Project Team Leadership and Communication by Samuel Malachowsky

Project Team Leadership and Communication BookProject team leadership is challenging.

You’ve been self-motivated your whole life. You’ve mastered the skills and technical expertise required by your field. Your colleagues and peers respect you as a professional and a friend.  But nothing has prepared you for the host of challenges that come with leading a team: oppressive schedules, demanding customers, and people who just can’t seem to get to work.

This book takes a step-by-step approach in helping you to understand how to fulfil the expectations of a team leader—from gaining a basic grasp of what makes a project a project—to techniques in estimating time and creating schedules—to how to properly communicate reports, metrics, and numbers in a way that’s relevant to those who care about your project.

You’ll learn how to:

  • Understand the principles of leadership, and how they apply to you as a professional and those you work with
  • Properly prioritize tasks, project schedules, and customer demands
  • Analyze and manage the expectations of those important to the project through consistent, planned communication
  • Build trust, foster commitment, and manage conflict within your team
  • Identify and stop common project issues in their tracks
  • and much more

This edition features expanded resources including key terms and definitions, review questions and exercises, and practical, immediately applicable tools that accompany each chapter.  Additionally, an appendix explaining Agile Methods and how modern project teams can benefit from new ways of organizing and performing project work is included.

Summary

This is a business application/textbook designed for students and business professionals who are entering into their first project leadership role. Chapters cover the basics of leadership, team dynamics, project fundamentals/management, project communication, some common pitfalls to avoid, and a practical discussion of up-and-coming Agile methods.

The book is designed to be limited in scope (246 pages total including front and back matter) and has over 100 illustrations.  Each chapter has review questions, a glossary, and references.

About the Author

Samuel Malachowsky

Samuel A. Malachowsky is a certified career Project Manager (PMP) who currently teaches in the Software Engineering Department at the Rochester Institute of Technology (link).  His passion lies in connecting the abstract and technical with the practical-by teaching project values, leadership, and personal professional development.

His articles, along with more information about the ideas presented in his books, are available at TeachingSE.com. He currently resides in Rochester, NY with his wife and children.

Additionally, Samuel is available for consultation and on-site training for the areas covered in this book by emailing info@TeachingSE.com.

Title: Project Team Leadership and Communication
Author: Samuel A. Malachowsky
Formats: Paperback, Hardcover, Electronic (print replica)
ISBN: 9781732378902 (Paperback), 9781732378919 (Hardcover)
List Price: $24.95 USD (Paperback), $34.95 (Hardcover), $9.99 (Electronic)
Dimensions: 7.5 x 0.6 x 9.25 in / 235 x 16 x 191 mm (approx)
Page Count: 246
Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (paperback), 1.4 pounds (hardcover)
Publication Date: 5/20/2018
Features: Table of Contents, Index, Review Questions / Exercises (106 total), Glossaries (91 definitions), Illustrations (100+)
LCCN: 2018906120
Subjects: TEC062000 Technology & Engineering : Project Management, BUS101000 Business & Economics : Project Management, COM051430 Computers : Software Development & Engineering – Project Management
Keywords: Project Management, Leadership, Project, Project Teams, Team Development, Stakeholder Management, Project Communication, Agile
Images:

