Managing Project Teams

Prof Pradeep Pai

1
 Teams = SYNERGY (Greek word
Sunergos: working together)
• Characteristics of High Performing Teams,
– Team shares a common sense of purpose, with
each member willing to work for achieving project
objectives.
– Team identifies and uses individual talents.
– Roles are balanced and shared.
– Team exerts energy towards problem solving.
– Differences of opinion are encouraged and freely
expressed.
– Members identify with the team.
2
 Leadership Issues
• Managing (push) versus Leading (pull) a project,
– Managers are rational, task-oriented, focus on events and processes and
use their authority. Team members are expected “To do as told”.
– Leadership is more people focused and does not involve telling people
what to do. Leaders motivate team members to contribute to overall
vision.
– Managing is finite and definite. Leadership is listening to people and
empowering them by telling what is expected out of them
– Higher the degree of uncertainty in a project stronger is the requirement
of strong leader.
• Managing Project Stakeholders,
– Project success depends on a wide range of individuals who do not report
directly to the project manager.
– Micro management becomes the outcome of a project manager trying to
get work done from other participants by getting more involved in their
work.
– The sheer breadth & complexity of the relationships that need to be
managed distinguishes project management from regular management
3
 Qualities of Effective Project Manager
• Innovate & maintain stability –
• See the big picture –
• Encourage Individuals but stress the team –
• Hands off / hands on –
• Flexible but firm –
• Team v/s organisational loyalties –
• Traits of the Project Manager – Systems thinker,
Personal Integrity, Proactive, High Emotional
Intelligence, General Business perspective,
Effective time management, Optimist.

4
 Five Stage Team Development Model
• Forming – Members get acquainted, understand
the scope & set the ground rules.
• Storming – Marked by high degree of internal
conflict. Members resist the constraints put by the
project / project group.
• Norming – Close relationships develop & group
demonstrates cohesiveness
• Performing – Team operating structure is fully
functional and accepted.
• Adjourning – Team prepares for own
disbandment.
5
 Situational factors affecting Team
development
• 10 or fewer team members
• Members volunteer to serve on the project team.
• Members serve on the project from beginning to end.
• Members are assigned to the project full time.
• Members are part of the organisation culture that
fosters cooperation & trust.
• Members report solely to the project manager.
• All relevant functions are represented by the team
• The project involves a compelling objective.
• Members are located within conversational distance of
each other.

6
 Conflict Management
• Mediate the conflict – Find a common ground, use
reasoning, persuasion, suggest alternatives, etc.
• Arbitrate the conflict – Manager imposes a solution, to
ensure project wins. (Give a solution which neither
party likes & they will come up agreeing to a better
solution)
• Control the conflict – Reduce the intensity of the
conflict
• Accept it – Conflict can outlive life of the project,
accepting it is the only option.
• Eliminate the conflict – When the conflict is no longer
tolerable remove the member / villain