Through those formal studies it is measurably and consistently found that managers who are perceived by their personnel as (1) emphasizing work challenge and expertise, but (2) deemphasizing authority, penalty, and salary, foster a climate of good communications, high involvement, and strong support to the tasks at hand. Ultimately, this style results in high performance ratings by upper management.
The project leader must foster an environment where team members are professionally satisfied, are involved, and have mutual trust. The more effective the project leader is in stimulating the drivers and minimizing the barriers shown in Figure 12B-1, the more effective the manager can be in developing team membership and the higher the quality of information contributed by team members, including their willingness and candor in sharing ideas and approaches. By contrast, when a team member does not feel part of the team and does not trust others, information is not shared willingly or openly. One project leader emphasized the point: "There's nothing worse than being on a team where no one trusts anyone else. Such situations lead to gamesmanship and a lot of watching what you say because you don't want your own words to bounce back in your own face."
Furthermore, the greater the team spirit and trust and the quality of information exchange among team members, the more likely the team will be able to develop effective decision-making processes, make individual and group commitment, focus on problem solving, and develop self-forcing, self-correcting project controls. As summarized in Figure 12B-2, these are the characteristics of an effective and productive project team. A number of specific recommendations are listed below for project leaders and managers responsible for the integration of multidisciplinary tasks to help in their complex efforts of building high-performing project teams.
Recognize barriers. Project managers must understand the various barriers to team development and build a work environment conducive to the team's motivational needs. Specifically, management should try to watch out for the following barriers: (1) unclear objectives, (2) insufficient resources and unclear findings, (3) role conflict and power struggle, (4) uninvolved and unsupportive management, (5) poor job security, and (6) shifting goals and priorities.
Define clear project objectives. The project objectives and their importance to the organization should be clear to all personnel involved with the project. Senior management can help develop a "priority image" and communicate the basic project parameters and management guidelines.
Assure management commitment. A project manager must continually update and involve management to refuel its interests in and commitments to the new project. Breaking the project into smaller phases and being able to produce short-range results are important to this refueling process.
Build a favorable image.Building a favorable image for the project in terms of high priority, interesting work, importance to the organization, high visibility, and potential for professional rewards is crucial to the ability to attract and hold high-quality people. It is also a pervasive process that fosters a climate of active participation at all levels; it helps to unify the new project team and minimize dysfunctional conflict.
• Manage and lead. Leadership positions should be carefully defined and staffed at the beginning of a new program. Key project personnel selection is the joint responsibility of the project manager and functional management. The credibility of the project leader among team members with senior management and with the program sponsor is crucial to the leader's ability to manage multidisciplinary activities effectively across functional lines. One-on-one interviews are recommended for explaining the scope and project requirement, as well as the management philosophy, organizational structure, and rewards.
Plan and define your project.Effective planning early in the project life cycle has a favorable impact on the work environment and team effectiveness. This is especially so because project managers have to integrate various tasks across many functional lines. Proper planning, however, means more than just generating the required pieces of paper. It requires the participation of the entire project team, including support departments, subcontractors, and management. These planning activities—which can be performed in a special project phase such as requirements analysis, product feasibility assessment, or product/project definition—usually have a number of side benefits besides generating a comprehensive road map for the upcoming program.
Create involvement.One of the side benefits of proper planning is the involvement of personnel at all organizational levels. Project managers should drive such an involvement, at least with their key personnel, especially during the project definition phases. This involvement leads to a better understanding of the task requirements, stimulates interest, helps unify the team, and ultimately leads to commitment to the project plan regarding technical performance, timing, and budgets.
• Assure proper project staffing.All project assignments should be negotiated individually with each prospective team member. Each task leader should be responsible for staffing his or her own task team. Where dual-reporting relationships are involved, staffing should be conducted jointly by the two managers. The assignment interview should include a clear discussion of the specific tasks, outcome, timing, responsibilities, reporting relation, potential rewards, and importance of the project to the company. Task assignments should be made only if the candidate's ability is a reasonable match to the position requirements and the candidate shows a healthy degree of interest in the project.
• Define team structure. Management must define the basic team structure and operating concepts early during the project formation phase. The project plan, task matrix, project charter, and policy are the principal tools. It is the responsibility of the project manager to communicate the organizational design and to assure that all parties understand the overall and interdisciplinary project objectives. Clear and frequent communication with senior management and the new project sponsor is critically important. Status review meetings can be used for feedback.
• Conduct team-building sessions.The project manager should conduct team-building sessions throughout the project life cycle. An especially intense effort might be needed during the team formation stage. The team should be brought together periodically in a relaxed atmosphere to discuss such questions as: (1) How are we operating as a team? (2) What is our strength? (3) Where can we improve? (4) What steps are needed to initiate the desired change? (5) What problems and issues are we likely to face in the future? (6) Which of these can be avoided by taking appropriate action now? (7) How can we "danger-proof" the team?
Develop your team continuously.Project leaders should watch for problems with changes in performance, and such problems should be dealt with quickly. Internal or external organization development specialists can help diagnose team problems and assist the team in dealing with the identified problems. These specialists also can bring fresh ideas and perspectives to difficult and sometimes emotionally complex situations.
• Develop team commitment.Project managers should determine whether team members lack commitment early in the life of the project and attempt to change possible negative views toward the project. Since insecurity often is a major reason for lacking commitment, managers should try to determine why insecurity exists, and then work on reducing the team members' fears. Conflict with other team members may be another reason for lack of commitment. If there are project professionals whose interests lie elsewhere, the project leader should examine ways to satisfy part of those members' interests by bringing personal and project goals into perspective.
Assure senior management support.It is critically important for senior management to provide the proper environment for the project team to function effectively. The project leader needs to tell management at the outset of the program what resources are needed. The project manager's relationship with senior management and ability to develop senior management support are critically affected by his or her credibility and visibility and the priority image of the project.
Focus on problem avoidance.Project leaders should focus their efforts on problem avoidance. That is, the project leader, through experience, should recognize potential problems and conflicts before their onset and deal with them before they become big and their resolutions consume a large amount of time and effort.
Show your personal drive and desire.Finally, project managers can influence the climate of their work environment by their own actions. Concern for project team members and ability to create personal enthusiasm for the project itself can foster a climate high in motivation, work involvement, open communication, and resulting project performance.