  • About This Book (4 pages)
  • Chapter 1: Understanding Leadership (23 pages)
    • In this introduction, we explore what it means to be a leader and how to match your leadership style, influence, and motivators with the culture of the team you are leading. Additionally, this chapter explores who is important to the project and provides a basic understanding of the field of Project Management.
      • 1.1 The Leader’s Title
      • 1.2 Leadership Styles
      • 1.3 Influence
      • 1.4 Motivators
      • 1.5 Matching Leadership with Culture
      • 1.6 Who We Lead
      • 1.7 The Discipline of Project Management
      • 1.8 Chapter Tool: Who We Are as Leaders
      • 1.9 Summary and Conclusion
      • Key Terms (6), Review Questions (9), Exercises (9), Notes
  • Chapter 2: Project Fundamentals (52 pages)
    • This chapter lays the foundation for understanding the nature of projects. In addition to establishing what a project is and the terminology used by project teams, it also explores the organizational structures projects live in and the early steps required to begin a project.
      • 2.1 What is a Project?
      • 2.2 The Project Environment
      • 2.3 Values, Needs, and Process
      • 2.4 Quality and The Project Triangle
      • 2.5 Defining Project Outcomes: A Layered Approach
      • 2.6 The Project’s Early Stages
      • 2.7 Chapter Tool: Planning Project Quality
      • 2.8 Summary and Conclusion
      • Key Terms (22), Review Questions (8), Exercises (7), Notes
  • Chapter 3: Prioritization: The Core of Project Leadership (31 pages)
    • Reviewing what they are trying to accomplish can leave a project team overwhelmed. In this chapter, we’ll explore the concepts behind choosing priority: properly understanding how long tasks will take, ordering them properly, consistently and accurately evaluating risk and status, and analyzing the people important to the project.
      • 3.1 Why is Prioritization So Essential?
      • 3.2 Estimation Methods
      • 3.3 Estimates vs. Commitments
      • 3.4 Accuracy and Precision
      • 3.5 Project Scheduling
      • 3.6 Project Tracking
      • 3.7 Risk Management
      • 3.8 Chapter Tool: Prioritizing Stakeholders
      • 3.9 Summary and Conclusion
      • Key Terms (19), Review Questions (7), Exercises (9), Notes
  • Chapter 4: Team Structure and Development (37 pages)
    • In this chapter, we’ll try to understand what a team is and what makes it successful. By exploring success factors, structures, stages of  development, and the core needs of a team, we’ll gain the ability to properly use the tools that help a team produce consistent, positive results.
      • 4.1 What Makes a Team Successful?
      • 4.2 Team Structure
      • 4.3 Team Development
      • 4.4 Needs and the Team
      • 4.5 Building Trust
      • 4.6 Managing Conflict
      • 4.7 Achieving Commitment
      • 4.8 Embracing Accountability
      • 4.9 Focusing on Results
      • 4.10 Chapter Tool: Evaluating Your Team’s Maturity
      • 4.11 Summary and Conclusion
      • Key Terms (20), Review Questions (10), Exercises (10), Notes
  • Chapter 5: Communication and Expectation Management (29 pages)
    • In this chapter, we address the mechanics of team communication, meeting success, and the ethics of communication. To do this, we focus on the importance of “expectation management” as well as how to achieve appropriate communication when including metrics and reports.
      • 5.1 The Importance of Project Communication
      • 5.2 Basic Communication Concepts
      • 5.3 Push/Pull Communication: A Hybrid Approach
      • 5.4 Communications within the Team: Meeting Success
      • 5.5 Ethics in Communication
      • 5.6 Communicating with Metrics and Reports
      • 5.7 Stakeholder Expectation Management
      • 5.8 Chapter Tool: The Quad Chart
      • 5.9 Summary and Conclusion
      • Key Terms (12), Review Questions (8), Exercises (7), Notes
  • Chapter 6: Pitfalls to Identify and Avoid (15 pages)
    • In the conclusion of this book, we present an extensive list of common team and project issues with the hope that the reader can learn to regularly identify and avoid them.
      • 6.1 Team Pitfalls
      • 6.2 Process and Product Pitfalls
      • 6.3 Chapter Tool: Pitfall “Hot Spots”
      • 6.4 Summary and Conclusion
      • Key Terms (5), Review Questions (5), Exercises (4), Notes
  • Appendix: Agile: The Future of Projects? (27 pages)
    • This appendix explores some new ideas in project management, concentrating mostly on Agile methods, values, and techniques, and how they can benefit a modern project team.
      • A.1 The History of Agile
      • A.2 Why Agile is Important
      • A.3 Agile: A Group of Defined Processes
      • A.4 Agile: A Set of Practices and Tools
      • A.5 Agile: A Defined Set of Core Values and Principles
      • A.6 Implementation in Your Organization
      • A.7 Summary and Conclusion
      • Key Terms (7), Review Questions (7), Exercises (7), Notes
  • Index (9 pages)

Resources are currently being created and added regularly.  If using these resources for class or training, please don’t link directly to these files, which are subject to change and download limits.

