About the Book
Supplying busy project professionals with time-tested tips and templates for developing teams efficiently and effectively, Team Planning for Project Managers and Business Analysts provides the planning materials required to increase team collaboration and productivity in a global workplace.
This comprehensive resource offers insights and access to critical resources and tools to create, propose, execute, and evaluate team development plans. Dr. Levitt's insights will enable readers to transform their visions, mission statements, goals, and deliverables into actionable plans for their teams.
Team Planning for Project Managers and Business Analysts evaluates the strengths and performance gaps in each of the five stages of team development—forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning—and outlines methods for creating a team development plan and addressing the challenge of gaining upper management commitment.
With a focus on succession planning for the team, Dr. Levitt considers team brain capacity and how to plan for the transfer of knowledge within the organization. In addition to the many templates and guidelines included, the book offers a variety of practical team development guidelines to ensure that team activities, including kick-off meetings and project status reviews, are both engaging and productive.
Table of Contents:
Team Productivity and the Bottom Line. Evaluating Your Team. Creating a Team Development Plan using the STAR Method. Selling the Team Development Plan. Getting Buy-In and Commitment From Multi-Generational Team Members. Team Development Activities for Each Stage. The Importance of Team Succession Planning. Leading Team Transformation. The Future of Team Development Planning.
About the Author :
Gail Levitt, Ph.D., is a knowledgeable leadership strategist, facilitator, and coach dedicated to developing global leaders and their teams to perform more efficiently and effectively. She provides a unique perspective as a former marketing administrator, business development strategist, product manager, project team leader, and corporate consultant.
Levitt is president of Levitt Communications Inc., a corporate service organization offering courseware, templates and tools, training, and consulting in leadership communications, especially related to team problem solving, conflict management, collaboration, and influence. Previously, she worked for twenty years for leading organizations in publishing, packaged goods, computers, education, and government, resulting in extensive expertise in leadership and team development pitfalls and best practices. She has spoken extensively at conferences on project management, business analysis, customer service, and team development and has written articles on team leadership issues for professional publications. The recipient of numerous awards for poetry, she has also presented academic papers at the International Conference on the State of Mark Twain Studies at Elmira College for three consecutive years.
Gail Levitt holds a doctorate in cultural studies from the University of Exeter in England. She also earned a master’s degree with high honors in English from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champagne, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Hobart-William Smith College in Geneva, New York, graduating summa cum laude.
Review :
Dr. Levitt has hit the nail on the head with a book full of practical information, clear examples, checklists, and templates for use in effective team planning. Since the human resource stands between you and project success, Dr Levitt covers the behaviours PM's and BA's need to know about, their own and those of the team, and how to handle those behaviours. Dr. Levitt explains the what, why, and how of team development planning in an easy to read style. This is not a book of theory, the focus is on practical applications and techniques for immediate implementation. A great reference book every busy PM and BA should have. -Morley Selver, P.Eng IPMA B, The Project Doctor, www.bmoj.com Dr. Gail Levitt has outdone herself with an interesting read on Team Planning. Her in-depth characterizations of the generations provides practical and engaging information outlining generational work values, cultural experiences and strengths. I found the section on building collaboration particularly useful, and have since put some of Levitt's recommendations into action. ... I found myself energized after reading this material, and have incorporated the strategies she outlines into my management style. I highly recommend Levitt's work, and think that it applies to a broad range of skill levels, having practical application in project teams and organizational structure. Her writing style is matter-of-fact and entertaining to read. This material will help business leaders and project managers alike develop team synergies that maximize productivity, teamwork, and success. -Jason Bedford, Manager - Service and Systems Productivity for Hubbell Canada LP The many templates and guidelines presented in Team Planning for Project Managers and Business Analysts will help busy leaders, project managers, and business analysts across all industries gain senior management's support and command the resources necessary to plan their teams' development to achieve high performance and superior results through effective team collaboration. -Vijay K. Verma, PMI Fellow, PMP, MBA, P.Eng., Manager, Project Management Services, TRIUMF (Canada's National Research Laboratory, University of British Columbia)
