5	Project stage 3: team- building

Figure 5.1 Team-building, leading and motivating

The other main component in managing projects involves the process of building, leading and motivating teams. When it comes to people and relationships we enter a very different arena to that which involves defining our Terms of Reference and conducting risk and probability assessments. Applying project management tools and techniques is one thing, managing people is another. As we all know, managing people in the working environment involves a complex world where drives and emotions such as ambition, motivation, competition, power, control, co-operation, trust and mistrust come into play.

No project can be managed without the need to manage relationships. These will normally involve your project sponsor, his or her staff, the stakeholders and your project team. They therefore present a very challenging aspect of the project manager’s role. Fail to manage people and we fail to manage projects. So for the vast majority of project managers, managing the people elements is often the most demanding aspect of the role.

	In any project situation our people management experiences will almost invariably vary from one project to another but the essential factors that we will need to cope with include:
	defining the leadership role and style – deciding on the right amount of task control and relationship support provided to the team to bring out the best of individual talents managing the various group dynamics – this includes the interplay of roles and relationships between the various team members and other interested parties. In other words building the team.

But what is a team?

When working with multicultural teams, make allowances for different responses to issues. Dig deeper and discover the real problems before making judgements on progress and plans for future work. ( Alan Goodson, Project Leader, The Dow Chemical Company)

A team can be defined as a collection of individuals who have a specific purpose and are committed to the following:

• achieving a goal
• high performance
• caring for each other
• achieving more collectively than through any one individual – this is what is often termed ‘ synergy’.

Team development: the classic phases

In developing a fully functioning team any project manager will need to understand the four distinct stages that most groups experience and work through on their way to becoming a fully integrated team. These stages were developed from research and are generally recognized to remain true for most groups. How quickly a team moves through the various stages may well depend on the complexity and difficulties involving and surrounding the project as well as the previous experience the project team members have of working with each other. There can be no set time predictions about these phases, only recognition and understanding that they do occur and that they have to be managed. A key element of beginning to understand the people- side of projects requires the project manager to be aware of these stages and to take appropriate action to guide a team through them.

Stage 1: forming

This involves the team coming together, and is characterized by a certain degree of uncertainty. Sometimes the atmosphere at this stage can be rather strained, particularly if people do not know each other. Superficiality and politeness are demonstrated as people begin the process of getting to know each other. But at this forming stage of team building, relationships generally remain impersonal as people display a certain degree of anxiety or nervousness about what might happen to them.

For the project manager the real objective is to get the team through this rather uncertain phase by getting the team together and effecting some strong introductions. The use of ‘start up’ type activities such as a small party or other fun and social-type event can often help some people by accelerating this introductions phase. At the same time the project manager needs to establish and set out clear goals and objectives for the team, clarifying individual roles, expectations and objectives along with the identification of stakeholders and other interested parties. Communicating the Terms of Reference is an obvious way of establishing focus for the team.

Stage 2: storming

The storming phase of any team’s development can often be a worrying time for a project manager. Principally this is because it often feels as though the whole team is losing all sense of cohesion and spirit. Disagreements, conflicts and arguments are a common characteristic of the storming stage. ‘Feeling stuck’ and ‘getting nowhere’ are descriptions of what it sometimes feels like to be caught up in this phase.

The difficulty during a storming phase is that people are often trying to secure positions within the team. For some, they may be challenging the project methodology or approach whilst others maybe trying to influence some other aspect of the project. This sort of behaviour, which often results from having enthusiastic and committed people on board, can naturally generate tensions. Strong personalities and different ideas clash. This debate or argument absorbs a great deal of time and vital energy. Consequently a loss of impetus or progress maybe experienced by some team members. As a result they get fed up. Some people may even seek to drop out altogether and others may try to form sub- groups or cliques. Suffice to say that to the inexperienced project manager it may feel as though you have lost control and that the team is breaking up in front of your eyes.

In managing any storming stage the first thing to do is to recognize that it is actually happening. So take time out to think about what you may have been observing. Then analyse the symptoms. What is happening? What are people trying to do?

