At MindMap Management Group (MMMG), we pride ourselves in preparing our students to take their careers to the next level.
Here are the top five traits of a successful project team we see to be important in today’s world.
1. Define the Goals
Clearly defined goals are essential so that everyone understands the purpose and vision of the team. This fosters team unity and allows teams to avoid confusion around objectives. If team members don’t agree on the meaning of the team goals, they will work alone to accomplish their individual interpretations of the goals. Therefore, clear communication on the team’s goals is the first and foremost important characteristic.
2. Clearly Defined Team Roles
If the team’s roles are clearly defined, all team members know what their jobs are and will define roles that go beyond that. This allows a team to focus on everyone’s strength while still putting the team’s effort ahead of their own.
3. Open Communication
The importance of open communication cannot be stressed enough. This is probably the most important characteristic for high-performance teams. Many different problems that arise on projects can often be can be traced back to poor communication or lack of communication skills, such as listening well or providing constructive feedback.
4. Effective Listening & Decision-Making Skills
Effective project team members know how to express themselves in a way that gets their point across without offending others. They also know how to effectively listen when others are expressing thoughts, opinions and ideas. They will be able to communicate well with other team members as well as management, other employees and those with whom they must come in contact to complete the assigned tasks for the project.
5. Manage Conflict & Ensure A Positive Atmosphere
Take the time, before the project kicks into gear, to enable the project team members to spend some time together and get to know each other. This helps to build trust which is needed if a team is going to be effective as well as will help them resolve any conflict faster. The more the team members know about each other, the more comfortable they become working together, challenging ideas, offering suggestions and in helping each other out to ensure goals are accomplished.
Along the same vein, it’s important for the project manager to inspire the team to perform the necessary tasks at hand. A motivated team will have clear project goals in sight and have the endurance to carry through to completion.
If you’re interested in pursuing a project management certification, please contact MindMap today to see what we can bring to the table. We promise our individualized program design and knowledgeable teaching staff will provide you with more than enough tools to succeed in your dream job.