CHAPTER 04 –

Project Execution and Team Management

Learning Outcomes
 Activities during Execution Phase
 Team Management and Team Building
 Decision Making Styles of a Project Manager
 Project Tracking – Issue/Action Item Log
 Project Implementation / Rollout
• Project Execution- Directing, managing, performing and accomplishing the project work, producing the deliverables
and providing work performance information
• PM’s focus on key processes: Managing the project team, work and performance data, communicating project
information, managing day to day issues and action items.
• Execution phase-right resources at the right time to perform the activities, scope , schedule and budget ,
communications, risks, issues, contracts , deliverables
• Building the project team- everyone involved in the planning process, goals, roles, responsibilities, procedures and
relationships, personality conflicts caused by interpersonal skills, virtual teams in geographically dispersed
environment.
• Tuckman Model- Forming, storming, Norming, Performing
• Team Management Skills- Hands on and Hands off approach, Ease up and less intense, Invoke urgency when required,
Make communication and collaboration easy for members, motivate team
• Project Team Members- Evaders, Aggressive, Thinkers, Idealists
• Leading during execution-be agile, walk the talk, keep momentum going, appropriate approach
• Managing virtual teams-project outcomes and team objectives, synchronous and asynchronous meetings, disciplines
and guidelines, codes of conduct, time zones and interpersonal issues, defines roles and responsibilities, project
progress reports, problems responses, continuous feedback and appreciation, follow up on milestones.
• Tips for virtual teams-Create team trust, build identity, help members build relationships and strong social ties,
encourage collaboration and cohesion.
• Decision making styles of PM: Directive, Participative, Consultative
• Conflict Management: Confrontation, compromise, smoothing, competing, withdrawal, collaborative
• Tracking and managing issues: concerns, problems, questions, suggestions
• Issue resolution process: issues and unplanned requests are defined properly, escalated and resolved.
• Task level status reporting-individual level; Project level-overall
• Implementation alternatives: Direct cutover, Parallel, Phased
Definition
• The Project Execution phase involves "directing, managing, performing,
and accomplishing the project work; producing the deliverables; and
providing work performance information."
– The Project Manager’s focus now shifts from planning to executing and
monitoring & control according to the commitments made in the plan.
– It involves implementing the project scope, schedule, and budget as defined in
the Project Plan ie “Working the Plan”.
– In this phase the project team will create the deliverables and present them
to the customer and key stakeholders.
– This is usually the longest phase of the project life cycle and predictably the
most demanding.

• During the execution phase, PM will focus on these key processes:

– Managing the Project Team
– Collect project work and resources performance data
– Communicating the Project Information periodically to all Project
Stakeholders
– Managing day to day Issues and Action Items (related to the project)
 Activities in the Execution Phase
• During the Execution phase, the
PM ensures the following:
– All the right resources are available at
the right time to perform assigned
activities in the schedule
– The scope, schedule, and budget are
managed as planned
– Communications are executed as
planned and stakeholders are
managed
Activities defined in the plan are
– Risk strategies are implemented executed.
– Issues are detected and resolved Measures are collected to monitor
– Contracts with suppliers are managed the project performance.
Performance data are analyzed to
– The project and product quality are
identify Variances from the Plan and
managed as per plan determine what corrective actions
– Deliverables are produced and are necessary to control and deliver
approved by the customer to the plan.
Top Ten Strategies for Successful Project Execution