The second action for dealing with a storming phase requires the project manager to remain calm and to see the process as an inevitable part of the team’s development. At this stage you will need to employ listening and conflict management skills to ensure that everyone has their say in a reasoned and controlled manner. A ‘ free for all’ argument is likely to be viewed negatively by everyone and as the manager you want to avoid the storming stage continuing into the future as inevitably this will lead to problems.

At some stage the team needs to move on and to do this the project manager must focus his or her efforts on re- establishing a leadership role and restating the aims and objectives of the project itself. Individual roles and responsibilities will also need to be clarified. In effect it requires the project manager to move the team on from a ‘ how’ to a ‘ what we need to do’ perspective.

It is important to recognize the storming stage as a perfectly natural phase that teams go through. Despite the unnerving nature that some teams might show when storming, it is a perfectly healthy side to any team’s development. Indeed it is a common characteristic of many failed business teams that they never allowed themselves the right to storm. Such team behaviour is often characterized by subtle game- playing and hidden agendas, whereby everyone knows there is a problem but no one is prepared to confront the real issue.

Stage 3: norming

As the necessary storming phase reaches its conclusion most successful teams will begin to embark on the process of norming. A clear sense of purpose, order and sharing starts to emerge. Team members constructively begin to ask for and give opinions to each other. A practical atmosphere of give and take begins to unfold. The acceptance of roles and responsibilities becomes clear. Decisions are taken through reasoned discussion and people get down to the business and tasks in hand.

At this stage the role of the project manager is to build on the prevailing atmosphere. Supporting people along with giving and receiving feedback and building a positive working climate become critical activities. As a project manager you may want to discuss how the team is working and generally be prepared to put more management emphasis on asking rather that telling. At this stage teams are also more capable of confronting difficulties. By managing in this way you will find that the various roles and boundaries within the group are more clearly established and maintained. In turn, the unity and solidarity of the team begins to grow. This helps the team prepare for the next phase of development.

Stage 4: performing

The reality for many teams in today’s world is that they remain for the most part in the norming phase of their development. That is to say they perform well and deliver in a professional manner but that they never really excel. The performing phase of a team’s development is the phase that we all aspire to, as it captures the best of people’s abilities in working together. The performing phase is characterized by unity, confidence, maturity and high energy. In effect it is people working at their best, displaying excellence, mutual support, flexibility, spirit and pride. It is a phase that most teams momentarily hit but fail to achieve on an ongoing basis.

For a team to operate at this level the individuals need to display very high levels of interpersonal skills. High- performance teams are comfortable discussing almost anything with each other. That is an attribute that cannot be said of the other phases. The ability to give and take tough feedback and confront difficult issues without the fear of upsetting colleagues or destroying the team’s morale is a powerful characteristic of this phase.

As for the project manager’s role, it takes on an almost new meaning. In a high- performance team the manager’s role is very much subservient to the team. The manager almost becomes a coach or facilitator. After all the people being managed not only know exactly what they have to do but are also highly skilled, motivated and energized to complete the work. In such circumstances the manager’s role is to create the conditions to enable the team to perform. This will involve a heavy focus on delegation and co- ordination rather than controlling the project in a directive manner. Remember that interdependence and high levels of trust are key characteristics of the performing phase.

Write down your answers to the following question

What are my essential strengths and development needs as a leader? Am I clear and precise in my communications regarding all aspects of the project? Do I adequately ensure that all team members are kept up to date on the project and all relevant facts and issues? Do I effectively control strong team members whilst at the same time cultivating the quieter and more introverted members of the team? How well do I clarify any misunderstandings? Do I provide regular and timely updates on all matters of progress? Can I generate a fun and challenging atmosphere?

High- performance teams

Research into high-performance teams has revealed a number of common behavioural characteristics:

• There is an informal but highly involved working atmosphere.
• Discussions are focused.
• There is a common commitment to clear objectives.
• Listening is high.
• Criticism of others is delivered in a constructive way.
• Disagreements are voiced and worked through.
• Decisions are reached largely through discussion and consensus.
• People are direct and will share their feelings with each other.
• Actions as well as roles and responsibilities are shared.
• If there is a leader, this leadership role can change within the team if particular expertise is required.
• The team is self- critical – reviewing both successes and failures.

