Chapter 11: The project Team

A team is a group of individuals working interdependently to accomplish the project objective. Team work is the cooperative effort by members of a team to achieve this common goal. The effectiveness, or lack thereof, of the project team can make difference between project success and project failure.

When a project is initiated, one of the first things the project manager must do is obtain and assemble a project team. Team members are assigned based not only on their expertise and experience but also on availability. Project teams should be kept as small as feasible throughout the project.

Project teams evolve through various stages of development. Forming, the initial stage of the team development process, involves the transition from individual to team member. During this stage, individuals on the team begin to get acquainted. During the storming staff, conflict emerges and tension increases. Motivation and morale are low. Members may even resist team formation. However, after struggling through the storming stage, the team moves into the norming stage of development. Relationships among team members and between team and the project managers have become settled, and interpersonal conflicts have been resolved for the most part. The fourth stage of team development and growth is the performing stage. In this stage the team is highly committed and eager to achieve the project objective. The members feel a sense of unity.

The project manager should schedule a project kickoff meeting with the project team as early as possible during the forming stage of team development to inform the members, reduce anxiety, manage expectations, and inspire the team. It provides an opportunity for team members to get to know each other.  The project should provide an overview of the project and discuss roles responsibilities, processes, procedures, and expectations.

Characteristics often associated with effective project teams include a clear understanding of the project objective, clear expectations of each person’s role and responsibilities, a results orientation, a high degree of cooperation and collaborations, and a high level of trust. Barriers to team effectiveness include unclear vision and objectives, unclear definition of roles and responsibilities, lack of project structure, lack of commitment, poor communication, poor leadership, turnover of project team members, and dysfunctional behavior.