Project Teams Conspiring for the Common Good
I’ve been lucky over the years to have worked with some very good and well intentioned groups.
This post, from Eight to Late relates Elinor Ostrom’s work to project management and I found it an enjoyable read.
Elinor Ostrom is the 2009 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics for her work on how groups can effectively self manage shared resources. This goes against the prevailing theory that groups with access to limited resources must be governed otherwise self-interest will lead to dwindling of that resource (i.e. short-term individual gains would win out over collective, long-term gains).
This work definitely resonates with my experiences with my favourite teams. Whether on project teams or on standing groups or working with patients, whether being a leader or a member, I have found “light hand on the rudder” approach works well. Having everyone in a collaborative mode, managing scare resources for the common — and collectively agreed to — good, is very important. Add to that having fun and what you have is just about ideal. For me, that usually means coupling a clear ability for everyone to have a sense “safe autonomy” and a good chance of reaching success both individually and as a group.
It is an approach that, at least anecdotally from patients and team members, appears to work.
Thank you to all the various teams I’ve been involved in like these – and you know who you are, those conspirators for the common good, the skunkwyrrks, the rebel alliances. Thank you all.
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