Check your team’s performance against the above. Consider what you need to do to move towards the characteristics of highperformance teams.

Team roles and functions

Before assigning tasks to people take out real time to assess individual capabilities – skills, knowledge and attitudes. Ask yourself have you got the right people? ( Dennis O’ Gorman, Senior Project Manager, Fitzpatrick Contractors)

Another key element of managing project teams involves the allocation of key roles and functions to team members. It is essential at the outset of any project that the roles needed successfully to carry out the project are identified and properly allocated to the various team members. So deciding the ‘ what’ and ‘ who’ of the project team becomes a vital first task in managing the people aspects of a project team.

In Chapter 11, we have identified and discussed the various roles of the project manager’s work as encompassing the following competencies:

• administrator
• analyst
• negotiator
• communicator – verbal and written
• motivator
• listener
• decision- maker.

But whilst those are the attributes of the manager any project team will also need the various team members to bring competencies and attributes to the group. Any effective project team will want the following types of people:

• Ideas person – someone who generates new and radical approaches to problems. An original and innovate thinker who challenges conventional approaches.
• Detail person – someone who has an eye for details, who can spot mistakes and errors and challenge on the fine print.
• Team- builder and energizer – a team member capable of motivating others within a project team, capable of getting people involved, enthusiastic and excited. A real asset when a team is experiencing difficulty or conflicts.
• Worker – this is the person who is happy to simply get on with things in an efficient, competent and trouble- free manner. Such people have a high concern for productivity and structure. In effect they deliver without fuss. The backbone of any project team.

Are there any roles missing from your group ( which, if fulfilled, would improve the group’s performance) ?

Belbin’s team types

Whilst the above types are very general they set us thinking about team roles and the contribution these roles make to any team. One of the best pieces of work that has ever been completed on understanding teams and the various roles that people can play in them has been conducted by Dr Meredith Belbin. For many years he has conducted detailed research on team dynamics. His work, which has attracted global recognition, has enabled him to develop a typology that can assist all team managers. It is an approach to understanding teams that is particularly helpful to project managers. The benefit of Belbin’s work is that it provides not only the project manager but also team members with a clear means of understanding:

• our own individual contribution to the team
• how other team members contribute
• how best to allocate activities and tasks amongst the team
• where gaps in the team composition might exist and how best to manage them.

Once we understand our own team roles and their strengths and weaknesses as defined by Belbin, we have a mechanism by which we can, as project managers, improve the balance of our teams and their overall effectiveness.

Belbin’s team roles: questionnaire

Directions for completing the questionnaire

For each section allocate a total of ten points among the sentences that you think best reflect or describe your behaviour. The points you allocate may be distributed among several sentences: in extreme cases they might be distributed among all the sentences or ten points may be given to a single sentence. After having worked through the questionnaire enter your points in the table at the end of the questionnaire. Then add up the scores vertically to obtain your scores for each of Belbin’s types.

I What I believe I can contribute to a team:

(a)	I think I can quickly see and take advantage of new opportunities.
(b)	I can work well with a very wide range of people.
(c)	Producing ideas is one of my natural assets.
(d)	My ability rests in being able to draw people out whenever I detect they may have something of value to contribute to group objectives.
(e)	My capacity to follow through has much to do with my personal effectiveness.
(f)	I am ready to face temporary unpopularity if it leads to worthwhile results in the end.
(g)	I am quick to sense what is likely to work in a situation with which I am familiar.
(h)	I can offer a reasoned case for alternative courses of action without introducing bias or prejudice.

II If I have a possible shortcoming in teamwork it could be that:

(a)	I am not at ease unless meetings are well structured, controlled and generally well conducted.
(b)	I am inclined to be too generous towards others who have a valid viewpoint that has not been given a proper hearing.
(c)	I have a tendency to talk a lot once the group gets on to new ideas.
(d)	My objective outlook makes it difficult for me to join in readily and enthusiastically with colleagues.
(e)	I am sometimes seen as forceful and authoritarian if there is need to get something done.
(f)	I find it difficult to lead from the front, perhaps because I am overresponsive to the group atmosphere.
(g)	I am inclined to get too caught up in ideas that occur to me and so lose track of what is happening.
(h)	My colleagues tend to see me as worrying unnecessarily over detail and the possibility that things may go wrong.

