The Psychology and Management of Project Teams


Book Description

Even though project-management researchers have become increasingly interested in factors that may have an impact on project-management effectiveness, their efforts fall short of addressing the "human factor." And, unfortunately, many project-management scholars are largely unaware of the I/O psychology literature--relying, for example, on outdated models of motivation and team development. On the other side, I/O psychologists who research groups and teams often ignore the contextual influences--such as business sector, project type, placement in the organizational hierarchy, and project phase and maturity--that have a crucial impact on how a project will unfold. In this volume, a cross-disciplinary set of editors will bring together perspectives from leading I/O psychology and project-management scholars.




Applied Psychology for Project Managers


Book Description

This book offers an essential manual for project managers, project management offices (PMO’s), trainers and consultants, addressing the psychological side of project management. Written by leading scholars in organizational psychology and by top experts in project management, it covers all major psychological topics that are key to project success. The book features dedicated chapters on leadership and teamwork, including virtual and intercultural cooperation, commitment and motivation of project teams. It adds a psychological perspective to personnel management, decision-making, information and knowledge management and communication in project work. Power, influencing tactics and other aspects of stakeholder management are covered, as well as project coaching, innovation and creativity, self-management and the management of conflicts, risks and crises.




The Psychology and Management of Project Teams


Book Description

Organizations today are increasingly using projects in their daily activities. Projects and project-management principles frame goal attainment in academia and many business sectors, and they even serve as theoretical footing for organizational-change endeavors. However, the ubiquity of project management does not mean that project work, project teams, and the ways organizations use projects are well understood. Moreover, while project-management theory and practice aim at providing structure and control to enable successful project completion, an alarmingly high percentage of projects struggle or fail. As the authors of The Psychology and Management of Project Teams explain, this is in part because projects are still mostly managed as technical systems rather than behavioral systems. Even though project-management researchers have become increasingly interested in factors that may have an impact on project-management effectiveness, their efforts fall short of addressing the "human factor." And, unfortunately, many project-management scholars are largely unaware of the I/O psychology literature--relying, for example, on outdated models of motivation and team development. On the other side, I/O psychologists who research groups and teams often ignore the contextual influences--such as business sector, project type, placement in the organizational hierarchy, and project phase and maturity--that have a crucial impact on how a project will unfold. In this volume, a cross-disciplinary set of editors will bring together perspectives from leading I/O psychology and project-management scholars. The volume will include comprehensive coverage of team selection, development, learning, motivation, and communication; conflict management and well-being; leadership; diversity; performance from a multi-level perspective; and career development. In the concluding chapter, a research agenda will provide a roadmap for an integrated approach to the study of project teams.




The Power of Project Leadership


Book Description

In today's 'more for less' culture, the expectations of project management and delivery are no longer limited to budgets, schedules and quality. For projects to make an impact and have lasting value, the project manager must be able to strategize, innovate, motivate, empower and collaborate - in other words, project managers must learn how to lead. The Power of Project Leadership helps you transform into an effective project leader by shifting your managerial mindset into one of inspiration, motivation and influence. The book describes what good project leadership looks like and explains how to make the transition using concrete tools and strategies. With underlying theories to help the reader understand how teams and individuals are motivated, it ensures that project managers lead with vision, continuously improve and innovate, work with intent, empower the team, get closer to stakeholders, remain authentic and establish a solid foundation for their projects. The book has a practical and engaging approach and draws on over 25 interviews with leading experts who have made the transition from project managers to project leaders. These experts come from a variety of sectors and companies; including Expedia, British Gas, Standard Bank, Verizon Enterprise Solutions, Liquid Planner, and the UK Government.




Leading Project Teams


Book Description

The Second Edition of Leading Project Teams offers an accessible introduction to the important basics of project management while providing key issues and pointers on team leadership. Easy to read, this engaging book assumes little to no knowledge of project management. Leading Project Teams quickly leads the reader through the fundamentals including how to start a project, how to assign tasks, how to write clear project reports, and much, much more! New to the Second Edition: - New chapter on Risk Assessment - New coverage of running effective team meetings - Offers real world scenarios: Each chapter opens with a real-world project problem faced by a project leader. Selected from a wide range of industries--from academia to business to health care--each situation portrays how project work applies to real project problems in a variety of settings. - Identifies key expectations of project leaders: Concrete advice is given on leading project teams across a number of important leadership issues and on how project leaders should develop and guide project team members. - Provides quick-learning project tools: Many accessible tools are provided to help readers understand the basics of project management such as the work breakdown structure and project scheduling. Extensive coverage on team literature is offered to help students learn the basics of team construction and team dynamics.




