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1. Introductiona. Course aimb. Business organization developmentc. The “Project”: definition and characteristics d. Project Managemente. Conditions to manage a good project

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i Conditions to manage a project

RELATIONAL DIMENSION

• The Project Management idea is completely different fromthe functional-hierarchic model (Taylor), it actually needs amore free-of-rules organizational environment, less rigidprocedures, less hierarchy.

• Under these conditions, skills and duties of the personinvolved become effective only if there are goodrelationship conditions inside the team and in theenvironment the team works in. These conditions include amutual relationship of influence and help.

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• Therefore, in order to be effective in an organization, the

manager’s skills need to be not only hard like specialist,

technical, economical knowledge but also soft skills like

“emotional intelligence” and “social intelligence”, that are

necessary to understand and manage relationship between

people and inside teams.

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Social and emotional capabilities:

• Ability to establish personal relationships;

• Ability to fix conflict and to negotiate solutions;

• Ability to social analysis (discover interests, motivations,

emotions);

• Ability to organize teams;

• Ability to acknowledge emotions and manage it.

(D. Goleman, Emotional Intelligence, 1996)

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION – Emotions

• Emotions play a huge role in human behaviour. Theyinfluence motivation and duty intensity.

• The word “emotion” is connected to the Latin verb “moveo”,so emotion recalls movement and energy.

• Emotions have been studied starting from the ’80’s, with thestudy of the structure, function, development, chemistry,physiology and pathology of the nervous system in order tounderstand the brain and the mindfulness (Damasio,Goleman, Gardner): neuroscience.

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• The human nature, is made up of three aspects:– Cognitive – it is the evaluation aspect through which we evaluate, we

weight. It is the so-called implicit self. The ability to evaluate(cognitive capability) is located in the frontal lobe of the cortical areaof our brain. It is the most recent brain area (45-50.000 years old). Itrepresents about 3% of intellectual energy.

– Emotional – it is the aspect identifiable with energy. It is the so-called explicit self. Emotions are located in the part of the braincalled amigdala, that is the most ancient part of the brain, separatefrom the cortical zone. It represents about the 97% of theintellectual energy!

– Motivation – represents the reason-why people act.

• These three aspects are the “Brain trilogy” (Bergamaschi, 2004)

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• The most primitive part of the brain is the brain trunk that is around thespinal cord end. The trunk – also called reptilian brain – regulates thebasic vegetative activities (like breathing) to allow surviving.

• The emotional centres (amigdala) derive from this primordial structure.The Emotional centres development, the limbic system, added theknowledge and the emotional memory and developed a list of emotions(pleasure, desire, anger, terror).

• Afterwards, in millions of years, the neobark, a thinking brain area,developed. That allows to elaborate emotional answers to the externalstimulus.

Cervello trino. Mac Lean

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rdi Conditions to manage a project


• Nevertheless, when emotional emergencies happen, the amigdala-brainconnections are faster to react (12 thousandth of second) than the neo-bark to elaborate. So, when something with high emotional valuehappens, the impulsive emotion prevails over the rational part,triggering non-control behaviours.

Danger!!!

AMIGDALA

TALAM

NEOBARK

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION – Emotions• Primary emotions:

– Fear– Anger– Happiness– Sadness

• Social emotions:– Embarrass– Shame– Guilt

• If emotions are important they are an energy source, we need to be really well oriented by acting over the motivation (ethic choice).

These emotions have a strong biochemicalaspect, they are implicit, i.e. are trigged withoutconsciousness and influence thought andbehaviour.

Clip Even given Sunday 501 – Emotions vs motivation

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION – Emotions• Therefore, what’s important is to acknowledge emotions, give them a

name, elaborate them to understand how some behaviours areinfluenced by them;

• But it is also important working on the context, on the structure, on theorganization and its values: “Do I work for something or againstsomething?” “Am I pushed by.. Or am I attracted to..?”.

• So we have two kinds of intelligence: rational and emotional (neobarkand limbic system). Without the second, the first cannot run well. Bothhave to be in harmony. How?– Consciousness of our own emotions – purpose: don’t be dependant on it– Emotions control – purpose: setting appropriate emotions– Self motivation – manage emotions to achieve a target– Acknowledgement of other people’s emotions – empathy,

acknowledgement of needs– Relationship management – is the art to interpret other people’s emotions

(leadership)• All these abilities are called emotional intelligence.

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The knowledge of interactions between parts of brain responsible of ouremotions, shows a lot about the way some emotions can jeopardize ourbest intentions, and teaches us to manage our most destructive and…..(frustrating) instincts.

This is emotional intelligence.

The emotional intelligence is the capability to motivate ourselves and to carryon achieving targets (even if we are frustrated); to control instincts andpostpone gratification; to modulate emotions in order to avoid suffering fromreducing thoughts; to feel empathy and hope.

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION – The team

• Team is the first and most important resource of the project.• Team is an organizational unit with a low bureaucracy level.

