Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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Providing students with the concept of composing the right project team Providing recommendations how to manage a project team
Training material of a leading consulting firm was partly used in this presentation.
MBA IMC Consulting Process 2007 Dr. Giselher Dombach
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We will consider four aspects of team management 1 Team Fundamentals 3 Managing Experts
Managing Juniors
Handling Breakdowns
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Performance
Instead of trying to become a team, groups should focus on results and the necessary framework - becoming a team is a natural outcome of this process
Common results
Personal development
Source: Katzenbach, Smith: Wisdom of teams
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The case team should be a pyramid maybe using the client as a free resource
Low-cost staff
Low-cost staff
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In selecting the case team, the team leader should attempt integrated case staffing than any other approaches
Integrated
Each case member will be given clear objectives to reach through his or her work I will do it myself I will do it myself and give the dull stuff to others Well share it Well share it and give the dull stuff to others
Soloing
Scrapping
Duetting
Duet-scrapping
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High
Real team
Team performance
Low
Low
Pseudo Team
Team efficiency
High
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Working group
Group of individuals with no perceived need for performance improvement Interaction based on shared information No common goal behind the actual work or no desire to have such a goal
Pseudo team
The sum is less than the potential of all members There is a potential for significant performance improvements Individuals perceived themselves as team Individuals are occupied with their "get together" and not with performance
Potential team
Group of individuals who perceived performance improvement as necessary Lack of transparency concerning goal, targets and results Lack of discipline to establish a common platform No sense for common responsibility
Real team
Small team with complementel capabilities Shared goals, targets, and concept Feel a common responsibility for the result of their work
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No hidden agendas
The task is important - not the powerplay The team is sensible for its own dynamics, brings background discussions into the foreground, and solves problems in a constructive way Breakdowns are identified early and are solved constructively
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The members of the team form the core of a high performance team
Across disciplines the high performance team is a group of highly motivated individuals across all necessary disciplines and functions, working as a high performance team and not as a collection of egos with individual hidden agendas
Willing to make decisions high performance teams consist of decision makers - either hierarchical or people who are willing to take risks. The composition of the team is a clear signal to the environment about the commitment to the task Highly motivated the members of the team peg their career to the results of the team Dedicated to results the members want to be measured by the results of their work
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The leader - he or she is the constant pushing factor in the team. The leader is highly motivating and helps the other
members of the team to stay committed to the vision and goals. The leaders is leading and not managing the team
The manager - he or she supports the leader by managing the team The integrator - moderates between various opinions and leads them to a common goal. His or her social skills help to
pursue this task
The analyst - evaluates complex situations methodically. He is bound to logic and is not involved in political games
thereby helping to avoid group think
The motivator - helps to motivate the team even in difficult situations. The motivator does not accept a leading role but
masters complex social skills. The motivator is often the internal trainer for teambuilding
The communicator - helps to communicate results internally and externally. The motivator is involved in drafting and
executing the communication plan of the project
The specialist - provides the team with special expertise and can change frequently The out of the box thinker - does not pursue traditional paths of arguments but brings idea from completely
different points of view
In high performance teams members accept not a single role but are capable to fit into various roles at the same time
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Traditional teams.....
