Sachin: To Prepare questionnaires after the pilot testing
Yogendra: To Collect the samples to be taken , collect their mailing address and post the questionnaires to them
Salim. To conduct the online surveys and find out the level of competition.
Munib: To Conduct face to face survey on the streets.
Madan: To Conduct surveys at schools and colleges to target student users. Prepare the final report after collecting all the relevant information.
All the tasks were positively taken by the group members with great interest.
4. The contribution of the group members in the preparation of the final report.
Although the group members showed positive attitude at the beginning of the project, it didn’t continue for long. The group members became dormant with various reasons. As per the task requirements it was decided to meet twice every week but that was not possible because of problems like attending lectures, doing assignments and the working factors. But still the online meeting was possible where we could exchange our views and the information. At last when it was time to prepare the final report, Salim had to go to Kenya suddenly and we lost the contact. We got an email saying that he was not able to come for a week and that is why someone else had to do his allocated task. At the end our job went pending for 2 days and then we had to work more to complete the mission.
5. A reflection on what was learnt about working within a group environment and project planning and management.
Well it is really good to work in a group than individually because we get chance to do enough research and surveys. The quality of the work is good because it really is a mixture of various ideas and lots of critics. Chances of making mistakes is less because it is the view of a group. But there are a lots of problems as well. It really needs a lot of time as it has got to be authorised by all the team members and there is the feeling of dependability as people depend on others to get their things done. Similarly it is a problem when there are risks associated with the project and the team member goes sick etc. Here because of the allocation of the task to him/her the project gets delayed but if it is individual work then that will not be the case as the person knows that he has got to do it and will do it.
Introduction.
Teams are becoming an integral part of many present day organizations. They are identified as part of the organizational structure and are viewed as one strategy of helping the organization stay abreast of ever changing internal and external environmental issues. Team success and effectiveness are dependent on the overall organizational structure for support, authority, and output
The project team approach is defined as a group of people banded together to achieve a desired outcome in a specified period of time (Dyer, 1994, ). The team members can be within one division of the organization or from one to many divisions within the organization. The project team is semi-autonomous in that it works independently and develops its own internal structure based on the project demands but still reports to an executive level manager responsible for oversight of the project.
A modern Project Manager needs to be able to display the correct leadership
style based upon what the Project Team requires from the Project Manager.
This style of leadership is required when the project team needs simply a project
coordinator to set up meetings, record events, schedule meetings, develop project
plans, and monitor team’s efforts. This leadership style can be needed
only when a team is performing well together, projects are within schedule
and budget and the team is achieving required milestones. Therefore, this leadership
style is really just having a Project Manager role within the team and letting
others lead the team.
A Project Manager first needs to meet all the team members
and understand their personalities and work styles. After the short period
of understanding the people involved, the Project Manager must develop the
leadership style required to complete projects on time and within budget. Project Managers need to change their leadership style to match the needs of the team and the project. And, the correct leadership style for the individual project will produce the most
effective project team, which completes milestones, enjoys the project team
members and has successful projects.
The five-phase model of team development.
This model was developed by Dr. Bruce Tuckman. At the beginning Dr. Tuckman gave the 4 phase model but the later added the final phase called adjourning to make it a 5 phase model. Tuckman's model explains that as the team develops maturity and ability, relationships establish, and the leader changes leadership style. Beginning with a directing style, moving through coaching, then participating, finishing delegating and almost detached. At this stage the ongoing team can produce a new successor leader and this leader can go on to develop a new team.
Stages of team development.
Step1. Forming.
This stage involves the introduction of the team members, either at the initiation of the team or as members are introduced subsequently. This stage is characterized by a great deal of uncertainty about the group’s purpose, structure and leadership. Members are “testing the waters” to determine what types of behaviour are acceptable. In points the characteristics of the forming are as follows.
- Orientation period
- Becoming familiar with one another
- Identifying the group’s tasks
- Determining acceptable interpersonal behaviors
- Relying on leaders for structure
Compared to the case we had in our last survey (the project undertaken) this stage was not that crucial because our group members were familiar to each other for a long time. But still there were uncertainty about the purpose of the group and determining the acceptable interpersonal behaviour.
Step2. Storming
This is the intragroup conflict stage. At this stage members accept the existence of the group, but there is resistance to the constraints that the group imposes on individuality. Similarly there are conflict over who will control the group.
In points the characteristics of the storming stage are as follows.
- Intra-group conflict
- Challenging others and expressing individual viewpoints
- Lacking unity
- Reacting emotionally to tasks
- Testing out roles within the team
As per the case of our group, the main question came with the leadership. Who will be the group leader. There were lots of conflicts because everybody thought that the team leader will get the priority from the lecturer. This is why to resolve this problem it was decided not to have a team leader.
Step3. Norming.
At this stage there is development of close relationship among the group members and the group also show cohesiveness. There is strong sense of group identity and camaraderie.
The characteristics of this stage are as follows.
