Project Management Case Study: EWS Leadership and Team Dynamics

This case study analysis examines the Ecological Wastewater Solutions (EWS) project management scenario, focusing on leadership styles, team influence, and strategies for project success. The analysis identifies Laissez Faire leadership as the most suitable style for EWS, given its team of experts. It explores various tools and techniques for influencing the team, including decision-making, negotiation, and performance appraisals. The study also highlights techniques to manage communication outside the project group, emphasizing the use of the intranet and discussion forums. The report delves into the application of power within the organization, advocating for the use of expert power to motivate team members. Furthermore, it outlines methods for developing self-managed teams for agile projects, such as employee autonomy, hiring self-reliant employees, and promoting transparency. Finally, it discusses steps a project manager can take to avoid challenges, including regular meetings, evaluations, and maintaining strong communication links. The analysis concludes by emphasizing the importance of communication in achieving project goals at EWS.

Running head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT-CASE STUDY
PROJECT MANAGEMENT-CASE STUDY
Name of the Student
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Author Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Analysis...........................................................................................................................................2
Leadership style chosen...............................................................................................................2
Tools and techniques used to influence the team........................................................................3
Tools and techniques to manage communication outside the project group...............................4
Power used to motivate the team members.................................................................................5
Methods for developing self-managed teams for agile project...................................................6
Steps to be taken by the project manager to avoid the different challenges which can be faced
by the project team.......................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................9
Case study........................................................................................................................................9
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Introduction
The Ecological Wastewater Solutions Pty Ltd is an organization which has started its
operations in the year 2006 and delivers the waste water management system and carries out the
operations which can be stated to be eco-friendly in nature. The primary advantage of the overall
business operations of the firm can be stated to be the fact that there does not exist any
mechanical parts and electricity requirement. The company keeps taking new projects which
then helps them achieve their objectives. In order to ensure that any project which is undertaken
by the organization is successful in the long run, it becomes highly crucial for the business to see
to it that, they are being able to manage the different teams who are involved in the project and
take initiatives to make the different employees committed to the firm and see to it that they are
able to continue working for the firm for a long period of time (Ansoff et al., 2019). The role of a
project manager comes into existence here, whereby the project head is required to make use of
the right tools and techniques which will assist him to manage the team in the right manner and
in the same manner, will also assist him to complete the organizational objectives. Hence, this
report will highlight certain tools, techniques as well as the strategies which can be made use of
by the EWS in order to look after a project team in a better manner.
Analysis
Leadership style chosen
To make sure that the project team is managed well, it becomes important for the leader
at EWS to follow an appropriate leadership style which will not only allow them to manage the
team well but will also ensure that, the overall goals of the team are met with. This is because, in
the case study, there have instances, where there has been a poor leadership from the managers.
Hence, after analyzing the particular case study on EWS, it can be seen to it that, the leadership
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approach which will be the most appropriate one can be described to be the Laissez Faire
leadership style. Antonakis and Day(2017), states that the Laissez Faire leadership style is
generally characterized by an abstention from direction. The manager at EWS follows a hands
off approach and tends to delegate all the types of decision making and related operations. In this
type of a leadership style, the management at EWS generally tends to assign certain tasks to the
different employees and have no virtual or additional catchup with the employees (Western,
2019). The employees at EWS enjoy a large amount of freedom in this scenario. In case any
issues arise, the team members are bound to resolve the different issues amongst themselves.
Although the manager will not undergo any checking on the different team members, but they
will be bound to provide the adequate resources for the completion of a project (Van
Knippenberg & Hogg, 2018). This type of leadership at EWS is generally suitable for
organizations where the team is comprising of various experts and in line of this, they will be
easily able to manage themselves and take lead on their own as well. This leadership style
increases motivation amongst the employees and helps in quick decision making due to
delegation.
Tools and techniques used to influence the team
The role of a project manager at EWS can be understood to be very crucial in this scenario
and in regard to this, it can be understood very crucial for the manager at EWS to ensure that, he
is successfully being able to manage and influence the team as per his needs and the
organizational needs. Hence, the following tools and techniques can be made use of by the firm:
1. Decision Making: The decision making can be understood to be a powerful tool which
can be made use of by the organizational manager at EWS and would require that the
manager is able to help the employees in undertaking the best option as available for
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them and ensure that they are beneficial for the employees and the team in the long run.
There have been several cases in the case study at EWS which hint, this skill is required.
2. Negotiation: The negotiation can be understood as a technique which can be largely taken
up by the Project manager at EWS to deal with the different employees as present
(Northouse, 2018). This way he will be able to chalk out the best deal for himself and for
the organization`s welfare which will enable success for the project team as well as the
project team members.
3. Performance appraisals: Based on the judgement of the performance of the team
members portrayed in the team at EWS, the manager needs to engage in performance
appraisals. Through this, the firm will be able to ensure that, he is successfully able to
meet with the needs and requirements of the individuals and along with this, engage in a
reward system beneficial for the organization. The particular method, lifts the morale’s of
the individuals as present in the firm.
Tools and techniques to manage communication outside the project group
The following tools and techniques may be used in order to communicate outside the project
group at EWS:
1. Intranet: Through the medium of the intranet, the team can get connected to the different
members as present outside the particular group (Miner, 2015). In addition to this, a
record of this communication can be maintained.
2. Discussion Forum: Additionally the medium of discussion forums can also be adopted
which shall ensure that the project team is able to communicate to the firm at once.