  • Chapter 1: Understanding Leadership
    • 1.1 The Leader’s Title
      • Understand that title isn’t synonymous with the need or authority to engage in leadership
    • 1.2 Leadership Styles
      • Describe 7 basic leadership styles
      • Recognize the importance of choosing an appropriate style
      • Identify common pitfalls related to appropriate leadership styles
    • 1.3 Influence
      • Describe 5 types of influence
      • Recognize personal preferences and their relationship to influence
    • 1.4 Motivators
      • Describe 6 types of motivators and give examples of each
      • Classify the 6 motivators as extrinsic or intrinsic
      • Relate biases individuals may have towards or against individual motivators
    • 1.5 Matching Leadership with Culture
      • Define ‘culture’ in the context of a project, team, and organization
      • Recognize contexts that affect and are affected by culture
    • 1.6 Who We Lead
      • Define ‘stakeholder’ in the context of a project effort
      • Identify 3 common groups of project stakeholders
    • 1.7 The Discipline of Project Management
      • Relate the various leadership titles and the field of project management
      • Describe several aspects of professional discipline and ethics
    • 1.8 Chapter Tool: Who We Are as Leaders
      • Examine individual preferences relating to motivators, influence, and previous project experience
    • Review Questions: Recall, relate, or repeat key terms and concepts from the chapter
    • Exercises: Apply, analyze, synthesize, or evaluate key concepts from the chapter
    • Chapter 1 Classroom Activity Slides (Understanding Leadership)
      • Applying Leadership Styles (5 minutes, section 1.2)
        • Recommend basic leadership styles for basic team scenarios
      • Professionalism and Ethics (10-15 minutes, sections 1.1 and 1.7)
        • Compare leadership titles and relate ethical challenges each might face
      • Matching Influence to Leadership (5-10 minutes, sections 1.2 and 1.3)
        • Decide which type of influence is appropriate / inappropriate for multiple leadership styles
      • Your Motivators (5-10 minutes, section 1.4)
        • Contrast types of motivators and relate individual preferences
      • Who We Are As Leaders (15 minutes, section 1.9)
        • Analyze individual and group preferences relating to motivators, influence, and stakeholder experiences
  • Chapter 2: Project Fundamentals
    • 2.1 What is a Project?
      • Define ‘project,’ identifying 2 defining features
      • List 4 project phases and 1 additional element
      • Recognize the interactions between projects/phases and the product lifecycle
    • 2.2 The Project Environment
      • Identify 3 types of organizations in the context of how projects are organized
      • Recognize strengths and weaknesses of each of the 3 organizational types
    • 2.3 Values, Needs, and Process
      • Recall factors influencing the values and needs of a project, team, or organization
      • List 3 fundamental process models and summarize the strengths and weaknesses of each
      • Recognize varying levels of detail/abstraction in documented processes
    • 2.4 Quality and The Project Triangle
      • Define ‘quality,’ identifying 4 main aspects/concerns
      • Give examples of elements that are ‘cost of quality’ and ‘cost of poor quality’ in a project
      • Label the project triangle’s 4 components
      • Relate examples of each project triangle component and the relationships between them
    • 2.5 Defining Project Outcomes: A Layered Approach
      • Relate the concept of project goals, including examples of such
      • Relate the concept of project scope statements, including examples of such
      • Relate the concept of project requirements/specifications, including examples of such
      • Describe ‘the layered approach’ to project outcome definition
    • 2.6 The Project’s Early Stages
      • Identify the primary objectives of a project kickoff meeting
      • List the essential elements of a basic project plan
    • 2.7 Chapter Tool: Planning Project Quality
      • Relate basic steps for determining a project’s quality objectives
    • Review Questions: Recall, relate, or repeat key terms and concepts from the chapter
    • Exercises: Apply, analyze, synthesize, or evaluate key concepts from the chapter
    • Chapter 2 Classroom Activity Slides (Project Fundamentals)
      • One Product, Multiple Projects (10 minutes, section 2.1)
        • Propose multiple projects within a single product’s life cycle
      • Organizational Culture and Structure (10 minutes, sections 1.5 and 2.2)
        • Analyze the cultural norms and organizational structures of multiple industries
      • ‘Rolling Your Own’ Process (10-15 minutes, section 2.3)
        • Analyze a scenario and construct a basic process
      • Understanding Quality (10-15 minutes, section 2.4)
        • Develop scenario-specific quality-related elements of consideration
      • Layering Project Outcomes (10-15 minutes, section 2.5)
        • Construct scenario-specific goals, scope statements, and specifications/requirements
      • Outlining the Project Plan (10-15 minutes, section 2.6)
        • Design a project plan outline
  • Chapter 3: Prioritization: The Core of Project Leadership
    • 3.1 Why is Prioritization So Essential?
