Team building in project management
A team can be defined as a small group of people with complementary skills
who are equally committed to a common purpose, goals, and a working approach for
which they hold themselves mutually accountable.
You can always recognize an
effective team
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You can always recognize an effective team. An
effective team draws together individuals with diverse skills who enjoy working
with each other toward a common goal. They demonstrate high team spirit and
morale, and they need each other to accomplish the project goal.
Team-building exercises will help a team develop unity of purpose. By
reducing self-interest amongst individual members of the team, team building
facilitates smooth project management and resolves bad team relations and other
project problems.
The team building process
Team building does happen naturally within a group, but its evolution is too
slow a process to effectively meet the needs and deadlines of today's work
environment. Therefore, a project manager must actively promote team building
early in the project and also ensure that it continues throughout the project's
lifespan.
While everyone agrees that team building must be an active process, there is
little agreement on what constitutes good team building. Experts have developed
a variety of models to promote team building. One example, proposed by Wilemon
and Thamhain (1979), outlines a team development process that achieves all of
the following tasks and goals:
- recruiting
- creating a favorable climate for team development
- setting goals
- clarifying roles
- developing procedures
- making decisions
- establishing control
A development process such as Wilemon and Thamhain's is dependent on a
strong, proactive leader. Without such a leader, team development will suffer
and that will have a consequent impact on the project.
As project manager, there are a number of practical things you can do to
encourage team building. You should try to
- be open and honest
- recognize that politics will be played within the group, but do not
play politics yourself
- put yourself about among the team - do not become overly dependent
on memos
- promote personal development plans for team members
- encourage frankness among the team members
- hold social gatherings for the team
- conduct some meetings offsite
- be inclusive - don't, for instance, alienate some team members by
inviting selected members to lunch
- practice what you preach
Troubleshooting team difficulties
Teams that are not working together well will exhibit a number of
characteristics. Individuals in the team will be frustrated and more
likely to work to the clock. There will also be rivalry and unhealthy
competition between team members as they work towards their own interests
and not towards the project goal. Team meetings will be unproductive,
dragging on for hours, and decisions will not be implemented. Team members
may demonstrate a lack of trust or a lack of confidence in the project
manager.
A team building approach will help resolve specific problems that arise
due to team difficulties. Some examples of these problems are:
- a confused organizational structure
- poor team member training
- unclear project aims
- unfair rewards
In many cases these problems can be resolved by a competent team that
is willing to apply its skills.
Limitations on team building
A faulty project concept
cannot be offset by any amount of enthusiasm
| Of course, there are limitations on what can be
accomplished through team building. For a project to be successful, it
must have the support of upper management. A lack of enthusiasm at that
level can only discourage team members. A faulty project concept cannot be
offset by any amount of enthusiasm - the project manager and management
must rethink the project. And unproductive, uncooperative staff will not
complete a project on time or within budget.
These problems can also hamstring any new project leader. While team
building exercises can benefit and strengthen any project team, starting
off with good management and enthusiastic, competent staff is the best way
to guarantee project completion.
ReferencesTeam Building in Project Management 1979, David L.
Wilemon and Hans J. Thamlain, in Project Management, Proceedings of
the Eleventh Annual Seminar/Symposium, Drexel Hill, pp. 373-380
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