Managing Project Team Answer Key Pt2

47. During the ________ stage of group development, the team is fully functional and working together to accomplish the project goals. performing In the performing stage, the team operating structure is fully functional and accepted. Group energy has moved from getting to know each other and how the group will work together to accomplishing the project goals. 48. Research indicates that high-performance project teams are much more likely to develop under certain conditions. One of these conditions is that members are assigned to the project _______ time. full When recruiting project members, it is optimal to have 10 or fewer members per team, to encourage members to volunteer to serve on the project, to have members work on the project from beginning to end, and to assign members to the project full time. 49. Experienced project managers understand the value of having team members ________ for the project as opposed to appointing team members. volunteer Experienced project managers stress the importance of asking for volunteers. However, this desirable step oftentimes is outside the manager's control. Still, the value of having team members volunteer for the project as opposed to being assigned cannot be overlooked. Agreeing to work on the project is the first step toward building personal commitment to the project. Such commitment will be essential to maintain motivation when the project hits hard times and extra effort is required. 50. Research indicates that high-performance project teams are much more likely to develop under certain conditions. One of these conditions is that members report solely to the __________. project manager Team members often report to different managers, and, in some cases, the project manager will have no direct input over performance appraisals and advancement opportunities of team members. This is not a condition typical of a high-performance project team. 51. The first _________ is critical to the early functioning of the project team. It sets the tone for how the team will work together. meeting The first meeting is critical to the early functioning of the team. If it is disorganized, or becomes bogged down with little sense of closure, then this can often become a self-fulfilling prophecy for subsequent group work. On the other hand, if it is crisply run, focusing on real issues and concerns in an honest and straightforward manner, members come away excited about being part of the project team, then it is an effective meeting. 52. Symbolic actions at the project level that can contribute to a unique team subculture are called team ________. rituals Just as corporate rituals help establish the unique identity of a firm, similar symbolic actions at the project level can contribute to a unique team subculture. 53. Team meetings, co-location of team members, team names, and team rituals are common vehicles when establishing a team _________. identity Project managers need to try to make the project team as tangible as possible to the participants by developing a unique team identity to which participants can become emotionally attached. Team meetings, co-location of team members, team names, and team rituals are common vehicles for doing so. 54. An image a project team holds in common about how the project will look upon completion, how they will work together, and/or how customers will accept the project is known as a __________. It is a less tangible aspect of project performance. vision A vision is a less tangible aspect of project performance. At its simplest level, a shared vision is the answer to the question, "What do we want to create?" 55. Because most project work is a collaborative effort, most project managers advocate the use of _______ rewards. group Because most project work is a collaborative effort, it only makes sense that group rewards would be used to encourage teamwork. Recognizing individual members regardless of their accomplishments can distract from team unity. 56. ________ rewards typically should be used only when everyone on the team recognizes that a member is deserving of special recognition. Individual Individual rewards should be used judiciously, and primary emphasis should be on group incentives. 57. The use of 6:30 A.M. meetings to get a project back on schedule is an example of ______ reinforcement to motivate project performance. negative Project managers do not have direct authority over many key people, especially the contractors from the other companies. They do, however, have the freedom to convene meetings at their convenience. A project manager instituted daily "coordination meetings," which were required of all the principals involved, at 6:30 A.M. The meetings continued for about two weeks until the project got back on schedule. At that time the project manager announced that the next meeting was canceled, and no further sunrise meetings were ever scheduled. 58. ________ decision making should be used when strong commitment to a decision is needed and there is a low probability of acceptance if the decision were to be made by one person. Group Group decision making should be used when it will improve the quality of important decisions. This is often the case with complex problems that require the input of a variety of different specialists. Group decision making should also be used when strong commitment to the decision is needed and there is a low probability of acceptance if only one person makes the decision. 59. When a project manager intervenes and tries to negotiate a resolution by using reasoning and persuasion and suggesting alternatives, he or she is ___________ the conflict. mediating When mediating the conflict, a project manager intervenes and tries to negotiate a resolution by using reasoning and persuasion, suggesting alternatives and the like. 60. When a project manager imposes a solution to the conflict after listening to each party, he or she is __________ the conflict. arbitrating When arbitrating the conflict, a project manager imposes a solution to the conflict after listening to each party. The goal is not to decide who wins but to have the project win. In doing so, it is important to seek a solution that allows each party to save face; otherwise the decision may provide only momentary relief. 