Project Management Leadership: Building Creative Teams, 2nd Edition

Chapter 16

Team-Building Techniques

Learning Outcomes

After reading this chapter you should be able to:

• Understand how team-building techniques can be used to accelerate the team-building process.
• Understand the four levels of team building.
• Understand that outdoor team-building activities can be used to develop interpersonal relationships and team roles.

Team-building techniques offer the project leader a dynamic process to improve the project team’s performance. Bringing a number of people together to perform a task does not necessarily mean they will work together effectively as a team even if they have all the necessary complementary skills, a balance of personalities and share a common goal. To be successful a team also needs effective leadership (to give direction), and effective team building to enable them to work together as a team. It is, therefore, essential that the project leader understands the characteristics and features of project teams to be able to lead the team effectively.

1. What is Team Building?

The PMBOK defines Team Building as: Activities designed to improve interpersonal relationships and increase team cohesiveness. It is also important to encourage information communication and activities because of their role in building trust and establishing good working relationships.’

In the late 80s and 90s, ‘team building’ was recognized by many companies as an important factor in providing a quality service and achieving competitive advantage. Yet ...