Building and Leading

High-Performing Teams
Contents
Four Approaches to Meet Elevating Expectations............................. 3
Culture
Cultivating an Ethos for Change................................................................... 4
Empowerment
Understanding What Inspires Strong Performance ........................ 8
Engagement
Forging Real Connections — and a
Sense of Purpose — in a Virtual World ............................................... 12
Resilience
Bouncing Back — Again (and Again) ....................................................... 16

Helping Teams Find the Power Within ................................................... 21

Illustrations by Mike Ellis
Four Approaches
to Meet Elevating
Expectations
How can project managers build and maintain
high-performing teams? By focusing on culture,
empowerment, engagement and resilience.

O
rganizations today see a need to adapt. According to the
2023 PMI Annual Global Survey on Project Management,
two-thirds of companies are engaged in digital transforma-
tion efforts. They’re also prioritizing shifts in organizational strategy
(36%), adoption of new technology (34%) and expansion into new
markets (32%).
Companies need future-focused project teams to drive these
changes. It’s a tall order, however, when project teams are, by nature,
cross functional and temporary. Further, they’re composed of mem-
bers who have other responsibilities, report to functional managers
outside the project, often work on multiple different project teams,
and may never meet face-to-face over the course of the project.
In the face of these challenges, how can project managers build
high-performing teams? By employing strategies to develop and
manage talent that can nimbly switch gears while staying on mission.
Project leaders who prioritize and nurture soft skills — capabilities so
important that we at PMI call them power skills — can help build and
reinvent teams in ways that deliver and sustain a competitive edge.
In this report, we discuss four guideposts for building high-
performing and forward-thinking project teams.

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 3

GUIDEPOST 1

Culture
Cultivating an Ethos for Change
The New Reality: Today’s increasingly diverse workplace can inspire
new ways of thinking.
The Big Question: How do you best tap into all perspectives
to build a positive and powerful team culture that accelerates impact?

A strong team culture doesn’t simply happen. It must be nurtured

with deliberate intent — and that culture won’t look the same for
every team. A good starting point is understanding the company
culture, which influences how individual teams work and can offer a
starting point through the organization’s values, attitudes, behaviors
and standards.
For project managers seeking to build diverse, people-centric teams,
it’s about being servant leaders (see Figure 1) who can inspire high-

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 4

GUIDEPOST 1 CULTURE

performing teams to deliver innovative and members to discuss their problems and pain
inclusive solutions. Fostering a positive, support- points in a productive and supportive envi-
ive culture means ensuring team members have ronment.
a sense of agency and ownership about their “Cultivating psychological safety within the
work. They want to be as comfortable shar- project team by creating trust and setting
ing bold ideas during brainstorms as delivering the ground rules for all the team members
candid feedback during status updates. is critical for project success,” says Martinez
At AstraZeneca, Lara Martinez Gonzales, Gonzalez. “It will encourage innovation, reduce
PMP, makes sure team members are involved risks by increasing transparency and drive
in designing rules for processes like commu- internal accountability.”
nication preferences and conflict resolution. During onboarding at IT firm Cognizant,
She is the global head of talent strategy, team members are encouraged to share
based out of Boston, Massachusetts, USA. feedback on training materials as a way to
These experiences not only consolidate team promote from the start the company’s cul-
members’ feedback, but they also forge a ture of inclusivity and constant improvement.
shared understanding for ways of work- The company also creates opportunities for
ing. Teams also need an affirming platform teammates to temporarily switch roles so
for sharing project challenges, which is why they can gain new perspectives and skills or
Martinez Gonzalez dedicates time on each dip their toes in leadership waters.
project for “vent sessions,” allowing team

Figure 1

The Art of Leading People-Centric Teams

Building a powerful team culture requires project managers who can embody flexibility and empathy.
These are the most valued traits of people-centric leaders:

46% Role model good decision making

37% Inspire others to implement a future-focused vision

35% Develop people through teaching, mentoring and listening

32% Set expectations by defining responsibilities and celebrating wins

28% Foster team discussions that encourage participation

27% Communicate in convincing and charismatic ways

Source: The State of Organizations 2023, McKinsey

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 5

GUIDEPOST 1 CULTURE

“We give them the ball and see what they

suggest,” says Michele K. Ninivaggi, PMP, senior POWER SKILL IN ACTION:
manager, Salesforce Healthcare, Cognizant, EMPATHY
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA. “If they’re
I have a guiding principle: Leave the egos
a junior developer we ask them, ‘If you were and emotions at the door, and let’s achieve
the lead, what would you do?’ Because it’s something. I don’t need to be right. If
someone on a team is feeling boxed out,
through a synthesis of ideas that true genius I meet with them offline to address it.
comes along.” Empathy is about respect. It’s about allies
Uninhibited thinking is the oxygen behind and training on allyship. You need to under-
stand and respect your teammates.
those enlightening moments. It’s how Goo-
gle developed its Real Tone post-processing —Michele K. Ninivaggi, PMP, senior manag-
software — bringing together a diverse team er, Salesforce Healthcare, Cognizant, Palm
Beach Gardens, Florida, USA
of image experts to test and tweak imaging
technology that would produce more realistic
skin tones in photographs. It’s why Microsoft
established an Inclusive Tech Lab, a dedi-
cated space where people with disabilities be turned away. To keep everyone connected
can develop and test the latest digital tools to the initiative, project leaders hosted an
to ensure products are designed to not only all-access launch party. Then, throughout the
address accessibility requirements but also project, they maintained the all-in culture by
deliver an optimum experience for all users. creating a platform for team members to
Building a more inclusive culture can also share stories that everyone could access.
amplify employee engagement and cement “Learning and enthusiasm spread throughout
the ties between teammates. When Cogni- a larger pool of employees,” Ninivaggi says.
zant launched a recent AI pilot project for a “The messages just kept cascading along.”
client, the team’s required small size meant Developing a culture with inclusion at its
many who were eager to participate had to core goes far beyond hiring practices. Proj-
ect leaders must embed diversity, equity
and inclusion (DE&I) into the team’s deci-
sion-making processes, fueling brainstorms
and driving feedback loops. Doing so ensures
teams cast a wider net for insights that can
increase project benefits. It’s an opportunity
“Cultivating psychological to “tap into the mindfulness of the work-
safety within the project team force across the enterprise,” says Yael Israel,
… will encourage innovation, PMP, senior program manager, Wipro, New
reduce risks by increasing York, New York, USA.
transparency and drive internal “DE&I mobilizes a network of self-
accountability.”
directed, cross-functional teams — across
—Lara Martinez Gonzalez, PMP, AstraZeneca,
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
generational, gender, cultural, remote

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 6

GUIDEPOST 1 CULTURE

and in-person modality,” she says.

This combination “amplifies a decision-
making model that can safely challenge the
status quo, flush out bias, build resilience and
deliver continuous improvements.”
How can project leaders make a passion-
“DE&I … amplifies
a decision-making
ate and affirming culture a characteristic
model that can safely
of high-performing teams? An easy starting challenge the status
point is to identify ways to acknowledge a quo, flush out bias,
team’s efforts. Whether it’s a project post- build resilience and
mortem celebration that recognizes strong deliver continuous
teamwork or a card that praises an individual’s improvements.”
achievements, carving out time to reflect on a —Yael Israel, PMP, Wipro,
New York, New York, USA
team’s impact helps validate team members
and punctuate a culture of accountability.
“Engaging and recognizing team members
for their work not only at the project level
but at the organization level builds a sense of
confidence and ownership,” says Tine Vižintin,
PMP, project director, Triglav Group, Ljubljana,
Slovenia. “It’s a way to encourage team mem-
bers to always think in the bigger picture, not
only focusing on the current project but con-
stantly thinking about the near future — what
will the team do next?”

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CREATING

A POSITIVE TEAM CULTURE
Great teams require a great team culture that must be developed with purpose. Some
tips include:
Involve the team in setting guidelines for communication and collaboration.
Develop practices to acknowledge the team’s efforts and celebrate successes.
Facilitate team members switching roles or shadowing one another to provide a firsthand
look at what each team member faces.
Share project progress with the entire organization to facilitate transparency and
engagement beyond the team.

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 7

GUIDEPOST 2

Empowerment
Understanding What Inspires
Strong Performance
The New Reality: As a new era of talent enters the workforce,
teams span more generations than ever.
The Big Question: How do you nurture and empower the up-and-
coming leaders — and facilitate cross-generational collaboration?