Source: The Project Manager

Team building is especially significant in matrix organizations, in which members

of the project team are actually members of functional groups and have their own
bosses but report to the project manager on a “dotted-line” basis.
Building the Project Team
• Teams don’t just happen—they must be built!
• Having the entire team participate in planning activity is one way to start
the team-building process.
• Deal with goals, roles and responsibilities, procedures, and relationships,
in that order for the project team.
• Manage personality conflicts caused by team members’ poor
interpersonal skills. For teams to function well, all members should
receive training in this area.
• Most virtual teams encounter blockages that are unique or that are
much more likely in a geographically dispersed environment
– Cultural differences, if not identified but left to fester, can prevent the development of
real team unity. Differences in work habits, protocol, and style are more common and
consequential.
Tuckman model for team development
• Forming - Ambiguity and confusion can dominate the team
– Team is unable to stay focused on its purpose
– Members may be watchful or guarded, exchanging only basic information
• Storming - Conflict is the major characteristic of the team
– Ideas are attacked and defended
– Discussions are argumentative
– Group structure is resisted
– Cliques are formed
• Norming - The team begins to resolve conflict constructively
– Decisions begin to revolve around issues, not people
– Issues of authority and structure are resolved
– Feelings and ideas are exchanged
– People begin to bring forth data
• Performing - Open communication is the norm
– Team members become more flexible in their roles
– Team behavior becomes close and supportive
– Members develop a sense of attachment to the team and make decisions by
consensus
– The use of data and appropriate methods for learning become second nature
Important to understand that no team stays in a single stage during the
entire project duration but changes given the project and team dynamics
 Team Management Skills Every Project Manager needs
• Typical project team Issues
–
• How to build a team
Absence of Trust
– Fear of Conflict
– Lack of Commitment
– Inattention to results
– Avoidance of accountability
• Team Management approaches
– Command and Control
– Engage and Create
• For effective team management
– Provide Cohesive leadership
– Relay effective communication
– Set vision for common goal
– Define team roles and responsibilities
– Resolve conflicts
• Team Management Skills
– Team Building / Emotional intelligence
– Speaking and Listening skills for effective
communication
– Critical thinking and Negotiating
– Hands On & Hands Off approach
• I am here; Here’s how we can do it; Do
the following steps 1,2,3
• I know you understand and have the
expertise to deal with this
• Let me know if you need my
assistance at any time
– Ease up & Less Intense
• Not everything of the project is Life
and Death situation
– Invoke urgency when required
• Few things are critical
– Make communicating and
collaborating easy for members
• Use Software tools as necessary
• Ensure team understands where you
are on the project and what next set
of actions to take to achieve the goals
– Motivate team
• Reward and Recognize Individual
members or Groups from time to time
Working with Project Team Members
Evaders
•Members don’t like confrontation on any level.
They are shy or intimidated
•When using participative method of decision
making, inputs from these members are important
•Ask them to e-mail solutions offline
•Call directly on the evaders when asking for
suggestions
Thinkers
•Sages; quiet thinkers through decision making
process and then they offer their opinion
•Good to have on the team though they may
borrow ideas
•Ask them questions or calling for their opinions
early on
Aggressive
•Members love to argue
•Allow these members to make recommendation
first before taking suggestions from other team
members
•Ask them to explain their position in clear, precise
reasoning
•If required, speak with them in private and seek
cooperation
Idealists
•Members see project as a simple, straight path to
completion. For eg they may be well trained in
technology but have little practical experience in the
implementation
•Team members are open to learning and eager to
offer solutions
•Make them aware of the process / complexity to
arrive at proper conclusion or solution
Managing Virtual Project Teams
• The global virtual project teams are characterized by team members
located in different geographies and time zones and the team interactions
are primarily enabled by ICT technology tools.
• For effectively managing virtual project teams, the PM shall ensure:
– Clear and detailed picture of the project outcomes and team objectives
– Synchronous and asynchronous communications and meetings
