The document discusses challenges that can arise in project teams, including lack of teamwork, conflicts between team members, difficulties managing some personalities, and high turnover. It provides impacts and recommendations for addressing each challenge. For new team members, it suggests introducing them and discussing their roles and responsibilities to help socialize them into the group. Meetings should be well-planned and action items followed up to avoid wasting too much time. Effective communication and knowledge sharing are important for team success.

1. Professional Practices
SS-301
Ehtesham Raza,
Assistant Professor,
Govt. Murray College,
Sialkot.

2. Managing
Teams and their
Conflicts in IT
Projects

3. The Project Team is the group responsible for
planning and executing the project. It consists of a
Project Manager and numbers of Project Team,
who are brought in to deliver their tasks according
to the project schedule
A project team is a team whose members usually
belong to different groups, functions and are
assigned to activities for the same project. A team
can be divided into sub-teams according to need.
Usually project teams are only used for a defined
period of time
PROJECT TEAMS

4. • "Teamwork makes the dream work, but a vision becomes a nightmare
when the leader has a big dream and a bad team.“ John C. Maxwell

5. Team
1) Lack of Team work
2) Team Members do not get along with one another
3) Team Members that are difficult to manage
4) Wide range of experience and knowledge among team members
5) Project or Work Leader who is Junior and Lacks Experience,
6) Substantial Turnover among Team members,
7) Lack of Motivation,
8) Not much Communication among team members and Outside of the team,
9) New Team Member has to be socialized into the group,
10) Team Member performance that does not seem to improve over time,
11) Too much time spent in meetings

6. 1-Lack of Teamwork-Discussion
Misunderstandings about teamwork in IT. One is that
If two people work together, the work is slowed
down
Lack of teamwork slowdown the process of gaining
knowledge through experience to junior person.
For these reasons we view teamwork as essential for
IT success
If this were the case, then teamwork would be
discredited and there would be no project teams

7. 1-Lack of Teamwork
Impact:
First, without effective knowledge sharing, you become
over dependent on a few people.
Second, it is more difficult to detect problems if people
work in isolation.
Third, it is easier to grow skills if there is teamwork.
Action:
First, Implement joint tasks as soon as possible
Second, Provide opportunities for sharing of
information and knowledge in the IT meetings
Third, Move the ownership of the idea to the staff

8. 2-TEAM MEMBERS DO
NOT GET ALONG WITH ONE ANOTHER
Some people see themselves in competition with other IT staff.
As such, they do not want to share knowledge.
Another factor that contributes to this problem is that through
training and culture, the individual is favored over the group.
Some organizations have no significant turnover of staff. People
come in contact and work with each other over many projects
and years.
The project leader often has little choice regarding the team’s
composition
It is natural that different departments or individuals may see
things from their own perspective.

9. 2-TEAM MEMBERS DO
NOT GET ALONG WITH ONE ANOTHER
IMPACT
In a team, the outcome of conflict can be poison to the rest of
the team.
The problem can grow to the point where people dislike to be in
the same room or meeting with the people whom do not get
along.
This can have a severe negative impact on morale and
productivity.
ACTION
You should move to a lower level of detail.
For technical staff, you should pretend or act like you are
indifferent and keep asking “Why?” or saying “I do not
understand. Help me here.”

10. 3-TEAM MEMBERS THAT ARE
DIFFICULT TO MANAGE
First, in IT some people have big egos
because of their technical knowledge and/or
degrees.
Second, Many people grow up as single
children.
Third, The IT managers may tell some persons
that their work is critical and that they are the
only ones who can do it, making them feel
more important.

11. 3-TEAM MEMBERS THAT ARE
DIFFICULT TO MANAGE
IMPACT
•They may not take direction well.
•They may work along at their own pace
•There may be problems and shortcomings in the quality of the
work.
•This later has to be redone
ACTION
A good approach is to assign them short-term tasks that you
will then closely review.
For later work, make sure to divide their tasks in such a way
that you review their work every two weeks.

12. 4-WIDE RANGE OF EXPERIENCE AND
KNOWLEDGE AMONG TEAM MEMBERS
Today, the situation is very different.
First, business processes are more integrated and
complex. They cross multiple departments. This
trend is continuing.
For example, in the deployment of RFID in retailing
and distribution, you integrate warehousing,
logistics, and supplier chain management. Then you
can throw in sales and store performance as well.

13. 4-WIDE RANGE OF EXPERIENCE AND
KNOWLEDGE AMONG TEAM MEMBERS
IMPACT
Diversity in skills and knowledge can be a strength, but it can also
raise problems.
One impact is that it can take longer to resolve questions and
situations.
ACTION
You might consider holding meetings in which different people
share their experiences and knowledge.
This can not only facilitate more knowledge sharing, but can also
help build a common view of the work.

14. 5-PROJECT OR WORK LEADER WHO
IS JUNIOR AND LACKS EXPERIENCE
Some managers place insufficient importance on project
management.
Another reason is that some larger organizations adopt a
standardized method, such as Prince2, PMBOK, or some
other method.
Such methods provide a general framework. However, they do
not provide the general how-to techniques that are essential
for project management success.

