About this Video

• Video Title: Gower Handbook of People in Project Management (Part 1) | Episode 244
• Channel: CorneliusFichtner
• Speakers: Cornelius Fichtner, Lindsay Scott
• Duration: 00:30:31

Introduction

This podcast episode interviews Lindsay Scott, an editor of the Gower Handbook of People in Project Management. The discussion centers on three chapters from the book: International Projects, Cross-cultural Relationships, and Managing People in Virtual Organizations. The episode provides insights and takeaways applicable to project management practices.

Key Takeaways

• International Projects: The episode highlights a framework for managing global projects, emphasizing the importance of trust-building, appropriate project structures, and the selection of collaborative tools. It also stresses the potential for increased innovation in global projects due to access to a wider talent pool.
• Cross-cultural Relationships: The discussion explores the impact of culture on projects, using the iceberg and onion analogies to illustrate visible and hidden cultural aspects (symbols, heroes, rituals). It stresses the need to avoid generalizations and stereotypes while acknowledging cultural dimensions like power distance. The concepts of cross-vergence (the "melting pot") and hybridization are introduced as approaches to integrating diverse management practices.
• Managing People in Virtual Organizations: The episode underscores the importance of a strong project kickoff meeting for virtual teams, even if it's the only face-to-face interaction. The "time and place grid" is presented as a tool for optimizing communication strategies (same time/place, same time/different place, etc.) in virtual projects, encouraging creativity in adapting communication methods.

Lindsay, discussing Jean Binder's chapter on International Projects, explains that the chapter focuses on additional considerations for project managers working on global or international projects compared to those with collocated teams. It distinguishes between traditional, distributed, international, and virtual projects, noting that global and virtual projects often overlap. The chapter explores the trade-offs between global and localized projects, highlighting the potential for increased innovation in global projects due to access to a wider talent pool. A key part is a framework outlining 25 areas for consideration, including trust-building, project structures, and collaborative tools. The need for adaptable project approaches based on the involved countries, considerations for language barriers, conflict management, and building trust in dispersed teams are also addressed. The chapter also includes a checklist to help determine whether or not to pursue a global project.

The transcript indicates that while the chapter mentions the need for collaborative tools and techniques, it doesn't delve into specific branded tools. Instead, it focuses on the concepts and types of tools, such as a content management system for knowledge sharing, to ensure easy access and publishing of project information regardless of location or time zone. The importance of basic, readily available tools is stressed to avoid delaying project progress with extensive technical setup. Audio and video technologies are also mentioned, but again, the emphasis is on simplicity and ease of use.

Lindsay discusses Jean Binder's chapter on cross-cultural relationships, highlighting how the chapter defines culture and its impact on projects. It uses metaphors like icebergs (visible and hidden features) and onions (layers of depth) to illustrate cultural complexities. The visible layers are described through symbols (language, gestures), heroes (influential figures), and rituals (workplace practices, meeting behaviors). The chapter emphasizes avoiding generalizations and stereotypes, pointing out cultural dimensions like "power distance" (how individuals handle inequality and participate in decision-making). It introduces concepts like cross-vergence (the "melting pot" of merging practices) and hybridization (selectively incorporating successful practices from different cultures). The overall takeaway is to understand and respect cultural differences while maintaining project leadership and success. The importance of team exercises to foster cohesion is mentioned, balancing the need for cultural sensitivity with the project manager's responsibility to lead effectively.

Chapter 12, "Managing People in Virtual Project Organizations," focuses on the practicalities of managing projects where team members are geographically dispersed, not necessarily across international borders. Author Penny Pullen provides insights into managing virtual teams and meetings. Examples of virtual project teams include those within a single company but with multiple sites and those involving collaboration across different organizations. The chapter stresses the importance of a face-to-face kickoff meeting to build team spirit and trust. Regarding virtual meetings, the "time and place grid" is introduced – a framework categorizing meeting types: same time/same place (traditional), same time/different place (teleconferences), different time/same place (shared workspaces), and different time/different place (asynchronous communication like emails, forums, blogs). The chapter advocates for creative use of these different communication methods to suit the project's needs and the team's geographical distribution.