Within the team, start-up conditions are very important, butrelationship modals that are defined during the team life areeven more important.

• Team will work only if we are able to create positiverelationship dynamics among members, in this wayindividual differences become a value and not contrastsources.

Clip We Were Soldiers 107 Sc 3 & 4 – The team

Team & Target 06:29à11:06

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION – The team

• Cohesion – we have cohesion whenever in a team, members

create a balance between differences; members accept each

others and cooperate.

• Leadership – is when one or more members develop the

capacity to make the team action easier improving the

interaction quality among members.

Clip Coach Carter 101-102 Sc 7 & Sc 8 0:39:16– Team spirit

Rules & Game 25:01à25:40

Kruse asks come back 31:23à33:22

The bigger fear 33:35à34:19

Kruse fails – Team maturity 39:22à41:37

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION – The leadership

• The Team Leader’s main task is to create positive feelingwithin team members

• The leader has to create resonance: a reserve ofpositiveness that activates the best resources in every man.The leader must avoid the diffusion of toxic emotions. Toxicemotions create dissonance

• So the leader duty is mainly emotional

• Neuroscience helps to clarify the way leadership inspirespassion, inspiration, enthusiasm, commitment andinvolvement

Clip Saving Private Ryan 108 12 -1:28:00à 1:38:45

Emotions, leadership, crisis of a team, motivation for the target and circle communication

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• The leader is someone everyone watches to be reassuredand guided in dangerous and unknown situations; the leaderknows how to orient the team emotions

• Everyone’s emotion is strictly connected to each other by asystem called open circuit of limbic system

• The open circuit is a limbic regulation we have to transmitsignals able to modify the hormonal level, cardio functions,sleep rhythms and someone else’s immune functions(i.e..: two people in love who generate oxitocina that gives a sense ofwellbeing)

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• The open circuit of limbic system makes us open to externalstimuli, allowing us to modify our emotions (i.e.: after a 15-minute talk, the psychological profiles of two people becomevery similar: mirror effect)

• Leaders, being more seen, more dynamic in the team, moreparticipative, tend to emotionally infect the team (throughpraises, critics, sustain, capability to set goals, delegate,etc…). In this, true leaders are like a human magnets

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION – The leadership• Moods influence outcomes. Positive or negative moods tend

to be perpetuated through open circuits and resonance,even though negative moods (stress) tend to secretehormones which are slower to be reabsorbed by ourorganism (this is why “we can’t sleep at night after anargument”)

• Negative emotions are factors that can cause a great amountof trouble at a professional level because they “confine” theattention taking it off the job you should be performing

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• Being in “a good mood” is particularly important withingroups: the leader’s ability to convey enthusiasm and teamspirit can be crucial to succeed

• The power of laughter that directly connects two or morelimbic systems into a sort of positive emotional confinement

• On the other hand, possible emotional conflicts that divertthe group’s attention and energy from common goals canjeopardize the final performance

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Task beahviour

Relationship

behaviour

High

Low High

DELEGATING

PARTICIPATINGSELLING

TELLINGS1

S2 S3

S4

Mature

Maturity of followers

Immature

High task and lowrelationship

Instructions and procedure + controllingHigh task and high

relationship

Decisionsexlaination, open to

answer to askingquestions

High relationship and low task

Ideas open discussions, making

decisions easy to take, low tasks

Low relationship and low task

Decisionsresponsabilities are

delegated

Conditions to manage a project

RELATIONAL DIMENSION – Situational leadership

• Leader’s ability to adapt its own behaviour to the situation (maturity)and to his team member’s contingent needs

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION – Situational leadership

•S1 – Telling / Directing : Follower: Low competence, low commitment / Unable and unwilling or insecureLeader: High task focus, low relationship focus•S2 - Selling / Coaching:Follower: Some competence, variable commitment / Unable but willing or motivatedLeader: High task focus, high relationship focus•S3 - Participating / Supporting:Follower: High competence, variable commitment / Able but unwilling or insecureLeader: Low task focus, high relationship focus•S4 - Delegating / Observing:Follower: High competence, high commitment / Able and willing or motivatedLeader: Low task focus, low relationship focus

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Team & LeadershipController Seller

Facilitator

Empowerment

Coach

Condizioni di realizzazione

Full Metal Jkt Leadership 1:44à7:56

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION– The team – Some obstacles:• Do not listen to each other• Do not leave space for others• Not being able to deliver one’s own opinion• Not being open to confrontation• Do not perceive other’s needs• Destructive criticism (angel’s advocate)• Feel defeated if your ideas do not prevail • Individualism• Self-admiration• Individual aggressiveness / intolerance / fatigue• Despotic leader• Trouble in accepting mistakes and temporary failures

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION– The team

• The main effect when relationship conditions are not fullysatisfied is skill and competence underutilization. Therefore,the final result will be probably attained, but it will easily bebeneath the group’s potential. Such condition increases awidespread dissatisfaction among the team’s members .

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Guide-lines to positive evolution of group dynamics

Number of the team members – from 4 to…?