III When involved in a project with other people:

(a)	I have an aptitude for influencing people without pressurizing them.
(b)	My general vigilance prevents careless mistakes and omissions being made.
(c)	I am ready to press for action to make sure that meetings do not waste time or lose sight of the main objectives.
(d)	I can be counted on to produce something original.
(e)	I am always ready to back a good suggestion in the common interest.
(f)	I am keen to look for the latest in new ideas and developments.
(g)	I believe others appreciate my capacity for cool judgement.
(h)	I can be relied upon to see that all essential work is organized.

IV My characteristic approach to group work is that:

(a)	I have a quiet interest in getting to know colleagues better.
(b)	I am not reluctant to challenge the views of others or to hold a minority view myself.
(c)	I can usually find a line of argument to refute unsound propositions.
(d)	I think I have a talent for making things work once a plan has to be put into operation.
(e)	I have a tendency to avoid the obvious and come out with the unexpected.
(f)	I bring a touch of perfectionism to any team job I undertake.
(g)	I am ready to make contacts outside the group itself.
(h)	While I am interested in all views, I have no hesitation in making up my mind once a decision has to be made.

V I  gain satisfaction in a job because:

(a)	I enjoy analysing situations and weighing up all the possible choices.
(b)	I am interested in finding practical solutions to problems.
(c)	I like to feel I am fostering good working relation ships.
(d)	I can exert a strong influence on decisions.
(e)	I can meet people who may have something new to offer.
(f )	I can get people to agree on a new course of action.
(g)	I feel in my element where I can give a task my full attention.
(h)	I like to find a field that stretches my imagination.

VI    If I am suddenly given a difficult task with limited time and
        unfamiliar people:

(a)	I would feel like retiring to a corner to devise a way out of the impasse before developing a line.
(b)	I would be ready to work with the person who showed the most positive approach, however difficult they might be.
(c)	I would find some way of reducing the size of the task by establishing what different individuals might best contribute.
(d)	My natural sense of urgency would help to ensure that we did not fall behind schedule.
(e)	I believe I would keep cool and maintain my capacity to think straight.
(f)	I would retain a steadiness of purpose in spite of the pressures.
(g)	I would be prepared to take a positive lead if I felt the group was making no progress.
(h)	I would open discussions with a view to stimulating new thoughts and getting something moving.

VII    With reference to the problems to which I am subject in
          working in groups:

(a)	I am apt to show my impatience with those who are obstructing progress.
(b)	Other may criticize me for being too analytical and insufficiently intuitive.
(c)	My desire to ensure that work is done properly can hold up proceedings.
(d)	I tend to get bored rather easily and rely on one or two particular members to motivate and stimulate me.
(e)	I find it difficult to get started unless the goals are clear.
(f)	I am sometimes poor at explaining and clarifying complex points that occur to me.
(g)	I am conscious of demanding from others the things I cannot do myself.
(h)	I hesitate to get my points across when I run up against real opposition.

Interpretation of scores

Allocate the scores from the above questions into Table 5.1. Then add up the points in each column to give a total team- role distribution score.

Table 5.1 Scores

Key:

CW – company worker/ implementor

CH – chair/ co-ordinator

SH – shaper

PL – plant

RI – resource investigator

ME – monitor evaluator

TW – team worker

CF – completer finisher

Source: Reproduced with permission from Dr Meredith Belbin, Management Teams and publishers Butterworth- Heinemann.

Belbin originally identified eight types or preferences for working in teams. More recently Dr Belbin has updated his work and revised some of the names allocated to types. The chairman has become the co-ordinator whilst the company worker has become the implementor. At the same time a new type has been introduced. The specialist is someone who provides a very strong but narrow input; specialists are good at providing specialist information and facts. They may not be so good at relating to other team members or detracting themselves from the narrow functional or specialist role. For the purpose of this work we have used the former profiles adopted by Dr Belbin and simply highlighted the name changes that he has introduced. Readers wishing to review the latest work should refer to Dr Belbin’s work. Team Roles at Work, also published by Butterworth-Heinemann, provides a detailed account of the specialist role. Some of the essential characteristics of each type are shown below.

