Develop Team

Develop Team (with Examples)

1. Introduction to Developing Your Team

• One of the most critical processes in project management.
• A strong, well-developed team = Higher-quality deliverables.
• Poor team performance guarantees poor project outcomes.
• Example:
  • A software team that doesn’t communicate well may end up writing conflicting code, causing bugs and delays.

2. Purpose of This Process

• Enhances team skills, collaboration, and motivation.
• Reduces conflicts by ensuring smooth interaction between team members.
• Encourages high performance by creating a productive environment.
• Example:
  • If a construction crew understands their roles clearly, they avoid mistakes like installing windows before the wall is complete.

3. Tuckman’s Ladder – The Five Stages of Team Development

• Every team goes through these stages before becoming high-performing.

1️⃣ Forming – Team members meet and introduce themselves.

• No conflict yet; everyone is polite.
• Example: A new project team introduces themselves in a kickoff meeting.

2️⃣ Storming – Conflicts arise as people have different ideas.

• Some team members challenge authority or resist project goals.
• Example: Two developers disagree on which coding framework to use.

3️⃣ Norming – The team finds common ground and resolves conflicts.

• Roles are clearer, and collaboration improves.
• Example: The two developers agree on a framework after testing both.

4️⃣ Performing – The team is fully functional and productive.

• Workflows are smooth, and team members are motivated.
• Example: The software team codes efficiently and meets deadlines.

5️⃣ Adjourning – The project ends, and the team disbands.

• Team members may move to new projects.
• Example: After launching a website, the team transfers to a new project.

4. Tools Used in Team Development

1) Co-location (Face-to-Face Time)

• All team members work in the same physical space (also called a War Room).
• Example:
  • A startup team working together in a shared office for better communication.

2) Virtual Teams

• Team members work remotely from different locations.
• Example:
  • A software company has developers in India, the US, and Germany, working in different time zones.
• Challenges:
  • Time zone differences (early/late meetings).
  • Technology issues (slow internet, miscommunication).

3) Communication Technology

• Decides how team members will communicate.
• Example:
  • A remote team uses Slack for messages, Zoom for meetings, and Jira for task tracking.

4) Team-Building Activities

• Activities to improve relationships and teamwork.
• Example:
  • Organizing a team outing or hackathon to build trust among developers.

5) Interpersonal & Team Skills

• Includes conflict resolution, motivation, and coaching.
• Good project managers = Good people managers.
• Example:
  • A project manager mediates a dispute between two engineers over project priorities.

6) Training & Development

• Ensuring team members have the right skills for the project.
• Example:
  • If a company switches to AWS cloud, team members attend AWS certification training.

7) Individual & Team Assessments

• Evaluating performance at both individual and team levels.
• Example:
  • Reviewing a developer’s work quality and adherence to deadlines.

5. Motivational Theories for Team Development

1) Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

• People progress through different levels of motivation.
  1️⃣ Physiological (Basic needs: food, water, shelter).
  2️⃣ Safety (Job security, financial stability).
  3️⃣ Social (Friendship, team bonding).
  4️⃣ Esteem (Recognition, respect).
  5️⃣ Self-Actualization (Growth, purpose, mastery).
• Example:
  • A developer without job security (level 2) won’t be motivated by career growth (level 5).

2) Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory

• Hygiene factors (prevent dissatisfaction): Salary, job security, work conditions.
• Motivation factors (increase satisfaction): Growth, recognition, challenging work.
• Example:
  • If employees don’t have proper vacation policies (hygiene factor), they will be demotivated even if their work is interesting.

3) McGregor’s Theory X & Y

• Theory X (Bad): Assumes people are lazy and require micromanagement.
• Theory Y (Good): Assumes people are motivated and self-driven.
• Example:
  • A Theory X manager micromanages everything, causing employees to feel untrusted.

4) McClelland’s Three Needs Theory

• People are motivated by Achievement, Power, or Affiliation.
• Example:
  • A person who wants achievement seeks promotions and challenges.
  • A person who values affiliation wants a friendly, team-oriented workplace.

5) Expectancy Theory

• People work harder if they expect rewards.
• Example:
  • Employees work extra hours if they believe they will get a bonus.

6. Types of Power in Leadership

Great project managers use the right power types:
✅ Expert Power – Based on knowledge and skills. (Best Power)
✅ Reward Power – Ability to give promotions, bonuses, or recognition.
❌ Legitimate Power – "I’m the boss, so do what I say" (Less effective).
❌ Referent Power – Based on personality/charisma (Not enough for leadership).
❌ Punishment Power – Uses fear/threats (Worst type).

7. Key Outputs of Develop Team

1) Team Performance Assessments

• Evaluates how well the team is working together.
• Example:
  • If the team has low morale, a project manager organizes a feedback session to understand the problem.

2) Skills Development Plan

• Identifies training needs for the team.
• Example:
  • If the project requires machine learning, team members are sent to AI training.

8. Why This Process is Critical

• Poor teams = Poor results.
• Strong teams = High-quality work & fewer conflicts.
• Motivated employees are more productive and innovative.
• Example:
  • Google invests heavily in team-building and development because happy employees create better products.

Key Takeaway: A High-Performing Team Leads to a Successful Project

• Motivation & teamwork = High-quality output.
• Project managers must build, develop, and maintain a well-functioning team.