• Criteria for a team setup – skill heterogeneity, experiences,

personality, working habits, values.

• Team life cycle control – the group goes through various

phases where values, emotions and relations play different

roles

• Meetings procedure – many or few? To get information or to

coordinate? Organized. Brief. To the point.

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Team life cycle1. Forming – the group is forming, Individuals are not clear

about their contribution (uncertainty) and react indifferent ways. Some express the wish to “take the centre”,to prevail as for relational and cognitive variables (goals,rules, work methods).

2. Storming – If the emotional phase is reassuring, individualsstart to come out looking for more effective ways to exploitall the skills available in order to understand the group’spotential.

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Team life cycle

1. Norming – if dynamics in phase 1 and 2 have beenpositively settled, the group is formed and aware. Duringthis phase there are lots of internal discussions andmembers are not afraid to contribute personally any more.The group is able to come to common decisions. There is ahigher interaction and involvement, problems are solvedthrough negotiation and problem solving abilities. Singlemember’s potential is released and the group becomesable to overcome considerable obstacles. The group isready to deal with its tasks.

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Team life cycle4. Performing – The group is aware of its own team nature

that is able to show tested abilities referring to giventargets. This boosts a sense of belonging and a tendency toshift tensions outside. Great importance to attained resultrecognition. The team starts to operate on higher levels oftrust and loyalty and relationships develop.

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION– The Project Manager

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• He is in charge of the project.• He has to guarantee for targets achievement according to

costs, timing and initial criteria.• Coordinates and helps integration among resources that

take part in the project and towards the rest of theorganization.

• Controls a context where he has to guarantee the highesteffectiveness as for relationships of the team’s members, tofunctional managers of the organization, to sponsors, tofinal customers, to other project managers.

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• He works within high uncertainty.

• He has to integrate different resources without having any

fixed rule.

• Through planning, organization, evaluation, direction,

controlling, sustains activities, drives and relationships…

• …it is a naturally on edge role compared to traditional

roles.

• He cannot use hierarchical authority.

• It is based on expertises coming from his skills and

competences.

• It requires a relationship-oriented leadership style

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di Conditions to manage a projectSome overperforming project managers….

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION – The Project Manager – Roles within the Role

According to situations and contexts the PM can play different roles:

• Interpersonal Roles

– connection & relationship with internal and external actors to

negotiate support, inform, get informed;

– leadership, central role within the team to solve conflicts,

anticipate drifts, address and create a trusting and loyal

environment within the team;

– delegate, in formal occasions (i.e: with the final customer).

• Information Roles

– monitor, receives and dispatches information and signals by being

the collector;

– disseminator, conveys information to the organization;

– spokesman, towards the outside community as well as the

institutional one.

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION– The Project Manager – Roles within the Role

• Decision making roles– change manager – change agent, especially when the project has

an important organizational change value;– disturbance handler – handles troubles and conflicts that threaten

the project’s success;– resource allocator – connected to resource planning and

management;– negotiator – towards internal and external actors (2 dimensions)

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION– The Project Manager• PM’s competences and skills

– Technical – a PM needs to be able to “read” andmanage some corporate and economical key variables;he needs to be able to actively interact with the sectorspecialists.

– Managerial – these competences include the capabilityto build and manage complex contracts and theknowledge of economical, financial, programming andICT tools;

– Relational – he needs to be able to listen and interpretrelational dynamics inside the team and inside theorganizational context; negotiation, motivation, conflictmanagement, leadership, communication abilities.

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION– the sponsorship

• The project’s sponsor is essential and strongly prejudicialfor its success.

• The sponsor is usually a top management member or theCEO (needed when projects involve different departmentsso as to assure the overcoming of possible inter-functionalconflicts).

• Yet, there are some organizational projects (i.e.: BPR orChange Project) that require a sponsorship from theworkforce, the people who the project’s output will beaddressed to.

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION – the sponsorship

• The sponsor’s support to the project can take place in the following ways:

– Goal setting – the sponsor sets the targets, in line withthe corporate strategy, or gives directions for the PM toset the targets. Approves the targets.

– Resources – the sponsor helps the PM to find internaland external resources. Its influence is often neededwithin negotiations with other functional managers.

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RELATIONAL DIMENSION– the sponsorship

– Communication – the sponsor makes sure that theproject and its essential information are knownthroughout the organization. In case of organizationalproject with a high change level, this communicationbecomes strategic, therefore the choice regarding tools,ways, and timing is really important.

– Visibility – the sponsor makes sure that the project, itstargets and the progress made are completely visible bythe whole organization. Often, the project’s success isstrictly related to the sponsor’s status within theorganization.

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Main conditions for a project’s success:

• Clear and strong sponsorship• Clear target (objective)• Clear Project plan (who-what-how-when-how much)• Availability of all required competences• Autonomy of the project’s team• Communication to the organization• Clearness about the way of getting back into the organization• PM’s competences and reputation• Evaluation and control of middle and final targets

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