Build Project Relationships Intentionally

July 14th, 2004 by Hal

In reading over my last few Project e-Tips I realized I only shared four of the Five Big Ideas Reshaping AEC Project Delivery. I intend to write a paper on it. In the meantime I hope you can make sense and then put these five big ideas to work on your project.

None of the ideas are earth-shattering. The power comes in designing the practices on your projects with all five. Go back and take another look at #s 24 - 27 in the e-Tip Archive.

The Project Reformer's e-Tip of the Week

030: Intentionally Build Relationships on Projects

People on projects often come together as strangers. We can't be learning, collaborating, optimizing the project, or making commitments without a relationship built on trust, respect, appreciation, care for each other, and practices of commitment-making. The faster project team members become friends the sooner the project will be on track for success.

Building relationships is a matter of intentionality and a few simple practices. I see far too many situations where the urgencies of the project or another project get in the way of taking the steps to produce sufficient relationships to meet the challenges of the project. Whether you are a leader or team member see to it that you take time up front to build your team. What does that take? Try these five steps:

Explore each others' personal intentions and ambitions. Projects offer sufficient opportunities to take care of individual needs and desires. We just need to find out what they are. Then bring those intentions into alignment with the promise of the project.
Cultivate practices of commitment-making. At the very first opportunity begin practices of making promises in front of each other. This practice provides a factual basis for making assessments of trust-worthiness and care for the team.
Make it your habit to acknowledge and appreciate team members. Become a mutual admiration society. High performing teams are characterized as environments where people are acknowledged at least once every seven days for the talents, efforts, and contributions each team member brings.
Foster an environment for healthy conflict. Encourage team members to express alternate views. Even in the face of agreement have someone create a different perspective.
Make the project setting a place where people can be their authentic selves without fear of judgement or mockery. Granting each other their legitimacy is the basis for the healthiest of relationships.

Simple practices? Yes. And powerful practices for enriching relationships.

The Project Leaders' Studio™

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One Response to “Build Project Relationships Intentionally”

Rob Newbold Says:
July 22nd, 2004 at 9:07 pm
There is a fantastic little article by a gentleman trying to make the San Francisco 49ers football squad at the www.Chicagosports.com site today. He outlines his three most important points about teambuilding for a football team, but it carries over directly into projects.
Number 1: Accountability - your team is counting on you to get it done.
Number 2: Acceptance - everyone’s different but everyone has a role (special teams, kickers, linebackers, tackles) and a goal to work towards
Number 3: Sacrifices - Helping the team is the main goal and none of us are bigger than the game (project). If you really love what you are doing, you’ll make the sacrifices to build the team and achieve success together. What do you think?

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