{"id":491,"date":"2022-07-13T14:56:17","date_gmt":"2022-07-13T14:56:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/?p=491"},"modified":"2026-03-17T07:19:50","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T07:19:50","slug":"team-building-in-project-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/team-building-in-project-management\/","title":{"rendered":"What You Need to Know About Building a Team in Project Management"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>While the term <em>team building <\/em>is often used to refer to intra-company activities that extend beyond the confines of work \u2014 such as partying, sporting activities, or engaging in competitive mini-games like Tug of War, quizzes, etc. \u2014 that\u2019s not the real definition of the term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The folks at Berkley <a href=\"https:\/\/hr.berkeley.edu\/hr-network\/central-guide-managing-hr\/managing-hr\/interaction\/team-building\/introduction\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">define team building<\/a> as \u201c<em>an ongoing process that helps a work group evolve into a cohesive unit<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The goal is to create a team where \u201c<em>team members not only share expectations for accomplishing group tasks, but trust and support one another and respect one another\u2019s individual differences.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This definition stays the same within the context of project management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The team building process in project management is everything that\u2019s done in pursuit of increasing cohesion and collaborative productivity within the project\u2019s team<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To shed more light on the matter of team building in project management, in this blog post, we\u2019ll explain:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Why team building is important in project management,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The barriers to project team development,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How teams develop, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How to foster better project management teamwork via team building.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Team-building-in-project-management-cover-1.png\" alt=\"Team building in project management - cover\" class=\"wp-image-10432\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Team-building-in-project-management-cover-1.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Team-building-in-project-management-cover-1-600x300.png 600w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Team-building-in-project-management-cover-1-1110x555.png 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Team-building-in-project-management-cover-1-768x384.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Team-building-in-project-management-cover-1-18x9.png 18w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Team-building-in-project-management-cover-1-120x60.png 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 id=\"why-team-building-is-important-in-project-management\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why team building is important in project management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Projects \u2014 especially large-scale ones \u2014 often demand that employees from different departments band together to form the project team.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While these employees likely already have a good rapport with peers within their respective teams and departments, the project team is different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s like when, after building strong friendships with your classmates in high school, you are suddenly thrust into a university. Chances are that you\u2019ll find no familiar faces among your new peers \u2014 but you\u2019ll have to form new relationships with them regardless of this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In such cases, friendships and rapport don\u2019t form overnight \u2014 things tend to be awkward at first, as everyone tries to get a feel for who they\u2019ll get along with. Project team members find themselves in a similar situation, but they don\u2019t have nearly as much time to form functional relationships as students do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is why actively facilitating team building is important in project management \u2014 <strong>the project team needs to be cohesive and productive if the project is to stand a chance at success<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As further stated in the Berkley definition of team building, \u201c<em>your role as a team builder is to lead your team toward cohesiveness and productivity<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>\ud83d\udca1 <strong>Plaky Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Successful social integration should start as soon as the new member joins the team \u2014 that\u2019s why employee onboarding plays an important role in building a cohesive team. More on the topic at the link below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/employee-onboarding-process-steps\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Employee Onboarding Process: A Complete Guide with Examples<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-teams-develop-and-what-this-means-for-successful-team-building\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How teams develop (and what this means for successful team building)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s unrealistic to expect that the project team will mesh well immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To set the right expectations, project managers should look at Tuckman\u2019s teamwork theory which states that team development happens in 5 stages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Forming,&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Storming,&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Norming,&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Performing, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adjourning.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Funnily enough, these stages of teamwork can be seen in most superhero ensemble movies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why, once we\u2019ve explained the theoretical basis for each stage, we\u2019ll point to where you can find this in the forming of the Avengers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"the-5-stages-of-team-development-as-explained-through-marvels-the-avengers\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The 5 stages of team development as explained through Marvel\u2019<em>s \u201cThe Avengers<\/em>\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c<em>The Avengers<\/em>\u201d \u2014 the 2012 Superhero blockbuster that forever changed the landscape of cinema \u2014 shows us exactly what we should expect when forming a project team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"stage-1-the-forming-stage\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stage 1: The forming stage<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In the forming stage, the team is assembled, but there\u2019s no camaraderie<\/strong> \u2014 to one another, the team members are still strangers so they remain formal and restrained in communication.