Level 3 - Managing People Flashcards
What techniques do you use to manage your team?
I realise that I need to tailor my management style to different situations. When kicking off a project with a new design team I adopt a more autocratic style when there are lots of questions about the team’s purpose, objectives and external relationships.
Once the team starts to develop and relationships and trust is built I can alter my management style to be more democratic to promote creativity and innovation.
This is in line with Bruce Tuckman’s 1965 Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing team-development model which I used at the start of the NHM Waterhouse Link project.
- Forming
Leader guides - dictating roles and responsibilities, aims and processes. - Storming
Leader coaches – development of relationships, team members test strength of leader. - Norming
Leader facilitates – roles and responsibilities clear and accepted, Team now focused on goal and more delegation can occur as trust develops. Working processes can be reviewed and improved. - Performing
Leader delegates and oversees – ream required delegated tasks from leader and less instruction and assistance as autonomy increases.
How do you manage a team effectively?
For example in managing a design team in ensure each member fully understands:
• their own and others, roles and responsibilities within the team;
• the next goal that we are all working towards;
• the requirements and deadlines for their work required to meet the goal; and
• other team members work that is reliant on their input.
This allows me to keep track of the progress of the team and coordinate them in order to deliver the required output on time.
What is the difference between management and leadership?
A manager:
• Controls and administrates tasks;
• Has a focus on meeting short term, operational level targets; and
• Follows the structure and rules.
• Needs to plan organise and coordinate.
A leader:
• Sets and develops goals;
• Has a focus on the long term strategy;
• Focuses on people and inspires trust in them; and
• Creates the structure and rules to be followed in order to achieve operational tasks and reach strategic goals.
• Needs to motivate.
How would you deal with a team member that was underperforming?
The M&E consultant was underperforming on BBHLC in terms of missing deadlines for the approval of contractor’s designs.
I spoke with them to ensure that they fully understood that the Employer was contractually required to respond within 14 days and any delay to this could give the Contractor a reason to claim for an Extension of Time and Loss and Expense.
After this I kept a closer watch on design approvals by putting the deadlines in the consultants diaries as calendar invites and calling them after a week and then 3 days beforehand to ensure there were no problems with meeting the deadline.
If the problem had persisted I would ask for advice from my director referencing why the consultant was not fulfilling their scope of service contained within their appointment.
Give an example of a conflict with a contractor or design team and how you have resolved it?
On the Waterhouse Link project at the Natural History Museum the architect was very keen to replace the existing bridge rather than modify it. It was my view that this would not best suit my client’s objectives but the architect became made it very clear that they wanted to explore this option to the point I felt it was detrimental to the projects progress and design team’s motivation for the existing bridge scheme.
I referred the architect to the Project Execution Plan and stated that he should raise a change request in order for the potential impact in relation to the client’s key objectives to be assessed.
The client’s objectives were:
• Create improved circulation routes
• Works completed by Jan 2017 to allow another project to take place
• Minimise disruption to the museum operations
• Value for money
Once the change request form was complete the new bridge would potentially increase the construction period, take the bridge out of action for a longer period and cost more this change was rejected by the client.
Following this process the architect had a renewed motivation for the original brief for the existing bridge as they were satisfied that their ideas had been acknowledged, investigated and reviewed.
How do you create a positive atmosphere?
I create a positive atmosphere by:
• Adhering to the RICS professional and ethical standards and treat all team members with respect, ensuring that I actively listen to and acknowledge their contributions to the team.
• Reminding the team that we are all working towards the same goal of ensuring the clients objectives are met and employ motivational techniques.
• Trying to connect with clients, consultants and contractors on a social level as I find that this helps to build stronger working relationships.
What is included in the Equality Act (2010)?
The Act simplifies, strengthens and harmonises the current legislation to provide Britain with a new discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society.
The nine main pieces of legislation that have merged are:
• Equal Pay Act 1970 (men and women)
• Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (sex and marital status)
• Race Relations Act 1976
• Disability Discrimination Act 1995
Describe what makes an effective organisational structure / communication network?
Creating an effective organisational structure relies on a communication network for timely decision making:
• Defining the scope of tasks and be clear who is to contribute at each stage e.g. consultants and client stakeholders.
• Ensure that the channels of communication are as streamlined as possible e.g. single point responsibility for each group, client and design team.
I always design an organisation structure to be as dynamic as possible to facilitate timely decision making. Clients may be used to a more bureaucratic structure for decision making which can mean many individuals and boards have to sign off a decision before actions can be taken.
Once I understand the client’s structure for business decision making I would recommend that the client’s project leader would make decisions and the board would sign off at each RIBA design stage for example.
The design team requires a dynamic matrix structure to enable:
- Integrated group problem solving and decision making.
- Fast response to changes in environment e.g. site conditions, planning etc.
- High level of integration and flexibility creating a teamwork spirit.
Above this there should be a more functional relationship between the Project Manager, Client and Client Board.
I would show the lines of formal communication as solid and the lines of liaison as dotted e.g. architect as lead designer formal communication with PM as well as other consultants but architect would have a dotted line to the other consultants demonstrating liaison.
Types of Power within an organisation.
Legitimate Power
• Position – For example relationship between a project manager and a site engineer.
Illegitimate Power – Position power is strengthened, or weakened, by the presence of the following types of illegitimate power.
- Expert – This relates to experience and specialist knowledge.
- Information – Manager can exert influence through the control over dissemination or distortion of facts and info.
- Personal – Personality, charisma and popularity.
Explain how climate and culture affect human resource performance?
Harrison (1972) Handy (1998) Culture Types
- Power – Smaller companies with few rules, quick decisions made by few, autocratic.
- Task – Project orientated with expert power being dominant.
- Role – Tall structure, hierarchical bureaucracy, rules, slow decision making.
- Person – Collection of similar specialists e.g. small architect or consultancy firm, personal power.