61. Members who are geographically situated so that they may never be able to meet face-to-face would be a characteristic of a ________ project team. virtual Consider how much more challenging it is to build a team when members cannot engage in face-to-face interactions. A virtual project team is one in which the team members are geographically situated so that they may seldom, if ever, meet face-to-face as a team. 62. When a project manager attempts to reduce the intensity of the conflict by smoothing over differences or interjecting humor, he or she is ___________ the conflict. controlling When controlling dysfunctional conflict, a project manager attempts to reduce the intensity of the conflict by smoothing over differences or interjecting humor. If feelings escalate, the project manager can adjourn the interaction and hope cooler heads prevail the next day. 63. A project team gets things done without having to go through normal protocols of the parent organization. This is an example of _____________. bureaucratic bypass syndrome Project teams are often licensed to get things done without having to go through normal protocols of the parent organization. Bypassing bureaucratic channels is appealing and invigorating. However, if bypassing becomes a way of life, it results in the rejection of bureaucratic policies and procedures, which provide the glue for the overall organization. 64. Project managers should encourage ___________ conflict. functional Members can be upset and dissatisfied with the interchange, but as long as the disagreement furthers the objectives of the project, the conflict is functional. Project managers should realize that conflict is an inevitable and even desirable part of project work; the key is to encourage functional conflict and manage dysfunctional conflict. 65. Project managers should manage ___________ conflict. dysfunctional Members can be upset and dissatisfied with the interchange, but as long as the disagreement furthers the objectives of the project, the conflict is functional. Project managers should realize that conflict is an inevitable and even desirable part of project work; the key is to encourage functional conflict and manage dysfunctional conflict. 66. The main source of conflict in the delivering stage of the project life cycle is __________. schedules During the delivery stage, schedules continue as the biggest source of conflict as schedule slippages make it more difficult to meet target completion dates. 67. Project managers and team members have to recognize the _________________ they are operating under in order to do the best that they can. situational constraints Recognizing and accepting situational constraints are two different ideas all together. Once recognized, acceptance is easier but not easy in and of itself. True / False Questions 68. Synergy can be both negative as well as positive. TRUE The essence of positive synergy can be found in the phrase "The whole is greater than the sum of the parts." Conversely, negative synergy occurs when the whole is less than the sum of the parts. 69. There is a high degree of internal conflict in the forming stage of team development. FALSE During this initial stage, the members get acquainted with each other and understand the scope of the project. They begin to establish ground rules by trying to find out what behaviors are acceptable with respect to both the project (what role they will play, what performance expectations are) and interpersonal relations (who's really in charge). This stage is complete once members begin to think of themselves as part of a group. 70. The storming stage of team development is complete when conflicts are resolved and leadership roles are accepted. TRUE Members accept that they are part of a project group but resist the constraints that the project and group put on their individuality. There is conflict over who will control the group and how decisions will be made. As these conflicts are resolved, the project manager's leadership becomes accepted, and the group moves to the next stage. 71. The performing stage of team development is characterized by the development of close relationships and group cohesiveness. FALSE In the performing stage, the team operating structure at this point is fully functional and accepted. Group energy has moved from getting to know each other and how the group will work together to accomplishing the project goals. 72. The norming stage of team development is one in which close relationships develop and the group demonstrates cohesiveness. TRUE The norming stage is one in which close relationships develop and the group demonstrates cohesiveness. Feelings of camaraderie and shared responsibility for the project are heightened. The norming phase is complete when the group structure solidifies and the group establishes a common set of expectations about how members should work together. 73. Research indicates that high-performance teams are much more likely to develop when the manager hand-selects team members. FALSE Research indicates that high-performance teams are much more likely to develop when members volunteer to serve on the project team. Agreeing to work on the project is the first step toward building personal commitment to the project. 74. Every project has the same potential to evolve into a high-performance team. FALSE It is rare that a project manager is assigned a project that meets all the conditions for developing a highperformance project team. It is important for project managers and team members to recognize the situational constraints they are operating under and do the best they can. It would be naïve to believe that every project team has the same potential to evolve into a high-performance team. 75. One important factor that a project manager must acknowledge when recruiting project members is the management structure being used to complete the project. TRUE Two important factors affecting recruitment are the importance of the project and the management structure being used to complete the project. In many matrix structures, the functional manager controls who is assigned to the project; the project manager will have to work with the functional manager to obtain necessary personnel. 76. A project manager should be wary of people who know too much about a specific technology. TRUE Managers should be wary of people who know too much about a specific technology. They may be technology buffs who like to study but have a hard time settling down and doing the work. 77. Co-location of team members, team names, and team rituals are common vehicles for establishing a team identity. TRUE Effective use of meetings, co-location of team members, a creation of a team name, having the team work together before the project begins and team rituals are all ways a project manager can help establish a team identity. 