      • Identify the connection between the concept of prioritization and individual project activities
    • 3.2 Estimation Methods
      • Describe 5 basic estimation methods
      • Recognize the strengths, weaknesses, and appropriate application of each estimation method
    • 3.3 Estimates vs. Commitments
      • Relate issues and negative conditions that may arise during the estimation process
    • 3.4 Accuracy and Precision
      • Define the terms ‘accuracy’ and ‘precision’ in a general context
      • Relate the concepts illustrated in the ‘cone of uncertainty’
      • List several ways to accurately express low-precision estimates
    • 3.5 Project Scheduling
      • Describe how ‘work breakdown structures’ are constructed and recorded
      • Relate ‘precedence techniques’ including diagramming and related terms/techniques
      • List 3 common project schedule visualization tools
      • Relate scheduling activities to basic process concepts
    • 3.6 Project Tracking
      • Define ‘project visibility’ in the context of project tracking
      • Describe the concept of ‘earned value’ in the context of a project
      • List 2 common project tracking visualization tools
    • 3.7 Risk Management
      • Define ‘risk,’ identifying 3 essential elements in the context of a project
      • Relate techniques for identifying project risks, including SWOT analysis
      • Identify basic project risk analysis/quantification techniques
      • Describe 4 basic project risk response techniques
    • 3.8 Chapter Tool: Prioritizing Stakeholders
      • Relate the basic structure of a ‘stakeholder register’
      • Describe a technique for identifying which of 4 basic stakeholder management techniques are appropriate
    • Review Questions: Recall, relate, or repeat key terms and concepts from the chapter
    • Exercises: Apply, analyze, synthesize, or evaluate key concepts from the chapter
    • Chapter 3 Classroom Activity Slides (Prioritization: The Core of Project Leadership)
      • Which Estimation Technique? (5 minutes, section 3.2)
        • Determine appropriate estimation techniques based on brief scenarios
      • Estimating, Not Committing (5-10 minutes, sections 3.3 and 3.4)
        • Establish techniques for communicating an estimate without implying commitment
      • Organizing and Sequencing Tasks (15 minutes, section 3.5)
        • Construct a basic work breakdown structure and precedence diagram
      • Tracking Project Progress (10 minutes, section 3.6)
        • Calculate earned value and construct a basic Gantt chart
      • A Risky Scenario (10 minutes, section 3.7)
        • Determine basic risks and mitigations based on a scenario
      • Finding and Analyzing Stakeholders (15 minutes, section 3.8)
        • Propose a list of stakeholders, analyze them, and propose a management strategy for each
  • Chapter 4: Team Structure and Development
    • 4.1 What Makes a Team Successful?
      • Identify 6 basic factors for team success
      • List 3 basic team categories and their defining features
    • 4.2 Team Structure
      • Name 4 basic project team structures
      • Identify defining features, strengths, and potential pitfalls for each project team structure
      • Recall factors that influence organizational team structures
      • Relate 5 common team roles, their basic responsibilities, and the basic skills needed for each
    • 4.3 Team Development
      • Identify each of Tuckman’s 4 stages of team development
      • Relate factors related to progression through the team development stages
    • 4.4 Needs and the Team
      • Identify 5 basic needs of a project team
    • 4.5 Building Trust
      • Relate the factors that affect trust within a project team
      • Identify basic techniques team leaders can implement to build trust
    • 4.6 Managing Conflict
      • Recognize the role of conflict within a team
      • Identify basic ‘ground rules’ of conflict within a team
      • Describe 6 conflict resolution techniques and when they may be appropriate
    • 4.7 Achieving Commitment
      • Identify 3 parties involved in commitment in the context of a project
      • Describe factors for achieving commitment for each party
      • Recognize how commitment affects project team outcomes
    • 4.8 Embracing Accountability
      • Identify 3 angles of accountability in the context of a project team
      • Recognize basic techniques for strengthening peer-to-peer accountability
      • Relate how to use the ‘RASCI accountability matrix’
    • 4.9 Focusing on Results
      • Identify 4 core competencies incumbent to achieving results in the context of a successful project team
      • Describe how a team’s results may differ from combined individual results
    • 4.10 Chapter Tool: Evaluating Your Team’s Maturity
      • Examine factors relating to team success factors, roles, ground rules, and needs
    • Review Questions: Recall, relate, or repeat key terms and concepts from the chapter
    • Exercises: Apply, analyze, synthesize, or evaluate key concepts from the chapter
    • Chapter 4 Classroom Activity Slides (Team Structure and Development)
      • Team Structures (5 minutes, section 4.2)
        • Classify features of basic team structures
      • Which Stage of Development? (5 minutes, section 4.3)
        • Differentiate stages of team development by examining team actions
      • Trust and Commitment (5-10 minutes, sections 4.5 and 4.7)
