation or hiring new
members from outside.
 The project leader and core team members select the rest of the
team themselves.
 The team can be self-selecting i.e. consist of volunteers.

19. Criteria to be considered when selecting
members for a project team:
 The level of technical or specialist knowledge required.
 The compatibility of the individuals working methods with
those required by the project.
 The individual's interest in the aims of the project.
 Achieving a balance of different personal perspectives and
ways of working.
 The importance of having groups represented on the project
team, e.g. users.

20. The right mix of technical skills alone does not mean that the
team will be effective. A balance in the range of contributions is
necessary. You also need:
 people who can come up with new ideas
 people who are energetic in getting things done once
the framework has been established
 people who have a sense of realism about what can
be achieved
 people who are concerned with detail and tying up loose
ends
 team workers who can resolve conflicts between
individuals

21. Please study the scenario for Activity 4on page 15 of your
teaching notes and If possible discuss these points with your
group.
Check your answers with those given on page 16.

22. As a project manager there are many things you can do to
ensure that each team member feels involved and
committed to the project.
 Be open to accommodating an individual's preferences of
specialisation, interests and responsibility.
 Let the team in on your knowledge of the whole project. Each
individual should know where he/she fits.
 You should maintain team involvement (team spirit). Ask for
advice from team members. Respond to concerns raised by
members. Encourage participation in group problems.
 You should not limit individuals unduly. Let them set their own
goals (if they are consistent with yours). Provide adequate support
services and recognise the responsibilities

23. Team members have a right to expect leadership
from the project manager:
 Their work should be supervised so that no-one feels they are
working in a vacuum.
 You should review the team member's progress and assist with
planning career development.
 You should point out mistakes. This is a teaching role, not an
opportunity to be destructively critical.
 Always give credit where credit is due. If a person's efforts go
unnoticed there is no motivation to make an effort when the
next challenge comes along.
 You should make yourself available when you are needed.

24. Motivation
Victor Vroom's expectancy model of motivation
states that where: F = Motivational Force
V = Valence, the attractiveness of the outcome
E = Expectation, i.e. how likely the outcome is
F = V x E
This means simply that the more attractive an
outcome and the more likely it is to happen, the
more we are motivated to bring it about.

25. Human motives cannot be predicted and they are
not always rational.
In general factors concerning the job itself lead to
positive motivation, but factors concerning the job
surroundings cause negative motivation.
An improvement in job surroundings, e.g. more
space to work, a better heating system, a pay rise,
a refurbished staff canteen, simply remove a
source of negative motivation.

26. Make two separate lists of factors which
remove negative motivation and factors which
provide positive motivation.
Check your answers with those given on page 21 of your
teaching notes

27. Negative Motivational Factors
Here are some basic needs which can be identified
as removing negative motivation:
Physical - heat, light, peace, somewhere to eat.
Status - a recognised identity such as a job title or
grade, e.g. property assistant rather than janitor.
Social - outings and social clubs provide an opportunity
for employees to associate with colleagues.
Security - Fair treatment and a grievance procedure can
impart a sense of security.
Orientation - An employee needs to be able to locate
him/herself within the framework of the company.
Economic - a fair wage or salary.

28. Positive Motivational Factors
To get the best out of a project team member these
needs must also be satisfied:
 Achievement - You need to feel that you are making a real
contribution.
 Recognition - You need to be told you are doing a good job.
 Growth - You need to feel that you can attain higher levels of
responsibility.
 Responsibility - You need some self-reliance, i.e. to take some
decisions on your own.

29. De-Motivated Staff
You may be feeling unfulfilled, you may feel
lonely, sad, trapped and/or that you are being
used.
You may be feeling dissatisfied, you may be
withdrawn, or aggressive. You may take
frequent sick leave (real or not).
Think about how a job can be improved by
attempting the next activity.

30. Group Psychology
Members of a project team often develop strong ties, especially
where there are a number of problems to be surmounted or the
time schedule is tight. These ties are often healthy, motivating and
lead to greater productivity.
One bad aspect of group psychology is 'group think'. It can be
extremely hard for a team member to express a view which goes
against the rest of the group. This stifles creativity. Team members
can unconsciously discourage disagreement with the group opinion.
In this way 'group think' destroys a person's ability to examine a
problem critically.
You will probably have seen this in action in a situation where a
show of hands is called for. Many people have a little look around to
see who is putting their hand up before they find the courage to do
so themselves.

31. You have come to the end of Section 1 of the Project Management
Unit.
You should now know about the management structure for project
development and should be able to identify the effects of project
team management on development work. You should also be
aware of factors which influence the motivation and job
satisfaction of individual team members and the effect this has on
their productivity
You should be ready to tackle the tutor assignment at the end of
this section, then to move on to Section 2 where you will consider
project planning.