78. A project vision is an image a project team holds about how the project will look upon completion, how they will work together, and how customers will accept the project. It is important that everyone have the same vision. FALSE Unlike project scope statements, a vision involves less tangible aspects of project performance. It refers to an image a project team holds in common about how the project will look upon completion, how they will work together, and/or how customers will accept the project. Not everyone will have the same vision, but the images should be similar. 79. The first team meeting sets the tone for how the team will work together. TRUE The first meeting is critical to the early functioning of the team. If it is disorganized, or becomes bogged down with little sense of closure, then this can often become a self-fulfilling prophecy for subsequent group work. On the other hand, if it is crisply run, focusing on real issues and concerns in an honest and straightforward manner, members come away excited about being part of the project team, then it is an effective meeting. 80. Most project managers advocate the use of group rewards rather than individual rewards. TRUE Most project managers advocate the use of group rewards rather than individual rewards. Because most project work is a collaborative effort, it only makes sense that the reward system would encourage teamwork. Recognizing individual members regardless of their accomplishments can distract from team unity. 81. Lump-sum cash bonuses are the most effective group reward for project teams. FALSE To have more value, rewards need to have lasting significance. Many companies convert cash into vacation rewards, sometimes with corresponding time off. For example, there is one firm that rewarded a project team for getting the job done ahead of schedule with a four-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Walt Disney World for the members' entire families. 82. A general guideline for running effective meetings includes starting the meeting on time regardless of whether everyone is present. TRUE Starting a meeting on time regardless if everyone is present shows respect for others' time. In addition, people typically will not make much of an effort to be on time next time if you are consistently willing to wait for them. 83. Group decision making should be used when strong commitment to the decision is needed and when there is a low probability of acceptance if only one person makes the decision. TRUE Group decision making should be used when it will improve the quality of important decisions. This is often the case with complex problems that require the input of a variety of different specialists. Group decision making should also be used when strong commitment to the decision is needed and there is a low probability of acceptance if only one person makes the decision. 84. When facilitating group decision making, a project manager should identify a problem in terms of its alternate solutions so that team members can more easily reach a decision on how to solve the problem. FALSE The project manager needs to be careful not to state the problem in terms of choices (e.g., should we do X or Y?). Rather the project manager should identify the underlying problem to which these alternatives and probably others are potential solutions. This allows group members to generate alternatives, not just choose among them. 85. Team members can be upset and dissatisfied with conflict, but as long as the disagreement furthers the objectives of the project, then the conflict is functional. TRUE Members can be upset and dissatisfied with the interchange, but as long as the disagreement furthers the objectives of the project, then the conflict is functional. Project managers should recognize that conflict is an inevitable and even a desirable part of project work; the key is to encourage functional conflict and manage dysfunctional conflict. 86. A project manager arbitrates conflict by intervening and attempting to negotiate a resolution by using reasoning, persuasion, and suggesting alternatives. FALSE When a project manager arbitrates conflict, the project manager imposes a solution to the conflict after listening to each party. The goal is not to decide who wins but to have the project win. 87. Groupthink refers to the tendency of members in highly cohesive groups to lose their critical evaluative capabilities resulting in quick decision making with little consideration of alternatives. TRUE Groupthink appears when pressures for conformity are combined with an illusion of invincibility to suspend critical discussion of decisions. As a result decisions are made quickly with little consideration of alternatives; often the practice leads to fiascoes that, after the fact, appear totally improbable. 88. Two of the biggest challenges involved in managing a virtual project team are developing trust and effective patterns of communication. TRUE Two of the biggest challenges involved in managing a virtual project team are developing trust and effective patterns of communication. Trust is difficult to establish in virtual project teams. E-mails are great ways to communicate facts, but not the feeling behind the facts. 89. Going native is the ability that some project teams have to bypass the normal policies and procedures that everyone in the organization is supposed to follow. FALSE Bureaucratic bypass syndrome occurs when project teams are often licensed to get things done without having to go through normal protocols of the parent organization. Bypassing bureaucratic channels is appealing and invigorating. However, if bypassing becomes a way of life, it results in the rejection of bureaucratic policies and procedures, which provide the glue for the overall organization. 90. Conflict is inevitable and can be a desirable part of project work. TRUE Project managers should recognize that conflict is inevitable and even a desirable part of project work; the key is to encourage functional conflict and manage dysfunctional conflict. 91. When a member of a team sees themselves as a high-performer and able to meet all the needs of the team, this is a characteristic of synergy. FALSE Team members need to identify their own strengths and realize that they fit in as a contributor to the overall team. 92. High performing teams typically meet many of the characteristics outlined in the text. FALSE High performance teams very rarely meet many of the characteristics in the text. In reality, they typically meet one or two and team chemistry can make up for the rest. 93. Over the course of a project, the sources of conflict often change. TRUE Each project phase introduces its' own stressors that can create conflict. 