People Management
People Management
Roles and Responsibilities
Roles and Responsibilities
Setting an orgnisation chart / roles and responsibility was the first stage of our team formation.
The organisation chart allows a clear communication, delegation and goals.
This is a 'by function' structure to cover the main aspects of the project. Additionally, it is useful in big teams as this shows the overall in-charge(s), partners or external users, the hierachy; who to approach for specific tasks or who to enquire from and how big the team is.
This is useful as it provides us with a sense of responsibility to contribute and take charge of an aspect of the end-product. Allowing more efficiency and effectieness in work distribution.
Setting an orgnisation chart / roles and responsibility was the first stage of our team formation.
The organisation chart allows a clear communication, delegation and goals.
This is a 'by function' structure to cover the main aspects of the project. Additionally, it is useful in big teams as this shows the overall in-charge(s), partners or external users, the hierachy; who to approach for specific tasks or who to enquire from and how big the team is.
This is useful as it provides us with a sense of responsibility to contribute and take charge of an aspect of the end-product. Allowing more efficiency and effectieness in work distribution.
Learning Portfolio
Tools for People Management
Roles and Responsibilities - Delegation and clear understanding
Team Formation - Stage identification and progress
Conflict Management (TKI) - Reduce tension
16Personality - Knowing motivations and values
DISC - Behaviour/ action leading to work style
Roles and Responsibilities
Setting an organisation chart/roles and responsibility was the first stage of our team formation.
The organisation chart allows clear communication, delegation and goals.
A simple organisation chart can be created on google with boxes and lines or simply search for a chart creator. There are many types depending on the size and objective; functional (market or product-based), hierarchy, flat/ horizontal, geographic (location), matrix (cross-overs) and divisional (team-based)... etc.
But, this is a 'by function' structure to cover the main aspects of the project. This is arranged based on the responsibility given. A divisional x functional example is shown below, from our Business Management module. It is useful in big teams as this shows the overall in-charge(s), partners or external users, the hierarchy; whom to approach for specific tasks or whom to enquire from and how big the team is.
This was useful as it provides us with a sense of responsibility to contribute and take charge of an aspect of the end-product. A clear indication of roles will also prevent miscommunication or confusion in regards to work. Hence, allowing members to be more efficient and effective during the work distribution.
Personally, every project that I have embarked on. The first step is establishing an IC and the respective departments/teams. This step kicks off projects more efficiently as teams based on their roles are able to discuss with more focus on the goals and objectives set. Collectively contributions and knowledge are more directed to the strengths of the department rather than the whole team. Without it, time will be wasted as the groups' skills will not be optimised simultaneously. Conclusively, most times the challenge of this would be the balancing of members (>10). Some skills needed or function required might not be a team member's strong suit. This will then require a bit of matrix structuring, to share the load of the task.
Team Formation
credit: ActionCoachUK
A continuation from roles and responsibility, with the members' tasks and overview given. The effectiveness is tested in accordance with the project timeline, more mentioned in time management. This is a guide to progress quickly as a team. Psychologist Bruce Tuckman created Team Formation to help teams use strategies to enhance performance.
A brief rundown of the following is as follows:
Forming: The group gets together, structures and objectives are created.
Storming: Ideas and project are kicked-off, this is when conflicts might occur based on the structure or process (conflict-resolution).
Norming: Based on the conflict, a compromise and solution based on what happened in the Storming stage need to be formed.
Performing: Team is back on track and achieving goals collaboratively.
Adjourning: Wrapping the project up, appreciation your members' achievements and growths as a team.
In about's journey, there is a rundown of approximately every stage took place. The importance of this was to create an environment where members are aware and settled the difference between each other. Allowing any views and ideas to be said before any finalisation are made. This would help in the performing stage in the final phases of this project.
Honestly, for me, this tool only serves as a guide for identifying a stage in which the project is currently in or progressing. But taking into account that most of our groups are self-formed, we would usually not go through a whole lot of storming. My group went on from forming to norming without much resistance, just discussions and clarifications on ideas. This is a tool that is good to know, as it is universally known, in the future, it could be applicable to update or keep tabs on projects' dynamics.
Conflict Management
credit: Clayton, 2018
Mentioned in the Team Formation tool above is the Storming phase. If this were to occur, conflict management is needed to resolve the issue(s) and concern(s). The outcome of the conflict resolution can either worsen or improve; increasing or removing the tension within the team.
As shown in the Journey This is the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument aka TKI. This helps the dynamic of a team. Mutual understanding within the group is important to handle conflict, this factors in how an individual will handle when a situation arises. Additionally, leading a team requires someone to resolve conflict when it occurs. Hence this TKI enables conflict management/ resolution based on understanding. While factoring in how the specific, collaboration, accommodating, competing or avoiding would react to a situation.
Countless of e-quizzes are made online for anyone to do, based on the result you can derive the methods in which you and others handle conflicts. (https://tools.mheducation.ca/college/mcshane4/student/olc/4obm_sa_13.html)
In summary -
These individuals will likely,
Competing: Argue until they get their intended objective, could happen at the expense of others.
Avoiding: They would prefer/choose not to be involved, neither solving nor attending to either side.
Compromising: This is the middle ground, they will try to compromise and establish a partial win for both parties of the situation.
Collaborating: They will try to combine and establish a win-win situation.
Accommodating: They will give in/ satisfy others, often at their own expense.
For this project, in particular, we are all cooperative with an even mix of assertiveness. This made our group's communication smooth sailing. Most discussions are productive and feedbacks given are constructive. We did not use this tool often but it is important to know as discussions and disagreements can also be eased with this. It would be useful to know as this tool can ease tensions and avoid future disagreements.
16Personalities
These are more tools to understand your team. This tool, unlike the TKI, is focused on the member's personality. Understanding ourselves and each other facilitates collaboration.
As a part of the norming phase, personality tests, traits and team dynamic quizzes such as 16personalities, DISC, Thomas Kilmann conflict management tools were used to ensure progress and camaraderie within the team. Applying this into a concept, different personalities are motivated differently. What an individual envision, values or relates to is unique.
The link to the tool is here: https://www.16personalities.com/
Particularly for this tool, we did not refer or discuss our personality types. Majority of us worked together prior to this project. Hence, we did not see the need to use this to understand each other further as mentioned previously, we did not have any major disagreements. We are also a highly independent group that is open to opinions and feedback to and from each other.
DISC
credit: 123test
This tool was taken from our Organisation Behaviour lesson. The DISC quiz is a behaviour theory test that helps determine personality traits. Each predominate trait dictates some characteristic of the individual. This can help the team understand each other's working style, motivations and strengths. Propelling the team to work harmoniously and play by our strengths.
This is the quiz link: https://www.123test.com/disc-personality-test/index.php
Characteristics are shown in the pie chart above, and an example of my results are on the right.
This is especially useful for projects. Based on the results, a rough picture of an individuals behaviour in response to tasks and work can be seen.
Dominance: Results and task-oriented, these individuals value action and can be more firm and direct.
Influence: They are more optimistic, outgoing and enthusiastic, they value collaboration while fulfilling their tasks.
Steadiness: These individuals are more patient and would fall under the accommodating (TKI). Similar to [I], they find joy in collaborating and helping others.
Conscientiousness: Those that fall under [C] are analytical and often more reserved. They value accuracy and stability.
This is another tool that is useful to know, applicable for the present and future. We did not use this often but we took note of it, as seen in our "About". Knowing your personality can help shape motivations and work style. Having a balanced team or individuals that would complement each other can also create a high-performing team. Therefore, being informed and aware of how to adapt to different individuals using these tools are useful.