From Surviving to Thriving: The Art of Navigating Project Team Dynamics Amidst Change

Amanda Peceli, 21 August 2024

How did that saying go again?

Behind every great software there is a great project team! Right?

As a development consultant, facilitating positive team dynamics is just as much of my concern as building the software itself. Working as part of multi-disciplinary project teams made me realize they are a lot like small, unique ecosystems. Just as ecosystems consist of living organisms interacting with their environment, project teams are groups of people working together towards a common goal under the same set of circumstances.

The dynamics within a project team often mirror those natural processes of balance, adaptation, and evolution observed in ecosystems.

The Formation Phase: Building a Balanced Ecosystem

In the early phase of a project, much like during the formation of an ecosystem, the primary task is to identify the “elements” within the team and establish a balanced way of cooperation. During this stage, the team members work towards finding a stable equilibrium where collaboration becomes smooth and uninterrupted. This involves:

Discovering interpersonal relations and ways of workingtogether.
Assessing expectations and external factors such as industry dynamics or global-scale influences.

The Homeostasis Phase: Achieving Harmony

Once initial difficulties are overcome, the ecosystem enters a state of homeostasis. In this phase, the project team experiences smooth collaboration, elevated team spirit, and successful output. However, this harmony is not the end goal but a foundation for further growth.

The Adaptation Phase: Responding to Change

To maintain a healthy and prosperous climate, project teams must remain responsive to internal and external changes. This phase of adaptation is crucial and determines whether the team can transform challenges into opportunities.

Thriving instead of Surviving: A Proactive Approach

Resiliency is vital for survival, but thriving requires more. Teams that view change as an opportunity rather than a threat are more likely to evolve and succeed. This proactive mindset helps teams move beyond mere survival to achieve greater success.

A Case Study: Navigating Team Dynamics Amidst Major Changes

Project teams often encounter periods of significant change that can easily result in loss of stability and effectiveness. In our study, we suppose that a project team is challenged with the below set of changes to observe how they manage disrupted team dynamics and the period of intensive transformation that follows.

Team Composition Changes: A key team member who holds a central role discontinues the project, leaving behind a gap in both guidance and expertise – qualities in short supply as the team recently had an addition of new members
Structural Adjustments: The team undergoes structural changes, merging previously separate groups with different working styles and rhythms into a single cohesive unit.
Re-assignment and New Priorities: The team is re-assigned to work under new leadership, bringing different priorities and expectations that require adjustment.
Industry-Wide Shifts: External economic impacts introduce uncertainty and pave the way for further difficulties in maintaining team cohesion.

These combined factors lead to several challenges:

Meeting Deadlines: The team initially struggles to maintain their previous pace and efficiency, leading to missed deadlines and a need to reestablish their workflow.
Structured Way of Working: Structural changes and leadership transition disrupt the team’s established processes, generating a temporary lack of clarity and organization.
Lower Output: The disruption in leadership and workflow, coupled with changes in team composition, result in a noticeable decline in productivity.
Knowledge Gaps: The departure of key members creates gaps in specialized knowledge, which need addressing to maintain the team’s effectiveness.
Communication Barriers: With the uncertainty brought on by the changes, team members become more reserved in meetings, reducing the effectiveness of communication and collaboration.

Thriving on Change: A Proactive Response

In response to these challenges, the team implements several proactive strategies that help them not only stabilize but also turn the situation into an opportunity for growth:

Redistributing Responsibilities: The team addresses knowledge gaps by redistributing responsibilities and ensuring that expertise is shared more evenly across all members. This empowers less experienced members and helps create a more resilient team structure.
Fostering Mentorship and Development: To bridge the knowledge gaps and integrate newer members, the team emphasizes mentorship and continuous learning. Experienced members provide guidance, fostering a culture of support and collaboration.
Re-evaluating Workflows: The team takes the opportunity to revisit and adapt their ways of working to better align with the new team structure. By involving all members in these discussions, they develop a system that leverages the strengths of the entire team.
Encouraging Open Communication: Recognizing the importance of communication in navigating change, the team prioritizes open dialogue. Regular check-ins and collaborative discussions help to rebuild unity and ensure alignment with new goals.
Empowering Team Participation: To overcome communication barriers, the team encourages active participation by rotating meeting leadership roles. This approach fosters confidence and ensures that all voices are heard, strengthening team cohesion.

Through these actions, the team successfully navigates a complex period of change, emerging as a more cohesive, adaptive, and resilient unit ready to face future challenges with confidence.

Identifying Moments of Opportunity

In day-to-day project management, how can teams recognize and seize moments of opportunity? How can they ensure long-term success by adapting to changes?

Here are some scenarios that further highlight the difference between surviving and thriving.

Scenario 1: Knowledge Vacuum Left by an Experienced Team Member

Surviving: Let the second most experienced member take over, assuming all responsibility.
Thriving: Address the knowledge gaps explicitly and create a plan for more even distribution of knowledge among team members. This approach elevates less experienced members and unburdens more experienced ones, making the team more close-knit.

Scenario 2: Disorientation Due to a Spokesperson’s Absence

Surviving: Wait for the spokesperson to return, conceding to less effective meetings in their absence.
Thriving: Distribute meeting responsibilities among team members, allowing them to discover and develop their own skills.

Scenario 3: Team Size Reduction Due to Economic Changes

Surviving: Keep the team vaguely informed and hope to “soldier through” the tough times.
Thriving: Revisit priorities and explore new ways of working within the team to address the changes effectively, ensuring that team members feel supported.

Scenario 4: Reassignment to a New Department with Different Leadership

Surviving: Ignore the altered priorities and let urgency drive the team’s work.
Thriving: Organize a team day to welcome the team under the new leadership, initiate discussions about priorities, and ensure the team feels included in the transition.

Scenario 5: Stability as an Opportunity

Surviving: Leave everything as is if it’s not broken.
Thriving: Use calm periods to re-examine responsibilities, discuss aspirations, and create space for growth, turning stability into a springboard for improvement.

Conclusion

These scenarios illustrate how project teams can thrive, not just survive, in the face of challenges. By cultivating a well-balanced, self-sustaining ecosystem, teams can ensure that their collaborative efforts bear the fruits of success, ready to be harvested.