Project Management Case

In today's organizational environment, good human relations

skills are vital to success in project work. The task is difficult for

project leaders who are leading a team formed of diverse personalities,

operating in a temporary and uncertain environment,

and trying to obtain cooperation from people over which they

have no direct control.

This issue of direct control is worth repeating, because it's so

important. One of the most difficult aspects of your position as a

project manager relates to the simple reality that in most organizations

it's unlikely that project managers will have direct control

or formal authority over the people on the project team. This is

fundamentally different from leading a department, where the

manager ordinarily exercises formal control and a hierarchical

relationship between supervisor and subordinate is recognized as

the norm. Project leaders, lacking formal authority, must rely on

influence and persuasion to gain cooperation. Their skills in this

area are integral to their role as project managers.

Motivating Your Team: Giving 'Em What They Need

Beyond possessing the ability to influence the people on your

team to get the desired performance, you must also learn how

to motivate them, to keep them energized toward meeting

goals. This is a somewhat controversial topic.

Can you truly motivate the individuals on your team? Most

experts think not, primarily because motivation is viewed as an

internal function. You should recognize, however, that you can

create a climate, environment, or situation where motivation

can occur within an individual. Motivation is all about recognizing

a need that exists within an individual and finding a way to

satisfy that need. This is a key point in understanding how to

develop a high-performing team.

Managing Diverse Objectives and Perspectives

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