- Mutually accepting one another
- Developing group cohesion
- Establishing group norms and ground rules
- Establishing roles within the team
With our case of The ISP’s survey this didn’t take time. Although we had conflicts at first, for various issues the problem was solved and the group entered this phase in very less time. This might be because of the lack of time given for the work.
Step4 Performing.
Finally the team reaches to the final stage of the team development what is called as the performing stage. The emphasis is now on reaching the team goals, rather than working on team process. Relationships are settled, and team members are likely to build loyalty towards each other. This team is now able to manage more complex tasks, and cope with greater change. The characteristics of this stage are as follows.
- Solutions emerge
- Becoming a problem-solving instrument
- Contributing to the team’s purpose
- Becoming interdependent
As per the case our group this was again very crucial because of various conflicts we had at the start of the project. But because we were close to each other for a long time it didn’t take that long to reach this stage. Everyone forgot their individual differences and brought all their energy to complete the project although Salim had to go to Kenya suddenly which brought a small stoppage in its completion. But at the end the group performed.
Step5 Adjourning (the dissolution stage)
Teams may adjourn spontaneously or by design. Planned dissolution occurs when the team has completed its task or exhausted its resources. Spontaneous dissolution occurs when members are unable to resolve conflicts, its members grow dissatisfied and depart, or when repeated failure makes the team unable to continue.
As per our group case this came very fast. As soon as the group completed the project the group members departed to their destinations. Although the group still remains in contact for various other reasons this group was adjourned as soon as the project was completed. But this group project really brought the members very closers and this is why we still gather once a month for various other purpose.
Ref:1 Stephen P. Robbins, Organizational behaviour, 9th edition, 2000, India.
2 Steve Ellis & Penny Dick, introduction to organisational behaviour, 2002
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6. www.businessballs.com/ tuckmanformingstormingnormingperforming.htm
accessed on 10th may 04.
Punctuated Equilibrium model.
Rather than the 4-stage model of Tuckman, Gersick says: Teams do not “get going” until half of project calendar is gone (start to deadline). Teams drop old norms and adopt new behaviors and working relationships. In the initial half of the project there is lack of urgency, lack of task knowledge, lack of familiarity and little external influence.
The various steps can be written as:
- The first meeting sets the group’s direction
- This first phase of group activity is one of inertia; once set, the group becomes locked into a fixed course of action
- A transition takes place at the end of this first phase, which occurs exactly when the group has used up a half of its allotted time; midpoint is like an alarm clock reminding members that their time is limited and they need to move on
- A transition initiates major changes; old patterns are abandoned and new perspectives are adopted; sets a revised direction for Phase 2
- A second phase of inertia follows the transition; the group performs the plans created during the transition period
- The group’s last meeting is characterized by markedly accelerated activity
As per our group case, this model is more suitable. This model really fits in our scenarios because our first meeting set the group’s direction and we continued to do what we were doing without any disturbance from any members until someone really came with some competitive ideas. When these competitive idea came we had to change our tactics to combat the problem. At last we really needed to accelerate what we were doing to complete the project.
Ref: Stephen P. Robbins, Organizational behaviour, 9th edition, 2000, India
Accessed on 10th may 04.
Situational Factors influencing the team development.
1.Personal Factors: There are a lot of personal factors influencing a team development. One can have a complete different view to another’s on certain issues and this may result in the team closeness. Similarity in commitments, ability, attitudes and goals are all positively associated with team unity however individual satisfaction is most important factor in the team development. In our case we had lots of clashes may be because of being from different cultures.
2.Size of the team: The size of the team is another factor. Small teams ( 10 or fewer members) will make the team effective. If there are many members then it is difficult fo cooperate and meet regularly as well. Our team consisted of members and that was an ideal size for the project
3.Cultural Factors: Increased awareness about the nature and effects of cultural differences can overcome barriers to adjustment and peak performance within the team. The participants analyze their own cultural profile. The group members in our case were from different cultures but we were aware of their cultures and that is why we didn’t had to suffer a lot.
4.Team Factor: Team cooperation is very important. A team cooperation will result in the success of the project of it will be a failure. It includes several factors like location, resources, Task uncertainty, task interdependence. Members need to volunteer to serve the team and in our case everyone volunteered to do so.
5.Objective: Every team needs a clear mission. Determination of the purpose of the organization or division results from the negotiation process between 'What we want to do' and 'What we have to do'. Goals of the team and purpose of the organization or organizational units could also require some adjustment. This was very clear in our case.
6.Rewards/Motivational factors: Although there are rewards when the project is completed, there should be extra reward system to motivate the staff .Formal or informal rewards should satisfy team members' needs, i.e. professional growth, esteem, acceptance, safety. Motivational or hygienic factors should also be considered, such as achievement, responsibility, team recognition and working climate. In our case there was a big common reward, certificate which motivated everyone.
7.Structure :It is important to analyze the organizational structure and its impact on group work and team performance. Structure is supposed to solve division of labor problems, not create them. An assessment should be carried out to determine the fit of team members' roles within the organizational structure. In our case the work was divided equally to the members at the start of the project.