15. 5-PROJECT OR WORK LEADER
WHO IS JUNIOR AND LACKS
EXPERIENCE
IMPACT-
• The junior person does not recognize the potential
seriousness and effect of issues that arise in the work.
• A junior person may lack sensitivity and get managers or team
members angry.

16. 5-PROJECT OR WORK LEADER WHO
IS JUNIOR AND LACKS EXPERIENCE
ACTION-
Rotate project leaders over time so that there is variety and more
learning.
Have the project leaders get together now and then to share experiences
— like sharing experiences at the end of the day.
First, since you are doing it across the board, they cannot say they have been
singled out.
Second, point out that there is a need to share knowledge.
Third, you can get the senior project leader on board by having him or her
delegate tasks to the junior project leader.

17. 6-SUBSTANTIAL TURNOVER AMONG
TEAM MEMBERS
People are pulled off of the work because of more
important or emergency tasks.
An individual may be promoted or move to another
organization.
There can be personal problems.
Users may be pulled from a project due to year-end closing,
the need to generate reports, etc.

18. 6-SUBSTANTIAL TURNOVER AMONG
TEAM MEMBERS
IMPACT-
Any new person will take time to get up to speed
and be effective.
Time is needed for socialization into a team.
More time is required for learning.

19. 6-SUBSTANTIAL TURNOVER AMONG
TEAM MEMBERS
ACTION-
Assign more joint tasks so that work is shared. This
lessens the damage if one person leaves.
Assign tasks that are two weeks in duration, with
milestones. This will limit the damage if someone leaves.
Have individuals relate their experiences and how and
why work was addressed, to share knowledge.

20. 7-LACK OF MOTIVATION
IT can evidence motivation problems.
People feel they are stuck in their jobs.
They may feel that their work is not that important.

21. 7-LACK OF MOTIVATION
IMPACT-
They may work on other things that give them more
satisfaction.
ACTION-
At the start of the project, have the team members
give you a copy of their resumes. Then have them
update these assuming that the project was
completed successfully and they did good work. This
will help them to define goals in the project and work
for themselves.

22. 8-NOT MUCH COMMUNICATION
AMONG TEAM MEMBERS
Teamwork in many IT groups is just a word. It is not
really implemented.
People come together in meetings and relate status
and then retreat to their cubicles.
There is no real teamwork.

23. 8-NOT MUCH COMMUNICATION
AMONG TEAM MEMBERS
IMPACT-
If people do not communicate, it is more difficult to detect
problems and potential issues early.
Moreover, the problems may be more severe.
ACTION-
Devote time in meetings to general, aimless discussions of work.
• Try to assign several people to investigating a problem or
situation.
• Hold some short social get-togethers once a week.
• Do not cut off discussions. Be more flexible.

24. 9-NEW TEAM MEMBER HAS TO BE
SOCIALIZED INTO THE GROUP
You have undoubtedly seen the following: A new
person is hired. He or she is introduced in a meeting.
Then the new hire seems to disappear

25. 9-NEW TEAM MEMBER HAS TO BE
SOCIALIZED INTO THE GROUP
IMPACT-
The new employee can become isolated and quickly
lose motivation.
ACTION
Introduce them and then discuss their roles and
responsibilities

26. 10-TEAM MEMBER
PERFORMANCE THAT DOES NOT
SEEM TO IMPROVE OVER TIME
This happens in both business units and IT.
Individuals meet a certain standard of
performance.
Expectations from management are then matured.

27. 10-TEAM MEMBER PERFORMANCE THAT
DOES NOT SEEM TO IMPROVE OVER TIME
IMPACT
If people continue to work at the same level of performance, they may
have trouble meeting new challenges that arise in any job.
In addition, performance levels may actually start to fail.
ACTION-
Have as a stated goal in your organization to increase performance
and capabilities over time
Introduce them and then discuss their roles and responsibilities.
Have them talk about their past job in terms of experience, knowledge,
etc.
Encourage them to tell stories.

28. 11-TOO MUCH TIME SPENT IN
MEETINGS
In almost all of our positions as managers or staff,
meetings have been a curse.
In our discussion in this chapter we have
encouraged more meetings.
Meetings take time. They also consume energy.
Meetings are obviously essential, but they should be
managed.

29. 11-TOO MUCH TIME SPENT IN MEETINGS
IMPACT-
Many meetings have no defined agendas. In some meetings no one
sticks to the agenda. Action items are identified, but then there is no follow-
up.
The result is that the same topics have to be reworked in the next
meeting. Overall, too many meetings can lead to morale and motivation
issues.
ACTION-
The first guideline to distribute is to have people plan meetings better.
They should ask what topics and actions are expected of the meeting. Also,
have people ask the following three questions.
• What if the meeting were not held? What would happen?
• What is the minimum number of people needed in the meeting?
• What if the meeting were deferred for a day or a week?

32. Questions