Chapter 9
EXECUTING THE PROJECT
BY: MOHAMMAD FAHIM KARIMI
Assembling the Team
One of the most important activities you’ll perform as a project manager is
managing and leading the team.
Projects exist to create a unique product or service, and they require the cooperation
of a team of folks to do the work accurately and completely.
One of the activities that will help your team function effectively is team building.
Team building starts in the project’s Planning process and it continues throughout
the life of the project.
Team-building activities help improve your team’s performance and keep team
members motivated.
Team Building Games, Parties, Events, Activities …
Project Team Kick Off Meeting
The kickoff meeting with the project team includes those folks who are going to do
the work of the project.
The purpose of this meeting is to lay the groundwork for the project.
▪ Agenda
▪ Introduction
▪ Roles and Responsibilities of Team Member
Project Team Kick Off Meeting
Issues to be discussed in Kick off Meeting:
▪ Project goals and objectives
▪ Critical success factors
▪ Deliverable due dates
▪ Project schedule
▪ Activity assignments
▪ Activity due dates
▪ How to alert the project manager of problems or issues
▪ How and when to turn in status reports
▪ Dates of future team meetings
Five Stage of Team Development
Stage 1: Forming: The forming stage occurs when all the team members have been
brought together and introduced. Here they’ll be told about the project objectives, the tasks
they’ve been assigned, and the expectations that the project manager has regarding the
project and the team.
Stage 2: Storming: The storming stage is where the team starts to realize what the work of
the project entails. The team members become more comfortable around one another and
start challenging one another for position and status within the team.
Stage 3: Norming: The norming stage is where the team starts to calm down, settle in, and
do the work of the project. They know what’s expected of them, and they have accepted
and understand the goals of the project. The team members are comfortable with one
another and with their own positions within the team.
Five Stage of Team Development
Stage 4: Performing: The performing stage is the most mature stage of all the
development stages. The team functions in the most productive and effective ways
possible. They support one another, they monitor themselves, and they achieve great things
in this stage
Stage 5: Adjourning: As the name implies, this phase refers to the breakup of the team
after the work is completed. As the project manager, it’s important for you to realize that
many team members may be experiencing a sense of loss at the end of the project,
particularly long-term projects. Guide the team through a closure process. Team
celebrations at the conclusion of the project are one way to accomplish this
Effective Team Characteristics
Good conflict resolution
Enthusiastic commitment to the project
Dedication and commitment to the project team members and project managers
Creative problem-solving
High job satisfaction
Productive team members who have a sense of belonging and purpose
Enhanced communication
Decisions made jointly by all team members
Negotiation and Problem Solving Techniques
Conflict happens when one person’s needs, goals, or desires differ from another’s.
Sometimes, conflicts are easily resolved by simply meeting with the person or people
who have an issue and discussing the situation and possible alternatives until a
reasonable resolution is reached.
Other times, it’s not that easy.
The most likely areas that will require problem-solving skills or negotiation are:
➢ Project Schedule, Resource Assignment, issues regarding contract elements or price,
issues regarding your or another’s authority and responsibility.
Five Approaches to Problem Resolution
Forcing or Smoothing or Compromise Withdrawal or
Directing Accommodating or Reconcile Avoidance
Collaborate or
Problem-Solving
Role of Project Manager in Team Development
Motivation
▪ Intrinsic
▪ Extrinsic
Recognition and Reward
Leadership Power
▪ Reward Power
▪ Punishment Power
▪ Expert Power
▪ Legitimate Power
▪ Referent Power
Act Professionally
Progress Reporting
Project managers are responsible for reporting on the progress of the project.
To do that, you’ll need information from the team members, vendors, and other
key personnel on the project.
There are two ways to gather this information: formally and informally.
Informally:
Make it a habit to walk around during the day and chat informally with team
members to keep yourself up-to-date on where things are.
Progress Reporting
Formally:
Project Status Report
I recommend requiring your
team members to send status
reports to you on a weekly
basis in written form. This is
the best method of collecting
project status
Progress Reporting
Formally:
Action Log
Track action items and report on
them at every meeting. Let
those who are responsible for
action items know that you’re
going to ask for the status of
their action items at the meeting
(or before).
Stakeholder Status Meeting
It is required to hold status meetings with the key stakeholders, sponsor, and
customers on a regular basis as well as with your project team.
Set up your stakeholder status meetings at regularly scheduled times, just like
the project meetings.
Reports on the followings:
Project status,
Schedule updates, including changes
Milestone achievements
Budget expenditures and budget status
Change requests this period
Major issues that could impede progress of the project
Taking Corrective Action
Corrective Action: Any action taken to resolve an issue and ensure that the
product of the project meets the requirements of the project as described in the
scope document.
Example: When the first shipment of parts arrives, you discover that they’re a
half-inch too small. You notify the vendor of the problem and ask them to
correct the process and send new parts in the specified size.