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Project Human Resources Management Knowledge

AreaBased on the PMBOK® book

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“Human resources are like natural resources; they're often buried deep. You have to go looking for them, they're not just lying around on the surface. You have to create the circumstances where they show themselves.”

― Ken Robinson

Develop Human Resources Plan

Organizational chart and position descriptions show everyone in your performing organization, right from CEO and downwards. – Hierarchical format - organizational chart and

Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS) are maintained in this format

– Matrix format is usually used to show responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) or RACI

– Text-oriented format is used when long positional descriptions are to be maintained

Human Resource Plan

Three main components are -• Roles and responsibility matrix• Project organizational chart• Staffing management plan

Is an essential plan that must be updated throughout the project as staffing needs, training and development needs change. This plan includes, but not limited to,– RACI matrix (who does which work), – Resource calendars (who is available and when), – Staff ramp up plan (when should people be

brought into team as per competency needs)

Staffing Management Plan

RACI Matrix

Makes sure that there is least one person responsible for every work package. This tells the team who should they go for consultation or approving decisions.

Resource spread shows required skill needs during different phases of the project -

"Management is about skills, Leadership is about skills coupled with character.“

- Patrick Townsend and Joan Gebhardt in Five Star Leadership

Managing Versus Leading

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Managers LeadersManagers look inside the organization, set things right. Make them work impeccable, form goals and drive themselves and their people to achieve these goals.

Leaders look outwards. They articulate vision, direction, a path to tread. They inspire people to march towards this direction, and vision.

Managers typically cannot work in isolation. They need people to work on their plans and achieve the goals.

Leaders can, and often do, think brilliantly when alone. Their motivation, so to speak, comes when they are on their own.

Managers may be risk averse as compared to leaders. They have goals to achieve and work with in boundaries either set by them or the organization, to achieve these.

Leaders are risk takers, game changers. They may be perceived as rebellious as well. They think and act differently.

Managers are passionate about goals.

Leaders are passionate about their vision, direction.

Acquire Project Team

• Pre-assignment: When you are able to get a commitment on required people to come on board when you need them to, you have them pre-assigned to your project.

• Negotiation is required to get the people needed for the project. In a matrix organization project manager may need to negotiate with functional managers or resource manager.

• Acquisition refers to getting people from outside the organization on a consulting basis, or even giving out the work as a sub-contract to another company.

• Virtual teams refers to teams or team members working remotely on the project. This helps get the right talent on team, but can lead to lesser productivity due to lack of personal interaction among members.

Develop Project Team

5 Stages of Team DevelopmentForming - team members get to know about the project, their individual roles and responsibilities, and each other. Storming - members start getting involved with project and discover dependencies on each other. There could be still differences due to lack of understanding and this phase needs to be managed well by the project manager. Norming - in this stage people start understanding each others' working habits and begin to trusting each other.Performing - peak performance period for the team. You can expect smooth working and extra-ordinary results.Adjourning - team members start getting released from the project, and a small team is retained to get through remaining work on the project.

5 Types of Power For a Project Manager

• Legitimate power: When you are made project manager of a project you are given legitimate power to tell your team what they should be working on.

• Reward power: The ability to provide someone with something that the person desires, or provide something that reduces the pains of undesirable experience. Essentially you either increase the comfort or decrease the discomfort.

5 Types of Power For a Project Manager

• Expert power: The power you radiate when you lead by example. This is characterized by the ability to administer information, knowledge or expertise to others.

• Referent power: People want to associate with people who move with powerful, sought-after people.

• Punishment power: Main goal of this power is compliance.

Manage Project Team

Conflict"Without understanding ethics, conflict cannot be handled"

- Bacheldor

Conflict is defined as “a situation in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party”.

Conflict Resolution

1. Withdrawing/Avoiding In this style manager just retreats from the conflict situation (either for short term or permanently). 2. Smoothing/AccommodatingThis style focuses more on areas where there is an agreement between parties, and it tends to highlight benefits in order to help parties accept a resolution.

Conflict Resolution

3. CompromisingThis is to arrive at win-win situation for both the parties while both agree to let go some of their expectations of benefits.4. ForcingThis is more of a win-lose situation where one's views are quashed and verdict is given in other's favor.

Conflict Resolution

5. CollaboratingViewpoints, inputs and reasoning are heard from all parties involved in the conflict, and the conflict is resolved by collaboration and cooperation by them.6. Confronting/Problem SolvingThis is about looking at alternative solutions, assessing their pros and cons and choosing the one that resolves the conflict.

References

• Project Human Resources Management Knowledge Area• Develop Human Resources Plan• Managing Versus Leading• Acquire Project Team• Develop Project Team• Manage Project Team• How to Manage Conflicts• 5 Types of Power to Project Manager• 8 Motivational Theories Project Manager Must Know• 8 Soft-skills That Make a Project Manager

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