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Unit 1: Introduction to Projects

1.7 Project Management Team Notes

We have mentioned the project team several times in the foregoing sections. Effective team
members have some characteristics in common. Only the first of these is usually taken into
account:
1. They must be technically competent. This is so obvious that it is often the only criterion
applied. While the functional departments will always remain the ultimate source of
technological problem solving for the project, it requires a technically competent person
to know exactly when additional technical knowledge may be required by the project.
2. Senior members of the project team must be politically sensitive. It is rarely possible to
complete a project of reasonable size and complexity without incurring problems that
require aid from the upper echelons of executive row; that is, from a project champion (Pinto
and Slevin, 1989). Getting such aid depends on the PM’s ability to proceed without
threatening, insulting, or bullying important people in the functional groups. To ensure
cooperation and assistance, there is a delicate balance of power that must be maintained
between the project and the functional departments, and between one project and others.
3. Members of the project team need a strong problem orientation. This characteristic will be
explained in more detail shortly. For now, take the phrase to mean that the team’s members
should be concerned about solving any problems posed by the project, not merely about
those sub problems that concern their individual academic or technical training.
4. Team members need a strong goal orientation. Projects are uncomfortable environments
for people with a 9 to 5 view of work. In particular, neither project teams nor PMs can
succeed if their focus is on activity rather than results. On the other hand, the project will
not be successful if the project team dies from overwork. One project team member of our
acquaintance was bemoaning a series of 60+ hour weeks. “They told me that I would work
about 50 hours in an average week. I’ve been on this project almost 18 months, and we
haven’t had an average week yet.”
5. Project workers need high self-esteem. Project members who hide mistakes and failure are
disasters waiting to happen. Team members must be sufficiently self-confident and have
sufficient trust in their fellow team members (Lencioni, 2002) that they can immediately
acknowledge their own errors and point out problems caused by the errors of others. PMs
should note that “shooting the messenger” who brings bad news will instantly stop the
flow of negative information. The result is that the golden rule we stated above, “Never
let the boss be surprised,” will be violated, too.

Did u know? Are you doing a project? A project is a temporary endeavour with a specific
result or objective. If your project has no end in sight and/or no clear scope, then what-
ever it is you’re doing may be important, but it’s not a project. You’ll have a hard time
showing your team that they’re being successful.

Self Assessment

State True or False:
6. The Project Management Institute (PMI) was founded in 1989.
7. Project Management Team must be physically competent.

8. Senior members of the project team must be politically sensitive.

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