94. Overcoming cultural difference can pose a challenge to geographically distributed teams. TRUE Cultural differences can be very difficult to overcome between distributed team members especially since having true face-to-face interaction is difficult at best. Short Answer Questions 95. What is positive and negative synergy? Give an example of each in regard to project management. The essence of positive synergy can be found in the phrase, "The whole is greater than the sum of the parts." Negative synergy occurs when the whole is less than the sum of the parts. 96. Identify and briefly describe each stage in 11.2. Distinguish the different stages of team development. (1) Forming: members get acquainted, ground rules are established; (2) Storming: high degree of internal conflict, members resist the constraints that the project and group place on their individuality; (3) Norming: development of group cohesion; (4) Performing: team is fully functional and accepted; (5) Adjourning: team prepares for its own disbandment. 97. A project involving a compelling objective is an example of a condition that supports the development of high-performing teams. List four more conditions and briefly explain how they support the development of a high-performing team. Conditions that support high-performing team development are when there are 10 or fewer members per team, when members volunteer to serve on the project team, when members serve on the project from beginning to end, when members are assigned the project full time, when members are part of an organization culture that fosters cooperation and trust, when members report solely to the project manager, when all relevant functional areas are represented, when the project involves a compelling objective and when members are located within conversational distance of each other. 98. Project managers play a key role in developing high-performance teams. One example of this is recruiting team members. Identify and describe four other ways project managers can impact the development of high-performing teams. They recruit members, conduct meetings, establish a team identity, create a common sense of purpose or a shared vision, manage a reward system that encourages teamwork, orchestrate decision making, resolve conflicts that emerge within the team, and rejuvenate the team when energy wanes. 99. The text states that when managers are recruiting project team members, they should be wary of people who know too much about a specific technology. Why is this? Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer. Managers should be wary of people who know too much about a specific technology because they may be technology buffs who like to study but have a hard time settling down and doing the work. 100. What is the difference between functional conflict and dysfunctional conflict on a project? Provide real examples of each. As long as disagreements further the objectives of the project, then conflict is functional. It should be encouraged because honest professional differences of opinion often will lead to the best solutions. The challenge is to keep it from becoming dysfunctional. Dysfunctional conflict inhibits project performance and should be managed. 101. Identify and briefly describe the five strategies to manage dysfunctional conflict. (1) Mediate the conflict: The project manager intervenes and tries to negotiate a resolution by using reasoning and persuasion. (2) Arbitrate the conflict: The project manager imposes a solution to the conflict after listening to each party. (3) Control the conflict: The project manager reduces the intensity of the conflict by smoothing over differences or interjecting humor. (4) Accept the conflict: When the conflict will outlive the project and the project manager has to live with it. (5) Eliminate the conflict: When there is a clear villain then only he or she should be removed. 102. What is a virtual project team and what are two challenges in managing such a team? A virtual project team is one in which the team members are geographically situated so that they may seldom, if ever, meet face-to-face as a team. Electronic communications such as the Internet, e-mail, and teleconferencing are the primary means of communication. Two biggest challenges involve establishing trust and effective lines of communication. 103. What is meant by the term groupthink and what are two symptoms? Groupthink refers to the tendency of members in highly cohesive groups to lose their critical evaluative capabilities resulting in quick decision making with little consideration of alternatives. Symptoms include the illusion of invulnerability, the whitewash of critical thinking, negative stereotypes of outsiders, and direct pressure. 104. When conducting project meetings, why is the first meeting so important? The first meeting is critical to the early functioning of the team. If it is disorganized, or becomes bogged down with little sense of closure, then this can often become a self-fulfilling prophecy for subsequent group work. On the other hand, if it is crisply run, focusing on real issues and concerns in an honest and straightforward manner, members come away excited about being part of the project team, then it is an effective meeting. 105. A vision refers to an image a project team holds in common about how the project will look upon completion, how they will work together, and/or how customers will accept the project. Although they should be similar, everyone's vision will not be the same. Why not? How might having only similar visions support the project? After establishing the scope and major deliverables and after it is known what the project is supposed to accomplish once it is complete, each member of the project team will have a vision of what this project will look like and how they will accomplish it. Although similar, the fact that there are still differences in vision supports having a pool of ideas to pull from and negotiating the best solutions for the project. 106. Why do project managers prefer to use group awards over individual rewards? When would it be appropriate to use individual rewards? Most project managers advocate the usage of group rewards. Because most project work is a collaborative effort, it makes sense that the reward system would encourage teamwork. Recognizing individuals with rewards regardless of their accomplishments can distract from team unity. Individual rewards typically should be used only when everyone in the team recognizes that a member is deserving of special recognition.