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You could say that avoiding conflict is the name of the game in the forming stage, so most people tend to remove their emotions from the equation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example: <\/strong>The forming stage is when Nick Fury calls in the Avengers. They shake hands and chit-chat, sizing each other up. At this point, they\u2019re still staying civil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"stage-2-the-storming-stage\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stage 2: The storming stage<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Team members start communicating with less restraint and more emotion in the storming stage<\/strong>, most commonly in hostile and argumentative ways.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is because they still don\u2019t see themselves as <em>team <\/em>members at this point \u2014 they are but individuals working separately on the same project.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It doesn\u2019t help that they probably don\u2019t agree on how the job should be done.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example: <\/strong>In the storming stage, the Avengers bicker and fight. This is most pronounced in the relationship between Captain America and Iron Man, both of who wish to assert their methodology as the <em>team<\/em> methodology and thereby take the role of team leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"stage-3-the-norming-stage\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stage 3: The norming stage<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The norming stage is where we finally see the individuals start to form a team<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the conflicts and clashes behind them, they are ready to focus on the objective and understand that they can get the job done if everyone plays into their strengths. At this stage, they may even brainstorm some <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/team-names-for-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">unique team names<\/a> to match their group energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example: <\/strong>Eventually, the Avengers get their act together in the norming stage. The iconic scene where the camera circles around the full team in battle attire is the textbook example of norming. With leadership issues resolved, everyone is ready to follow the Captain\u2019s orders. He tells each team member what to do (and knows how to put everyone\u2019s skill set to good use), ending with the instruction for Hulk to \u201c<em>Smash<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"stage-4-the-performing-stage\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stage 4: The performing stage<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The performing stage is where team cohesion and effectiveness get dialed to 11<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, not all project teams reach the performing stage. In truth, you can get the job done with norming.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, performing is a step beyond that, when everyone is zoned in on the objective and openly communicating in search of creative solutions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, the performing stage is characterized by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Trust,&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Honesty, and&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Respect firmly established among team members.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example: <\/strong>The performing stage is reached when the heroes not only work towards the same goal but display striking cohesion. Through constant communication, they begin darting around the battlefield and synergizing their efforts \u2014 Captain America reflects Iron Man\u2019s energy beam at the enemies with his shield, Thor hammers the <em>nail<\/em> that Hulk previously rammed into the enemy vehicle, etc.&nbsp;These actions weren\u2019t part of the plan explicitly \u2014 but the team was able to pull them off through communication, trust, and respect for each other\u2019s strengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"stage-5-the-adjourning-stage\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stage 5: The adjourning stage<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Finally, there is the adjourning stage, where the team celebrates a job well done<\/strong> with a palpable hint of sadness that their time together as a team has come to an end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example: <\/strong>Finally, when the job is done, the Avengers eat shawarma to celebrate \u2014 and then go their separate ways. These departure scenes show the mutual respect that has formed among the Avengers as they\u2019ve gone full circle from a group of individuals to a performing team whose time has come to an end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"container plaky-gradient-default pt-5 ps-lg-5 z-0 mb-5 pb-lg-4 pr-0\" >\n    <div class=\"d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-between gap-1 gap-lg-5\">\n        <div class=\"banner-text text-center text-lg-start text-white\">\n            <span class=\"translation-block lh-1 fs-16 text-white\">\n                Free project management software            <\/span>\n            <p class=\"translation-block mw-300 fs-12 mb-2\">Bring your project teams together and help them stay on the same page with Plaky by CAKE.com.