Research Findings on the Characteristics of Successful Teams

April 12, 2012 — Bruce McGraw

 

If you are like me, you are an avid reader and always trying to learn from, others. For example,  I have found that often the advice on the characteristics of a successful team relies on observation and anecdotal evidence. So, I was interested in a recent article in Harvard Business Review that applied research discipline to the analysis of successful team behavior. Here is a summary of their process and findings. Original article by Alex “Sandy” Pentland, professor and director of MIT’s Human Dynamic Laboratory, Media Lab, Entrepreneurship Program and chairman of Sociometric Solutions. (“The Science of Building Great Teams”, Harvard Business Review, April 2012).

Believing that communication patterns, as opposed to content of communications, offer a window into successful and unsuccessful teams, Dr. Pentland’s research team selected and then monitored communication patterns in 21 organizations across multiple industry sectors including, innovation teams, customer-facing teams, personnel in a post-operative hospital setting, and backroom operations teams.

Each member of a team was outfitted with an electronic device to collect data on tone of voice, body language, how frequently they communicated and with whom the communication occurred. Badges, which generated more than 100 data points per minute, were worn for six weeks. (My first thought here was that this intrusiveness – wearing an electronic badge – would skew the data. However, the researcher’s observations and subject reports suggest that individuals desensitized to the device in about an hour.)

Significant Conclusion 1: The best predictor of productivity was the energy and engagement among team members outside of formal meetings. The engagement is not facilitated by off-sites and parties, but can be improved with areas set aside for informal conversation such as break areas, cafeterias and hallways.

Research results on communication style:

  • Team members communicate is rough equal proportions. Most communications among team members were short.
  • The communication style of successful teams was face-to-face and included frequent gesturing.
  • Team members communicate directly with one another, not just through the team or project manager.

Significant Conclusion 2: The most valuable form of communication is face-to-face. Least valuable forms are email and texting. Phone and video conferencing are okay, if there are not too many people. According to their data analysis, 35 percent of the variability in team performance can be accounted for just by counting face-to-face interactions.

Significant Conclusion 3: Effective teams have members who often engage in communication outside of the team with other teams or key players – bringing information and ideas back to the team.

Significant Conclusion 4: Team communication can be improved through training, feedback, modifications in the physical environment and management role models.

If you find interesting articles or readings please share with a comment.

 

Posted in Project Management. Tags: , , , . 1 Comment »

Top ten signs you might not be a project manager

April 9, 2012 — Bruce McGraw

Congratulations! You finally received that much-coveted title of Project Manager — a position you really wanted and dutifully placed on your career planning job appraisal every year. Well I may have a surprise for you. Not everyone who is titled a project manager is a project manager, just as there are professionals acting as project managers without the title.

How could this happen?

Reasons for the disconnect vary with Individuals and organizations. In the later instance, you may have a qualified developer who does not want to be a project manager because he or she is on a technical tract and fears being pigeon holed into management and kept away from technical growth and interesting problems. However, they are willing to do typical project management tasks when asked.

In the first group though are individuals with the title project manager but unfortunately

  1. Believe that management is only about numbers — how much, how many, how quickly and at what cost per item
  2. Believe that management is management, whether it is running a baseball team or developing software
  3. Think that PMBOK may be a type of bird
  4. Do not notice that no one actually reports to them
  5. Are kept away from customers and client meetings
  6. Think “risk” is a board game
  7. Consider product requirements to be large documents primarily useful as a paperweight
  8. Prefer spending time in a large, windowed office sitting behind a clean desk with a tasteful credenza that is covered with sports trophies from high school
  9. Never work nights, weekends or carry home a full briefcase
  10. Believe that Dilbert is a fairytale about a whiny employee and the Pointed Haired Boss is tragically misunderstood

If you find yourself agreeing with any of these top ten, perhaps it is time for a career change — I am sure you would do well as a car salesman.

Posted in Personal Thoughts, pm, Project Management. Tags: , , , , . 3 Comments »

Dealing with a micromanaging boss or client

March 30, 2012 — Bruce McGraw

OK – How many of you have had to deal with a boss or client who is what we call a “micromanager”?  There are successful techniques that you can apply to help deal with a boss/client that micromanages your project. First though, it helps to understand where the micromanager is coming from and what problems he or she is trying to avoid.

Behaviors of a micromanager

Micromanagers are into control. Micromanagers are afraid to delegate authority or responsibility. They want to be apprised of even the smallest details about the project. And, they need that information updated constantly (Many would prefer telepathic real time updates!). Micromanagers often want to make ALL project decisions — from the important ones, such as staffing, to the minor ones, like the placement of the white board. Their constant need for data and their tendency to require “all decisions go through them for approval” slows the team’s progress — not to mention driving you, the PM, a bit batty.

During the execution of a project, the micromanager may not limit their interaction to requests for information. They may also try to tell team members how to do their jobs (even if they have never done the job). Be aware that on the rare occassion when the micromanager appears to be delegating authority and responsibility, they are likely to take back control at the first sign of trouble.

Motivations of a micromanager

I am not saying that I agree with micromanagers, but understanding what can motivate or drive them to this behavior is the first step in dealing effectively with them. Here are some of the common motivations:

  • Micromanagement may be the only kind of management they know how to do
  • They may be insecure in their position or in their knowledge
  • They genuinely believe that the project will not succeed without their direct and constant involvement
  • Because they do not feel competent to deal with complex issues, they choose to deal with small, trivial ones where they do feel competent
  • Maybe his or her boss is micromanaging them, and you know the saying about stuff rolling downhill….

Consequences of micromanagement practices

If you have a micromanager then you will have probably experienced or observed the following:

  • Team members stop trying to improve processes and results
  • Project do not succeed as well as they might have if everyone applied more of their knowledge and experience
  • Project managers (and other project members) fail to learn lessons that help them mature as PM professionals
  • Leadership is not developed (see Project Leadership Requires Sharing Responsibility)
  • High rate of employee loss — especially the bright, talented and potential future managers
  • Increase in stress, anxiety and anger for everyone involved

Working effectively with a micromanager

Well I don’t have any magic bullets, but here are some tips you can try.

As justified as your frustration and anger may be when you have to work under a micromanager, you need to take a deep breath and make the best of the situation. Then, you need to take some actions to try to counter the effects of this behavior on the project and the team.

Anticipation of the needs of the micromanager for authority and information should be dealt with preemptively. For example, when given a task, find out as many details as possible about the micromanager’s expectations. Listen carefully and feedback your understanding of the task. Asking detailed questions may limit the number of “bring me a rock” exercises you have to go through.

Keep the lines of communication open with the micromanager – yes I know how painful this can be. You may be able to build a trusting relationship over time that allows you to provide feedback on the deleterious effect of his or her management style. At worst, you will at least be able to talk with them about how it negatively impacts the project.

Provide the level of detail and frequency of project information they ask for, but add information on why and how. You may be helping to train the micromanager at the same time increasing their trust in you. Take the initiative to set up meetings and phone calls before they ask.

Give credit to the micromanager when it is due and reward them verbally when they stop micromanaging for a minute.

Don’t let them “push your buttons”.  Keep your cool and remember that you are doing the job and keep reminding them that you can handle the tasks.

So have you had encounters like this?  What tricks and techniques have you used?

Posted in Best Practice, General Project Management, Leadership, management, pm, Project Management. Tags: , , , , , , , . 5 Comments »
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