– Realistic disciplines and guidelines for electronic communication, including e-
mails, Web meetings and document management
– Codes of conduct: behavioral norms, like the turnaround for requests,
schedule compliance, availability for synchronous ad-hoc communications
– Managing team communications across time zones and managing
interpersonal issues
– Well defined role and responsibilities for each member and accountability for
each task
– Project progress reports is shared by all members regularly and in time
– Regular and prompt responses for any problems, suggestions and queries
– Continuous feedback and appreciation is provided as and when required
– Follow-up on project milestones on regular basis for performance monitoring
Tips for Managing Virtual Teams
• Create Team Identity in the formative stages of virtual teams. This can be
facilitated by a kick-off meeting by using ICT tool like videoconferencing; an
orientation mail with welcome note, ground rules for procedures & processes,
introducing members etc.
• Build trust - Trust is a major ingredient of successful virtual team. Leader should
talk about trust explicitly in the early stages of team formation. This involves
knowing how to express their frustrations, admit if they are lagging behind, seek
help in case of any issues as well as keeping up commitments and informing
beforehand if foresee any delay.
• Help members build relationships and strong social ties - leader should provide
adequate opportunities, time and tools for members to connect with each other at
a personal level either within team meeting or separately. This would aid building
relationships which goes a long way in keeping members engaged and committed
to the team purpose.
• Encourage Collaboration & Cohesion: Leader should provide a shared platform
such as wiki or blogs to the members to discuss their learning, opinions,
suggestions and anxieties freely. This will help them to reflect and reveal on the
aspects of team beyond the tasks on hand.
Leading the Project Team During Execution
• The more agile the PM is in leading others, the greater the chance for
project success.
• As a project leader, It is important to “walk the talk” and establish
consistency in your working relationships.
– Encouraging risk taking, eliminating fear of failure, and establishing a positive
culture of dissent will make you a more effective PM.
• It is PM’s job to keep the momentum of the project going by
understanding your team and ensuring high morale.
• Project manager determines the appropriate approach to resolve conflicts,
lead project status meetings, and work with virtual teams.
• Six primary gaps that prevent successful project execution:
– Lack of common understanding within the project team
– Disengaged executive sponsors
– Misalignment with strategic goals
– Poor change management
– Ineffective project governance
– Lackluster project leadership
Decision Making Styles of a Project Manager
The project manager may use three types of decision making
processes to arrive at a solution for issues on the project:
• Directive – PM makes decision with little or no input from the project team;
Acceptable and needed in some instances but it isolates the PM from the team
• Participative – All team members contribute to the discussion and decision
making process; Ideal for major decisions such as process to roll out a solution, design a
new solution
• Consultative – Combines the best of both; the project team meets with PM and
arrive at several viable solutions. The PM then takes a final decision on a
solution that best meets the project needs. Ideal for dealing with projects under
tight deadlines, restrictive budgets and complex technology
• The style of leadership appropriate for a team depends on its stage of
development.
– In the forming stage, it is directive.
– In storming, it is influencing.
– At the norming stage, switch to a participative style.
– Finally, when the team reaches the performing stage, you can delegate and adopt
consultative leadership.
• Note that delegation does not mean abdication of PM responsibilities!
Working with Executives – Swim with the sharks without getting eaten alive
• Red executives are direct, action-oriented, quick to
make decisions, and opinionated.
• Yellow executives are also direct, but care more
about relationships and interactions, need to be
involved more so than reds, and like to socialize.
• Green executives are reflective sorts, preferring more
structured activities than yellows, need time to
reflect and think, often consulting with others before
making decisions, making them slower and
deliberative.
• Blue executives on the other hand, are less direct like
greens, but unlike greens they are more detail-
oriented and focused on facts and research. They
similarly need time to make decisions because they
want to immerse themselves in the details.
Source: Article by Richard Larson, BATIMES.com