Project Psychology


Book Description

Sharon De Mascia's text uses human behaviour, established and emerging psychological models to provide perspectives on and tools for managing people in projects, including project team selection, people and team management, team cohesion, and much more.




The Student's Guide to Successful Project Teams


Book Description

It is common for undergraduate and graduate students across various disciplines to be placed on teams and assigned group project research reports and presentations which require them to work together. For example a psychology course requires teams to develop, conduct, analyze and present the result of their experiments, a marketing course requires student project teams to prepare marketing plans and present their conclusions, and an organizational behavior course forms teams for the purpose of researching the cultures of different organizations and making presentations about their findings. This new guidebook will be a core text on how to help student project teams confront and successfully resolve issues, tasks and problems. Sections include conceptual material, stories and illustrations, and exercises. Students and teachers in Organizational Behavior, Management, Marketing and all psychology disciplines will find this book of interest.




Advancing Human Resource Project Management


Book Description

Get real-world solutions and evidence-based guidelines for HR project management challenges Tackling major human resources management projects can be daunting, but now you can learn from the lessons of HR professionals who have encountered roadblocks or challenges in similar contexts. Advancing Human Resource Project Management is an in-depth, thoughtful resource that highlights the knowledge and experience of those who have undertaken large HR projects. This guide illustrates what worked and what didn't, with a focus on evidence and real-world cases to illuminate effective strategies and solutions. Each chapter presents empirical findings complemented by professional judgment and wisdom from human resource management professionals well-versed in global business environments. Advancing Human Resource Project Management recognizes the importance of context, addresses the practical and professional implications of managing HR management projects in different industry sectors, and provides comprehensive coverage on implementing global development programs and project initiation and planning. Ideal for global Industrial and Organizational Psychology faculty and practitioners, graduate students, and, especially, HR professionals, this resource uncovers the best evidence-based practices available today for effective HR project management strategies. The book includes: An emphasis on the implications and challenges of providing solutions for HR business problems on a global scale Real-world cases and firsthand professional experiences with summaries of knowledge gained from research and practice Advice on tackling challenges inherent in various stages of a project Expertise and counsel from HR professionals familiar with large projects and from those who study and work in the field of project management Let this comprehensive resource guide your approach to initiating and managing large HR projects. With solid, empirical evidence and relatable case studies, Advancing Human Resource Project Management is the ideal professional companion for those looking to strengthen their project techniques, project leadership, and management skills.




The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety


Book Description

This book is the first practical, hands-on guide that shows how leaders can build psychological safety in their organizations, creating an environment where employees feel included, fully engaged, and encouraged to contribute their best efforts and ideas. Fear has a profoundly negative impact on engagement, learning efficacy, productivity, and innovation, but until now there has been a lack of practical information on how to make employees feel safe about speaking up and contributing. Timothy Clark, a social scientist and an organizational consultant, provides a framework to move people through successive stages of psychological safety. The first stage is member safety-the team accepts you and grants you shared identity. Learner safety, the second stage, indicates that you feel safe to ask questions, experiment, and even make mistakes. Next is the third stage of contributor safety, where you feel comfortable participating as an active and full-fledged member of the team. Finally, the fourth stage of challenger safety allows you to take on the status quo without repercussion, reprisal, or the risk of tarnishing your personal standing and reputation. This is a blueprint for how any leader can build positive, supportive, and encouraging cultures in any setting.




Group Dynamics for Teams


Book Description

Incorporating the latest research throughout, Daniel Levi’s Fifth Edition of Group Dynamics for Teams explains the basic psychological concepts of group dynamics, focusing on their application with teams in the workplace. Grounded in psychology research and a practical focus on organizational behavior issues, this engaging book helps readers understand and more effectively participate in teams.