        • Propose strategies for building trust and commitment in a project team environment
      • Conflict Management (10 minutes, section 4.6)
        • Apply conflict management techniques to a project team scenario
      • Building a ‘RASCI’ Accountability Matrix (10 minutes, section 4.8)
        • Assemble a basic team accountability matrix
  • Chapter 5: Communication and Expectation Management
    • 5.1 The Importance of Project Communication
      • Summarize the impacts and importance of modern project communication
    • 5.2 Basic Communication Concepts
      • Relate the concept of communication channels and communication types in the context of project communication
      • Identify obvious and less obvious communication blockers in the context of project communication
    • 5.3 Push/Pull Communication: A Hybrid Approach
      • Define push, pull, and interactive communication
      • Relate the concept of ‘hybrid communication’ as a beneficial strategy
    • 5.4 Communications within the Team: Meeting Success
      • Identify common, negative aspects of team meetings
      • Give examples of rules and strategies for successful meetings
    • 5.5 Ethics in Communication
      • Relate the importance of ethics in project environments
      • Identify 4 communication-related ethical considerations
    • 5.6 Communicating with Metrics and Reports
      • Define ‘metrics’ and their 2 main categories
      • Describe multiple factors to consider when communicating metrics or reports
      • Relate 6 basic project metrics
      • Describe 5 project reports
    • 5.7 Stakeholder Expectation Management
      • Define the concept of stakeholder expectation management
      • Identify 2 main types of stakeholders and factors of communication for each
      • Relate several factors that affect stakeholder expectations
    • 5.8 Chapter Tool: The Quad Chart
      • Identify elements of a quad chart
      • Relate how to use a quad chart when communicating project status
    • Review Questions: Recall, relate, or repeat key terms and concepts from the chapter
    • Exercises: Apply, analyze, synthesize, or evaluate key concepts from the chapter
    • Chapter 5 Classroom Activity Slides (Communication and Expectation Management)
      • Detecting Communication Blockers (5 minutes, section 5.2)
        • Propose potential communication blockers for communication channels
      • Planning and Holding a Meeting (10-15 minutes, section 5.4)
        • Create a published agenda, planning and participating in a basic team meeting
      • Ethical Communication (10 minutes, section 5.5)
        • Analyze several basic ethics scenarios and potential ramifications
      • Choosing a Metric or Report (5 minutes, section 5.6)
        • Classify project metrics and reports by fulfilled need
      • Setting Proper Expectations (10 minutes, section 5.7)
        • Assemble a basic communication strategy while considering stakeholder expectations
  • Chapter 6: Pitfalls to Identify and Avoid
    • 6.1 Team Pitfalls
      • Discuss 8 common team pitfalls, including how to prevent them from occurring
    • 6.2 Process and Product Pitfalls
      • Discuss 7 common process and product pitfalls, including how to prevent them from occurring
    • 6.3 Chapter Tool: Pitfall “Hot Spots”
      • Define ‘downstream’ in the context of a project
      • Identify causes and effects of 15 pitfalls in the context of the primary project phases
    • Review Questions: Recall, relate, or repeat key terms and concepts from the chapter
    • Exercises: Apply, analyze, synthesize, or evaluate key concepts from the chapter
    • Chapter 6 Classroom Activity Slides (Pitfalls to Identify and Avoid)
      • Pitfalls and Project Phase (10 minutes, sections 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3)
        • Classify common pitfalls by project phase
      • Pitfalls and Culture (10 minutes, sections 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3)
        • Analyze pitfalls in the context of team cultural dynamics
  • Appendix: Agile: The Future of Projects?
    • A.1 The History of Agile
      • Summarize the development of Agile methods and the context it was created in
    • A.2 Why Agile is Important
      • Identify why the importance of Agile methods extends beyond its initial application
    • A.3 Agile: A Group of Defined Processes
      • Describe the basic workflows of the Scrum methodology
      • Identify and explain individual elements of Scrum including how they interact with each other
    • A.4 Agile: A Set of Practices and Tools
      • Describe 10 basic practices of Agile methods in the context of a project and its team
    • A.5 Agile: A Defined Set of Core Values and Principles
      • Identify and summarize 4 Agile values
      • Recognize 12 Agile principles and how they relate to the values and other principles
    • A.6 Implementation in Your Organization
      • Identify 5 factors essential to implementation of Agile methods in an organization
      • Describe the factors present when a team or organization is transitioning to Agile methods
    • Review Questions: Recall, relate, or repeat key terms and concepts from the appendix
    • Exercises: Apply, analyze, synthesize, or evaluate key concepts from the appendix
(Microsoft PowerPoint slide format.  Slide notes include activity durations and book page/section references.)