Table 5.2 provides a summary of the various characteristics of the Belbin types.

Applying the Belbin approach to project teams

Apart from the general understanding of our own individual and colleagues’ team preferences we can, as project managers, apply the methodology in several other practical ways. These include using the approach to:

• help in the selection of new project teams
• assist in the selection of new project team members
• facilitate understanding between joint project teams, which combine some strong stakeholder involvement in developing, planning and executing the project. Joint project teams, which do involve stakeholders on a daily basis, are particularly prone to suffer conflict. Using Belbin’s questionnaire at the outset of the project can really help break the ice and immediately assist everyone in understanding individual working styles and preferences, thus helping to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts at a later date.

Figure 5.2 Belbin team types summary

Important notes

1  As individuals we are all a million times more complex than any questionnaire, and we always need to apply the rule that any such instrument is a potential aide to recruiting people to roles and teams. The results of such questionnaires must also be combined with a full assessment of the individual’s work experience, skills and record of achievement. You should never select anyone solely on the basis of a questionnaire.

2  It must be stressed that no one has a single preference. Belbin indicates that most people will have one to possibly three preferred styles. Whilst we may have some we frequently support that with back- up styles. It is this fact that gives most of us our flexibility. So we need to remember that someone’s profile can change based on life and work experiences. Crude stereotyping is not a positive application of the work.

The project manager’s preferences

As the project manager we have to think about the impact of our own preferences on how we might manage our teams. If a strong shaper, we may have to guard against being too driven and failing to listen to alternative views or ideas. As a resource investigator we would need to ensure that we stay focused and attend to issues of detail as well as building relationships with stakeholders or project sponsors. For the powerful plant there is a need to restrain his or her individualism and sometimes harsh and outspoken criticism of other people’s ideas. An understanding of the various preferences helps us understand our own traits and how they need to be managed and combined with the technical aspects of project management control.

For people who lack the attention to detail and liking for accuracy and precision that so characterizes the completer finisher or monitor evaluator the planning tools outlined elsewhere in this book are designed to make up for this. By applying the guidelines and techniques you can ensure that you develop the necessary focus on detail.

One of the key applications of Belbin is to realize that it is not always possible to have the perfect match either for us or within a team. However, by recognizing the various gaps that might exist we have a means to manage them. If I know that I am not a strong chair or co- ordinator or that no one in the team has a high preference for being either a company worker or team worker then we have a basis by which we can begin to manage the discrepancy.

It is possible to allocate missing or limited roles to specific individuals who may have some leaning towards that preference, even if it is not too strong; someone who perhaps has the highest score. The responsibility to apply and enforce those attributes is then given to that person by the project manager and team for the duration of the project.

In other situations certain individuals or possibly the entire team might undertake some kind of specialist training.

A team tasked with coming up with new and radical ideas or changes but which is lacking strong plant or resource investigator types – both tend to be innovative and challenging in their thinking – might undergo some creative- thinking skills training.

As project managers we have recourse to other strategies such as organizing training or finding temporary specialist resources to help overcome any gaps in the team’s profile.

Managing role issues and conflicts in the team

As well as trying to get the balance of the team right we will also need to be alert to the fact that individual conflict can break out amongst team members. Whilst we will address later and in more detail the problems associated with difficult people, Belbin’s typology also helps provide either an early warning of possible conflict or a method to analyse existing interpersonal or style issues. Outlined below are some classic situations to watch out for.

The shaper-dominated team

Managing a team with lots of shapers is always going to be lively, particularly if the skill levels and other aspects of the individuals’ professional background are high. Whilst shapers can make things happen and when energized accomplish much, they can be prone to outbursts of ego. Personal clashes and conflicts can, if unattended to, become common as people jockey for positions within the team. Such teams demand from the project manager a very strong chair role to arbitrate and pull the team above such difficulties. This may mean taking a very strong position even if it cuts across one or two people. Left unattended to themselves many shaper- dominated groups may implode. The message for the project manager is to have or very quickly acquire strong skills in managing meetings and conflict- type situations.