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Power used to motivate the team members
In an organization, the power has a great role to play in a firm like EWS as it helps in
deciding the key players present in the team and also decides the overall dynamics of the team
(Miner, 2015). Hence, in line of this, the power at EWS can be used as a mechanism to motivate
the different employees as present and ensure that they are successfully able to achieve their
overall responsibilities as well as the goals. The main 5 major types of power available for the
project head are:
Referent Power
Reward Power
Legitimate Power
Expert Power
The different types of power adheres to different scenarios and in line of this, the power
which would be most suitable for the firm at EWS can be stated to be the Expert Power. The
expert power is largely based on special knowledge and ability. This means that it is largely
based on the expert knowledge as possessed by the individual (Miner, 2015). The main benefit
of this Expert power is that the different members at EWS will be able to take their own
decisions and take sound advises on the area of their expertise. The main driver in this kind of a
Power is the experience and the members are usually motivated by their own power. In case of a
project team at EWS, this kind of a power can be understood to be the most useful type of a
power as it assists them in managing their expertise area and in addition to this, allows them to
design the goal achievement in their own style.
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Methods for developing self-managed teams for agile project
Managing a team is not an easy task and for at EWS to gain success in the future, it
becomes important for the firm to take different decisions in a manner such that, they are easily
able to complete the tasks on time and attain their overall goals (Lock, 2017). In an agile project
at EWS, it becomes important for the manager to ensure that the different members are self-
reliant and sufficient which will then ensure that, they require minimum guidance. The different
measures and methods to ensure that the team becomes self-managed at EWS, can be stated to be
as follows:
A. Employee autonomy
The employee autonomy tends to form an integral part of the agile team and to ensure
that the different teams are self-managed at EWS, the manager needs to provide the employees
with autonomy which will see to it that the firm is able to take the decisions on their own and
ensure that all the different tasks are completed and that they require minimum assistance from
any heads as present.
B. Hiring self –reliant employees
Another step which might be undertaken by the different managers at EWS can be stated
to be hiring self-reliant employees (Kerzner & Kerzner, 2017). These self-reliant employees
comprise of capabilities that go a long way in ensuring that they are able manage the overall
operations of the firm with little or no guidance from the different members of the firm as
present. In line of this, it also needs to be understood that these employees at EWS are experts
and the different decisions which are taken by them are generally taken for the welfare of the
firm.
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C. Promoting transparency and a constant chain of communication
This will assist in guiding the different employees at EWS and enable them to be self-
sufficient, it would be considered to be very important for the management to promote
transparency in the team at EWS. In lieu of this, the different managers at EWS would be able to
ensure that they are successfully able to ensure that there is no hidden data from any of the
parties and that the goals of the firm are achieved in the right manner.
Steps to be taken by the project manager to avoid the different challenges which can be
faced by the project team
According to Lăzăroiu (2015), the projects at EWS often face different challenges which
often acts as a barrier for them and with respect to this, they are often unable to proceed with and
attain all the goals as present. The steps are as follows:
 Regular meetings and one to one sessions: If EWS holds one to one meetings then in
such a case, they will be able to see to it that, if the different team members have
anything in mind which can relate to a challenge later on (Bratton & Gold, 2017). Or in
case, the different members are facing certain problems amongst themselves, then
through the meeting, this can be clarified easily.
 Evaluation and survey: The project manager at EWS would need to take steps to be able
to conduct and engage in various surveys as well as evaluations which will help the firm
in ensuring that it is successfully able to figure out if they are faced by any related
challenges.
 Maintaining a strong communication link: The EWS would also be required to maintain a
strong communication link between the different members of the team as through this,
the firm can be warned against any scenario which may later on turnout to be a challenge
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(Boyle, 2017). In line of this it can also be understood that, if the communication is clear
at EWS, the different challenges can be faced and met with rather easily.
Conclusion
Hence, from the given analysis it can be understood that communication at EWS has a
strong role to play and any project head or a manager, would be required to undertake
considerable steps as well as initiatives which assist the firm in successfully being able to
undertake steps through which the organization is able to find success. The report stated down
the different techniques and processes that a project head at EWS would be required to undertake
in order to ensure the success of the team.
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References
Ansoff, H. I., Kipley, D., Lewis, A. O., Helm-Stevens, R., & Ansoff, R. (2019). Implanting
strategic management. Springer.
Antonakis, J., & Day, D. V. (Eds.). (2017). The nature of leadership. Sage publications.
Boyle, G. (2017). Design project management. Routledge.
Bratton, J., & Gold, J. (2017). Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave.
Kerzner, H., & Kerzner, H. R. (2017). Project management: a systems approach to planning,
scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Lăzăroiu, G., (2015). Work motivation and organizational behavior. Contemporary Readings in
Law and Social Justice, 7(2), pp.66-75.
Lock, D. (2017). The essentials of project management. Routledge.
Miner, J.B., (2015). Organizational behavior 4: From theory to practice. Routledge.
Miner, J.B.,(2015). Organizational behavior 1: Essential theories of motivation and leadership.
Routledge.
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage publications.
Van Knippenberg, D. & Hogg, M.A., (2018). Social identifications in organizational
behavior. The self at work: Fundamental theory and research, pp.72-90.
Western, S. (2019). Leadership: A critical text. SAGE Publications Limited.
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Case study
EWS Case study
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