Last week, we looked the importance of the project sponsor relationship. This week, we look at the project team.

PMI defines a project as “a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service or result.” Two key words in this definition are “temporary” and “unique”. Due to this, project managers are presented with distinctive challenges with each project they manage, as each project includes a different mix of team members.

A new project team is usually assembled for each project. These teams consist mainly of people:

• Working part-time on the project in addition to their regular work and perhaps other projects.
• Representing different departments across the organization.
• Working in cross-functional roles.
• Geographically dispersed across several locations and, in many cases, across the globe.
• Working within and outside of the organization.

This can create unique team dynamics which include:

• Team members who report to different managers.
• Team members having conflicting and competing priorities.
• Team members who may not have experience working together.
• Teams perhaps experiencing cultural differences.

As a Project Manager, you will have to work through these dynamics. Some keys to success for managing your project team include:

Open and Honest Communications

It is important to communicate the objectives of the project and the expectations of the team. This needs to be communicated to the team as well as to the reporting managers of the team members. Given the dynamics of the team, it is important to address issues as soon as possible and to be open in how you communicate with your team. Gaining the trust of your team will be very important to gain their buy-in and their cooperation.

Clear Understanding of Roles and Responsibilities

As project manager, make sure that each team member understands their roles and responsibilities and how each person fits into the overall project team. Again, it is also important that there is clear understanding with the reporting managers of the team members. This will help to reduce misunderstandings and conflict.

Engage in Team Building

Each project team has a unique mix of team members and each team needs to through its forming, storming, and norming to become an effective team. Team members will also need to build trust among themselves as they will be dependent on one another.

Hold Regular Meetings

To ensure that the project is moving forward and issues are addressed in a timely fashion, regular team meetings need to be held. In many cases, weekly meetings will suffice. These meetings are also an opportunity for continued team building.

In managing the dynamics of the project team, having a strong relationship with the project sponsor will help to gain support for the project. It will also help in resolving issues that may arise where conflicting and competing priorities cause team members to miss certain deliverable dates, which can cause schedule slippage or cost overruns. If a project manager cannot resolve these issues with the reporting manager, the sponsor may be able to intervene and work with the managers to come up with a solution to keep the project on schedule or adjust the schedule as needed.