Catacutann - Teams and Teamwork

Catacutan 1
Nicole Catacutan
Instructor Susan Wynn
OGL 320: Foundations of Project Management
Week 5 – Module 5: Executing a Project – Managing People and Creating Accountability
April 13, 2021
Teams and Teamwork
Building the right team involves patience, excitement, and initiative. In Devon’s “How to
Build Project Management Teams” video, he states three major key points that he has picked up
throughout his diverse career: be a high performing you, get the right people, and empower your
team (2011). Each of the listed are equally important. With any project, it calls not only for
specific tasks to be completed to get the job done but it also requires a high performing project
manager to guide the way. The major difference between an average project manager and one
that is high performing is all one’s attitudes and actions. In the past I have found that projects see
the most success and offer the most satisfaction when the person that brings it all together shares
the same sentiment. When a manager is excited about accomplishing a goal, their team often
build on that energy. Attitudes and actions in this case cannot go without the other because they
go hand-in-hand. Would it make sense for someone to be excited about finally going on a
vacation without ever going? Would a basketball game be as competitive if the players walked
up and down the court calmly? The same is true for managers starting projects on the right foot.
It is important to the individuals that are being sourced for the project to see that the others will
share the same level of commitment. Managers who are energetic and deliberate towards their
projects should attract the right people.

Catacutan 2
What does it mean to be the right person for the job? And would that be any different
than being the right person for a team? The right person for the job does not necessarily mean
they are the right person for a team. In order to fill a position with the right person, you need to
look at their skill set, their attitude, and the overall culture you are striving for. A person can
have vast knowledge in what you are exactly looking for, but would that matter if they were
unable to communicate that with others? Solely having the skill set is not enough make someone
a team member. Part of the equation calls for the right attitude. The best person for the job is the
one who possesses a can-do attitude, one that can operate in collaborative settings, one that
shows commitment for the cause, and one that contributes to a positive working environment.
Culture is often difficult to foster with individuals who are not open to ideas. Much of a project
can benefit from gathering useful information from others in a space that promotes a positive
working environment. With any projects, the team members are looking for ways they could
benefit from it as well.
In order for your team to see the project’s value, it is important to empower the team as
well. Empowerment could be in the form of providing a safe space for team members to make
their own decisions. Allowing the team to make project decisions can boost accountability and
responsibility. This can also place team members in positions where they grow professionally
because they are given opportunities to exert or practice the use of some authority which can
serve in their benefit to lead future projects. Empowerment is a great way to build your team’s
autonomy and decision-making skills.
Once a team has been formed, the effort does not stop there. Projects can take years to
complete depending on the scale and it is the behaviors that are carried throughout the work
being done that can make all the difference. For example, Apple has been recognized as a
Catacutan 3
company that ensues excitement to the public because of their innovations. Steve Jobs (2010)
stated that what sets Apple apart from other companies is their strong ability to be collaborative.
Being collaborative is a useful skill in working with teams because innovation and development
occurs more often when a person is sharing and collecting ideas with others. Collaboration has
many benefits including boosting morale, improving communication, building efficiency, and
has also been linked to higher retention rates. Part of what makes collaboration so beneficial is
that it provides individuals the feeling of their voice being heard, and their opinions being
valued. The more someone believes what they have to say is important, the more they are likely
to share. In 1985, Jobs started another company called NeXT that sought to provide affordable
computer options for educational purposes. During his time in developing NeXT in its’ early
stages, it was not uncommon for Jobs to brainstorm with his team. Although NeXT did not
become another multinational technology company like Apple, they shared the same
communication styles of seeking to hear what each team member had to say. Issues and concerns
are better dealt with sooner and having an open, collaborative communication line with your
team members can help identify areas that need more attention before it’s too late. That goes to
say that no matter how attentive you are in preventing arising issues, conflict is inevitable. In
order to manage people, teams, or projects it is imperative for one to develop strong conflict
management skills.
Conflict is not always a bad thing and differences of opinions can sometimes lead to
increased creativity and better decision-making (Corlett, 2020). If left unchecked or unresolved,
conflict can have negative impacts such as lowering a team’s morale, decreasing overall
productivity and efficiency, and lessening the project manager’s level of authority. In order to
prevent improper handling of conflicts, PMBOK has identified five techniques for resolution:
Catacutan 4
collaborative/problem solve, force/direct, compromise/reconcile, smooth/accommodate, and
withdraw/avoid (2013). Of the five, smooth/accommodate, compromise/reconcile, and
collaborative/problem solve stood out most. The smooth/accommodate technique deemphasizes
the difference of opinions and focuses on areas of agreement. What helps a team continue to run
smoothly is when they can come into agreement about project decisions. There are cases where
the differences cannot be completely overlooked but a solution can be found based on
compromising with both parties. By doing so it creates some degree of satisfaction for all
involved parties and is far better than leaving the conflict unresolved. The third and last
technique that is invaluable in a project manager’s skillset is problem solving. This technique can
pull in various viewpoints by promoting a cooperative attitude between differing perspectives. In
turn, collaborative problem solving can result in two major characteristics of an effective team:
consensus decision making, and commitment.
Reading through the areas of conflict management were surprisingly new to me as I
previously didn’t take into account specific techniques to practice. Looking back through my
experiences I have observed the collaborative and problem-solving technique often used by one
of the most effective managers I have ever worked with which explains why I place a great deal
of value in being collaborative. In order to develop as an effective project manager, I plan to
utilize Devon’s advice for building an effective team, Job’s insight on managing others, and
PMBOK’s techniques for conflict management.

Catacutann - Teams and Teamwork

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Catacutann - Teams and Teamwork

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Catacutann - Teams and Teamwork

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Catacutan 1

Instructor Susan Wynn

OGL 320: Foundations of Project Management

Week 5 – Module 5: Executing a Project – Managing People and Creating Accountability

April 13, 2021

Teams and Teamwork

projects should attract the right people.

benefit from it as well.

autonomy and decision-making skills.

collaborative/problem solve, force/direct, compromise/reconcile, smooth/accommodate, and

withdraw/avoid (2013). Of the five, smooth/accommodate, compromise/reconcile, and

collaborative/problem solve stood out most. The smooth/accommodate technique deemphasizes

pull in various viewpoints by promoting a cooperative attitude between differing perspectives. In

consensus decision making, and commitment.

Reading through the areas of conflict management were surprisingly new to me as I

of value in being collaborative. In order to develop as an effective project manager, I plan to

PMBOK’s techniques for conflict management.

You might also like