Enterprising Project Management and Team Work

Ali RileyEnterprise Learning Development Officer

University of Sheffield Enterprise

www.sheffield.ac.uk/enterprise

TASK – what is the point?

• I am going to be giving you a team challenge to complete.

• You will need to UNDERSTAND the task first• Consider your role within the team – what are

you best at?• The task has a time limit – how are you going

to tackle the task so you get it done on time?• How will you tackle any disagreements?

Deadline 30 minutes!• Teams of 5/6• In your teams, you will each have a brief (if your team has 6

people, two people will have brief 5). You cannot show anyone what is on your brief but you can share the information verbally.

• Your briefs explain the task you are faced with as a team.• You have enough tokens to complete the task• The only thing I will tell you is that you have a deadline of 30

minutes…Starting now!!!!

Reflection• Did you complete the task correctly?• Did you get going straight away?• Did you have a clear leader?• Were tasks divided up/delegated?• Was there any conflict in your team? If so,

how did you resolve it?

Is group work enterprising?

• Entrepreneurs and successful people rarely work completely alone

• Those who are successful at working within an organisation and drive it forward will inevitably have to work within a group.

• If you enter employment there will be many occasions when you have to work as a team.

What makes a good team?

• Roles?• Leaders/Followers?• Motivators/critical thinkers?• Dividing tasks?• Clear plan?• Buy-in?

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Six Thinking Hats (De Bono)

Information

Process controlCreativity and

explorationPositive thinking,

benefits

Feelings, emotions, intuition

Caution and critical judgment

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Six Thinking Hats (De Bono)

PurposesI.To simplify thinking by allowing a thinker to deal with one thing at a time.II.To allow a switch in thinking (if a person is persistently negative, he/she can be asked to take off “the black thinking hat” and switch to another colour).

BenefitsI.Helps looking at important decisions from a number of different perspectives.II.Helps making better decisions by pushing people to move outside of their habitual ways of thinking.III.Helps understanding the full complexity of a decision and spot issues and opportunities.

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How to use the Six Thinking Hats

When solving a problem or making a decision, everyone must wear the same colour hat at thesame time

Example: The directors of a property company are looking at whether they should construct a new office building. The economy is going well and the amount of vacant office space is reducing sharply.

During a planning meeting they decide to use the Six Thinking Hats.

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How to use the Six Thinking HatsThey analyse data. They examine the trend in vacant office space and it shows a sharp reduction. They anticipate a severe shortage of office space by the time the office block was completed. Current government projections show steady economic growth for at least the construction period.

Some of the directors think the proposed building looks quite ugly. While it would be highly cost-effective, they worry that people would not like to work in it.

They worry that government projections may be wrong. The economy may be about to enter a 'cyclical downturn', in which case, the office building may be empty for a long time. If the building is not attractive, then companies will choose to work in another better-looking building at the same rent.

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How to use the Six Thinking HatsBut if the economy holds up and the projections are correct, the company stands to make a great deal of money. If they are lucky, maybe they could sell the building before the next downturn, or rent to tenants on long-term leases that will last through any recession.

They consider whether they should change the design to make the building more pleasant. Perhaps they could build prestige offices that people would want to rent in any economic climate. Alternatively, maybe they should invest the money in the short term to buy up property at a low cost when a recession comes.

Has been used by the meeting's Chair to move between the different thinking styles. He or she may have needed to keep other members of the team from switching styles, or from criticizing other peoples' points.

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Team roles

The Shaper: self-elected task leader, lots of energy

The Plant : creative, imaginative and unorthodox

The Coordinator: natural chairman, confident and calm

The Resource Investigator: the fixer with wealth of

contacts

The Monitor Evaluators: logical eye, deep analyst

The Team-Worker: counsellor or conciliator

The Implementer: practical, efficient, conservative

The Completer-Finisher: makes sure things get finished

The Specialist: source of technical knowledgeDr. Meredith Belbin (1981)

Project management process• Agree precise specification for the project - 'Terms of Reference'• Plan the project - time, team, activities, resources, financials - using

suitable project management tools.• Communicate the project plan to your project team - and to any other

interested people and groups.• Agree and delegate project actions.• Manage and motivate - inform, encourage, enable the project team.• Check, measure, monitor, review project progress - adjust project plans,

and inform the project team and others. • Complete project - review and report on project performance; give praise

and thanks to the project team.• Project follow-up - train, support, measure and report results and

benefits.

Project management tools

• Brainstorming• Gantt charts• Critical path analysis flow diagrams• Budget spreadsheets• Setting milestones• Quality checks• Contingency plans

CPA example

Gantt chart example

USE

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VyWJ4l8hxY&feature=player_embedded

www.shef.ac.uk/enterprise

Thank you very much!

Ali Rileya.h.riley@sheffield.ac.uk