CIS554 Discussion Response 1 and 2

There are two discussions here that need to be responded to thoroughly. Responses must be on APA format 150+words 1-2 legitimate verifiable sources per response.

CIS5554 discussion 1 post responses.
Respond to the colleagues posts regarding:
“Managing vs. Leading” Please respond to the following:

• Project managers must have a clear distinction between managing versus leading. Describe at least three characteristics that distinguish managing from leading within the software project management discipline. Explain how the attributes identified may be exemplified and portrayed by you, the project manager. 
• Project managers are responsible for maintaining the morale of the project team. Assess the typical activities that a project manager must perform to ensure that the human factors and psychological elements of job satisfaction are present within the project team.

DT’s post states the following:
 “Managing vs. Leading” Please respond to the following:
• Project managers must have a clear distinction between managing versus leading. Describe at least three characteristics that distinguish managing from leading within the software project management discipline. Explain how the attributes identified may be exemplified and portrayed by you, the project manager. 
When it comes to managing software projects, project managers have to show some characteristics from both managing and leading to be able to successfully complete projects.  It helps to be really good at both, but we all know that good managers are not necessarily good leaders and vice versa.  Leading has more to do with human relations while managing is more related to analytical activity.   Two characteristics that are more closely aligned to leading and helps to make a distinction between the two are delegating authority and maintaining enthusiasm.  A third characteristic that is clearly associated with managing is possessing the ability to quickly assess and analyze project risks.
As the project manager, you must develop and continue to fine tune all of these characteristics.  If project managers don’t learn how to delegate authority effectively, they will find themselves often overburden and stressed out from trying to do too much on their own.  At the same time they have to learn ways to keep team members energized and enthused about working on the project.  Great leaders find ways to perfect this characteristic over time.  Project managers with great analytical skills normally don’t encounter many problems analyzing project risk data.  But this skill is as vitally important as the other two to run successful projects.
• Project managers are responsible for maintaining the morale of the project team. Assess the typical activities that a project manager must perform to ensure that the human factors and psychological elements of job satisfaction are present within the project team.
In order to maintain good morale on a project team, project managers must find ways to motivate team members and ensure that each individuals’ goals are closely aligned with the project’s goals.  Another way to encourage enthusiasm is by offering rewards on the project to promote productivity.   Also periodically having fun activities like scheduling project meetings with informal social events or attending sporting events together is an excellent way to build morale and cohesion among team members.  Teams that have low turnover and shares a common interest in the project are ones that are usually more jelled and show more willingness to work together and help one another.  

CIS554 discussion 2 post responses.
Respond to the colleagues posts regarding:
“Team Work” Please respond to the following:

• Teamwork is essential for ensuring that individuals work in a cooperative manner to achieve project goals. Synthesize at least three factors that contribute to efficient and effective software engineering team development.
• Describe how the dimensions of social styles presented within the text allow project managers to communicate effectively with project team members. Explain the view that communication may be tailored to accommodate the communication styles of individuals based on the dimension of the social styles model.

DT’s post states the following:
“Team Work” Please respond to the following:
• Teamwork is essential for ensuring that individuals work in a cooperative manner to achieve project goals. Synthesize at least three factors that contribute to efficient and effective software engineering team development.
Building a team where all the team members have shared common objectives and goals produces great teamwork.  Some factors that contribute to effective and efficient software engineering team development are having the appropriate number of team members on the team, adequate training, and having respect for one another.  It is one of the project manager’s primary responsibility to facilitate having the right number of people with the necessary skills, tools, and training to meet project objectives.  Respect is a characteristic that  must be earned and get exhibited through two-way channels between the project manager and each team member.  To help achieve this, each individual must show competence, ability, integrity, and concern for their welfare as well as the welfare of other team members.
• Describe how the dimensions of social styles presented within the text allow project managers to communicate effectively with project team members. Explain the view that communication may be tailored to accommodate the communication styles of individuals based on the dimension of the social styles model.
The model of social styles was introduced by Larry Wilson in the 1960’s.  Now the dimensions of social styles are found to be useful for newly transitioned employees to managers who have experienced interpersonal difficulties, managers looking to improve working relationships between upper management, their peers, and customers, and for all people within an organization desiring to better understand others and to adapt their own behavior in an effort to have better interactions.

Four views that communication can be tailored to are Ask-oriented Assertiveness, Tell-oriented Assertiveness, Task-oriented Responsiveness, and People-oriented Responsiveness.  People who are categorized as Ask-oriented are listeners; while those who are Tell-oriented are considered talkers.  Individuals who are deemed as showing Task-oriented Responsiveness place emphasis on the task first and people second.  They often have little time for personal interaction.  Then there are those who show People-oriented Responsiveness and believe that when people issues are addressed first, the better the chances for the tasks to get accomplished.