Shaper-dominated teams also need strong control to keep their enthusiasm and thrust for success getting the better of them. The presence of completer finisher and monitor evaluator types helps provide a very important counter balance to the infectious ‘ it’s obviously going to work’ approach.

The plant chairman or project sponsor

It could well be that as a project manager your project sponsor or steering committee chairman is a strong plant type. Given the critical nature of the role and the importance of the relationship between the project manager and the sponsor this can be a difficult situation to manage. Remembering that plants are stimulated by ideas and intellectual curiosity. They may well like asking, ‘ what if? ’ type questions. This means that in terms of keeping the project on track and attending to the technical aspects of project tracking and control you may have a problem stopping your sponsor going off in different directions.

Whilst in principle there is nothing wrong in becoming deeply interested in a radically different approach to tackling the problem halfway through a project’s life cycle, if such behaviour is experienced throughout a project’s duration it can be very disruptive. But this is a potential behaviour that some high plants are capable of displaying.

As the project manager you will need to ensure that you stay close to your sponsor and keep them advised of the project’s status. If new and different options emerge you must first of all be prepared to allow some time to debate and explore the option. Plants do not like having their natural curiosity and intelligence dismissed. You should also think about the manner in which your colleagues introduce or present information at key meetings. A clumsily introduced topic or presentation may provide just the opportunity for your sponsor to become interested or excited and potentially disruptive for the next forty minutes.

Finally, if as a project manager you possess high plant tendencies you will probably already be aware of the need to exercise self-control. The key to success is to exploit the assets – radical, original and independent thinking, intelligence – but control the potential liabilities such as dismissing other people or sulking if the ideas are not accepted. The people management and relationship skills are often key to the plant succeeding in a project, and for that matter any management, role.

Shapers and plants

People with strong shaper and plant profiles both tend to be strong individuals. But in that sense any real similarity ends. The shaper has an immense inner drive to get things done. He or she can often focus in on one approach and apply all their skills and talents to pushing the matter to a conclusion. In doing so they can be dismissive of people who do not see the route to success as easily or quickly as they do.

In contrast plants possess a steady and even-paced approach. Not always the best at communicating with others they may appear wrapped up with their own thoughts. Yet they are capable of being strong-willed and immovable when excited about something. The radical or innovative nature of their ideas or the less than enthusiastic welcome for the shaper’s approaches may prove very irritating. Equally the plant may well find the quickness, pushiness and possible jumping to conclusions of the shaper equally off-putting. The real problem lies in the ability of each to clash over approaches. Both types will cling to their views at the possible expense of others.

The project manager needs to be on the look- out for such tensions and again exert strong chair- type skills to deal with the potential conflict. Focusing on the fundamentals of the project and the specific goals or targets can help both types to adjust their sense of ownership to single approaches.

The missing completer finisher and monitor evaluator

So often in management teams people are not interested in matters of detail, preferring instead to moving forward regardless of any omissions. It is obvious that any project management team must have the skills or disciplines that are characterized by the completer finisher and monitor evaluator. Again the skills and techniques detailed in this book provide the necessary disciplines. The need is to keep on track, follow up on matters of detail and co- ordinate key project elements. Any project team that lacks these Belbin types must focus their efforts on ensuring the attributes and skills are either acquired by existing members or brought into the team. People who have scores that reflect a leaning towards these preferences should be given authority to exercise the perspectives.

Some final thoughts

As project managers we can help our colleagues become better team players by implementing some of the following actions:

• Help individuals get to know each other – build the team – work together,
  eat together, celebrate together and build the spirit.
• Be direct about what is expected from team members in terms of their performance and behaviour.
• Model how you expect team members to behave – show them that you value and respect them – live the words of teamworking.
• Consult with the team on all important matters.
• Provide feedback to people – focus on successes as well as areas for improvement.
• Set tasks that force people to work together and collaborate.
• Expose the team to other groups.
• Remain available to people to discuss issues.
• Set time aside to think about how is the team working together. Do not get trapped into focusing only on the task.