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Published on Monday, January 27, 2003 - 07:19 PM
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KEY PEOPLE SKILLS FOR VIRTUAL PROJECT MANAGERS
Written by: Dr. Ginger Levin and Dr. Parviz Rad
Introduction
Effective and successful project managers and leaders must be extremely people oriented. They need to create an environment that is conducive to innovation, productivity, and high performance by using their human skills, along with their technical skills in areas such as scheduling, procurement, cost estimating and budgeting, monitoring and controlling, and risk management. Accordingly, they must maintain their technical and functional skills at the highest possible level, while enhancing their softer skills to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. Such social skills take on greater importance in the virtual project environment where they need to facilitate and encourage successful interaction of an online project community. This virtual project environment is slowly becoming a reality of global projects, and it will only become more prevalent in the future. It represents a dramatic change in how we work on projects, and creates new challenges for all project professionals. This paper discusses
five key people skills that are required of the virtual project manager: motivation, collaborative leadership, communication, commitment, and conflict resolution.
The Virtual Project
Customers, suppliers, and employees are no longer in the same city but rather in different time zones and continents. In the coming decade, most project personnel will work on virtual teams for at least some part of their jobs. In this approach, a lead organization creates alliances, both internal and external, with other groups that possess the best in class competencies to build specific products or to deliver services in the shortest period of time possible. These alliances are virtual in nature because the skills required are not homogenous to the lead organization but are hybrid groups and individuals from different organizations, including competitors, customers, and suppliers, located in different geographic areas who may never meet face to face on the project. Their purpose is not longevity in terms of team establishment but rather to bring specific, high quality products to market quickly or to deliver services as required by the customer in the most timely and expeditious manner. Once the project is complete, the alliance or the virtual team then is disbanded.
Virtual project organizations are the next form in the evolution chain of organizational structures (Guss, 1997). A virtual project organization can deploy resources quickly to form project teams. Traditional types of teams, though, still will exist in organizations, but with the virtual team in operation, geographic location is no longer the primary context in which to define and pursue business opportunities in support of strategic goals and objectives.
There are two basic modes of implementing the project with a team that is located in many locations across the globe. The first mode is to divide the project into several identifiable work packages and then assign each work package to a separate team who will design, plan, and implement that specific work package. This form of implementation is not unlike a sub-contracting schema in which the general contractor simply serves as the clearinghouse and integrator, but the different components of the project are implemented and fabricated by separate teams that reside in different companies and different locations. Usually, there is a project manager for each of these work packages, particularly if these multiple teams reside in separate organizations, or if the work is formally contracted to an outside organization. This implementation mode fits the description a virtual global project only partly.
However, if the project was planned and implemented by a single team that was located in different areas, then the team fits the purist definition of a virtual team. In such a team, the task assignment is conducted on a member-by-member basis, and the resource allocation and schedule adjustment are conducted on a member-by-member basis. In a truly virtual team, the same team member orientation is conducted for all team members, team communication includes all members, and all team members are collectively committed to the full project. (Rad and Levin, 2003).
People Skills on the Virtual Team
As a project manager, people skills are required in a variety of areas. The old rules of working no longer apply. Different management strategies coupled with effective use of technologies are essential for success in the virtual environment as a virtual team adds another layer of complexity to the project team environment.
Motivation
Motivation is a critical element for a high performing project team, regardless of whether the team is collocated or is operating in a virtual environment. However, individuals vary as to what is motivating for them, and the sources of their motivation may not be constant and may vary over time, even for the same individuals.
Motivation must address issues including team member personal baggage, economic forces such as downsizing, and sociological forces such as the increasing multicultural considerations. It also must consider the pressures of on site work versus work on the virtual team. People must feel committed to the project to complete the tasks for which they have responsibility.
On a virtual project team, team members need to overcome the sense of isolation that so often exists and support and work toward the project team's goals and objectives collaboratively. It is easy for a virtual team member to have an "out-of-sight", "out-of mind" reaction. Building on McClelland's (1962) theories, on a virtual team, it is important to determine whether team members are motivated primarily by a need for achievement, a need for affiliation, or a need for power, as each dominant style can impact one's performance and commitment to the team and can identify the roles and responsibilities team members are best suited to perform.
People with a high need for achievement, for example, are driven by the challenge of success and the fear of failure. They typically take calculated risks and set goals for themselves that are of moderate difficulty. These people like to see concrete evidence of their completed work. Achievement-motivated people tend to be more concerned with personal achievement than the rewards of success. They like to work on a problem and not leave the outcome to chance. Someone with a high need for achievement, for example, should best be placed in project roles in which he or she is asked to complete a challenging task. The work should test abilities and skills. Administrative tasks for the achievement-motivated team member are viewed as ones to avoid if at all possible in order for this person to be able to concentrate on the technical work to be done. These team members, motivated by personal challenge and accustomed to working alone on tasks, are ideally suited for the virtual project.