8.Relationships : The relationship among people, peers or manager- subordinate, between organisational units and tasks performed, and between systems and technology all needs to be good. It is important to explore how these relationships affect team performance. The relationship between our group members was quite good.
9.Location: Location of the team members is another factor in team development. How far are they located, how long does it take them to gather and how often do they meet. These all contribute towards the development of the team and in our case all of us were located on London so it was quite helpful.
10.Leadership Factors: The type of leadership and its effectiveness needs to be examined, which includes leadership within the team and within the organization and leadership styles which contribute to effective or ineffective management practices because leadership affects the team proformance. But in our case this wasn’t a problem because we had no leader.
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accessed on 10th may 04.
Project Leadership skills
The Key Project Leader Skills
- Developing a grand vision.
- Building the project management team and leading the team through the steps of the project management process
- Leadership skills; leading the project team through the stages of team development
- Communication skills: verbal, both one-on-one and with a group, and written
- People-management skills such as constructive feedback, conflict resolution, managing individual styles and personalities
- Facilitation skills
- Skills at interfacing across the organization and removing obstacles for the team
- Ability to accept criticism, feedback, and input from others
- Skills in using team-based tools such as brainstorming, organizing, decision making, project management, conflict resolution, and so on.
- Selling skills. The ability to promote and sell the project both within and outside the organization. Presentation skills
http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/project_leader_skills.html.
Mike Field and Laurie Keller, Project Management,2002
Critical Analysis.
Well the Tuckman 5 stages model is quite right with the real life scenarios. Indeed all the team do go through those 5 stages but it doesn’t happen that much as explained in the various stages. Always when a team is formed then there are people in it who might have never seen each other, the members might be from different races and ages. This will obviously bring some sort of misunderstanding between the members. This will even bring contradiction between them because of the cultural clash. Not only this much the aged people might have problem when the youngsters try to bring to do tings in their way which might be contradictory to their way. But this activities will keep going until the whole project is completed and will not stop in performing stage as explained by the 5 phase model.
But this is not always the case in all types of project. It has been noticed that most of the projects have the same working team as the projects are taken by contractors with mostly permanent staff. In such cases the members are familiar with each other and this is why they really don’t need to go through all the 5 phases. They can skip directly to the performing stage.
According to the Punctuated equilibrium model of group development, the projects really do not start until the half of the allocated time is gone. This is really the case in many types of projects. It has been noticed in the past experience that the project were not started until the 60% of the allocated time was gone but still managed to complete it on time because the team realized the value of the remaining time. So it is not that the project really needs to follow all the tools and techniques to make it successful. This shows that the team don’t really have to go though all what this model says. It all depends upon the type and the nature of the project and the team members. There are some teams which never start until the time is ending. They can be called lastminute.com. They always rush when there is no time but still manage to complete the mission.
Conclusion.
A team is a group of people together to collaborate. Such collaboration is to reach a shared goal or taste for which they hold mutually accountable. A team always benefits organization in many ways. It maximizes the organization’s human resources and coaches all the staffs. A success or failure in the team is felt by all the members and this is the factor that motivates them to achieve the bigger and better success.
Most teams aren’t teams at all but merely collections of individual relationships with the boss. Each individual vying with the others for power, prestige and position. This quotation came from D. McGregor. The statement sounds right to some extent because of the fact most of the projects are unsuccessful. It has been noticed in the past experience that the team member depend on each other to finish their part. It is very difficult to manage regular meetings citing various reasons. One members activities is stopped by the others and that results being the project unsuccessful .
To overcome these problems a common team goal is required. There is a need of productive participation of all members, regular communication, Trust, Sense of belonging, Diversity, Creativity and risk taking, Flexibility and participatory leadership. If one key in the computer stops working then the whole computers efficiency and the effectiveness is gone. This is what really happens in the team. A team cannot perform when the job assigned to one member is incomplete.
This is why the development of a team is quite important today. This development can be done in various ways which depends on the type of environment and the type of project. It also depends on the various situational factors associated like the structure, culture, size, location etc which needs to be considered while developing a team.
Leadership is very important in a team. Leadership can be defined by the need of a leader to define and achieve task, build up and coordinate a team and develop and satisfy individual member. Project leadership is a vital role. The leader needs to consider the various issues ( explained in the project leadership section) to run a team.
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadtem.html
References and Bibliography.
1. Mike Field and Laurie Keller, Project Management, 2002, UK
2.Jack R. Meredith, Samuel J. Mantel, Jr., Project management, 4th edition, 2000, US.
3 Rachel Biheller Bunin, Lisa Friedrichsen, Microsoft Project 2002, UK
4. Stephen P. Robbins, Organizational behaviour, 2000, New Delhi, India.
5. Steve Ellis & Penny Dick, Introduction to Organizational Behaviour, 2002, UK.
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7.
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9. www.businessballs.com/ tuckmanformingstormingnormingperforming.htm
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11. http://www.itapintl.com/teambuildingatunido.htm
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14. http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadtem.html