Implications of Poor Communications on Successful Project Delivery - Term Paper Example

Title: Implications of poor communications on successful project delivery Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Name and Code: University: Date of Submission: Introduction While investments are for the main purpose of generating profit to an individual or a conglomerate, various factors from within and outside the operational basis of project, must be well thought-out. While there are many investment projects developed daily, most of them end up with unfulfilled targets. Likewise, projects are initiated and implemented with specific objectives. Projects usually have specific objectives that are usually a product of societal need like, the construction of a dam, bridge, road or even drilling of boreholes. The process of Project management involves putting into consideration factors that include: The input, the process itself, the output and even the external attachments. All this factors are considered in line with the objectives of the project. Communication is the greatest tool for the success of any project. So many projects have failed due to poor communication mechanism. Poor communication usually hampers the process of project initiation, planning, execution and even the follow up of the project. Communication and project cycle Construction projects will involve processes which are; Project initiation stage In project initiation deliberations are made on how the projects will be set out. This involves the clear definition of the roles that the stake holders and the project team are to play in the project. This means that means that the project should cater for the needs of the society so as to facilitate their contribution. So many would be successful projects have ended up filing due to poor planning (Zysman, & Newman, 2006, p. 99-117). Objective analysis Once the definition of the role of the various players is done, the overall aim of the project is reviewed. This review is done by trying to figure out the prospects of the project, by using analytical criteria such as the SWOT analysis. This would help in weighing between the negatives and the positive projections. If the positive projection has more bearing then the project goes to the next step that is planning. Project scope The scope of the project should be well defined. This will prevent the unnecessary deviations during implementation as to what is supposed to be done and what is not. It also helps in guiding the managers on logic decision-making so as to ensure their decisions go in line with project’s objective. This is where sub-projects can be created and their course defined. Development of initial plan After the definition of the scope of the project, it comes to a time where planning has to be done. The plan initiation involves organizing the team in charge of the project, into diagrams and charts considering the duration factor. This would be important for the manager to follow up and no if the project is up to the time limit given or its time barred. It also assists the manager in projection of the time the project will be done (Low, 2000, p. 97-115). Resource reallocation At this stage the manager might consider reallocation of resources based on the costs and the challenges that lie ahead. The manager might decide to pump in more resources to the project team staff that if he may be able to ascertain that they need more. For the cases that challenges are beyond the capacity of the project team Risk Management may be used. Phase-exit review This is the stage where the project is reviewed based on the performance of the project and in line with the projects purpose. At this stage, contributions from all stakeholders are considered in order to make necessary changes that will ensure, smooth running of the project to completion. This will ensure that the project is ready to proceed to the next phase. Any problems that are detected at this stage are solved using the Root Cause Analysis strategy ( Weiss & Bonvillian, 2009, p. 98-111). Progress follow-up Progress follow up is done. This is mainly pegged on time and level of project. It at this stage, manager is able to determine, if the project is complete or not. He will also be able to find out if the project is moving at the pace that was planned. This looks at the efficiency of the project through comparison with its main objectives. Close the project Once objectives and the purpose of the project have been realized, manager will close the project. This involves putting down the achievements of the project on paper or print, so that they can be used later for reference. Such print outs must contain recommendations, otherwise called post implementation review (Greenleaf & Spears, 2002, p. 85-74). Reasons for Project Assessment Sometimes a project may be deemed profitable, yet there could be very many factors that render it not viable. Such factors could be for example, have negative side effects of the projects for e.g. to the environment. A project could seem viable but may need the expertise that may not be readily available for the project. Without, a project analysis underestimation of resources may occur, hence grounding the operations of the project at a later stage. As such, project analysis is important. Servant leadership in project management Management of a project requires strategic planning and servant leadership. This brings to our mind the aspect that is strategic planning and servant leadership. Strategic planning involves the setting up of rules, procedures and general guidelines on organizations operations. Servant leadership on the other hand is a style of leadership in an organization that involves participation at all levels by the managers of a company. Servant leadership entails leading by example where the juniors are given the opportunity to be directed by the seniors through service and example. Servant leadership is usually exercised voluntarily (Sipe & Frick, 2009). Planning is arguably the most important management function of a company. Other management functions, such as, organizing, staffing, directing and coordinating rely on this function. However, strategic planning refers to the all inclusive process of planning that is established by an organization’s management. Strategic plans act as guide, to how the operations of the organization can be carried out, in order to achieve company’s objectives. What differentiates strategic planning from the ordinary planning process is the fact that strategic planning is done by managers, but after thorough consultation with the rest of the company staff. Strategic planning involves formulation of policies and guidelines of the company, by putting into consideration the contributions from all levels of management. Such include, top management, tactical management and the operational management. The managers have to get opinions from the rest of the staff, before deliberating on which policies and operational procedures to root for. Servant leadership on the other hand, has to do with the dedication of the managers in the fulfillment of the organizations goals, through proper working relations with the juniors. Servant leadership entails hand participation of the managers in the implementation of the policies developed by the strategic plans (Sipe & Frick, 2009, p. 87-93). Strategic planning is a process that depends on factors that make up external and internal business environment while servant leadership is not guided by any condition but involves voluntary steps taken by the managers. Servant leadership comes from the goodwill and the personality of the managers (Spears & Greenleaf, 2002). Strategic planning seeks to accomplish the following purposes Maintain the clientele of the company or organization, facilitating project development, While the company may be having large number of clients, the market tends to change with time. The company has therefore to come up with plans that will enable it to retain its customers. It has therefore to come up with plans that will enable the company to retain the existing customers. Facilitate market expansion; the existence of any company is to make profits. As such, there are various strategies that can be employed in bid to maximize profits. As a way of increasing their profits, the company may opt for expansion or seeking of new clients. This will force the company to come up with policies, through its strategic plan that will enable it provide products and services that attract more customers. It can also establish relevant marketing policies which will serve this very purpose. Put in place contingency measures: Most plans are put in place by considering the existing business environment and what can be predicted in the near future. However strategic plans tend to put in place contingency measures that can be applied to different situations. This helps in avoiding a vacuum that would have otherwise been formed whenever the predicted business environment changes (Ebener, 2010, p. 312-324). Strategic planning seeks to put in place, programs, rules and guidelines that facilitate the running of the project. Leadership on the other hand is what will determine success of the execution of such plans. Servant leadership complements strategic planning. Leadership provides direction on how plans that are already developed can be executed in order to realize the organizations goals. As stated earlier, servant leadership is a participatory kind of leadership that involves the aspect of example. Managers the project may not be compelled by the outline of their duties to do ‘junior jobs’ but servant leadership will call for the management to start from the forefront in being an example (Spears & Greenleaf, 2002, p. 75-84).This may not be necessarily by performing the tasks assigned to their juniors but by way of demonstration and by showing responsibility and compliance to the junior’s needs that will motivate them to work harder. Strategic planning will provide the direction that the company has to follow while servant leadership will depend on it in order to succeed. Servant leadership can only be realized, where plans of the organization are accepted by the staff of the company. Servant leadership entails listening to the non-managerial staff of the company and making their opinions to be heard. As such without strategic planning servant leadership will not exist. It is clear that strategic planning is a process of establishing rules and guidelines that enable the project’s objectives to be achieved. It is the strategic plan that enables the company to overcome any challenges that the project may overcome in its long term or short term operations. On the other hand servant leadership refers to the style of exercising authority in the company by the managers where the managers participate in roles that are mostly assigned to their juniors in bid to motivate them to do a better job. Servant leadership involves manager’s participation and is usually a voluntary option. Strategic decision-making and project design The importance of Managers in the formulation and the implementation of policies cannot be overruled. However the fields of public health calls for a different approach to the way the managers ensure policies are well formulated and implemented. This is due to the fact that goodwill from the authorities (political) and the common citizens is required for the success of the policies rather than the strategic decision making (Nickel, 2007, p. 132-145). Public has more to deal with the health of the populations as a whole and not the one on one heath care that is more specific. The main goal to public health is to identify and help control, the threats to the health standards of a given population as a whole. It also has to do with the creation of policies that will support public health. The field can only work through corporation with other fields such as economics, sociology and medicine. Political will is a paramount to ensuring the health standards of the masses are well taken care of. This is due to the fact that political leaders provide a mouthpiece through which, the people can talk. A case in point for example where garbage collection in an estate is not well done, the people can petition the concerned authorities through their leader. While those concerned with the cleanliness of an estate for example are not to be reminded by the citizens it serves to provide better services the political leaders here become a push factor for improvement of the health standards. Power of the masses of the masses cannot be underrated when it comes to the issue of public health. Since public health affects large numbers of people, then whenever the health standards go down then the large masses would be affected. The fear of victimization and the spirit of group dynamics will cause such populations to resort to working as a group in solving the problem. This way the masses will make their grievances known