Although you can certainly
do this by taking the team
out to lunch, meeting after
work, or organizing a
social gathering, you can
also do it in ways that not
only tie members together,
but also tie everyone to the
project. In my opinion, the
strong forms of teambuild-
ing occur when the team
members expand their
knowledge of each other and the project at the same time. Here
are some examples:
- Develop mutual expectations for team members and the
project manager. - Develop a project network diagram by using sticky
notes on the wall. - Develop a “code of conduct” for project team meetings.
- Celebrate significant project milestones (e.g., design
approved, first unit shipped, etc.).
Recognizing and Addressing Differing Perspectives
Numerous instruments are available for characterizing personal
preferences, thinking processes, communication styles, and
other aspects of personality. Though the instruments differ con-
siderably, the principle behind all of them is the same: people
are different.
This rather unsurprising fact has two major implications for
you as a project manager. First, individuals must be managed
as individuals. (We’ll explore that aspect later in this chapter.)
Second, every member of your team is likely to have his or her
own unique perspective on just about everything. Although this
isn’t news, you should continually bring it to the attention of the
team. Most conflict arises from differing opinions, which are
Building and Maintaining an Effective Team 89Team Evaluation
Consider having your team
take some time out period-
ically to evaluate how well you’re
functioning as a team.This activity
offers several potential benefits: it will
help you address areas of concern
before they grow, provide you with
insights on potential areas of self-
improvement, and get team members
to interact outside the confines of the
project tasks.