Build an Effective Team in a Challenging Organizationa Culture
Meg Charter, Vice President, Project Corps

INTRODUCTION

This statement by Henry Ford captures the greatest challenge of project management - working together. For all of the sophisticated models, methodologies, processes, tools and technical disciplines the profession has developed, program and project success remains dependent upon team or group dynamics. This challenge has increased as organizations, and thus programs and projects, have grown in complexity. Projects often require that two diametrically opposed cultures merge and work in tandem. In the case of a merger or acquisition, the cultural clash between organizations can be dramatic. However cross-functional efforts can be just as challenging, requiring that two disciplines with very different ways of approaching work align their efforts. Even projects within a single department can become a challenge, as interpersonal conflicts and working style differences are often highlighted by the demands of project work. As leaders and project management professionals what can we do to effectively address the teamwork challenges?

The following case study captures the experience of a mid-sized municipality in developing and implementing a new business software system across all of the functions of the city. The project experienced a wide array of common challenges of a cross-functional, enterprise-wide effort. In addition, as with many such projects, it encountered significant organizational, project, and interpersonal teaming challenges. The problems encountered are not unique, the methodology applied to understanding and addressing them is. From a project management perspective this effort went beyond the traditional scope of project management to engage the entire system and organization team in understanding and embracing the challenges highlighted by the project. It led an effort to leverage them as catalysts for system wide improvement. The focus of the project never wavered from its original scope and definition, yet a very skilled project manager was able to use project team dynamics to highlight systemic challenges that once addressed, enhanced both the project's benefits and city operations. By expanding the focus of project management beyond delivery of a software system to delivery of a holistic solution addressing team and group dynamics, this project achieved a level of success far beyond that achieved by most successful projects.