Leading Projects, people and teams Flashcards
What is the difference between hard and soft skills?
Soft skills are known as people skills or interpersonal skills (communication, motivation, decision making, leadership)
Hard skills are teachable abilities or skill sets that are easily quantifiable (technical skills, qualifications, hard skills)
What are the key theories for leading projects, people and teams?
People Management Theories:
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory
Team Management Theories:
Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development
Belbin’s Team Role Theory
What leadership style do I have and how can it adapt to each project?
Hersey Blanchard situational leadership theory suggest that leaders should adapt their leadership style to the situation and maturity level of the followers. It focuses on the willingness and ability of indidual employees.
What are the leadership models under Hershy-Blanchard theory?
This model suggests leaders must chaneg their behaviour according to the circumstances to adapt to suit the current environment, it is a situational leadership style. This model tends to suit one to one leadership rather than one to many leadership. This model suggets that successful leaders are those who can adapt their leadership style based on the readiness or maturity of their followers. The readiness of followers is determined by their level of comptence and their commitment to completing a task.
Leadership behaviour can be categorised in to four main styles:
1. Telling: Directing and closely supervising followers with low readiness.
2. Selling: Providing both direction and support for followers with some readiness.
3. Participating: Offering support and guidance while involving followers in decision-making for those with moderate readiness.
4. Delegating: Allowing followers with high readiness to take responsibility for tasks.
What theories of team performance are there?
Tuckman’s stages of development are the stages that teams typically go through as they form and develop. Understanding these stages helps in managing team dynamics effectively.
Forming: Team members get to know each other and their roles
Storming: Conflict and friction can arise as people’s true characters start to emerge
Norming: People start to resolve their differences and appreciate one another’s strengths
Performing: The team is in flow and performing to its full potential
Mourning/ Adjourning: The team coming to an end
Can you talk about conditional leadership, in relation to motivation of employees?
This idea uses rewards and punishment to motivate people and achieve goals, looking at a carrot and stick approach.
The name carrot and stick signifies the means by which authority is exercised and obedience is demanded.
For this to be effective leaders must set achievable goals including the criteria for success so employees understand where the rewards will come from. It is also important to establish the reward and determine the consequences for employees.
What is the difference between leadership and management?
The main difference is leaders have people who follow them and managers have people who work for them.
Leaders will set a new direction for a group that follows them, a leader will be a spearhead for the new direction, it is a more personable role.
Managers will control or direct people or resources in a group according to principals or values that have already been established.
List out some characteristics of a successful leader
- Decisive decision maker
- Good listener
- Team building and promotion teamwork
- Strong negotiator
- Sets a positive example
- Fostering creativity and innovation
- Ability to empathise
- Integrity and trustworthiness
What attributes does a successful project manager need?
- Strong, balances leadership
- Client facing
- Ability to create strong team relationships
- Able to motivate and inspire
- Open, truthful and transparent lines of communication
- Broad construction knowledge through experience and training
Can you explain the steps you would take to solve a key problem on a project?
1 - identify the problem
2 - Analyse the problem
3 - Describe the problem
4 - Look for root causes
5 - Develop alterate solutions
6 - Implement the solution
7 - Measure the results
What is a RACI matrix?
Often known as a responsibility matrix helping to clarify the roles of stakeholders on a project, ensuring that everyone on a project is clear on the tasks/ roles assigned to them.
Each letter of RACI stands for a level of responsibility:
Responsible
Accountable
Consulted
Informed
Can you give me an example when you have created a RACI matrix?
During Project Wind I created a RACI matrix showing the design responsibility for the enabling works. This helped the project team to understand their various responsibilites. I was able to work with senior project managers and wider stakeholders to validate the RACI matrix.
Tell me about a time you have had to deal with an underperforming team member
I have not had to deal with an under performing team member but I have had to deal with an under performing contractor. On The 3 MW Data Centre Project the contractor was not providing the rooms for the Resident Engineer to snag on the original schedule dates. By identifying the issue I engaged in meeting with the PM from the GC to understand the underlying cause and how to unblock obstacles. During these meetings I was able to set measureable targets on the programme to be able to see progress. We were able to come to a conclusion with the PM to ensure they provided an up to date programme to myself and the resident engineer showing the updated dates for snagging. I reviewed this programme on a monthly basis to ensure it remained up to date, which it did. Should this have not been resolved at this point I would have escalated this to the Project Director of the GC.
What is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?
This theory suggests that individuals have different levels of needs (physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization), which can influence their motivation and behavior in the workplace.
What is Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory?
Herzberg proposed that there are factors (motivators) that contribute to job satisfaction and other factors (hygiene factors) that prevent dissatisfaction. By addressing both sets of factors, managers can create a motivating work environment.
What is Belbin’s Team Role Theory?
Belbin identified nine team roles, such as coordinator, shaper, implementer, and completer-finisher, which individuals naturally adopt within a team. Building diverse teams with complementary roles can enhance team performance.
What is Mcgregor’s theory in terms of motivating staff or team members?
McGregor developed two theories of human behaviour at work: Theory X and Theory Y
Theory X: If you believe that team members dislike their work and have little motivation, then you will usually use an authoritarian style of management. This approach is very hands on and usually involved micromanagement of peoples work to ensure it gets done properly.
Theory Y: if you believe 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 themselves.
What do I enjoy most about being a project manager?
I enjoy seeing all the stages of a project from inception to completion specifically within construction as you can see the results of your work in new buildings. Project management involves problem solving which I enjoy and motivates me to think differently to solve a variety of problems. Each day is difference and challenges are constantly changing as client expectations and objectives are needed to be met.
Does an employer have a duty of care to an employee?
An employer has the duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of employees and other people who might be affected by their business. Employers must do what ever is reasonably practicable to achieve this.
An employers duty of care is wide ranging and can include a company’s legal and ethical duty to prevent physical and psychological harm to staff.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Provide health & safety training
- Managing and addressing grievances promptly and effectively
- Providing the adequate equipment required to complete tasks
- Protecting staff from discrimination
- Managing and addressing staff misconduct
What are the key pieces of legislation applicable to UK employment law?
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Employment Rights Act 1996
The Equality Act 2010
General Data Protection Regulation