On the other hand, people with a high need for affiliation may find it difficult to be virtual team members. They are interesting in building a friendly environment in which to work, like being part of a collocated team, tend to conform to group norms, and like to work toward team success. Affiliation-motivated people are noted as seeking acceptance and friendship from others and having a cooperative attitude. They respond positively to requests for assistance from other team members and are sensitive to the feelings of others. But, with the increase in use of virtual teams, affiliation-oriented people will be assigned to work on them. Here, a role such as a relationship manager would be ideal in which the affiliation-motivated person could help provide a sense of identity for the team, could mentor other team members, introduce new team members to the team's operating protocols, be a facilitator in virtual team meetings, and serve as a communications expediter.
People with a high need for power are noted for influence and control. They like to make decisions and will try to persuade people to see or do things their way, even if they are not the official project manager or leader. They will often try to clarify the goals of the team, in terms of the overall goals of the organization. Power-motivated people are noted for being competitive. They are comfortable directing the work of others, will take risks, and like to be recognized for their contributions. These people also may find it challenging to be on a virtual team but can perform functions such as: relating the project's purpose to the overall strategic vision of the organization, leading the team in its meetings and helping the team come to closure during problem-solving situations, and pointing out the merits of possible opportunities that others may perceive as risks.
Collaborative Leadership
Effective leadership is important on any project team. Collaboration has long been viewed as a useful technique in resolving conflicts on project teams, especially when diverse points of view should be integrated for a common solution, or when both positions are recognized as important and viable. (Blake and Mouton, 1964; Thomas and Kilmann, 1974). It involves working with others to find optimal or integrated solutions and is concerned with fully satisfying both sides of an issue. It focuses on merging perspectives to draw from a broader range of expertise and experience. Collaboration also emphasizes learning from others and testing assumptions. As noted by Greiner (1972), collaboration "emphasizes greater spontaneity in management through teams and the skillful confrontation of interpersonal differences. Social control and self-discipline take over from formal control." (p. 43).
The virtual team is the ideal mechanism for such collaborative leadership, as it is more likely that on a virtual team that team members can be regarded as peers. On the virtual team, team members can be both independent as well as collaborative at the same time. Without collocation, people are not as aware of a person's position, age, or seniority in the organization. Team members are not as constrained by specific assigned roles. People are more likely to be viewed in terms of what they have to contribute, rather than their formal status or position in the organization. As a result, it may be easier for team members to assume a leadership role.
For virtual team success, collaborative leadership should be fostered. A collaborative leader works toward inclusion rather than exclusion. Other characteristics of a collaborative leader include the ability to share thoughts, experiences, and concerns with others on the team in order to meet the project's goals and objectives. He or she is then able to tap the resources and talents of the various team members to support his or her own specific assignments, as well as the overall team's objectives.
Communication
Because virtual team members often come from diverse geographic, personal, and professional backgrounds, a variety of different goals and cultural norms characterize the virtual team. The project manager, as a communicator, must have the correct tools and skills to effectively reach all the different types of individuals on the project team. Trust and social bonding take on even greater importance among the virtual project team members. Identity plays a critical role, as it is helpful to know the identity of those with whom one communicates.
Given that most of the time project information is exchanged in an asynchronous mode, the receiver, or reader, is left to his or her own devices to interpret the material and to highlight the possible errors. The traditional process of walking someone through does not exist in the virtual mode, at least not in that exact form. Therefore, the impact of errors, even the minute ones, is magnified because there is no opportunity for continuous questions and answers as there is with the traditional teams. Consequently, there is an extraordinary pressure, at least compared to the traditional teams, to be accurate, succinct, clear, and direct in all items of information that are transmitted to other team members.
On a virtual team, the project manager must work to build lasting, socially satisfying relationships among team members. But, in the virtual community, basic cues about personality and social roles are absent. The virtual project manager, as a communicator, must be able to establish identity through technology in an online community. Communication technologies can assist in maintaining a team dynamic, but they must be managed and cannot on their own be the only solution. The project manager on a virtual team must pay attention to the individual needs of team members. Different types of technologies also are more appropriate for different types of tasks, and the project manager must be cognizant of when to use a "lean" technology, such as e-mail for information exchange, and a more "richer" technology, such as video conferencing for a brainstorming session. It is important not to over-rely on e-mail in managing in a virtual environment.
Commitment
A commitment is an agreement concerning the work to be done. For a project, this involves a commitment to complete the product or deliver the service on schedule, within budget, and according to specifications in light of the project's goals and objectives. The frantic pace of project work, so characteristic of traditional co-located projects, is often missing on the virtual project. It is easy to be unaware of changes in scope or direction that may not affect one's directly assigned tasks, a change in a milestone or delivery date involving other team members' tasks, or a change in the overall project budget or organizational strategic direction. As a result, other work, particularly if it is on-site work, often assumes a higher priority. It is easy to lose sight of the project's objectives and how one's piece of the project contributes to the overall desired outcome. Commitment by all team members to the goals of the project will only foster trust and cooperative relationships among team members to meet or exceed the project's goals. Complementary objectives will lead to trust among team members and increased motivation to be part of the team.
