Perhaps with some of the shrewdness, in our previous article, we have pointed out the necessity and good reasons for project managers to care for teamwork matters. And this is due not just because of functional reasons, as Steve Jobs reminds us “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people”, but because the complexity of handling an EU funded project requires much more than just a one-man show.
Teamwork, however, does not come by inertia or by natural means, it is the outcome of an intentional action facilitated by a good manager with developed and recognised leadership skills. And even this premise is not enough to grant a qualitative working group and an effective and performing team since the role of the team members along with some external factors might hinder and slow the efficiency of operation.
Though many aspects are under the control of a project manager when it comes to seeking for performant teams and we like to point out some of them according to the different project phases. We’d like to add also some suggestions which derive from our long-lasting project management experience.
If someone wants to create a good team, he/she must build a good one. Team building is the propaedeutic action for developing working groups whose activities shall be long remembered. If this is the case, creating the project partnership shall focus not just on the organisations to be involved, but mainly on the people, they are represented by, by the staff who will be actively involved in the project implementation. Sometimes the name or fame of certain organisations is not supported by efficient, prompt, and proactive staff members.
Furthermore, preparing a team to become a performing one means engaging them in the preparatory phases of the project design. A participative approach in most of the stages which lead to project submission is the right viaticum and a good premise for motivated groups, tireless teams, for creative and energetic consortia. Clearness and transparency in the organisation of the group work (at project approval), precision in the allocation of the résumés, and directness in the statement of responsibilities and accountabilities represent the basis of a promising working team. Despite this might seem harsh, groups work well and efficiently if boundaries are clear, rules defined, tasks properly described, and delegation specified.
Having built a wonderful working group is not enough it requires a healthy leadership able to lead the team and capable to motivate it at any time. Groups need to work in an inspiring atmosphere, be able to see results and success in what they are doing, dealing with crises and conflicts constructively so that the outcomes might be even better than before the troublesome issue. Here is where project managers, and in particular partnership coordinators, should give their best.
The way communication is performed, the care for equality among the different actors, and the ability to anticipate issues not making them a problem but dealing with them as an ordinary working matter will play a role in the quality of the working team. We like to point out how much a project manager shall develop, in addition to the most obvious technical/digital abilities, the emotional and humanistic skills which are not easily learned, nevertheless in some training courses. This is the time to focus on social attitude, intrapersonal and relational abilities, interpersonal and organisational competencies, proactivity skills, active listening attitude, and insight talent. All these shall characterise, to a large extent project managers in leading teams, as human and social tools enabling qualitative group work.
Practically, the above may mean to put sometimes project management digital tools aside and care for the partners’ relations, well-being, guidance, for their support, and instruction. Favourable moments for this can be onsite transnational partners meetings, online gatherings, bilateral calls, proper and warm mailing messages, along with constant supervision, assistance, reminders, and, why not if necessary, reprimands.
As mentioned, the participatory and at the same time empowering working approach, which aims at constantly involving members in the decision-making process, will develop higher levels of mutual trust, and ownership of the work done, thus higher motivation, commitment, and care for qualitative results. All this will be finally rewarded by success, accomplishment, and qualitative results which not only the target of the project will perceive, but also the relevant Executive Agency of the EU Commission will reward with positive feedback at the final report.
Unfortunately, if technical know-how and competence for good project management can be easily learned (attending pieces of training and by short time experience), the humanistic core and secret require more time, some education, but above all internal education and practice. We dare to say that a good project manager, enabling qualitative teamwork, starts from a personal/internal discipline, deep insight, and mirroring which are developed and nurtured through time and personal engagement.