PMcrunch

One of the tough jobs of a project manager is to manage people and groups of people. The larger your project, the more apt it is to have splinter groups, cliques, and polarization. Equally dangerous - on small as well as larger projects - is the idea of a core project team being alienating towards certain ’splinter’ groups of stakeholders!

In the current United States Presidential Election Campaign, Barak Obama signifies the entering of the mainstream national political scene by blacks. The participation in the past by such candidates as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton were arguably polarizing, as they were scene as an alternative for black voters, whereas new main streamers like Obama are positioned as alternatives in an overall sense. Similarly, Hillary Clinton is the first serious woman candidate to run for President of the United States - but she is a mainstream candidate, not someone just trying to appeal to an under-represented splinter group.

One way to ward this off is to play on the fundamental need we all have to belong and feel a part of something larger than ourselves. If you use this as a guiding principle, and your intentions are pure, you should eliminate alienation. Self interest should dissipate, and the need for subgroups to band together should disappear.A sense of belonging leads to cohesion, innovation and achievement. Take a hard look at any factors that may be excluding, displacing, or alienating key people. Consider, for example, any gaps in diversity / inclusion of styles, backgrounds, personality types, and cultural factors—any or all of which may slam doors on people and novel ideas.

Where can your project leadership open doors to a greater sense of belonging on your overall project organization - whether within the team, or on the extended team which includes project stakeholders?
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John Reiling, PMP
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