Building Diversity Through Group Motivation

SPRING 2020 | PM magazine BUILDING DIVERSITY THROUGH GROUP MOTIVATION

Motivating a team is a challenging task for managers Temidayo Ogundiran leading groups. Motivating functional groups would Deputy Director, Chimes demand that the manager initiate motivation at all stages of the project, which includes project initiation, planning, and execution to monitoring and closure. Operating in a global environment would require organizations to have teams with cross-functional and culturally diverse members. A group would include men and women, people with different ethnic backgrounds, and professionals with different areas of expertise. Increasingly organizations are developing various capabilities from the experience of hiring professionals with different skill sets and in different nationalities. Several other characteristics include education, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status can also be incorporated into the diversity agenda of organizations. Project-based organizations need to have highly motivated employees (Henkel, Marion, & Bourdeau, 2019). Each manager is responsible for knowing the capabilities of team members, to motivate them adequately (Furnham & MacRae, 2017). Since the team is responsible for achieving the organizational objectives, the project manager is responsible for considering techniques for team motivation. Thus, the method for team motivation begins with individual determination and extends to the team level. In project management, team motivation is achieved by employing motivational approaches that help members accomplish functions together as a team. The technique is known as team formation, and the exercises contribute to team cohesion (Furnham & “The compromise culture becomes the team charter and forms the standard culture of the entire project team, it establishes clear expectations regarding acceptable behavior by project team members and all group are expected to conform to the culture. “

MacRae, 2017). For example, Manchester United and Real Madrid are the most successful soccer clubs not only in England and Spain respectively, but also in the entire football (soccer) industry (Traquete, 2010). Both teams have attracted talent from across the world and have a history of exploiting these talents to achieve success both on the field and in the financial market. In environments of great diversity, team members put their best individual contributions in meticulous formations that win matches, not for the individual, but for their respective team. Team Cohesiveness

Knowing the team cohesiveness is the first step for enhancing team effectiveness. A team of diverse professionals requires team formation to get primed to the levels of team motivation. Each team member has a project manager, who can take the capabilities of the team to the next level and enhance the performance of each team member. This is a considerable commitment required by the project manager who is responsible for setting clear goals for each member of the team and to align their knowledge of personal and professional competencies to meet project objectives. The project manager should be adaptive in order to delegate responsibilities for the specific capabilities of each team member. He or she should also know how to leverage those capabilities, so the diverse skills of each member contributes to the project management organizational objectives. The plan for diversity should be well considered, though it is not an excuse for on-boarding professionals without relevant experience. Fostering relationships along the lines of diversity and giving group feedback from the start of their activities also contribute to team effectiveness as well as ensuring the consistent running of the project. It is natural for people to feel good about being rewarded for their efforts. Most project team members are motivated by an opportunity to grow, accomplish, and be appreciated. A good strategy for the project manager is to give the team recognition throughout the life cycle of the project rather than waiting until the project is completed. The continuous provision of reference material on previous accomplishments keeps the groups focused and offers a launchpad for future success driven by past success. The focus helps the group concentrate on their roles and responsibilities while providing reassurance that the organizational goals are attainable. Moreover, frequent review meetings with group members allow the project manager to assess the team’s performance and gives the platform for providing feedback. This also serves as a reference for lessons learned registers drawn from past project accomplishments. According to Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), the lessons learned earlier in the project can be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of motivating the team (PMI, 2017, p.347). The members of the team should trust the project manager, so they can collaborate and provide inputs for various deliverables as required by the team objectives (Abuzid, Abbas 2017). Project management office could also make the importance of the group to the success of the project by using its organizational structure to facilitate the sharing of knowledge among members using various methodologies, tools, and techniques. The group needs to understand the significance of their vital contributions to the success of the project, and that their collective effort is as significant as the individual effort. Through the various meetings to assess the progress and provide a reference, the groups find an interactive platform where they not only share the experience but also brainstorm to provide proactive and robust solutions for the overall outcome. The approach allows the diverse members of an organization to collaborate on wide-ranging goals, even if they may be from different backgrounds and have different competencies, thus making the organization resourceful. Developing an All-inclusive Culture Within organizations, team members spend a lot of time together, and it is critical to develop an all-inclusive culture, which contributes to enhancing performance of the team members. The compromise culture becomes the team charter and forms the standard culture of the entire project team, it establishes clear expectations regarding acceptable behavior by project team members and all group are expected to conform to the culture. Moreover, since employees spend a lot of time in the workplace, the project manager is responsible for making the individuals in the team feel comfortable despite the demanding work environment.

Working conditions should be stress-free, and the work-life balance enhanced, so all team members have a desirable working environment. Increasing productivity is achieved by lowering stress levels and incorporating fun elements in the workplace. In project management offices, teams engage in fun-filled activities ranging from sharing memes to group activities other than work, such as free food at the cafeteria. Happy hour is an opportunity for organizational members to mingle with each other and have fun beyond work and all these activities contribute to the culture of the organization. The goal is to make team members feel at home, even while solving challenge problems, so they feel relaxed and can contribute productively.

“The continuous provision of reference material on previous accomplishments keeps the groups focused and offers a launchpad for future success driven by past success.”

Motivating a team is a challenging task, but helping the group understand how important it is in delivering a strong project that matches the organization objectives sets a foundation for successful project management. Teams will come together, roll up their sleeves and give their best efforts, even if they are from different backgrounds and have different competencies. Remember, diverse group motivation is a necessary factor to consider in project management.

References: Abuzid, H. & Abbas, M. (2017). Impact of Teamwork Effectiveness on OrganizationalPerformance Vis-a-vis role of Organizational Support and Team Leader’s Readiness. Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences. 12. 2229-2237. 10.3923/jeasci.2017.2229.2237.

Furnham, A. & MacRae, I. (2017). Motivation and Performance: A Guide to Motivating a Diverse Workforce. Kogan Page Publishers.

Henkel, T., Marion, J., & Bourdeau, D. (2019). Project Manager Motivation: Job Motivators and Maintenance Factors. Journal of Diversity Management (JDM), 14(1), 1-8.

Project Management Institute (PMI). (2017). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). 6th ed. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute, Inc.

Traquete, M. (2010, November 5). World Football: The 11 Most Successful European Clubs History. Retrieved from https://bleacherreport.com/ articles/510011-world-football-the-11-most successful-european-clubs-in-history#slide9.