Using Virtual Teams for Project Management Success

1. Using Virtual Teams for Project Management Success Dr. Ginger Levin Project Management Consultant Adjunct Professor and Project Management Program Specialist University of Wisconsin-Platteville Lighthouse Point, Florida, USA 954-783-9819 954-783-9235 (fax) ginlevin@aol.com ® Rad and Levin, 2004

2. Presentation Overview • Project Success • The Virtual Project • Factors for Success • Motivation • Collaborative Leadership • Communication • Foster Commitment • Conflict Resolution • Virtual Project Team Maturity ® Rad and Levin, 2004

3. Virtual Project #1 • Characteristics: • More than 6 years in duration • 150+ participants • Core team • E-mail, web tools • Not complete • Extensive turmoil and turnover ® Rad and Levin, 2004

4. Virtual Project #2 • Characteristics: • 10+ years Government contract • Staff turnover – client and project team • Cost, schedule, quality objectives met • High team morale and commitment ® Rad and Levin, 2004

5. ® Rad and Levin, 2004

6. Success • Key questions: • Are we achieving the results we desire? • Are we meeting project objectives? • Are we meeting customer success criteria? • Are projects contributing to the success and business of the organization? ® Rad and Levin, 2004

7. Project Success IndicatorsClient View ® Rad and Levin, 2004

8. Project Success FactorsTeam View ® Rad and Levin, 2004

9. Project Success AttributesOverlap Between Client Viewand Team View ® Rad and Levin, 2004

10. Critical Capabilities for Project Professionals • Leadership skills/vision • Motivating others • People skills/getting along with others • Management skills/directing and managing others Source: The PMI Project Management Fact Book ® Rad and Levin, 2004

11. A Distributed Project ® Rad and Levin, 2004

12. Four Teams

13. A Virtual Project ® Rad and Levin, 2004

14. One Team ® Rad and Levin, 2004

15. Challenges Procedures and guidelines Cultural diversity Communication barriers Integration Resolving conflicts ETC. Opportunities Efficiency Larger pool of resources Expertise Alliances Innovation and creativity 24-hour work ETC. Challenges and Opportunities ® Rad and Levin, 2004

16. 1. Motivation “We have to undo a one hundred-year-old concept and convince our managers that their role is notto control people and stay ‘on top’ of things, but rather to guide, energize and excite.” -Jack Welch, former CEO, General Electric, in Wisdom, Inc ® Rad and Levin, 2004

17. Motivational Approaches Need for Achievement Need for Affiliation Need for Power ® Rad and Levin, 2004

18. Characteristics: Driven by the challenge of success Calculated risks Attainable but challenging goals Feedback desired Working on a Virtual Team: Autonomy and flexibility Identity around content of work Set personal goals Adapt well to technology Achievement Motivation ® Rad and Levin, 2004

19. Characteristics: Enjoy being part of a team Conform to group norms Work toward group success Seek acceptance and friendship Cooperative attitude Working on a Virtual Team: Relationship manager for the team Communications expeditor Facilitator Mentor Affiliation Motivation ® Rad and Levin, 2004

20. Characteristics: Influence and control Make decisions Direct the work of others Take risks Recognized for contributions Participate in a variety of tasks Working on a Virtual team: Clarify goals and success factors Lead team meetings Work with stakeholders Engage in problem-solving situations Power Motivation ® Rad and Levin, 2004

21. 2. Collaborative Leadership ® Rad and Levin, 2004

22. Approach: Merge perspectives Learning from others High cooperativeness High level of involvement Integrated solutions Use on a Virtual Team: Independent and collaborative Not as constrained by assigned roles Less concerned about position Incremental and attainable goals and milestones Characteristics ® Rad and Levin, 2004

23. 3. Communication • Traditional Team • Virtual Team ® Rad and Levin, 2004

24. 2 people, 1 channel 3 people, 3 channels N=n(n-1) 2 4 people, 6 channels 5 people, 10 channels Communications Complexity Adapted from Frame, 1995 20 PEOPLE, 190 CHANNELS! ® Rad and Levin, 2004

25. Promote Open Communication • Purposeful and intentional • Free flow of information • Formal, informal, and impromptu communication • Non-attribution • Trusted use of data • Regular and in response to specific events ® Rad and Levin, 2004

26. Communication Enablers • Establish identity through technology • Simple and direct • Standardization and consistency • Mutual respect • Recognize cultural differences • Meeting guidelines ® Rad and Levin, 2004

27. 4. Foster Project Commitment ® Rad and Levin, 2004

28. Team Charter • Project vision • Roles and responsibilities • Operating practices and procedures • Shared ownership • Collective commitment ® Rad and Levin, 2004

29. 5. Conflict Resolution • Project priorities • Administrative procedures • Technical opinions and trade-offs • Staffing • Cost • Schedules • Personalities Adapted from Thamhain and Wilemon, “Conflict Management in Project Life Cycles” ® Rad and Levin, 2004

30. Positive: Challenging existing beliefs/paradigms Reducing “groupthink” Revitalize team energy Negative: Demotivating Increase cynicism Decrease interpersonal communications Initiative and risk taking suffer Conflict – Both Positive and Negative ® Rad and Levin, 2004

31. Conflict Resolution Process • Plan for it while developing the Team Charter: • Escalation process • Decision-making process • Fairness and confidentiality • Responses ® Rad and Levin, 2004

32. How Is Your Team Doing? Leader Advanced Project Success Evolved Maturity Level Developed Initial ® Rad and Levin, 2004

33. Maturity Level Descriptions 5. Leader – Continuous Improvement Focus 4. Advanced – Team Commits to PM Culture 3. Evolved – Team Implements Successful PM Practices 2. Developed – Isolated Implementation of Formalized Practices 1. Initial – Inconsistent Procedures and No Formal Guidelines ® Rad and Levin, 2004

34. Project Management Success Project Success Organizational Success Virtual Team Success Motivation Style Collaborative Leadership Open Communications Foster Commitment Conflict Resolution Process ® Rad and Levin, 2004

35. References • Achieving Project Management Success Through Virtual Teams, by Parviz F. Rad & Ginger Levin, J. Ross Publishing, 2003 • Advanced Project Management Office, by Parviz F. Rad & Ginger Levin, CRC Press, 2002 • Assuring Project Success With Metrics-Based Management, by Parviz F. Rad & Ginger Levin, In Preparation • People Skills for Project Managers, by Steven W. Flannes & Ginger Levin, Management Concepts Press, 2001 • Project Estimating and Cost Management, by Parviz F. Rad, Management Concepts Press, 2002 ® Rad and Levin, 2004