The setting up of a successful project team is dependent on a number of factors, and finding the right blend of skills and talent can be challenging for organisations in any sector but it can be even more so in the Mining and Oil & Gas industries due to the associated risks, demands and changing dynamics. Before setting up a project team, current workforce capabilities and resource gaps need to identified. Finding suitable key personnel, with not only the appropriate industry skills and knowledge but also with good interpersonal skills, and shaping them into a successful functioning project team is paramount. You need to be clear on the organisational structure, aligned to the project execution plan, the type of people required and focus not only on the key industry skills but also on the ‘soft’ skills needed. They need to be good communicators, listen as well as talk, cope well with change, be flexible and be team players who will successfully deliver to time, specification and cost but most critically, be resilient to a changing, fast environment. Often it can seem relatively easy to find people with the right industry skills but choosing those who will work coherently and successfully as a team can be a great challenge.
It’s the ‘Science and Art’ behind Project Management that equals success. The ‘Science’ of finding those key people with the right knowledge, skills and experience, and the ‘Art’ of knowing and judging how they will work together. Team effectiveness is hugely dependent on team leadership, developing people and identifying responsibilities. It’s also key to build trust, deal with any conflict, tension or lack of engagement and see the big picture. It’s the people within the team who determine the project’s success.
And remember, once the team is put together, don’t forget to ensure they have the right project tools!
Rowe Advisory’s Human Resources consultants have an extensive history and wide range of experience in designing the project organisation, developing leadership and matching people to the needs of a project, finding suitable key personnel and managing projects in the changing dynamics of the Mining and Oil & Gas industries.
Contact Jody for more information.