Work mostly in team meetings. In the other time, individuals work on their specific tasks in their department Have limited responsibility and take limited risks Assign responsibility to the leader or to some members
Appointing the right members for the high performance team becomes crucial for the success
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High performance teams are formed by joint work and shared learning
High
Real team
Team performance
Low
Low
Pseudo Team
Team efficiency
High
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We will consider four aspects of team management 1 Team Fundamentals 3 Managing Experts
Managing Juniors
Handling Breakdowns
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Motivate by establishing objectives and reviewing at the end As far as possible, let juniors plan and do while you only counsel and decide Set up the appropriate control and review mechanisms
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As far as possible, let juniors plan and do while you only counsel and decide
Does it pay to delegate to a junior of level? Task Proposal writing Case planning Issue analysis Data search Junior BA No No No Yes Junior Consultant NO Hardly Hardly Yes Consultant Draft Yes Yes Yes Pre-Senior Yes Yes Yes Yes
Data crunching
Interview (easy) Interview (complicated) Review meetings Presentation writing Oral presentation Budget review
MBA IMC Consulting Process
Yes
Yes No No No No No
Yes
Yes No Hardly No No No
Yes
Yes Hardly Yes Yes Yes Yes
2007 Dr. Giselher Dombach
Yes
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
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Junior level
BA
Consultant
Pre-Senior
Timing
Daily
Weekly
Bi-weekly or monthly Only issue analysis and reports / presentations When she / he feels appropriate
Depth
Only key
Client relationship
Weekly report
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Junior is typically
Little Manager
Wants to shine Poet of problem solving
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Make it explicit (1) Discuss team successes and shortcomings openly Critique interviews and meetings afterwards Ask for impressions and suggestions for next time
Make frequent, constructive small criticisms and suggestions immediately after the fact
Handle in a friendly manner Do not exaggerate their importance Keep encouraging the team member Be generous with compliments when warranted Try to catch the consultant doing something right Watch for and recognise even slight improvements in problem areas
MBA IMC Consulting Process 2007 Dr. Giselher Dombach
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Make it explicit (2) Do not abandon the consultant Keep posted on progress
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We will consider four aspects of team management 1 Team Fundamentals 3 Managing Experts
Managing Juniors
Handling Breakdowns
page 24
Your relationships with experts are bound to be like a blind man with his dog
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Like the blind mans dog, an expert can be your life saver or generate nasty accidents Dolce vita An expert who gave in two days enough content to shine for six months
An expert who is an encyclopedia, but too introvert to convert knowledge into action
An expert who is recognised internationally by peers through writing, publications, etc
Hell
An expert who, prior to a presentation, advises you to reject a clients ideas, but changes his mind in the presentation when the client strongly disagrees
An expert who is, in fact, only one page ahead of you in the text book
MBA IMC Consulting Process 2007 Dr. Giselher Dombach
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High
Low
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The expert role is different from the generalist consultant Roles of Experts
Lend credibility Aid dialogue with client Objective review on issues (Team Member)
High
Low
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It is rare to find expert and generalist skills combined in one Levels of Skill
Joint (with client) Strategy development Operations planning Organization structuring Management systems Implementation
High
Rare
Low
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Expert Role
Sales issues Pricing Proposal writing Team task planning People management Budget management Quality control Communications Identify industry or technical issues Advise on what already known / state-of-the-art Provide technical / industry examples to demonstrate understanding Provide (careful!) contributions to issue analysis Manage technical client team members Advise on sources, short-cut methods Confirm technical / industry wok is state-of-the-art Clarify technical problems / analyses
Follow-up / Implementation
Client relations
MBA IMC Consulting Process
page 30
You are bound to manage experts under uncertainty, but there are three tips for protection
Behave as if you were the client and only accept conclusions if they are adequately supported
Have client check findings before presentation
page 31
We will consider four aspects of team management 1 Team Fundamentals 3 Managing Experts
Managing Juniors
Handling Breakdowns
page 32
Breakdowns are: Situations which cause uncertainties, confusion, and difficulties Interruptions on the way to the goals Situations and events which collide with our commitments
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Ignoring problems
Blaming each other Hushing up Hope that nobody will recognize it
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Crises are dependent on our engagement The higher the engagement the more frequent and bigger the crises are High performance teams perceive breakdowns as breaks on their way to reach the goals and focus their creativity to overcome these performance barriers Well managed breakdowns are important milestones on the way to the breakthrough
Or...
Breakthroughs are well managed crises
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Engagement
Something happens
ALTERNATIVES
Evaluation of facts Reaction Problem (status quo) What is wrong with ...... Leads to blaming each other Declaring breakdowns What is possible? Build possibilities for a breakthrough
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#1 Clarity in goals #2 Established ground rules #3 Selection of team members according to capabilities
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