Leading Projects, People and Teams Flashcards
What is the difference between hard skills and soft skills?
Soft skills are known as people skills or interpersonal skills, e.g. communication, motivation, leadership.
Hard skills are known as teachable abilities or skill sets that can be quantified, e.g. technical skills, qualifications, foreign languages.
What is the difference between coordination and managing?
Coordination is to arrange in a proper order and managing is to exercise control.
What is the difference between leadership and management?
Leaders have people who follow them whereas managers have people who work for them.
Management - Controls or directs people in a group according to principles or values that have already been established.
Leadership - Setting a new direction or vision for a group that they follow. A leader is the spearhead for a new direction.
Which management styles are you aware of?
Autocratic:
- Firm but fair manager
Gives the employees clear direction
- Motivates by persuasion and feedback on task performance
- Generally, do not take into consideration the ideas and suggestions of subordinates
Democratic:
- Superiors welcome the feedback of subordinates
- Employees are invited to discuss the pros and cons of plans and ideas
- Ensures effective and healthy communication between the management and the employees
- Superiors listen to what others have to say before finalizing a plan
Laissez-Faire:
- Superiors are hands off and allow group members to make the decisions
Superiors have an attitude of trust and reliance on their employees
- The employees generally make decisions and manage work on their own (with oversight of their superiors)
What are some of the characteristics of a successful leader?
- Team building and promoting teamwork
- Decisive decision maker
- Strong negotiator and communicator
- Good listener
- Ability to empathize
- Sets a positive example
- Integrity and trustworthy
- Fosters creativity and innovation
What attributes does a successful project manager need?
- Strong balanced leadership
- Broad construction knowledge through experience and training
- Able to create strong team relationships
- Able to motivate and inspire
- Open, truthful and transparent lines of communication
- Client facing
Can you explain the steps you would take to solve a key problem on a project.
- Identify the problem
- Analyse the problem
- Describe the problem
- Look for root causes
- Develop alternate solutions
- Implement the solution
- Measure the results
What is a RACI chart?
A RACI chart is a simple matrix used to assign roles and responsibilities for each task, milestone, or decision on a project. Each letter in the acronym represents a level of task responsibility.
Responsible
Accountable
Consulted
Informed
How would you deal with an underperforming team member?
- Address the matter with the individual in a private setting.
- Understand if there are any underlying issues and unblock any obstacles
- Ask them to improve their outlook and make it clear what is expected
- Set clear and measurable targets for improvement
- Review improvement with the team member after a suitable period
- If the issue is not resolved, consider escalation to their manager and repeat the above steps.
- If the issue persists, I would consider replacing the individual.
What is Hertzberg’s theory in terms of motivating staff or team members?
Hertzberg identified that certain characteristics of a job are consistently related to job satisfaction, while different factors are associated with job dissatisfaction.
Motivating factors:
These are used to describe things that when present, have the ability to make individuals satisfied or even happy at work. Examples are achievement, recognition, advancement, empowerment and responsibility.
Hygiene factors:
These are used to describe things when absent, have the ability to make individuals unsatisfied or unhappy at work. Examples are salary, safety, security, working environment and working conditions.
What is McGregor’s theory in terms of motivating staff or team members?
McGregor developed two theories of human behavior at work: Theory X and Theory Y.
Theory X:
If you believe that your team member dislikes their work and have little motivation, you will likely use an authoritarian style of management. This approach is very hands on and usually involves micro managing people’s work to ensure it gets done effectively.
Theory Y:
If you believe that your people take pride in their work and see it as a challenge, then you will likely adopt a participative management style. Managers who use this approach trust their people to take ownership of their work and do it effectively by themselves.
How would you manage a Theory X person?
Provide a series of structured tasks and monitor the execution.
What is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising of a five tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchal levels within a pyramid. As each level is satisfied, the desire to fulfil the next set kicks in.
What motivates you as a Project Manager?
I enjoy seeing a project move from inception to completion.
I am motivated by shaping the project to ensure the client’s objectives are met or excessed.
I enjoy how there is always an opportunity to learn and develop within the role.
I enjoy working with a team of different skill sets and expertise.
Does an Employer have a duty of care to an employee?
It is an employer’s duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees and other people who might be affected by their business. Employers must do whatever is reasonably practicable to achieve this.
It is wide-ranging and generally covers a company’s legal and ethical duty to prevent physical and psychological harm to staff.
Employer responsibilities include:
- Health and Safety training
- Manage and address grievances promptly and effectively
- Provide adequate equipment to complete tasks
Protect staff from discrimination
Manage and address staff misconduct