    • All Chapter 1 Class Activities – Understanding Leadership
      • Applying Leadership Styles (5 minutes, section 1.2) – Recommend basic leadership styles for basic team scenarios
      • Professionalism and Ethics (10-15 minutes, sections 1.1 and 1.7) – Compare leadership titles and relate ethical challenges each might face
      • Matching Influence to Leadership (5-10 minutes, sections 1.2 and 1.3) – Decide which type of influence is appropriate / inappropriate for multiple leadership styles
      • Your Motivators (5-10 minutes, section 1.4) – Contrast types of motivators and relate individual preferences
      • Who We Are As Leaders (15 minutes, section 1.9) – Analyze individual and group preferences relating to motivators, influence, and stakeholder experiences
    • All Chapter 2 Class Activities – Project Fundamentals
      • One Product, Multiple Projects (10 minutes, section 2.1) – Propose multiple projects within a single product’s life cycle
      • Organizational Culture and Structure (10 minutes, sections 1.5 and 2.2) – Analyze the cultural norms and organizational structures of multiple industries
      • ‘Rolling Your Own’ Process (10-15 minutes, section 2.3) – Analyze a scenario and construct a basic process
      • Understanding Quality (10-15 minutes, section 2.4) – Develop scenario-specific quality-related elements of consideration
      • Layering Project Outcomes (10-15 minutes, section 2.5) – Construct scenario-specific goals, scope statements, and specifications/requirements
      • Outlining the Project Plan (10-15 minutes, section 2.6) – Design a project plan outline
    • All Chapter 3 Class Activities – Prioritization: The Core of Project Leadership
      • Which Estimation Technique? (5 minutes, section 3.2) – Determine appropriate estimation techniques based on brief scenarios
      • Estimating, Not Committing (5-10 minutes, sections 3.3 and 3.4) – Establish techniques for communicating an estimate without implying commitment
      • Organizing and Sequencing Tasks (15 minutes, section 3.5) – Construct a basic work breakdown structure and precedence diagram
      • Tracking Project Progress (10 minutes, section 3.6) – Calculate earned value and construct a basic Gantt chart
      • A Risky Scenario (10 minutes, section 3.7) – Determine basic risks and mitigations based on a scenario
      • Finding and Analyzing Stakeholders (15 minutes, section 3.8) – Propose a list of stakeholders, analyze them, and propose a management strategy for each
    • All Chapter 4 Class Activities – Team Structure and Development
      • Team Structures (5 minutes, section 4.2) – Classify features of basic team structures
      • Which Stage of Development? (5 minutes, section 4.3) – Differentiate stages of team development by examining team actions
      • Trust and Commitment (5-10 minutes, sections 4.5 and 4.7) – Propose strategies for building trust and commitment in a project team environment
      • Conflict Management (10 minutes, section 4.6) – Apply conflict management techniques to a project team scenario
      • Building a ‘RASCI’ Accountability Matrix (10 minutes, section 4.8) – Assemble a basic team accountability matrix
    • All Chapter 5 Class Activities – Communication and Expectation Management 
      • Detecting Communication Blockers (5 minutes, section 5.2) – Propose potential communication blockers for communication channels
      • Planning and Holding a Meeting (10-15 minutes, section 5.4) – Create a published agenda, planning and participating in a basic team meeting
      • Ethical Communication (10 minutes, section 5.5) – Analyze several basic ethics scenarios and potential ramifications
      • Choosing a Metric or Report (5 minutes, section 5.6) – Classify project metrics and reports by fulfilled need
      • Setting Proper Expectations (10 minutes, section 5.7) – Assemble a basic communication strategy while considering stakeholder expectations
    • All Chapter 6 Class Activities – Pitfalls to Identify and Avoid
      • Pitfalls and Project Phase (10 minutes, sections 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3) – Classify common pitfalls by project phase
      • Pitfalls and Culture (10 minutes, sections 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3) – Analyze pitfalls in the context of team cultural dynamics