<\/p>\n            <div class=\"cta-btns pt-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start gap-4 mb-4 mb-lg-0\">\n                <a aria-label=\"Sign up\" href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" class=\"btn rounded py-1 px-2 fs-12 btn-light\">\n                    Sign up                <\/a>\n                                <a aria-label=\"Learn more\" class=\"text-white px-2 fs-12\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\">\n                    Learn more                <\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/default@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Plaky logo\" media=\"(min-width: 998px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-350 img-fluid px-lg-0\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/default.png\" alt=\"Plaky screenshot\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    \n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"the-barriers-to-project-team-development\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The barriers to project team development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Standing in the way of project team development are several barriers, all of which inadvertently inhibit team building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>David L. Wilemon and Hans J. Thamhain have identified <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pmi.org\/learning\/library\/team-building-development-project-management-5707\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">11 major barriers to project team development<\/a>, but many of these barriers feature extensive overlap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, instead of presenting these 11 barriers separately, we\u2019ve used their commonalities to arrive at 4 overarching obstacles to team development:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Undefined or inept leadership,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Senior management meddling,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Poor communication, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lack of commitment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"barrier-1-undefined-or-inept-leadership\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Barrier #1: Undefined or inept leadership<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether or not they\u2019re formally referred to as a project manager, the fact of the matter is that every project requires a leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The project manager\u2019s role includes project planning and execution \u2014 but, they are also involved in facilitating team building within the project team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, <strong>it\u2019s not uncommon for projects to not have clearly defined leadership<\/strong>. This can have any number of undesired consequences, including but not limited to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Mass confusion<\/strong> \u2014 where team members aren\u2019t aware of the project objectives or the extent of their responsibilities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Competition over team leadership<\/strong> \u2014 as different team members seek to fill in this power vacuum (often to serve personal interests).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Role conflict<\/strong> \u2014 which is likely to occur in environments where a project team is so ill-defined, it doesn\u2019t even have a leader. Alternatively, we have cases where a project manager is defined, but where their credibility as a leader is called into question. This can occur because team members see the PM isn\u2019t adept at all required <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/project-management-skills\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project management skills<\/a>, or because someone in higher management (whom the project team members respect and turn to) doesn\u2019t think highly of the PM\u2019s skills.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Whatever the case may be, it\u2019s unlikely that teams suffering from any of the issues outlined above can come together to form a cohesive and productive unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"barrier-2-senior-management-meddling\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Barrier #2: Senior management meddling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ve already seen bits of senior management meddling in the previous example \u2014 but those were more indirect compared to what we\u2019re about to talk about here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, it\u2019s not uncommon for senior management to alter the <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/project-environment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project environment<\/a> in disruptive ways. This often manifests as <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/scope-creep-in-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">scope creep<\/a> \u2014 i.e. increasing the project requirements beyond what was originally agreed upon \u2014 but, it can also come in the form of altering the <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/project-timeline\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project timeline<\/a> or budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More importantly, it\u2019s often senior management that\u2019s responsible for selecting the team personnel. Now, instead of hand-picking the best people for the job, the criteria management uses generally revolves around assigning available personnel. This results in both a lack of motivation and a lack of commitment to the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a correlation between effective project team building and the influence the project manager has over the choice of team members. Stripping them of this influence inevitably puts a hamper on project team building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, you may think that limiting the role and influence of higher management would somehow be the answer to overcoming all project team building barriers \u2014 but this isn\u2019t the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is because <strong>the<\/strong> <strong>lack of senior management support is also stated to be a huge barrier to project team development<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Namely, when senior management takes a detached stance toward a project, the project team members are likely to mirror this stance and completely drop their enthusiasm. This leaves the project without the commitment from either management or the members actively working on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"barrier-3-poor-communication\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Barrier #3: Poor communication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A lot of obstacles that stand in the way of project team building stem from poor communication<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This includes both:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Communication among team members, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Communication between the project manager and the project team.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Most frequently, these problems take the form of team members not being kept in the loop about key project developments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Poor communication between the project manager and the client or senior management can also exacerbate the situation, but within the team, this registers as poor communication between the team and the project manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"container plaky-gradient-bundle pt-5 ps-lg-5 z-0 mb-5  \" >\n    <div class=\"d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-between gap-1 gap-lg-5\">\n        <div class=\"banner-text text-center text-lg-start text-white\">\n            <span class=\"translation-block lh-1 fs-16 text-white\">\n                Looking for a better communication solution?            <\/span>\n            <p class=\"translation-block mw-300 fs-12 mb-2\"><em> Aside from Pumble, a business messaging app, with CAKE.com Bundle, you'll get Clockify, a time tracker, and Plaky by CAKE.com, an easy-to-use PM tool. <\/em><\/p>\n            <div class=\"cta-btns pt-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start gap-4 mb-4 mb-lg-0\">\n                <a aria-label=\"Sign up\" href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/try\" class=\"btn rounded py-1 px-2 fs-12 btn-light\">\n                    Sign up                <\/a>\n                                <a aria-label=\"Learn more\" class=\"text-white px-2 fs-12\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/bundle\">\n                    Learn more                <\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/bundle@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Plaky logo\" media=\"(min-width: 998px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-350 img-fluid \" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/bundle.png\" alt=\"Plaky screenshot\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    \n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"barrier-4-lack-of-commitment-stemming-from-internal-factors\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Barrier #4: Lack of commitment stemming from internal factors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Since there\u2019s a lot of overlap in the barriers to project team development, we\u2019ve already covered several causes that result in a lack of commitment to projects, just to name a few:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lack of senior management support,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Questionable credibility of the project manager,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The management-oriented team selection process, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lack of clear project objectives.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These are all external factors that can hamper team members\u2019 commitment to the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the authors who identified the 11 barriers made it clear that this <strong>lack of commitment can stem from internal factors as well<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They state that team members have varying professional objectives and interests, which makes some reluctant to put the needs of the project first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Likewise, some people just aren\u2019t suited to project work. As they put it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201c<em>Some [team members] can\u2019t stand the ambiguous, fluid nature of projects while others simply rather work alone or within a small group of colleagues they\u2019ve developed close working relationships with over a period of years<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<cite>\u2014 David L. Wilemon and Hans J. Thamhain<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The best way to overcome this barrier is through meticulous project team recruitment. Project team members should not only be capable, but also ready to accept the PM\u2019s project vision and thrive in project environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But we\u2019re getting ahead of ourselves here \u2014 as tips for overcoming barriers and facilitating project team building are covered in the next section of this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-to-foster-better-project-management-teamwork-via-team-building\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to foster better project management teamwork via team building<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that we know what project team building is, why it\u2019s important, what barriers stand in its way, and what we can expect team development to look like, it\u2019s time to offer some concrete tips on how to facilitate team building in project management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are our 6 tips for project team building:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Handpick the project team,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Be transparent,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create a WBS with the team,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Celebrate achievements,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/best-project-management-tools-for-small-teams\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Use project management tools<\/a>, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Always communicate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s look at the details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"tip-1-handpick-the-project-team\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tip #1: Handpick the project team<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We know that project managers aren\u2019t always in a position to choose who they want working on their team \u2014 but they should try their utmost to influence this decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Building trust goes a long way, but <strong>for the team to reach the performing stage of team development, you need motivation, commitment, and competence<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When management assigns who gets to be on the team, you\u2019re more likely to end up with team members who don\u2019t carry their weight because they\u2019re:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Unmotivated (they didn\u2019t choose to be here),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Uncommitted (they don\u2019t care about the project or don\u2019t think it important), or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Incompetent (they were selected based on availability rather than merit).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s like if, in a heist movie, the client hired the mastermind, but didn\u2019t let the mastermind choose the other crew members (hacker, driver, safecracker, brute, etc.) Instead, the hacker is the client&#8217;s son because they\u2019re \u201c<em>always playing on their computers<\/em>\u201d while the brute is their second cousin who recently started doing push-ups so \u201c<em>surely they can intimidate someone if need be<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Conversely, when the project manager picks the team, they know what skills they need \u2014 so they\u2019re more likely to pick the right person.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Feeling valued, the team members accept (or decline) the invitation of their own accord, making them motivated and committed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In cases where you can\u2019t handpick team members, try to sell them on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Why the project is important,&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why they\u2019re important for the project, and&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What their rewards might be.