Imagine the scenario where you are the Coach (forget the time and nationality), and the best football players are on your team: Pelé, Maradona, Platine, Becker, Neymar, Messi, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zidane, among other players.
The perfect team to win the World Cup and become the best team of all time. However, even though you have on your team the best players, there is no cooperation between them ... There are no ball pass when the team has a player in a better position to score. Everyone wants to score the goal, everyone wants to be the main star of the team and win the award for best player in the world.
What do you do as the Coach (project manager) this team for all players to work cooperatively "pass the ball" and play their role in the best way and win the World Cup (deliver the project)? Saving Changes...
Not all football team managers were players before. Yet they know it's the skill and talent that wins matches, and they never try to dominate by stressing their supremacy. Their sole aim is to win matches, and not clash of ego. The main connection of faith should be between the players, whether they like each other or not. As a manager one must understand, and accept the fact that great talent comes with a great ego.
Few noteworthy quotes –
“Football is a great deal like life in that it teaches that work, sacrifice, perseverance, competitive drive, selflessness and respect for authority is the price that each and every one of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile”. - Vince Lombardi
“Football is the most individual team sport. At least, you can experience it that way. In the end it’s each man for himself.” - Boudewijn Zenden
“Football is about controlling that anger, harnessing that aggression into a team effort to achieve perfection!” Remember the Titans (2000) – Coach Boone (Denzel Washington) Saving Changes...
As an Argentine citizen and after because I was born in Argentina I will say: that you forgot one: Alfredo Destefano (hehehehehe). Years ago I have wrote an article for the PMI about the Chicago Bulls situation in the time of Scotty Pipen, Michael Jordan, Denis Rodman. The key in this type of teams (and what is the same in football teams) is to understand this: they could not be a group of friends but they must be a team. In Argentina we say: they are brothes because the Argentine`s national shirt (something like to say they are brothers because the objetive to achieve). The worst thing a coach can do is trying to create a group of friends in that situation. I was tennis coach and I understand what you are talking about.
Sergio, how about Mario Kempes? :)
...
1 reply by Sergio Luis Conte
Aug 04, 2016 11:22 AM
Sergio Luis Conte
...
UAUUUUUU! TOTALLY RIGHT Anupam!. He was considered the best player in the world from 1978 to 1982 and beyond. The problem was that at the same time Johan Cruyff was there and Mario has a low profile and internet did not exists. Thank you very much Anupam
Saving Changes...
Gail RaynorProgram and Project ManagerLas Vegas, Nv, United States
Even though the team is full of star players, each player will have a different composition of strengths. I would take the time to learn the interplay of these strengths and effectively assign roles based on each team member's strengths. Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
When I look at the National Hockey League's All-Star game, I know that these teams have only had a few practices prior to the game. As a result, they play a lot less aggressively than they do back with their home team.
Having people work together well, requires them to spend time with each other so they can learn to trust and depend on each other. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Aug 04, 2016 7:50 AM
Replying to Anupam
...
Sergio, how about Mario Kempes? :)
UAUUUUUU! TOTALLY RIGHT Anupam!. He was considered the best player in the world from 1978 to 1982 and beyond. The problem was that at the same time Johan Cruyff was there and Mario has a low profile and internet did not exists. Thank you very much Anupam Saving Changes...
Scott SaleProgram Manager| KindredLouisville, Ky, United States
There is a lot going on this question and I will try to scale back my usual long response. :)
This question in a pure form is what a project manager should strive to accomplish and that is having team members work independently (the one with the ball) work interdependently (depend on each other) to accomplish the shared vision of the team(win the world cup).
The top 3 items to that PMs should have is leadership, people skills and communication. In this scenario it is imperative to have the people skills to bring the team together communicate the vision of winning (how they are going to win) and leading them to victory. All while making sure the players get the praise and accolades that come with the win or completing the project.
...
1 reply by Stéphane Parent
Aug 04, 2016 1:53 PM
Stéphane Parent
...
I would go so far as to say everyone, PM and team members, should have leadership, people skills and communication.
Soft skills are not the domain of a few.
Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Well Gisele,
talking in PM terms I start to do a stakeholder analysis of the team members, understand their interests, strengths, weaknesses, personality styles (I prefer HUMM over DISC). Then I develop a set of goals which also reflect on their interests, a joint vision, devloped jointly with them. From that a strategy. Then I manage the team building process forming, storming, norming, performing and try to to be servant leader.
They do not need to be friends but mutual trust is essential for teaming.
But I understand that younger people often need some more guidance and reality-grounded self-esteem, so might need stronger guidance, which I could help with mentors, coaches, other specialists on the team. Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Aug 04, 2016 1:48 PM
Replying to Scott Sale
...
There is a lot going on this question and I will try to scale back my usual long response. :)
This question in a pure form is what a project manager should strive to accomplish and that is having team members work independently (the one with the ball) work interdependently (depend on each other) to accomplish the shared vision of the team(win the world cup).
The top 3 items to that PMs should have is leadership, people skills and communication. In this scenario it is imperative to have the people skills to bring the team together communicate the vision of winning (how they are going to win) and leading them to victory. All while making sure the players get the praise and accolades that come with the win or completing the project.
I would go so far as to say everyone, PM and team members, should have leadership, people skills and communication.
Soft skills are not the domain of a few. Saving Changes...
Jose CastilloFirst Year MBA Student| North Carolina State UniversityCaracas, Distrito Capital, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Hi Gisele! What a wonderful question! From my personal experience, I can say that there is no something like a "magic formula" for that, but what I used in the past is to take advantage of each team member strengths to balance other team members weaknesses. No one should be the star since all of them shall be looking for just one goal, which is the project success. However, there are situations were this kind of cooperation is not feasible (specific project characteristics or constrains), and therefore is better to choose changing one of this "stars" to avoid conflicts. In this case, the role of the PMO in the organization is crucial to balance the resources between projects, in order to have a proper balance. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Stéphane, you take a great point. First of all, sorry about I intervene lot of times but it is a topic I have studied a lot mainly from two sports I have the opportunity to play as a professional player (tennis and futbol) and being a coach (tennis). In 1986 the Argetina´s futbol (this is the right way to name what in USA is footbal soccer) was World Champion. The coach, Carlos Salvador Bilardo, because he had no possiblitity to take the team together, traveled a lot from 1982 to 1986 to each location where each player was located (the players were playing outside Argentina). Bilardo explained to each player, in theory and practice, the function, movements and objectives each once have to achieve in the field. But here, a critical an ancient point arrives: you, as the coach, must gain confidence for the team. You, as the coach, must gain respect from the team. An NBA example comes to my mind, perhaps because an Argentine player is there: San Antonio Spurs. I have not enough information to talk about (so I could be wrong) but the team have stars and nobody discuss Mr. Gregg Popovich decisions or way to behave as a team.
...
1 reply by Stéphane Parent
Aug 04, 2016 2:55 PM
Stéphane Parent
...
Most sports fit the typical project team dynamics, where each person must work individually well to have the total sum of their work produce the expected results. This is true of fútbol, hockey, basketball and baseball.
You can be the best scorer in the league but if you do not have someone who can pass you the ball, you won't produce goals. It is the same in a project team.