The concept of a mirroring style that a PM/BA

can adopt is meant to remind one to match or
“mirror” the style of the person That is to try
and match the tone and emphasis, and also the
style and “speed” of the person one is talking to.

Example: For a blue/red executive, even though you

would like to socialize, it is preferable to do it after the
task at hand is complete. If the meeting’s purpose takes
the allotted time, one should be fine with little or no
socializing.
Conflict Management in Projects

Your task is to
determine
which approach
is most
appropriate
given the
project conflict
scenario.

 Confrontation: Directly face a conflict using a problem-solving approach

 Compromise: Use a give-and-take approach
 Smoothing: De-emphasize areas of difference and emphasize areas of agreement
 Forcing/Competing: The win-lose approach wherein This is the my-way-or-the-highway
approach, when one individual forges ahead with his idea.
 Withdrawal/Avoidance: Retreat or withdraw from an actual or potential disagreement
 Collaborative: Decision makers incorporate different viewpoints and insights to develop
consensus and commitment (Win-win approach)
Tracking and Managing Issues on the Project
• Issues are concerns, outstanding questions, problems, or suggestions
raised by the Project team, Management or Customer. Examples include:
– An unclear requirement that needs clarification;
– A management decision that, if not made quickly, will delay certain tasks;
– A staffing shortage which if not resolved, will require changes to project plan;
– A new or missed requirement that needs to be evaluated to determine
whether or not a change request is needed.
• Issue management is a formal process to raise, review and track the
resolution of issues.
– Issues that develop during the project will need to be addressed in a
disciplined and timely manner in order to maintain the quality of the
deliverable, as well as to control schedules and cost.
– Timely resolution of issues is essential to keep a project on schedule and
within budget.
• The issue resolution process ensures that these questions, and unplanned
requests are defined properly, escalated for management attention, and
resolved quickly and efficiently.
– Issue can become a change when the resolution of an issue requires a
change in requirements or design, i.e. a change in project scope.
Issue / Action Item Log
• Action Items are tasks that are defined for issue resolution
• The Issue / Action item log can be used to track issues / action items that
are identified / assigned during the project. The “type” column can define
the row item as an issue or an action item.
– However, if a task is on the project plan it should not be duplicated as an
action item on this form.
– Resolution of an issue requires the assignment of one or more action items
and each action item should have a responsible person and a due date
clearly identified.
– Timely resolution of issues is critical to a project staying on schedule.
 Project Status Reporting
• You as project leader are responsible for
making your status meetings efficient,
effective, and productive.
– Consists of both formal and informal project
reporting and review processes.
• The status report address the following
specific questions:
– What is the status of each of the planned
project activities?
– Where is the project compared to the
planned schedule, cost, and technical
performance?
– Importantly, how does the current status
affect future project performance?
• Task level status reporting.
– At the individual task level, status
reporting should be brief, accurate
and restricted to tasks that are or
should be currently active.
• Project level status reporting.
– At the project level, the overall performance
and anticipated risks and issues are reported
Project Implementation / Rollout
• Three general implementation alternatives on any project include:
– Direct cutover
– Parallel
– Phased

Direct Cutover Parallel Phased

Parameter / Direct Cutover Parallel Phased
Strategy
Approach Old system is shut down Old and new systems New system is introduced
and new turned on run concurrently for a gradually in modules or in
period of time and different parts of the
then old is phased out organization incrementally
•Ideal for small scale •Ideal for mission •Ideal for large, complex
When implementation where critical applications projects
Appropriate data migration reqmts are
not high (system is NOT
•Problems or the •Allows for an organized and
failure of the new
and mission critical) system can have a managed approach for
implementing system modules
•Where quick method of major impact on the
Benefits implementation reqd organization or upgrades in different
•Replacement of Old / •Need for a safety net departments or geographical
Legacy system or backup in case of locations
problems •Experience with early
•There is a need to implementation can guide and
increase confidence make later implementations go
in the new system more smoothly
•Is risky as any issues in •Two sources of data •Takes longer and may cost
Risks the new system can to be maintained – more than the direct cutover
Involved disrupt the organization
working; like walking a
one each on new and
old systems approach
tightrope without a safety •Takes longer •Problems encountered during
net. implementation time early phases can impact the
•May result in major and requires more overall implementation
delays, frustrated users, resources than direct
lost revenues, and missed •Places more schedule
deadlines pressure on the users
•Places more pressure
and stress on project
team