Behaviral Aspects Of Project Mgmt

Abstract

Project Plans within an organization are initiated because of the need to make a positive change for growth within an organization. When the project manager, along with the team members are not achieving the desired set goals and objectives of the project plan, the issues that arise must immediately be analyzed to prevent losing total control of accomplishing a successful project. This paper discusses the issues that may arise, why they surfaced, and recommendations on how the project manager can rebuild an organizational culture that fosters an environment that will lead to a successful project.

According to a definition by McNamara "organizational culture is the personality of the organization. Culture is comprised of the assumptions, values, norms, believes and tangible signs (artifacts) of organization members and their behaviors." (2006)

The organizational culture of a project plan can be the key to the success or failure of a project. Behaviors that foster diversity, dialogue, personal and team accountability, rewards and recognition, and satisfaction experienced by the team members influence positively the selection, sponsorship, prioritisation and ultimate success of projects.

First, there must be a purpose for the project, in which the roles, responsibilities, activities, processes are all clearly defined. If the Project Manager understands and takes ownership of the project at hand, he/she can then begin with creating a project plan that will identify the life of the project.

However, prior to implementing a project plan, the Project Manager must prepare the employees for the changes (no matter how big or little the changes are) that will be integrated into their work duties and responsibilities. This should allow the employees to feel as though they are going to be an important role in the project and open the door of communication for the employees to ask questions to clarify any doubts or fears they may have with regard to their contribution. If the foundation is initially established by the Project Manager that clearly identifies the benefits of the changes involved with the project, the effect on the culture should be impacted in a positive manner which will lead to success in quality performance, reporting and effective communication.

There are many ways that organizational culture can create conditions such as the scenario in the syllabus. These conditions include:

1. Lack of Communication: There is no clear and concise form of communication between the team and the company. This can lead to worn information, going over the budget and frustrated employees.

2. Lack of Accountability: When there is no responsibility placed on the members of the team, the effort that is put forth is usually not strong. This also leads to chaos, not understanding team goals and objectives as well as frustrated team members.

3. Lack of Leadership: Leadership is a very strong characteristic of the project manager. The ability to communicate, maintain the members of the team involved and adapt to the different styles and attitudes of the members are all needed in order to be successful. Employees should be shown several times what are the processes and necessary competencies to perform their tasks. It is up to that manager to keep the goals and objectives alive and fresh on the employees mind (Wilson, 2006). Many project managers lack this and as a result end up losing control over the entire project.

Project leadership plays a major role in the success of a project. A project can only succeed when senior management emphasizes its top priority and its sponsorship across the organization. Commitment of senior leadership determines the future of a project which can only be successful if all levels across an organization, from the bottom through the middle to the top, are sensitive to the importance and priority of the project.

A Project Manager needs to take ownership of the project at hand by having a thorough understanding of the project and the ultimate goals. If this element is missing within the Project Managers character then the likelihood of a successful project may not occur. The Project Manager should focus on being organized, understand the importance of follow-up, able to handle multiple tasks, have the ability to think logically and analytically, and have great self-discipline skills. With those skills in place, the Project Manager will proactively manage the project to ensure that it stays on within the designated timeframe, meets quality performance, and remains within budget.

In order to ensure success, project leaders should be able to minimize the role of politics and look for the most suitable and talented team members. Project leaders must also identify critical skills and characteristics needed for the project and select members with a high degree of certainty that they fit the project team and the tasks and responsibilities assigned to them. The project also responsible for making sure that the team is working effectively and efficiently without disrespecting their fellow peers. When issues do arise, project leaders can use their skills and tactics to ease the tension and create harmony amongst the team. Project leaders should normally manage from afar and allow the team to make the project "their own".

Another role of project leaders is to honestly communicate with customers and managers. Acting and communicating in bad faith makes it impossible for managers to obtain the necessary support from senior management, such as funding, staffing availability, IT tools, etc. Dishonesty may be one of the reasons for the scenario described in the syllabus. Another one can be funding. Since the project is over budget, upper management may decide to stop the project unless the project manager is able to demonstrate its short-term and long-term benefits. Communication, presentation and persuasion skills are necessary for project leaders who want to keep their project funded.

In order to manage a successful team, the project manager must relate well to the people to be managed, the tasks to be accomplished, the tools available, the organizational structure, and the organizational environment, including the customer community. Project Managers must have enough intuition and experience to manage and implement projects.

They must be able to negotiate and communicate with senior managers, customers, supporting organizations and stakeholders. They must have planning skills to effectively organize meetings, schedules, deliveries, financial statements and remain within the budget and project scope.

A Project Manager can successfully select and build project teams by using the following tips as a guideline: