Selection of the Project Team Members - Essay Example

Team Creation

Introduction

            This paper is aimed at exploring the various aspects of team creation and management. The paper will identify that how the project team members are selected, team-building strategies, potential areas of conflict and avoiding them, and conflict resolution techniques used when conflict arises. The approach is project management and leadership skill-based.

Selection of the Project Team Members

            In order to select the project team, it should be first analyzed what is the project all about. The specific academic and professional expertise needed to complete the project must be determined. The selection of the project team members will be done on the basis of this vital information. Next, a pool of candidates should be prepared from whom the project team members are to be selected. The selection process must consist of a personal interview, group discussion, and if necessary, written or objective type assessment based on the project requirements. The project team should have some specialist members, supporting staff, and multi-tasking experts. (Chapman and Ward, 2003)

Team Building Strategies

            Effective team building can be critically helpful so that the project team leader may not have to face the problem of incompetence that may lead to total deadlock and unrecoverable downtime. According to Chapman and Ward (2003), a project has a project life cycle, which is divided into the stages of conceptualization, planning, execution, and administration. During team building, it should properly be defined that what the team members are expected to do through each stage of the project life cycle. In the team, decisions must be based on consensus, team values must be specified, goals must be shared, and evaluation must constantly be done right from the time of team building to ensure better coherence and productivity. The team size should neither be too large nor too small. (McGregor et al, 1966)

Potential Areas of Conflict

            Cultural issues can particularly be important while managing a culturally diverse project team. Technical issues can create problems when the project team is diverse in the sense that specialists from different fields of profession and academia are taking part. Besides cultural and technical conflicts, conflict of opinion too can lead to serious problems. Racial barriers, personal ego, and lack of respect for each other are common in a diverse project team. The situation may become more complicated in the case expectations are unreasonably high and goals are not properly set.

Techniques of Reducing the Probability of Dysfunctional Conflicts

            Some ethical values like respect for each other, dedicated participation, and mutual trust must be ushered in the project team (McGregor et al, 1966). The project life cycle provides the project team members with a framework that can be helpful in dividing responsibilities, setting priorities, etc. The way of doing things in the course of the project should be sequenced according to the project life cycle in order to avoid the risk of confusion and dysfunction (Chapman and Ward, 2003). Basic questions like “what is management?” and “what is business?” must be answered in relation to the project with support from practical case studies. Tools and techniques like inventory control and networks of critical paths can help in better decision-making to avoid dysfunction and hence dysfunctional conflicts (Payne et al, 2004).

Conflict Resolution Techniques

            Conflict resolution techniques should be available right from the beginning of the project work. Consensus-based decision-making, proper goal setting, goal sharing, and integration of team values are the basic conflict resolution techniques. Mutualism, dedication, and respect add more emotional intelligence to the project team, and hence conflict resolution techniques can effectively be based on ethical grounds (McGregor et al, 1966). Moreover, communication skills are needed to resolve a conflict. Proper communication can amply help the coordination between the project leader and his or her subordinates and also among the subordinates themselves. Furthermore, besides professional relationships, if personal relationships too develop among the project team members, then conflict resolution can be easier. Development of personal understanding after or outside the job can be an important conflict resolution technique that can help in minimizing the potential bitterness due to professional competition and rivalry among the project team members. (Berisoff and Victor, 1998)

Conclusion

            In the very course of completing a project, a variety of unexpected and complicated situations can be encountered, particularly in the context of team organization which is not so immune to the unpredictability entailed in behavioral inconsistencies and human resource management. Hence, the project team members, especially the team leader must always be open to discussion, debate, and most importantly, innovation.