Lectures and Supporting Activities: 1-1.5 hours per lecture and associated activities (additional time for review questions and exercises).  Download and comment via the link – Please leave comments for improvement!

  1. The Basics of Leadership: Influence, Motivation, and Culture
    • Chapter 1: Sections 1.1-1.7 (pages 1-17) (chapter 1 slides: all)
    • Class Activities
      • Applying Leadership Styles (5 minutes, section 1.2)
      • Professionalism and Ethics (10-15 minutes, sections 1.1 and 1.7)
      • Matching Influence to Leadership (5-10 minutes, sections 1.2 and 1.3)
      • Your Motivators (5-10 minutes, section 1.4)
      • Who We Are As Leaders (15 minutes, section 1.9)
    • Review Questions (pages 21-22): # 1-9
    • Exercises (pages 22-23): # 1-9
  2. Projects: Definition, Environment, and Process
    • Chapter 2: Sections 2.1-2.3 (pages 25-43) (chapter 2 slides: 2-13)
    • Class Activities
      • One Product, Multiple Projects (10 minutes, section 2.1)
      • Organizational Culture and Structure (10 minutes, sections 1.5 and 2.2)
      • ‘Rolling Your Own’ Process (10-15 minutes, section 2.3)
    • Review Questions (page 75-76): # 1-6
    • Exercises (page 76): # 1-4
  3. Considering Quality, Outcomes, and Project Documentation
    • Chapter 2: 2.4-2.8 (pages 43-73) (chapter 2 slides: 14-24)
    • Class Activities
      • Understanding Quality (10-15 minutes, section 2.4)
      • Layering Project Outcomes (10-15 minutes, section 2.5)
      • Outlining the Project Plan (10-15 minutes, section 2.6)
    • Review Questions (page 76): # 7-8
    • Exercises (pages 76-77): # 5-7
  4. Estimation Methods and Application
    • Chapter 3: 3.1-3.4 (pages 79-87) (chapter 3 slides: 2-7)
    • Class Activities
      • Which Estimation Technique? (5 minutes, section 3.2)
      • Estimating, Not Committing (5-10 minutes, sections 3.3 and 3.4)
    • Review Questions (page 108): # 1-4
    • Exercises (page 109): # 1-3
  5. Project Scheduling and Tracking
    • Chapter 3: 3.5-3.6 (pages 88-97) (chapter 3 slides: 8-13)
    • Class Activities
      • Organizing and Sequencing Tasks (15 minutes, section 3.5)
      • Tracking Project Progress (10 minutes, section 3.6)
    • Review Questions (page 108): # 5
    • Exercises (page 109): # 4-7
  6. Risk Management and Stakeholder Prioritization
    • Chapter 3: 3.7-3.9 (pages 97-106) (chapter 3 slides: 14-17)
    • Class Activities
      • A Risky Scenario (10 minutes, section 3.7)
      • Finding and Analyzing Stakeholders (15 minutes, section 3.8)
    • Review Questions (page 108): # 6-7
    • Exercises (pages 109-110): # 8-9
  7. The Basics of Team Structure and Development
    • Chapter 4: 4.1-4.5 (pages 111-126) (chapter 4 slides: 2-8)
    • Class Activities
      • Team Structures (5 minutes, section 4.2)
      • Which Stage of Development? (5 minutes, section 4.3)
    • Review Questions (page 146): # 1-6
    • Exercises (page 147): # 1-6
  8. Managing Conflict, Accountability, and Achieving Results as a Team
    • Chapter 4: 4.6-4.9 (pages 126-140) (chapter 4 slides: 9-20)
    • Class Activities
      • Building a ‘RASCI’ Accountability Matrix (10 minutes, section 4.8)
      • Trust and Commitment (5-10 minutes, sections 4.5 and 4.7)
      • Conflict Management (10 minutes, section 4.6)
    • Review Questions (pages 146-147): # 7-10
    • Exercises (pages 147-148): # 7-10
  9. Project Communication: Basic Concepts, Meetings, and Ethics
    • Chapter 5: 5.1-5.5 (pages 149-163) (chapter 5 slides: 2-9)
    • Class Activities
      • Detecting Communication Blockers (5 minutes, section 5.2)
      • Planning and Holding a Meeting (10-15 minutes, section 5.4)
      • Ethical Communication (10 minutes, section 5.5)
    • Review Questions (page 177): # 1-5
    • Exercises (pages 177-178): # 1-4, 6
  10. Communicating with Stakeholders Including Metrics and Reports
    • Chapter 5: 5.6-5.9 (pages 164-175) (chapter 5 slides: 10-16)
    • Class Activities
      • Choosing a Metric or Report (5 minutes, section 5.6)
      • Setting Proper Expectations (10 minutes, section 5.7)
    • Review Questions (page 177): # 6-8
    • Exercises (page 148): # 5, 7
  11. Pitfalls to Identify and Avoid
    • All of Chapter 6 (pages 179-192) (chapter 6 slides: all)
    • Class Activities
      • Pitfalls and Project Phase (10 minutes, sections 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3)
      • Pitfalls and Culture (10 minutes, sections 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3)
    • Review Questions (page 193): # 1-5
    • Exercises (pages 193-194): # 1-4

