Project Management Course Overview

Course Information

• Course Title: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
• Course Code: 0404438
• Course Leader: Prof. Alex Opoku (PhD, MSc, BSc (Hons), PGCHE, FHEA, MCIOB, FRICS), Professor of Sustainable Built Environment

Lecture Overview

• Management of project teams
• Leadership theories
• Motivation
• Conflict management

Course Learning Outcomes

• Understand what a project is, project management, and the role/responsibilities of a project manager in a construction team.
• Understand how project managers manage projects involving scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communications, risk, and procurement.
• Apply methods for estimating time and cost, and managing quality in construction.
• Learn theories of leadership, communication, motivation, and conflict management within teams.
• Understand procurement and risk management and their relationship.

Project Management (Art vs Science)

• Project management is both an art and a science.
• Organising human beings is the art aspect
• Employing mathematical tools is the science aspect

Project Management Relationships

• Client
• Third parties
• Project Manager
• External teams
• In-house teams

Management Skills Pyramid

• Leadership
• Success
• Time management
• Self-management
• Improve self
• Develop staff
• Motivation
• Training & coaching
• Involvement
• Plan
• Organize
• Direct
• Control
• Get it done

Emotional Intelligence Skills

• Active Listening: Understanding not responding, restating points.
• Appreciation: Validating people, recognition, and appreciation.
• Emotional Control: Taking steps back in charged situations
• Self-Awareness: Understanding your actions, asking others for feedback
• Adaptability: Changing approach when needed
• Conflict Resolution: Handling difficult situations.
• Awareness of Others: Paying attention to body language and moods, adapting approaches.
• Influence: Working to understand others' desires, avoiding dictating or pressuring.
• Motivation: Taking the initiative, encouraging, avoiding relying solely on outside factors.
• Empathy: Understanding feelings and seeking clarifying feedback.
• Feedback: Giving and asking for direct, honest feedback.

Team Building & Leadership

• Leadership
• Training
• Goal setting
• Motivation
• Coaching
• Communication
• Cooperation
• Collaboration

What is a Team?

• A team is a group of people associated in work or activity
• Needed when one person cannot complete a job alone
• Better cooperation, communication, and coordination lead to better teamwork

Reasons for Team Building

• Improved communication
• Enjoyable workplace
• Motivating team members
• Getting to know each other
• Goal setting
• Team self-regulation strategies
• Learning about strengths and weaknesses
• Identifying and utilizing strengths
• Improving team productivity
• Effective collaboration

Groups/Teams in Construction

• Architects, engineers, QS's, construction managers, and property developers are types of participants
• Teams can be formed for individual projects or on a project to project basis
• Learning from new teams on each project is vital
• Impact of forming teams should be analyzed

Is Construction a Team or a Group?

• Construction can be viewed as both

The Traditional Approach

• Design team
• Architect
• Project Manager
• QS
• Engineer
• Employer
• Building contractor
• Contract information
• Different participants have their own roles to play during construction

Why Need Expertise in Teamwork?

• Success requires teamwork
• Best people need to be found
• Help team work extremely well together

Team Development Model (Tuckman's)

• Forming
• Storming
• Norming
• Performing
• Adjourning

Development of Groups/Teams

• Forming; excitement, anticipation, anxiety, optimism
• Storming; reality sets in, frustration, dissatisfaction, adjustment anxiety
• Norming; shared goals, team cohesion, coping, acceptance
• Performing; teamwork, cohesiveness, leadership, performance
• Adjourning; separation anxiety, crisis, dissatisfaction, negativity

Team Effectiveness (Graph)

• Forming, Coming Together, lower effectiveness
• Storming, Experiencing Conflict, rising effectiveness
• Norming, Understanding Work, further rising effectiveness
• Performing, Working Effectively, peak effectiveness
• Adjourning, Disbanding the Team, declining effectiveness

Barriers to Team Building

• Lack of credibility
• Unclear project objectives
• Changing goals and priorities
• Lack of team definition/structure
• Confusion about roles/responsibilities
• Performance appraisals that fail to recognize teamwork

Functions of a Leader

• Achieve tasks
• Build the team
• Develop individuals

What is Leadership?

• Establish a clear vision
• Share the vision with others so they follow willingly
• Provide information/knowledge to fulfill that vision
• Coordinate/balance conflicting interests

Managing vs Leading a Project

• Managing copes with complexity
• Leading copes with change

Ideal Project Manager

• Effective and efficient project manager
• Effective leader
• Ability to lead spontaneously
• Focus on the project

Traits of Effective Project Leaders

• Good communication
• Flexibility in ambiguity
• Ability to work well with the team
• Skill in different influence tactics

Human Relations Skills

• Establish rapport
• Treat people fairly
• Be a cooperative team member
• Deal effectively with conflict
• Helping clarify misunderstandings
• Creating an environment for social interaction

Leadership Styles

• Leaders' styles relate to others within and outside the organization.
• Their view of themselves affects how successful they are
• Different leadership styles exist

Motivation

• The job of a manager is to motivate employees to get things done
• Is crucial for best performance
• Understanding motivations is key

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

• Physiological (food, water, rest)
• Safety (security)
• Belonging (intimate relationships)
• Esteem (prestige, accomplishment)
• Self-actualization (achieving ones potential)

Construction Managers

• Control the physical environment (plant, materials, labour, etc.)
• Manipulate the social environment (motivational factors, communication, pay, conditions, work standards)
• Lead by example

Motivation & Performance

• Performance equals Ability + Motivation
• Ability is improved by training
• Motivation is improved by environment
• Throw in - perception, role play, role clarity
• Individual needs & desires (Maslow)
• Good team performance can be tough to measure
• Realisitc, measurable goals are vital

Conflict Management

• Healthy conflict can improve standards if handled properly
• Outcomes of healthy conflict can be improved standards and communication
• Reasons for conflict include differences in personality, interests and objectives

Conflict Resolution Modes

• Withdrawal (retreating or avoiding disagreement)
• Smoothing (de-emphasizing differences, highlighting agreements)
• Compromising (bargaining for satisfaction)
• Forcing (exercising one's viewpoint)
• Confrontation (directly facing and resolving)

Negative Impacts of Conflict

• Lack of teamwork
• Escalated competition
• Frustrated arguments
• Poor communication
• Friction
• Hostility and jealousy
• Personal defeat
• Aggression
• Low morale