HAND-IN ASSIGNMENT

Within projects processes there are many vital and different roles that a project manager should play hence leading the team members are just as vital as any other technical aspects of a project. Team members are equally instrumental to the project success as they are the driving force in accomplishing the project goals. Therefore one fundamental factor for the project manager is to understand the dynamics of the team. Tuckerman(1965) models clearly illustrates the team development stages and places much emphasis on how the developmental stages impacts interpersonal interactions among the team and the level of the team morale. As a project manager focuses should be placed on the different stages of team development which can enhance the different types of leadership roles you would play at each stage. Overall most of the research indicates that interpersonal skills are so critical to team development thus increasing team performance and morale. In most successful projects the point of departure for a project manager is to value the uniqueness of each and every team member. This is an integral part on understanding and interacting positively to the team member motivations and values. This would further provide insight on what motivates work and project performance from the team members.

Your team is the most valuable component of your project beyond all other stakeholders; therefore your team composition could either break or make project success. The manner in which you would manage, plan, organize, control and lead the project team is vital. So make it your business to know your team, and look after the very well to ensure their operational duties are fulfilling to them in the project. Being goal-oriented might just eliminate you to care for you team which might just lead to project failure at the end. Communicationcommunication can never be over-stressed in project, communication attributes to many rewards in project environments. In close relation to project team members communication draws out the following positive aspects:

y y y y

Builds team relationships Team awareness and cohesion is established Development of trust and respect for one another Healthy working environment

Of the above-mentioned aspects what more can a project manager ask for it is present in the project, effective coordination and collaboration should just be strengthen to sustain the aspects further throughout the entire project cycle.

In the given project scenario with all the key members leaving it is evident that they had planned this way in advance. As a project manager one should understand how to handle this sort of situations. The leadership role of the project is to attain and maintain all valued team members of the project by engaging, and acknowledging them at all times. I would now outline the key steps required in guiding the project manager whilst handling the set scenario. In my brief discussion I would describe the steps that should be taken and the plan forward in rehabilitating the project team environment that will ultimately restore stable project environment. The previous manager left in short notice and I had to replace the outgoing project manager. A formal handing over of the project should have conducted which will provide me with the following alerting notices. 1. At formal handing over the outgoing project manager should have brief me on the current status of the project. 2. The meeting would have highlighted key concerns, risks and constraints 3. Indication of the vital warning signs of the team members satisfaction. 4. Overall project assessment and evaluation up until current date that the previous project manager left. Based on the stated information I would have known my point of intervention. Surely during his stay there would have been some detection of change in behaviors from the team members and setting up an action plan would have

further prompt change in the project. My formulated plan forward should focus on the following: y y y y Building an adaptive and proactive team environment Energizing my team members Re-enforcing the focus of building relationships and strengthening them. Boosting my teams motivation , innovation which will enhance their creativity and morale y Implementing adaptively through coaching, training, and mentoring my team.

There are number of ways in which I would address the issue of my teams low morale. Having a team with low morale carries negative weight on the project thus leading to poor productivity, low performance, stress which can easily lead to project failure. Paying attention the team and their interactions I would strengthen my input to the project by being an active listener, listening actively to my team I would be able to pick up the source of the teams morale being low. Based on the project history it would further benefit if there is a joint effort from the project manager and the team. By rebuilding the morale of the team sensitivity should be applied as this could be an issue that the project is failing and prolonged in the first place. Recognizing each team members contribution and offering flexibility in terms delegating tasks and responsibilities would signal a sense of appreciation and acknowledgment to the team members. My reaction should be clearly articulated in such a manner that I would not further push the remaining team members out of the project but to rather bring a sense of comfort and cohesion in the project. Personally if faced with such situations one can get very overwhelmed and directionless. Change and challenges would be a means of a better opportunity therefore by developing a learning platform would produce a better outcome on the project. Team members should feel neglected and blamed for the current state of the project but rather acknowledge as fundamental components in restructuring the project to a better success.

There are several tools and techniques that I would apply to improve the situation of the project. The tools and techniques that I would apply are as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Adapt Agile practice for teams Stress management Coaching and mentoring Conflict Management Reverse Brainstorming Motivation and Rewards systems Performance management

Of the above-mentioned tools and techniques the project manager should apply them in a unifying manner subsequently leading to the restoration of the team environment. There should be a balance among all the tools and techniques. If the application of one technique over bears that state of the team the process would not be successful at all. By adapting the Agile Practices teams processes would change to produce the following results: Allan (2009) discusses the most important key attributes of agile practices and further states that in Agile practices teams are independent and are lead by themselves. Meaning that there is less control and more accountability and responsibility enforced onto the team. That ultimately produces more creativity and innovation that has characteristics of highly performing teams. Because of the current project duration being extended to 30months Agile practices consist of short fixed periods to complete the project tasks and work packages in less duration. Learning is highly promoted and team members would be equal partners in evaluating the project thus promoting a learning environment throughout the full cycle of the project. Communication is highly regarded and the aspect of strengthening it carries detrimental value to the project success. The nature of Agile Practices also allows risk to be detected and identified easily therefore measures are put in place to manage project constraints, challenges and assumption which leads to effective risk management planning. Agile practices are people-catered so team interaction and collaboration is encourage leading to team diversity, respect , trust to be developed effectively. Stress management in project teams should aim in balancing work to fulfill the balance of teams life, wellbeing and productivity. Since it is your business that

your team well-being is cared for the project manager should planned regular supervision session individually with team members that can draw out any element of stress related to work circumstances and satisfaction among the team members. If team members are not given a platform to air their dissatisfaction the morale of the team will further just worsen by time. By making time and allowing them to state their concerns the team members would develop a sense of acknowledgment being part of a team. Because conflict might arise due to unclarified roles and responsibility it will be my position to liaison with the team to actively clarify each members roles and responsibilities. The formulation of the project charter would further guide and regulate behavior conduct of each project manager. One interesting technique that I have also used on my client is the reverse brainstorming technique which does not discuss the problem but rather the behavior that leads to the problems. Places the impacting effects of behavior there is a strong ground of reflection and self-assessment. Social gatherings are an excellent form of relaxation and team building so I would use constructive setups for project review meetings to gather the team together for a pizza or lunch.

My leadership styles would be applied would be transformational and contingency leadership styles. According to UOL/LOE (2010) notes this form of leaderships styles would further complement each other in a uniformed manner. My leadership style would aim at increasing the team participation and engagement to the project process. With transformational leadership styles I would constantly motivate the team members which would produce a healthy working relationship in the project. Based on the variety of interventions that I have mentioned above I strongly feel that the team would gradually pick up and participate more in the project process. I will place my focus on individually on each problem area in order to void overbearing the team with management and recovering processes. Change takes time to stable and coaching and mentoring them on how to effectively deal with change would guide them to adaptability and implementation of project processes. I know it will take time before any visible results would show, so patience and perseverance and commitment would be my strongest strengths to overcome this challenging situation.

Skorkin, A (2009) The most important Agile Practices of all Time. Available [Online] http://www.skorks.com/2009/08/the-most-important-agile-practiceof-all/ Assessed: 03 August 2010

Tuckman, B. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63, 384-399.

University of Liverpool/Laureate Online Education (2009) Lecture notes from Organizational Behaviour and People Management: Leadership [Online]. Available from: University of Liverpool/Laureate Online Education VLE (Accessed: 03 August 2010)