5-10 minutes per lesson, 5-10 minutes discussion/activity time – Typically 10-20 minutes total.  Book sections referenced should be read ahead of time by students, as they contain more details, examples, and tie-ins with related concepts.  Microsoft PowerPoint format with additional information in slide notes.  Download and comment via the link – Please leave comments for improvement!

  • Chapter 1 Mini-Modules
    1. Title, Discipline, and Ethics (sections 1.1 and 1.7)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 5 minutes, activity: 10-15 minutes)
        • Understand that title isn’t synonymous with the need or authority to engage in leadership
        • Relate the various leadership titles and the field of project management
        • Describe several aspects of professional discipline and ethics
        • Compare leadership titles and relate ethical challenges each might face (activity)
    2. Leadership Styles (section 1.2)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 10 minutes, activity: 5 minutes)
        • Describe 7 basic leadership styles
        • Recognize the importance of choosing an appropriate style
        • Identify common pitfalls related to appropriate leadership styles
        • Recommend basic leadership styles for basic team scenarios (activity)
    3. Influencing Others (section 1.3)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 5-10 minutes, activity: 5-10 minutes)
        • Describe 5 types of influence
        • Recognize personal preferences and their relationship to influence
        • Decide which type of influence is appropriate / inappropriate for multiple leadership styles (activity)
    4. Basic Motivators (section 1.4)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 5-10 minutes, activity: 5-10 minutes)
        • Describe 6 types of motivators and give examples of each
        • Classify the 6 motivators as extrinsic or intrinsic
        • Relate biases individuals may have towards or against individual motivators
        • Contrast types of motivators and relate individual preferences (activity)
    5. Stakeholders (section 1.6 and chapter 3 section 3.8)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 5 minutes, activity: 15 minutes)
        • Define ‘stakeholder’ in the context of a project effort
        • Identify 3 common groups of project stakeholders
        • Relate the basic structure of a ‘stakeholder register’
        • Describe a technique for identifying which of 4 basic stakeholder management techniques are appropriate
        • Propose a list of stakeholders, analyze them, and propose a management strategy for each (activity)
  • Chapter 2 Mini-Modules
    1. What Makes Work a “Project”? (section 2.1)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 10 minutes, activity: 10 minutes)
        • Define ‘project,’ identifying 2 defining features
        • List 4 project phases and 1 additional element
        • Recognize the interactions between projects/phases and the product lifecycle
        • Propose multiple projects within a single product’s life cycle (activity)
    2. Organizational Culture and Structure (sections 1.5 and 2.2)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 10 minutes, activity: 10 minutes)
        • Define ‘culture’ in the context of a project, team, and organization
        • Recognize contexts that affect and are affected by culture
        • Identify 3 types of organizations in the context of how projects are organized
        • Recognize strengths and weaknesses of each of the 3 organizational types
        • Analyze the cultural norms and organizational structures of multiple industries (activity)
    3. The Basics of Process (section 2.3)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 10 minutes, activity: 15-20 minutes)
        • Recall factors influencing the values and needs of a project, team, or organization
        • List 3 fundamental process models and summarize the strengths and weaknesses of each
        • Recognize varying levels of detail/abstraction in documented processes
        • Analyze a scenario and construct a basic process (activity)
    4. Project Quality (sections 2.4 and 2.7)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 10 minutes, activity: 10-15 minutes)
        • Define ‘quality,’ identifying 4 main aspects/concerns
        • Give examples of elements that are ‘cost of quality’ and ‘cost of poor quality’ in a project
        • Label the project triangle’s 4 components
        • Relate examples of each project triangle component and the relationships between them
        • Relate basic steps for determining a project’s quality objectives
        • Develop scenario-specific quality-related elements of consideration (activity)
    5. Defining Project Outcomes (section 2.5)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 10 minutes, activity: 10-15 minutes)
        • Relate the concept of project goals, including examples of such
        • Relate the concept of project scope statements, including examples of such
        • Relate the concept of project requirements/specifications, including examples of such
        • Describe ‘the layered approach’ to project outcome definition
        • Construct scenario-specific goals, scope statements, and specifications/requirements (activity)
    6. Project Kickoff Meetings and Project Plans (section 2.6)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 5-10 minutes, activity: 10-15 minutes)
        • Identify the primary objectives of a project kickoff meeting
        • List the essential elements of a basic project plan
        • Design a project plan outline (activity)
  • Chapter 3 Mini-Modules
    1. Estimation Techniques (section 3.2)
      • Objectives: Learn the basic steps for planning and prioritizing project work as well as 6 basic estimating techniques (10 minutes)
      • Activity: Which Estimation Technique? (5 minutes)
    2. Estimating Honestly (sections 3.3 and 3.4)
      • Objectives: Demonstrate the basic difficulties that arise when teams allow estimates to become commitments as well as addressing issues with accuracy and precision (10 minutes)
      • Activity: Estimating, Not Committing (5-10 minutes)
    3. Organizing and Sequencing Tasks (section 3.5)
      • Objectives: Learn basic usage of work breakdown structures and precedence diagrams, become familiar with ‘the one-to-two rule’ (10 minutes)
      • Activity: Organizing and Sequencing Tasks (15 minutes)
    4. Tracking and Visualizing Progress (section 3.6)
      • Objectives: Understand basic issues with project tracking, learn how to calculate earned value and basic scheduling/tracking visualization (10 minutes)
      • Activity: Tracking Project Progress (10 minutes, section 3.6)
    5. Risk Management (section 3.7)
      • Objectives: Learn basic project risk identification, analysis, and response strategies (10 minutes)
      • Activity: A Risky Scenario (10 minutes)
  • Chapter 4 Mini-Modules
    1. Team Development Success Factors (sections 4.1, 4.3, and 4.4)
      • Objectives: Introduce basic team development concepts such as success factors, development stages, and basic needs (10 minutes)
      • Activity: Which Stage of Development? (5 minutes)
    2. Team Structure and Roles (section 4.2)
      • Objectives: Learn 4 common team structures and 5 common team member roles (10 minutes)
      • Activity: Team Structures (5 minutes)
    3. Building Team Trust and Commitment (section 4.5 and 4.7)
      • Objectives: Complete an overview of two team needs: building trust and achieving commitment (10 minutes)
      • Activity: Trust and Commitment (5-10 minutes)
    4. Managing Conflict (section 4.6)
      • Objectives: Learn 6 basic conflict-management techniques including positive and negative attributes of each (10-15 minutes)
      • Activity: Conflict Management (10 minutes)
    5. Building Accountability and Focusing on Results (sections 4.8 and 4.9)
      • Objectives: Understand the basic team needs of embracing accountability and focusing on results, and learn/use a basic team accountability tool (10 minutes)
      • Activity: Building a ‘RASCI’ Accountability Matrix (10 minutes)
  • Chapter 5 Mini-Modules
    1. Basic Communication Concepts (sections 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3)
      • Objectives: Complete an overview of communication as it relates to project teams and communication.  Introduces the concept of Hybrid Communication.  Does not replace a communication general-education class (10 minutes)
      • Activity: Detecting Communication Blockers (5 minutes)
    2. Meeting Success (section 5.4)
      • Objectives: Understanding several common meeting issues and how to address them through proper meeting preparation and management disciplines (10 minutes)
      • Activity:  Planning and Holding a Meeting (10-15 minutes)
    3. Ethical Communication (section 5.5)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 5 minutes, activity: 10 minutes)
        • Cover the basic ethical implications in communication
        • Analyze several basic ethics scenarios and potential ramifications (activity)
    4. Metrics and Reports (sections 5.6 and 5.8)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 10 minutes, activity: 5 minutes)
        • Define ‘metrics’ and their 2 main categories
        • Describe multiple factors to consider when communicating metrics or reports
        • Relate 6 basic project metrics
        • Describe 5 project reports
        • Classify project metrics and reports by fulfilled need (activity)
    5. Stakeholder Expectation Management (section 5.7)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 10 minutes, activity: 5 minutes)
        • Define the concept of stakeholder expectation management
        • Identify 2 main types of stakeholders and factors of communication for each
        • Relate several factors that affect stakeholder expectations
        • Assemble a basic communication strategy while considering stakeholder expectations (activity)
  • Chapter 6 Mini-Modules
    1. Common Team Pitfalls (section 6.1)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 15 minutes, activity: 10 minutes)
        • Discuss 8 common team pitfalls, including how to prevent them from occurring
        • Analyze pitfalls in the context of team cultural dynamics (activity)
    2. Process and Product Pitfalls (section 6.2)
      • Learning Objectives (slides: 15 minutes, activity: 10 minutes)
        • Discuss 7 common process and product pitfalls, including how to prevent them from occurring
        • Classify common pitfalls by project phase (activity)
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