Register now or log in to join your professional community.
The situation goes like this, in a big Project, you've noticed that the Project Management Team is not good in delegation. Moreso, being a Unit Manager, you have suggested directions and improvements in the systems and procedures but are usually rejected by them, given that this is multicultural firm, and usually it takes time to build trust.
Work is not a kindergarten where kids are running around, shout and scream or cry if they don’t get their sweets. It is also not the war zone where you get shot when you don’t follow orders. And when the organization is built on a matrix platform (influence rather than use your authority to get things done) than the unit manager needs to provide the PM’s with a reason why things should be done in a certain way. There is only one reason to do so and that is the achievement of the overall goal agreed. If leading employees like PM’s do not or cannot commit and support the overall goals it might be time to discuss if they are the right people for the job. A good unit manager should not face this problem and will know how to consider cultural differences in a multi-cultural environment! This is not stuff I am making up having managed24 different nationalities in matrix organizations myself. Thank you for this great question and scenario Joefil.
A team without trust isn't really a team: it's just a group of individuals, working together, often making disappointing progress. They may not share information, they might battle over rights and responsibilities, and they may not cooperate with one another. It doesn't matter how capable or talented your people are, they may never reach their full potential if trust isn't present. Take the following steps to build trust.
1. Lead by Example-If you want to build trust within your team, then lead by example, and show your people that you trust others.
2. Communicate Openly Open communication is essential for building trust. You need to get everyone on your team talking to one another in an honest, meaningful way, and you can use several strategies to accomplish this. Build team charcter and team building exercise.
3. Know Each Other Personally One way to build trust is to encourage your team members to see their colleagues as people. Think about creating situations that help them share personal stories, and bond. Socialize after work and share values.
4. Don't Place Blame When people work together, honest mistakes and disappointments happen, and it's easy to blame someone who causes these. However, when everyone starts pointing fingers, an unpleasant atmosphere can quickly develop. This lowers morale, undermines trust, and is ultimately unproductive.
5. Discourage Cliques Sometimes, cliques can form within a team, often between team members who share common interests or work tasks. However, these groups can – even inadvertently – make others feel isolated. They can also undermine trust between group members.
6. Discuss Trust Issues If you manage an established team that has trust issues, it's essential to find out how these problems originate, so that you can come up with a strategy for overcoming them.
7. Make them part of the change to ownership and link & associate project success as their personal to achieve objectives.
It's a very hard situation, as it seems trust is not there, and from the functions you've listed, you are operating in a weak matrix work envrionment, which makes the communication even harder. Improving your relationship with those can take months of work (maybe years) to build trust, and get your ideas accepted, and this does not follow a rule, as people are different in building relationships.
PMT is not responsible for low productivity of my unit.
I am ..
so i will persuade my seniors as well.
your Company impression, Quality and workmanship of work mostly depende on the PMT Top Management team basically.
If these roles are not being acting in a proper way the client will suerly have a very bad impression or the brand will not be marketed in the proper maner.
this means eventually the PMT has to be a puppet in the Hands of Client where PMT is not reliable or allowed to take any stern decisions.
The client interference will be so much that the client will loose interest in PMT and hence the Contract.
Better way to tackel is to be straight and open and speak freely, accept your weakness and make it your strength.
Be honest and work hard.
Improving your relationship with those can take months of work (maybe years) to build trust, and get your ideas accepted, and this does not follow a rule, as people are different in building relationships.