through ways like demonstrations and other forms of mass action. Mass action can only be effective if the members of the given group are affected in one way or the other. This gives them the pressure to air their grievances in the best way possible (Naidu & Rao, 2009, p. 211-221). Health organizations play a great role in ensuring public health. While strategic planning can be done on public health, these health organizations come in handy in ensuring that the required health procedures and standards are adhered to. These organizations, usually work with the local community in following up the progress of the health standards (Silberglitt, 2006, p. 231-243). The rating of the health standards and the presence of the health hazards in an area is subject to individual ratings of the status. If the cleanliness of an estate is not up to date, the residents must be able to note this and make their grievances known. As such it is the masses to discover that the place has health hazards and look for ways of fixing this problem. The sensitivity to public health standards varies from place to place depending on the inhabitants of that area. Information technology and project management Information technology plays a great role in the management of projects. Through proper use of the various machines and the Information Communication Technologies, a project will have better results than if these tools were not used. However, there are a number of factors that need to be considered before one has to root in for a particular machine or Information Communication Technologies. This includes: The choice of the machines and Information Communication Technologies in the project needs to be done very carefully. Given that the managers are to choose the various Information communication technologies, there is need for constant consultation before choosing various Information Communication Technologies (Zhang & Zheng, 2009, p. 101-114). Project managers have to work with the rest of the employees of the construction company to endure that an appropriate technology id adopted for carrying out the project. They have to involve the employees in this process as they will be the ones on the ground to use such technology (Castells, 2004, 443-455). Proper communication involves listening to advices and responding to the same. Managers may have listened to the advices from their juniors but failure to take heed of their advices may make the project to fail. For instance, employees that carry out the project implementation may ask that they be trained further on the use of various Information Communication Technologies. This means that the managers in their planning have to put in more funds intro training of the employees over the use of the Information Communication Technologies (Castells, 2004, 443-455). The use of the various information communication technologies requires that there is constant feedback on the progress of the project. So many projects have failed due to delayed communication. It means that if a company has an information system and it happens that the system has failed, then there is need for early communication of the same so that there can be rectification at an early stage (Antoń, Silberglitt, & Schneider, 2001, p. 64-69). This if not controlled and done early would lead to prolonged problem that may results in losses that have wide implications of the project Antoń, Silberglitt, & Schneider, 2001, p. 64-69). Team management A project can only be successful if all the stakeholders in the project work in harmony. This means that there is need for proper communication that will ensure that things are done without bringing in many form of conflict or misunderstanding. This means that all the stakeholders need to know various things that include; the objectives of the project, the methodology to be used, their definite roles in the project and the various channels through which they can communicate in case of needed clarification (Griffin, 2005, p. 123-127). Team management in the project work entails that a proper communication mechanism be adopted. This will help in making clarifications and facilitating necessary changes. So many projects have had to ground due to poor communication channels. The poor communication channels usually result in delay in the initiation of changes that are much needed during the implementation of the projects. The management of the project has therefore to ensure that whenever changes are initiated, they are able to reach a large number of the affected persons so that are part and parcel of the implementation team (Griffin, 2005, p. 123-127). Reference Griffin R. W 2005, Leadership and Management in Nursing, Springer Publishing Company, New York, p. 123-127 Naidu, N.V.R. & Rao, T 2009, Management and Entrepreneurship, I. K. International Pvt Ltd, London, p. 211-221 Nickel, C 2007, Erstellen einer schriftlichen Hausarbeit Akademische Schriftenreihe, GRIN Verlag, Berlin, p. 132-145 Ebener, D.R 2010, Servant Leadership Models for Your Parish, Paulist Press, New York, p. 312 324 Sipe, J.W. & Frick, D.M 2009, Seven Pillars of Servant Leadership: Practicing the Wisdom of Leading by Serving, Paulist Press, New York, p. 87-93 Greenleaf, R.K & Spears, L.C 2002, Servant leadership: a journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness, Paulist Press, New York, p. 75-84 Antoń, R. S., Silberglitt, R. S & Schneider, J 2001, The global technology revolution: bio/nano/materials trends and their synergies with information technology by 2015, Rand Corporation, California, p. 64-69 Zhang, X & Zheng, Y 2009, China’s information and communications technology revolution: social Changes and state responses, Taylor & Francis, Beijing, p. 101-114 Silberglitt, R 2006, The global technology revolution 2020, in-depth analyses: bio-nano materials- Information trends, drivers, barriers, and social implications, Rand Corporation, California, p. 231-243 Castells, M 2004, The Rise of the Network Society: The Information Age: Economy, Society, and Culture Information Age Series, John Wiley and Sons, New York, p. 443-455 Low, L 2000, Economics of information technology and the media, World Scientific, London p. 97-115, Weiss, C. & Bonvillian, W 2009, Structuring an energy technology revolution, MIT Press, Cambridge, p. 98-111 Zysman, J. & Newman, A 2006, How revolutionary was the digital revolution? National responses, Market transitions and global technology, Stanford University Press, New York, p. 99-117 Read More