Exam (elaborations)
Unit 28 part 2
- Institution
- PEARSON (PEARSON)
Fully written A+/D* version of Unit 28 part 2
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Unit 28.2P5 explain how to deal with two problems which might impact on progress for a
selected project.
Two issues impacting project progression.
● Lack of leadership/management
● Inadequate funding
Introduction
The management of a construction orientated project can face many issues when dealing
with project progression like planning and implementation, certain challenges can disrupt the
course of action and ruin timescales and then others can cause less profit to be made.
Having problems with project progression can impact in various ways and therefore this is
why successful managers/leaders should have good project management skills and
background to lead the group effectively, efficiently and successfully. Without project
management/poor project management the chances of problems interfering with projects
planning and implementation becomes greater and stalls status. The purpose of dealing with
problems that impact the project is to save time, resources, budget money and to keep the
consumer satisfied, each of these elements have a diverse effect on the success rate of
projects however ultimately all have a negative influence and danger to how the project is
delivered.
Problem 1- Lack of leadership
The leading role in a team or a group is the most vital role, this position guides the group to
the success of the project, and it is their responsibility to reach the outcomes and deliver to a
satisfactory standard. Leaders are mentors for support when the team is troubled and needs
assistance with tasks or has a general enquiry to make. Essentially the leader has the
largest impact and voice in the team as they are the individuals steering the direction of the
project and must ensure the tasks are administered and goals are accomplished. One
example of how no leadership impacts a team is the impact it can have on a team's
motivation and morale. It is a significant method of highlighting how leaders contribute to
good project progress and successful projects. This type of leader is called a buddy and has
a more interactive team player/equal role in the team, this is when the leader steps down
from the high role and acts as one of the group members just with more responsibility. This
allows the group to instil more trust and become more friendly with the people in the team.
There are also other elements that the leader has control over which contribute to the team’s
performance, without a strong leader the team will not have the following attributes that
make them united, aspects being productivity, decision making, creativity and
communication. Leadership helps to enhance these 4 other features in a group and without it
the project may collapse and not succeed.
,Productivity
One of the most noticeable influences that leadership has on a project is its impact on
productivity. When a project manager sets management practices aside and focuses on
leadership skills, productivity wins. A leader creates incentives for team members to
complete tasks, instead of ordering, coercing, and threatening team members to complete
their tasks a leader collaborates with the team to help them complete the goals. The leader
helps the team to visualize successful completion, they make each team member a
stakeholder with a vested interest in the success of the project, that way they have a much
more engaged attitude and better contribution to the project's success. In my construction
project having team members being idle slows the completion rate down, the time taken to
complete will rise and results in the client being unsatisfied. Every member of the group,
contractors and leaders has to play their role and keep productive to overall contribute to
finalizing the tasks.
Decision making
The project manager makes decisions based on politics and how it will affect the project
budget and deadline. The leader always has those factors in mind, but also considers how
the decision will affect other stakeholders and aspects of the project. If a decision will affect
morale, that will be taken into account, if the decision causes changes that will affect the
business, they will be considered as well. The leader/project manager knows when it is
appropriate to make a decision on his/her own and when to include others. They know when
the business needs to be involved so that they can be sure they are attending the right parts
and they know how to collaborate with the team members so that they feel that they are part
of the decision and movement of the project. The project leader is more interested in getting
the right decision than being the one to make the decision. This is the most influential part of
a construction project, the leader having to make decisions. They have the largest voice in
the group and so they have the authority to override others and make the best choices for
the project to succeed. Project leaders seek the attention and assistance from the team to
make sure they are making the right choice, getting other perspectives is a good method of
proving a point and having reassurance.
Creativity
Perhaps one of the most contrasting characteristics between the manager and the leader is
creativity. A manager sees decision making as largely black and white, they like processes
to be completed traditionally and that way it will always be right. Most manager decisions are
“no brainers” because they are largely based on sticking to the budget and timeline they
have been presented. The leader looks at things a little more creatively, instead of rushing to
the earliest and most convenient outcome, the leader considers many options to many
diverse pathways. The leader looks for winning scenarios and evaluates the best way to
tackle this approach. Good leader’s will collaborate in an attempt to negotiate an agreeable
solution rather than force a practical decision focused only on their own desirable project
objectives. In developing houses and properties, the creative side of things is hugely
impactful on whether the client will be impressed with the outcome of the project,
construction projects go through a design phase where the construct is envisioned and
, drawn. This is then rendered and either approved by the project manager and client. Project
teams must ensure that the property fits to the liking and briefing of the consumer.
Communication
Probably the most salient skill that makes a leader more successful than a manager is the
ability to communicate. The form a project manager writes an email, delivers a status report,
facilitates a meeting, and makes a request are all components of good communication. A
strong leader has the ability to communicate in a clear and sustained manner, when a
project manager has a one-on-one conversation with someone, he makes eye contact, puts
all devices and other distractions aside, and gives that person their full attention. Listening is
often the forgotten communication skill; people are judged on their communication skills
based on what is coming out. But the way they listen and process what other people
communicate is a critical aspect of communication. This contributes to project progress,
teams need the communication between group members to convey messages, prepare for
briefings and updates on current status for individual contributions. For my construction
project communication is needed in all areas, they need to communicate with contractors to
get updates on work being conducted on site, project teams need to communicate and share
workloads so no one person is doing the same task and communication will be needed
externally trying to gain planning permission on the land. The challenge can easily be
overcome by teams speaking with each other and listening to what every member has to
offer; this assists to move projects in each stage of the life cycle and stimulates project
progression.
How to deal with lack of leadership? How to overcome it?
The only way forward for a project team and to overcome the challenges teams are
experiencing is to nominate the most qualified, experienced and skilled member to be the
leader of the group. This way the team has a figure to look up to and someone that they
report and respond to when they are in need of guidance and support on workloads. It is
crucial that a team should designate a single person to lead because it is essential that all
group members are all on the same pathway whilst achieving a high level of success, this is
called central leadership.
Problem 2- Inadequate funding
For a project to succeed they need accessibility to funds to provide resources that will
influence project progress to run smoothly and efficiently. The head of the company has an
obligation to provide project groups funding to assist them with whatever they need in order
to complete the job. Another crucial aspect of a project is to adhere to the budget that has
been supplied, making sure that the amount needed to complete the project does not go
over the amount available. Worst case scenarios for project teams is that they request more
funds from a higher member in the business, it causes concerns for people responsible for
the team as they are overspending and potentially will not make back that money. Having
the inadequate amount to supply the project’s needs, stalls project progress meaning it may
not be able to continue without more funds. The project group is unable to finalize the work
until they have access to more money. To overcome this issue before the implementation,
phase the team should come together and draft a project budget plan so that they are able
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