6-1

ELC 347 project management

Week 6

6-2

Agenda

• Assignment Four Due• First Quiz Graded

– Missed two important concepts• Time value of money• Escalation of commitment

• Integrative Project – First part due next week– Outline of deliverables (posted in WebCT)– Additional scoring model

• Any of the first five sections can be resubmitted for rescoring prior to finals week. The recorded score will the average of the original score and the score on the resubmitted section.

• Project team building, Conflict and Negotation

6-3

Project Team Building, Conflict, and Negotiation

Chapter 6

© 2007 Pearson Education

6-4

6-5

Building the Project Team

Negotiate with Their Supervisor

Talk to Potential Team Members

Identify Necessary Skills

Renegotiate with Top Management

Identify People With Skills

Build Fallback PositionsAssemble the Team

Success?Success?Yes

Yes

No

No

6-6

Characteristics of Effective Project Teams

Clear Sense of Mission

Productive Interdependency

Cohesiveness

Trust

Enthusiasm

Results Orientation

6-7

Reasons Why Teams Fail

• Poorly developed or unclear goals

• Poorly defined project team roles & interdependencies

• Lack of project team motivation

• Poor communication

• Poor leadership

• Turnover among project team members

• Dysfunctional behavior

6-8

Stages in Group Development

1. Forming – members become acquainted

2. Storming – conflict begins

3. Norming – members reach agreement

4. Performing – members work together

5. Adjourning – group disbands

Punctuated Equilibrium is a different model

6-9

Team Development Stages

1. Forming

2. Storming3. Norming

4. PerformingConveneAdjourn

Inclusion

Con

trolCooperation

Prod

uctiv

ity

Productive

Organized Infighting

Testing

Quiet Polite Guarded Impersonal Business-like High Morale

Establish procedures Develop team skills Confront issues Rebuilding morale

Conflict over control Confrontational Alienation Personal agendas Low morale

Trust Flexible Supportive Confident Efficient High Morale

6-10

Connie Gersick’s Punctuated Equilibrium Model

6-11

Achieving Cross-Functional Cooperation

Cross-functional cooperation

Task Outcomes

Psycho-Social

Outcomes

Rules & Procedures

Physical Proximity

Accessibility

Superordinate Goals

6-12

Building High-Performing Teams

Make the project team tangible– Establish unique identity – Publicity– Terminology & language

Reward good behavior– Flexibility– Creativity– Pragmatism

Develop a personal touch– Lead by example– Positive feedback for good performance– Accessibility & consistency

6-13

Virtual Project Teams

use electronic media to link members of a geographically dispersed project team

How Can Virtual Teams Be Improved?Use face-to-face communication when possibleDon’t let team members disappearEstablish a code of conductKeep everyone in the communication loopCreate a process for addressing conflict

6-14

Conflict Management

Conflict is a process that begins when you

perceive that someone has frustrated or is about to frustrate a major concern of yours.

Categories• Goal-oriented

• Administrative

• Interpersonal

Views• Traditional

• Behavioral

• Interactionist

6-15

Sources of Conflict

Organizational• Reward systems

• Scarce resources

• Uncertainty

• Differentiation

Interpersonal• Faulty attributions

• Faulty communication

• Personal grudges & prejudices

6-16

Conflict Resolution

Mediate – defusion/confrontation

Arbitrate – judgment

Control – cool down period

Accept – unmanageable

Eliminate – transfer

Conflict is often evidence of progress!

6-17

Early Detection

• A little conflict is a good thing• But…Time spent on conflict resolution does not advance the

project• Resolve conflicts early!

• Look for smoke and don’t wait for the fire• Invite critical thinking and positive conflict

resolution

6-18

Conflict Resolution Guidelines

1) Is it conflict or a problem? Solve problems

2) Does the project manger need to be involved? Resolve at lowest level possible

3) What are the issues and the emotions connected with the conflict? Find the land mines!

4) Are the parties involved committed to resolution? Precede until resolution

6-19

Conflict Resolution Guidelines

5. Are all discussions characterized by a genuinely constructive attitude and by a positive, non-loaded (not sarcastic or accusing) statements?Disarm the combatants!

6. What is going to make this OK with all the parties?What is the common ground

7. After resolution is achieved, re-verify with each party.Make sure there is no miscommunication

8. Celebrate the resolutions with all concerned and congratulate all on their commitment to the project by their resolving the issue.

6-20

Negotiation

a process that is predicated on a manager’s ability to use influence productively

Questions to Ask Prior to Entering a Negotiation

1. How much power do I have?

2. What sort of time pressures are there?

3. Do I trust my opponent?

6-21

Principled Negotiation

1. Separate the people from the problem– Be hard on the deal, soft on the people– See the deal from inside their shoes– Make your proposal consistent with their value

2. Focus on interests, not positions– Values define the deal– Each side has multiple interests – be clear on yours, discover theirs

3. Invent options for mutual gain

4. Insist on using objective criteria– Strike a deal based on principle, not pressure– Agree on fair standards and procedures– Frame issues as a collaborative quest

http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/treatment/pricneg.htm

Getting to Yes – Fisher & Ury

6-22

Tony’s Rules for Negotiation

• Go into every negotiation with a series of possible outcomes– Must Have – Should Have– Like to have– Can do without

• Know the opponents position better than they do • A good outcome is WIN-WIN

– Works when both sides have equal power, and similar constraints • A better outcome when the others side thinks they won but you got everything you wanted

– Have “throw away” positions– Works when you are not the more powerful side – Requires finesse and subtlety

• The worst outcome is when the other side things you beat them. – That means you had the power to begin with so why were you negotiating?

• Remember! – What ever what negotiated once is subject to be negotiated again

• Park your ego at the door…it gets in the way• Never get caught in a lie…the best way is to not lie.

– Once your creditability is gone you can’t negotiate

6-23

Sun Tzu

• "The smartest strategy in war is the one that allows you to achieve your objectives without having to fight".

• "Therefore I say; know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be in peril. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both your enemy and of yourself, you are certain in every battle to be in peril."

• “He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.” • “He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents is sure to be

captured by them.”• “The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple before the

battle is fought.” • “To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of

defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.” • “Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots. Carefully

compare the opposing army with your own, so that you may know where strength is superabundant and where it is deficient.”

• http://interneg.concordia.ca/interneg/training/materials/sun_tzu.html

• http://www.kimsoft.com/polwar.htm