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LeadingandManagingtheHRProject2.docx

Running head: LEADING AND MANAGING THE HR PROJECT 1

LEADING AND MANAGING THE HR PROJECT 2

Introduction

The management of projects is involved in terms of planning, organizing, executing, controlling, and influencing closure. The main reason for the above is the fact that it requires goals, resources, and the coordination of teams to ensure positive development in the progress of a project. Also, there are standards and criteria that a project must be met for successful implementation. Just like any other process, several issues need to be considered. The first issue focuses on the power of a manager in the organization, planning, implementation, and closure of a project. Power creates perception and influences either the failure or success of a project (Martens & Carvalho, 2017). Secondly, some challenges may be experienced during the management of the project. Giving examples, poor communication, low financial base, lack of proper team coordination, and lack of proper alignment between skills/expertise and project’s objectives leads to failure and vice versa.

The issues must be handled to achieve the goals of the project within specific constraints. The projects also come in different forms and unique levels. Concerning international projects, there are issues such as cultural barriers and time differences that may create problems in coordinating projects and implementing their activities successfully. Despite the above challenges, it is crucial to develop a flexible and dynamic communication approach comprising of structure, training, purpose, and method. This means aligning stakeholders, resources, and expertise with the goals of the project for the desired process.

Types of Project Manager’s Power

Project management is handled both at individual and organizational levels. A project manager may either find him/herself working in a functional organization or an organization that promotes matrix organizational structure. In such organizations, there is an unprecedented degree of authority regarding the position of a project manager. The success of a project depends on the use of powers effectively throughout the management of a project. Concerning the above information, the best manager power comprises of informational and persuasive power. About informational power, it involves the process of a project manager having the capacity to gather and distribute information. The project manager has the highest level of expertise in terms of identifying the right information to support the needs of a project (Moodley, Sutherland, & Preterms, 2016). The project manager may distribute the project of the members of the team to enable them to gain the necessary skills to influence success in the development of a project.

The modern society that involves advanced technological tools, that are used to collect and evaluate data from different sectors of the market is the reason information is available to support the active development of the project and its goals. The second power includes persuasive power which consists of the project manager introducing an argument in the most delightful way possible that it influences the team members to become completely convincing in participating in some activities. Such a leader may have the power to hold the members of a team together in terms of completing the objectives and needs of a project. The relevance of the above power types is that information is vital to support, positivity and when combined with persuasive approaches, the employees and team members involved in a project may achieve the best results in completing a project.

Addressing Outcomes resulting from Project Management

The first issue that may face proper management of a project comprises of poor communication. Poor communication has a lot to do with how the team members relate to each other and their leaders. Poor communication exists when there is a barrier to the adequate flow of information among team members such that it affects the relationship and decision making. Concerning the above issue, it is essential to focus on introducing proper frameworks for managing and coordinating communication among project teams. Team members should have direct and transparent communication concerning processes, procedures, steps, and final decision-making incentives. The second issue is on low financial base in the course of the project’s progress. This is something that is experienced by most projects (Fageha & Aibinu, 2013). The planning deliverables may be different compared to the actual deliverables. A project manager may either overestimate or underestimate the resources required for the successful management of projects.

The situation may lead to the project, either stalling or taking a long period to come to a closure. Weak resource base may limit the success of a project. Concerning the above, it is crucial for a project manager to undertake useful research and development relating to the needs of the project and the involved stakeholders. The research creates practical and realistic information that initiates the proper planning of resources to ensure positive development (Fageha & Aibinu, 2013). Resources should also be managed and coordinated well for appropriate allocation of resources (both human labor and financial resources) with the activities of the project. The third issue revolves around failure to align skills/expertise and the objectives of a project. This may hinder proper coordination and create operational gaps in achieving the goals of a project.

For successful project outcomes, it is vital for a project manager to ensure creating a plan using a tool such as a gnat chart. This aligns objectives, stakeholders, resources, activities, and the time frame in achieving deliverables. The last issue is on the proper coordination of team members. This may create conflicts in roles and responsibilities. It may also lead to poor coordination. Team members should understand their roles, responsibilities, positions, and the influence they have on each other to enable them to become effective in the success of a project.

Challenges experienced by Project Managers in Leading Virtual Project Teams

The challenge regarding the management and coordination of virtual project teams includes cultural barriers, bi-lingual challenges, and time differences. The world is comprised of different cultures that may be new to some team members. An example consists of an American project manager who handles local project team members from Germany. The two countries have parallel perceptions of communications and norms that are hard to comprehend for citizens coming from the countries. Americans sugarcoat criticism when a team member makes mistakes. They do not like to communicate frustration directly. On the other hand, a German is direct in terms of criticizing a person (Söderlund, 2011). When an American manager is managing a project in Germany, it may become difficult for him to receive criticism from team members when things are not going as per the objectives of the project.

Concerning the above, it is important to go through materials online and offline to discover cultural issues that may occur as a project manager in the process of coordinating a project. It is also important to know all cultural matters and how they affect a person who moves to another country to work. This is important to support relocation preparations and to eliminate cultural shocks. Time differences may be difficult for the project manager in terms of handling a project. The time difference may create exhaustion when the project team leader is used to the one-time zone. A time zone that is either behind or in front may also create communication challenges for off-site managers. They may miss some time stamps because of time differences which may affect the development of a project. Concerning the time differences, it is vital to use effective communication tools such as Skype and Facetime for communication. Project Managers may have to visit the sites and relocate to support their projects.

Overall Communication Plan for a Project

When it comes to the plan, there are a few issues needed for consideration. An effective communication plan should be able to bring out the goals, objectives, and expected outcomes of a project. Secondly, plan deliverables should be realistic and measurable. It is important to establish clarity in terms of the allocation of roles and responsibilities among stakeholders. The communication plan should also reiterate the position of team members and their powers. An effective organizational structure in a project ensures positive results in the relations between stakeholders (Browne, Dreitlein, Ha, Manzoni, & Mere, 2016). It is crucial to establish effective communication structures such as emails, Skype, and verbal communication approaches among employees to support effective communication. Communication should be transparent and flexible for team members to understand a project and its needs. The project manager should be in a capacity to support the needed communication in the flow of activities in the management of a project.

Conclusion

To conclude, a project requires effective management. This means establishing a sufficient, robust background, such as the leader either being informative or persuasive. This means that a leader may choose to use the information to consolidate position or focus on becoming persuasive. However, the two power types, create effective outcomes to support developments. An effective communication plan, a proper understanding of culture/time differences, and building effective relationships with team members serve as the right approaches to support the desired outcomes.

References

Browne, W., Dreitlein, S., Ha, M., Manzoni, J., & Mere, A. (2016). A Competency Model of Global Project Communications. Journal of Marketing & Management, 7(2).

Fageha, M., & Aibinu, A. (2013). Managing project scope definition to improve stakeholders’ participation and enhance project outcome. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 74, 154-164.

Martens, M., & Carvalho, M. (2017). Key factors of sustainability in project management context: A survey exploring the project managers' perspective. International Journal of Project Management, 35(6), 1084-1102.

Moodley, D., Sutherland, M., & Preterms, P. (2016). Comparing the power and influence of functional managers with that of project managers in matrix organisations: The challenge in duality of command. South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, 19(1), 103-117.

Söderlund, J. (2011). Pluralism in project management: navigating the crossroads of specialization and fragmentation. International Journal of Management Reviews, 13(2), 153-176.