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"449\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/User-roles-in-Plaky.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6352\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/User-roles-in-Plaky.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/User-roles-in-Plaky-300x112.png 300w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/User-roles-in-Plaky-1024x383.png 1024w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/User-roles-in-Plaky-768x287.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/User-roles-in-Plaky-18x7.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Inviting users in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 id=\"tip-2-be-transparent\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tip #2: Be transparent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The goal of team building in project management is to have the team reach a high level of cohesiveness and productivity \u2014 i.e. the performing stage of team development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned, this stage is characterized by communication, honesty, trust, and respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore, the project manager needs to foster these values if they expect the team to adopt them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This means being transparent \u2014 <strong>you should assign well-defined roles and responsibilities and keep everyone in the loop<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Team members should know how the project is progressing and how their job affects the other cogs in the machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"container plaky-gradient-landing-1 pt-5 ps-lg-5 z-0 mb-5  \" >\n    <div class=\"d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-between gap-1 gap-lg-5\">\n        <div class=\"banner-text text-center text-lg-start text-white\">\n            <span class=\"translation-block lh-1 fs-16 text-white\">\n                Free project management software            <\/span>\n            <p class=\"translation-block mw-300 fs-12 mb-2\">Improve transparency and collaboration within your project teams with Plaky by CAKE.com.<\/p>\n            <div class=\"cta-btns pt-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start gap-4 mb-4 mb-lg-0\">\n                <a aria-label=\"Sign up\" href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" class=\"btn rounded py-1 px-2 fs-12 btn-light\">\n                    Sign up                <\/a>\n                                <a aria-label=\"Learn more\" class=\"text-white px-2 fs-12\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\">\n                    Learn more                <\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-1@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Plaky logo\" media=\"(min-width: 998px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-350 img-fluid \" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-1.png\" alt=\"Plaky screenshot\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    \n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"tip-3-create-a-wbs-with-the-team\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tip #3: Create a WBS with the team<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Counted among the most important documents in a project is <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/work-breakdown-structure-in-project-management\/\">the work breakdown structure (WBS)<\/a>, which outlines all tasks within a project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The WBS can then be used to calculate the <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/project-deadline\/\">project deadline<\/a> and create the task schedule using algorithms such as <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/critical-path-method\/\">the Critical Path Method (CPM)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While it\u2019s not uncommon for the project manager to do this themselves, getting the team involved in the creation of the WBS and the project schedule can boost motivation and commitment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, this leads to more accurate schedules, as team members responsible for a job are most likely to accurately predict how long their tasks will take to complete.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re using CPM \u2014 an algorithm that relies exclusively on task duration to create the project schedule \u2014 this kind of expert input is invaluable.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Example-of-a-Work-Breakdown-Structure.png\" alt=\"Example of a Work Breakdown Structure\" class=\"wp-image-495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Example-of-a-Work-Breakdown-Structure.png 700w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Example-of-a-Work-Breakdown-Structure-300x171.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Example of a Work Breakdown Structure<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 id=\"tip-4-celebrate-achievements\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tip #4: Celebrate achievements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The adjourning stage isn\u2019t the only time when the team should actively celebrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The reason most people associate team building with parties is because parties are effective catalysts for building team cohesion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our advice is to define <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/project-milestones\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project milestones<\/a> \u2014 i.e. critical tasks, key objectives, or different project stages \u2014 and use them to maintain motivation within a team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Defining milestones helps teams celebrate their accomplishments without losing sight of the end goal<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the actual celebrations provide team members with bonding opportunities that transcend what\u2019s possible while merely doing their day-to-day activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, you can encourage celebrations that aren\u2019t necessarily tied to the project, like birthdays. Every celebration is a chance to strengthen interpersonal relationships among <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/project-roles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project team members<\/a>. Provided the team is receptive to this idea, non-project-related celebrations can also be helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"tip-5-use-project-management-tools\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tip #5: Use project management tools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It may seem like project managers need to be heavily involved in facilitating team building \u2014 but much of this can be streamlined simply by using the right project management tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, teams that use <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/project-management-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">modern project management software<\/a> like <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plaky<\/a> by <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CAKE.com<\/a> can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Centralize all of their project communication on one platform,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep task-related communication organized by commenting within appropriate task cards,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide insight into all project tasks and their progress, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Transparently show who\u2019s working on which task.