It has long been suggested that each project have charters. The charter is considered useful to serve as an official document that describes the purpose of the project, sets forth the project manager's authority, and links the project to the organization's strategic goals. Charters also are used to formally establish the project in the organization.
Similarly, a charter is useful for project team, especially if the team is to be given responsibility for the project in terms of managing and performing its work. This team charter should be more specific than the project charter, as it should describe roles and responsibilities of project team members and the operating practices and procedures that team members will use to perform the project work. It also should present the purpose of the project in a more detailed manner so the team members can identify with it and support it. The team charter provides a way to share a vision of the project based on a common purpose, shared ownership, and collective commitment. Team members, through the charter, then can determine how to best assign specific roles and responsibilities, achieve consensus, and make decisions. They should sign the charter to show that they will support it and follow its processes throughout the life of the project.
Conflict Resolution
Conflict is common on projects. Conflicts may occur over a variety of issues including schedules, budgets, resource allocation, performance, personalities, technical issues, legal and ethics, coordination, conflicting loyalties, and priorities. When conflicts are embraced in a positive way, they are viewed as problems to be solved, mistakes are seen as learning opportunities, and relationships are valued, in addition to outcomes.
Conflicts in projects that are conducted with virtual teams can be a minor concern, if handled promptly and properly, or a major problem, if the problem is not solved in time. To that extent, virtual projects are similar to traditional projects in that unresolved conflict might hinder successful project completion. The difference is that resolving conflict in a virtual team requires more forethought in planning and more commitment in monitoring. Further, without the ability to interact face to face and learn from one another and determine what is really meant in communications, conflict is more likely to occur in the virtual environment.
While technology serves as the enabler of the global project, the source of technology can become a source of conflict rather than one of collaboration. It is necessary to reach agreement among team members as to the purpose of each tool that is available and how it is to be used. Otherwise, the lack of common norms can lead to conflict and damage working relationships. For example, one team member may feel e-mail is an urgent tool to use, and another team member may use it only for documentation or information and expects to save urgent messages for telephone communication. The more complex and diverse the team, the more important it is to openly select the technologies to use and to purchase copies of all of the agreed upon suite of tools for use by every member on the project team.
In a virtual team, more so than the traditional teams, the positive aspects of conflict as a necessary ingredient of the team innovation must be highlighted. If someone is aware of a conflict that may exist, he or she must take the initiative to raise the conflict to other members of the team. Conflict resolution may require one-on-one interaction between the original sources of the conflict in order to urge them to openly discuss the conflict with others.
Conflict should be addressed in an active fashion, and the team charter can describe how resolution is to occur, including when to escalate a conflict to a higher-level manager. Formal procedures, as detailed in the charter, can state how a conflict is to be raised, the decision making processes to be used, requirements for tracking and resolving conflicts, methods for review and appeal if appropriate, safeguards to ensure fairness and confidentiality, how responses should be provided, and how to raise a conflict directly with management outside of the project team without fear of reprisal. The charter must spell out the guiding principles for conflict resolution. A plan to handle conflict should be prepared by the project manager at the time the team charter is drafted. A conflict management plan will not stop conflicts from occurring, it simply lowers the intensity of the emotions involved with issue, thus providing a framework for resolution. The goal of conflict resolution is to resolve the problem.
Summary
Project management as a profession holds many experiences that are positive and rewarding. However, as a profession, it also involves unique challenges. These challenges can only increase in the virtual project environment. A quote from the renowned Canadian hockey player, Wayne Gretsky, illustrates the essence of this challenge. When asked about the secret to his goal-scoring success, he said: "I don't skate to where the puck is. I skate to where the puck is going to be." It is essential for the virtual project manager to lead change, rather than just react to it.
References
This paper contains adapted excerpts from a book titled Achieving Project Success With Virtual Teams, which is authored by this paper's authors and released by J. Ross Publishing in 2003.
Blake, Robert R. and Mouton, Jane S. The Managerial Grid. Houston, Texas: Gulf Publishing Company, 1964.
Greiner, Larry E. "Evolution and Revolution as Organizations Grow", Harvard Business Review, July-August 1972, pp. 37-46.
Guss, Connie L. "Virtual Project Management: Tools and the Trade." Project Management Institute. 28th Annual Seminar & Symposium. Chicago, Illinois: Papers Presented September 29 to October 1, 1997.
Thomas, K.W. and Kilmann, R.H. Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, Xicom1, Inc. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, 1974.
Dr. Ginger Levin is a Project Management Consultant and President, GLH, Incorporated Lighthouse Point, Florida, USA
Dr. Parviz Rad is a Distinguished Service Professor and Director, Project Management Program Stevens Institute of Technology Castle Point on Hudson, Hoboken, NJ, USA
The above article was published in the Proceedings of the International Project Management Conference, Reykjavik, Iceland, September 25-27, 2002
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