The Art of Managing Virtual Teams - Coursework Example

A project is usually constrained by time or financial resources. However since the project is a group activity, one of the most important tasks of the project manager is to manage the members of the single or various teams that are involved in completing the project in its various phases, which range from initiating to planning and executing, monitoring, controlling and then closing the project.  Apart from good internet and telecommunication resources, the project manager must also have a superior understanding of the project so that he or she can discuss it in its various dimensions that may be intelligible to a particular group from their vantage point. The project manager has to act as a leader as well as a facilitator, getting the various team members to focus on the problem at hand so that all are on the same wavelength and can arrive at a workable solution. They must move forward considering the resources and constraints. A good project manager must fill the team with enthusiasm, determination, and the will to succeed despite difficulties. To build the right work attitude, it is often better to be collaborative rather than authoritative.

A good project manager will generally start with project scoping, defining the requirements and responsibilities of the project at hand and project staffing, and looking at the resources and constraints at his or her disposal. Getting the requirements, timelines and a realistic estimate of the sources of data and value to the sponsor also helps for more effective management. Finding out the relative importance of every sub-goal and its effect on the project as a whole also helps manage commitment and staffing issues (Kendrick, 2006).

In the context of managing virtual, cross-functional, and global teams, it is better to get staffing commitments and relationships identified beforehand, initiating a project startup workshop using teleconferencing if a face-to-face meeting is not possible due to the travel and expenses involved. Keeping a project staff roster in which everybody’s name, position, availability, and contact details are included is a good step in initiating fast and effective communication in times of need. As it is likely that some team members will form part of other teams as well, getting their time and commitment to one’s project deliverables is important. It may sometimes also be necessary to redefine project goals, involve new staff, and gets staff through outsourcing on particular expertise, and for all these purposes a good rapport with the sponsor is essential (Kendrick, 2009).

How Following These Suggestions Helps a Project Leader Gain Control
The initiation phase of a project is the time when the project manager needs to look at project scoping as well as project staffing requirements. The project leader is an important link between the team members carrying out the project, and the sponsor who needs the work done. It is thus in the team leader’s supreme interest to initiate a project initiation workshop both at the project initiation stage, when the scope and resources are being identified, collated, and confirmed, and at the end of the planning stage, when the main objectives and timelines are shared among the members and new members may be brought in to compensate for resource shortfalls and skill gaps.

The initiation workshop is an invaluable way for the leader of the project to gain control and perspective over the entire scenario and his or her place in it. It helps build a common understanding of the project as well as gets the commitment of members, building trust and a common relationship. It may be paradoxical but is nevertheless true that virtual, cross-functional, and global teams need more, not less communication in this information age. Plans, deadlines, and priorities can change overnight. Mega projects are best given in the hands of experienced project managers who have at least successfully managed cross-cultural teams in the past. Each member’s objectives and coordination must be marked out. The team must be bound with a clear understanding of the tasks ahead, the mission, the objectives, and the deadlines.

An understanding of group or individual motivations for a particular task can also help the project manager. With everything clearly stated, there is little room for ambiguity or assumptions. There will invariably be some lackadaisical performers who have to be managed more carefully than others. But if you motivate them properly and light a fire in their belly, they quickly learn to do their bit for the benefit of the team. There may also be chances for disagreement or conflict and these are best resolved with personal conversations rather than emails. In many cases, the real reasons for disagreement lie deeper than the surface (Wardell, 1998).

Conclusion
No matter if the team does or does not accomplish the task within the given deadline and constraints, there are lessons to be learned from both failure and success. As Bruce Tuckman has stated, every new team goes through the process of Forming, Storming, and Norming before they can reach the Performing stage, so an understanding of group dynamics as well as overall project requirements is inevitable to manage the project team successfully. Read More