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>By streamlining <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/what-is-task-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">task management<\/a> and communication in this way, the project manager has more time and energy to focus on guiding their team through the 5 stages of development<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1246\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Team-communication-in-Plaky-min.png\" alt=\"Team communication in Plaky\" class=\"wp-image-6319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Team-communication-in-Plaky-min.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Team-communication-in-Plaky-min-289x300.png 289w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Team-communication-in-Plaky-min-986x1024.png 986w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Team-communication-in-Plaky-min-768x797.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Team-communication-in-Plaky-min-12x12.png 12w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Team communication in Plaky<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udca1 Plaky Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Different projects require different tools. To make sure your team is always equipped for the project, check out these lists:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/creative-project-management-software\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">9 Best Creative Project Management Software for Designers<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/project-management-software-for-video-production\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">7 Best Project Management Software for Video Production<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/interior-design-project-management-software\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">5 Best Interior Design Project Management Software<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"tip-6-always-communicate\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tip #6: Always communicate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Communication is, in some ways, tied to all previous team building tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, it merits being highlighted separately since <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/communication-in-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">communication accounts for 90% of what project managers do<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the reasons the storming stage lasted so long in \u201c<em>The Avengers<\/em>\u201d<em> <\/em>is because higher management assembled a team without clearly defined roles or establishing leadership \u2014 both clear barriers to team development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But in project management, project managers occupy the role of leaders from the get-go. They can then resolve most \u2014 if not all \u2014 team development barriers by communicating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For a more detailed guide on how to facilitate effective communication in project management, follow the link at the beginning of this tip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"conclusion-team-building-efforts-must-be-made-to-reach-the-performing-stage-of-development\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion: Team building efforts must be made to reach the performing stage of development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In a time-limited environment that characterized most projects, working to turn the project team from a group of individuals into a cohesive and productive unit is essential for increasing the chances for project success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By following the tips outlined in this blog post, you can kickstart your team building efforts by avoiding some of the common barriers to team development and nudging the team towards the norming and performing stages of development \u2014 i.e. the stages when teams and projects thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"container plaky-gradient-landing-4 pt-5 ps-lg-5 z-0 mb-5  \" >\n    <div class=\"d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-between gap-1 gap-lg-5\">\n        <div class=\"banner-text text-center text-lg-start text-white\">\n            <span class=\"translation-block lh-1 fs-16 text-white\">\n                Free project management software            <\/span>\n            <p class=\"translation-block mw-300 fs-12 mb-2\">Track your progress and achieve better project results with Plaky by CAKE.com.<\/p>\n            <div class=\"cta-btns pt-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start gap-4 mb-4 mb-lg-0\">\n                <a aria-label=\"Sign up\" href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" class=\"btn rounded py-1 px-2 fs-12 btn-light\">\n                    Sign up                <\/a>\n                                <a aria-label=\"Download\" class=\"text-white px-2 fs-12\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/apps\">\n                    Download                <\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-4@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Plaky logo\" media=\"(min-width: 998px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-350 img-fluid \" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-4.png\" alt=\"Plaky screenshot\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Without team building, project teams can\u2019t maximize productivity. Facilitate project management team building with these tips.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":10432,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-project-management"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=491"}],"version-history":[{"count":35,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/491\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16983,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/491\/revisions\/16983"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10432"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}