| As I am writing a course module on project | | | | know how something in the family gets done by |
| management leadership for the project | | | | each member, be it in the roles as a father, a |
| management online courses recently, I retrieved | | | | mother, and as children or as students. This is like |
| one of the viewgraphs I used to present in a | | | | the work procedures and work processes in an |
| seminar back in 2003 and as I read along I found | | | | organization. |
| how these points are still relevant to leaders who | | | | In a company, an organization, and or a project, |
| wish to lead by Team Management Approach and | | | | we have the advantage of an established work |
| hence this article. | | | | procedure and work processes that we do not |
| The viewgraph reads as follow: | | | | have in a normal family to assist in accelerating |
| Team Management | | | | the teambuilding process. Even with this |
| Lead with Confidence and Trust | | | | advantage not all tiers in an organization take the |
| One Body One Big Family | | | | time to learn, understand, and appreciate well |
| Clear Role / Authority / Responsibility | | | | other members' roles and responsibilities which |
| Understanding Work Flow & Work | | | | makes teambuilding a must especially with |
| Processes - Enhance Communication | | | | organizational dynamics and its constant member |
| Open to Suggestion & Accept | | | | turnover. |
| Difference in Opinion | | | | If we can start the team management approach |
| You Are Successful Until Your Team Is | | | | by having each member to understand and |
| I found above useful as a "Leadership Health | | | | appreciate other team member's role and |
| Check" to see if we have led our team or if an | | | | responsibility, it would be so much faster to mould |
| organization or a project management | | | | a solid team. To enhance this solid and |
| organization has accommodated Team | | | | unbreakable team, each member must undertake |
| Management Approach in a company, an | | | | to communicate and communicate well to other |
| organization, and or in a project. | | | | members. Realistically speaking though, we often |
| 1. Lead with Confidence and Trust. If it is about | | | | encounter communication problems and |
| leading a large project, a large organization, or a | | | | communication breakdowns in a family. Do not let |
| company, I would generally say you have to lead | | | | communication breakdowns split the team you |
| with confidence and trust and this is not an option. | | | | have spent so much effort to build in your |
| First of all it is highly unlikely you will be doing each | | | | organization. |
| and everything all by yourself; it does not matter | | | | 5. A real family should be open to suggestions and |
| how smart, efficient, effective, knowledgeable, | | | | accept differences in opinions. Let us now |
| and capable you are. Second of all doing it alone | | | | understand one vital fact: that all people are |
| or one man show would mean handling project | | | | created equal but unique. No one of us is created |
| initiating, planning, implementation, monitoring, and | | | | exactly the same. Unless we can accept this fact |
| close-out alone having no check and balance in | | | | as the very basis in building up a team in an |
| place. | | | | organization the team will likely be flawed. Keep in |
| 2. If you truly believe in developing a team and | | | | mind though that being open to suggestion and |
| lead with confidence and trust, you will need to | | | | accepting difference in opinion does not |
| run the team the way it is as to run one body in | | | | automatically mean one has to accept those |
| one big happy family. How can you possibly do it | | | | suggestions and opinions. |
| differently as a team without taking the model of | | | | A good functional family can also be likened to a |
| one body in one big happy family? | | | | ship which has to have a captain who assumes |
| Only a family knows its members best, each | | | | responsibility of the ship, or like a father in the |
| individual strengths and weaknesses, and so has | | | | family, who ensures the family safety and well |
| confidence and trust to other members of the | | | | being, and who undertakes to provide leadership, |
| family; if one member of the family hurts, other | | | | guidance, and direction, and to deliver the |
| members feel the pinch just as much; and when | | | | common objectives of the family. So this role |
| there is a problem with one member, the whole | | | | comes with authority which naturally gains family |
| family members will delve in to see how they can | | | | respect and create an obligation for the family |
| chip in, help, and contribute as a team. | | | | members to follow and obey. |
| 3. In a big happy family all members have their | | | | On the same token a project will require a |
| respective roles, authority, and responsibility | | | | project manager and an organization will require |
| where each member will have to understand their | | | | an executive officer just like a ship captain who |
| role well, assume assigned role and responsibility, | | | | assumes responsibility and provides guidance and |
| be realistic about it, and of course be accountable | | | | direction for the team to move and charge ahead. |
| to his/her result and achievement. In a family you | | | | 6. When I say above that I do not see any other |
| will have parental role from a father, a mother, | | | | way to work as a team other than as one body |
| and from each child's role and responsibility until | | | | in one big family, it is generally true to also say |
| such time the child is capable of leading a new | | | | and accept the fact that not a single soul can |
| family life and assume the role, authority, and | | | | claim himself or herself to be smarter, better, and |
| responsibility, and be accountable as a new parent. | | | | more knowledgeable than a group of professionals |
| 4. It takes time to form a functional family and to | | | | working together within a team to execute and |
| know each role, authority, and responsibility | | | | deliver a project. This goes a long way to prove |
| intimately. It also takes time to know and | | | | that you are not successful until your team is. |
| understand each other and each other roles | | | | For your project to be a success, be a team, |
| intimately in a family. Like in a family, the exact | | | | work as a team, do your part in the team and |
| same principle will also apply in the team | | | | contribute to the team. |
| management approach. Over time we learn to | | | | |