While millennials (ages 27 to 42 in 2023) now represent a majority of

the global workforce, Generation Z is approaching fast, on pace to
make up 27% of the workforce by 2025, according to a 2023 Zurich
Insurance report. At the same time, Gen Xers and baby boomers
provide powerful sources of experience and knowledge, particularly
for the millennials now advancing into leadership roles. Shifting work-
force demographics mean project leaders must not only unlock how

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 8

GUIDEPOST 2 EMPOWERMENT

individual team members work best, but also

find ways to empower and encourage col-
laboration among all ages.
Knowledge sharing is at the core of devel-
oping new talent. It bridges generational
gaps while empowering young team mem-
bers to apply new skills. That combination
builds high-performing teams with mem-
bers who understand what is being done,
why and how. Knowledge sharing can be
achieved through tried-and-true actions like
mentoring, lessons learned, good-practice
archives, organizational onboarding, formal
training sessions and project-specific coach-
ing. But learning shouldn’t be only top-down.
It also needs to bubble up across the team,
which is why project leaders should actively
establish opportunities for all team members
to exchange knowledge as well as perspec-
tives on what motivates them (see Figure 2).
Case in point: AstraZeneca created a
program in which early-career team mem-
bers are paired with senior leaders with the
goal of swapping information and insights.
To sustain cross-generational knowledge
transfer, the company introduced “Ask me
anything” sessions with senior leaders and
established social interactions between ris-
ing talent and members of the company’s
board and leadership team. The efforts not
only develop a pipeline of next-gen talent,
but also expose project leaders to new
ideas and ways of thinking.
“It gives our most seasoned employees
an opportunity to learn about the digital
skills and mindsets that the new generations
bring to the table, and the newcomers can
get exposure and learn from the experience
of our top leaders,” says Martinez Gonza-
lez. “Encouraging our senior leaders to be

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 9

GUIDEPOST 2 EMPOWERMENT

an example and share their knowledge and

career path helps to break barriers and
secure the diverse workforce that we will
need in the future.”
Offering such training is especially import-
“Knowledge exchange is
ant for attracting and retaining younger tal-
priceless. This helps
ent. Gen Z and millennial job seekers ranked young talent learn all
learning and development opportunities as the tricks and little
the Number 2 reason they chose to work secrets in a year
for a company (just below work/life bal- instead of years.”
ance), according to a 2022 Deloitte survey. —Tine Vižintin, PMP, Triglav Group,
Ljubljana, Slovenia
To deliver continuous learning with broad
appeal, organizations make use of various
strategies, from reimbursement for profes-
sional certifications to formal career devel-
opment programs to social hackathons and
gamified learning applications.

Figure 2

How to Recruit and Retain Young Project Talent

Knowing what Gen Z and millennial team members are looking for can help project leaders understand
how to help them contribute and grow. For starters, they want to be empowered to drive change
within their organizations. These are the top ways younger team members believe they can have a
positive impact:

Gen Z Millennials

Diversity, equity and inclusion

34%
31%
Personal development training
33%
36%

Employee workload
31%
34%
Mental health and wellbeing
24%
24%
Employee fitness and wellness
23%
22%

Social impact
20%
20%

Sustainability
15%
16%

Source: 2023 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, Deloitte

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 10

GUIDEPOST 2 EMPOWERMENT

But training needs to do more than build

technical skills — it should also show how POWER SKILL IN ACTION:
team members with divergent motivations COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP
and working styles can learn to trust each Successful collaboration means acknowl-
other and gel. Project leaders can help direct edging and appreciating differences with-
in the team, openly discussing and sharing
team members’ professional development
individual preferences, enabling multiple
pursuits by suggesting which skills they need types of interactions and creating feed-
to strengthen now — and pointing them back mechanisms. The role of the leader
is to create that type of environment so
toward knowledge that will help grow exper- psychological safety can flourish while
tise and leadership abilities. nurturing appreciation for the diversity
At Triglav Group, training and onboarding within the team.

are designed to provide a springboard for —Lara Martinez Gonzalez, PMP, global
next-gen talent, helping them build com- head of talent strategy, AstraZeneca,
petencies for managing risk, change and Boston, Massachusetts, USA

digital transformation. Eager to create an

expedited path for advancement, the com-
pany developed a program that steers new
hires who have the most leadership potential
into individual development plans. Those plans
combine coaching, mentoring and peer shad-
owing to prepare young people for future
management roles.
“This kind of knowledge exchange is price-
less,” says Vižintin. “This helps young talent learn
all the tricks and little secrets in a year instead
of years.”

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EMPOWERING

INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS
Empowered teams have both the power skills and technical skills they need to work together
to conquer any challenge. Some tips include:
Provide a process for mentoring and coaching between senior and junior team members.
Help team members identify areas for skills development and connect them with learning
opportunities.
Encourage team members to take advantage of the organization’s professional
development programs.

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 11

GUIDEPOST 3

Engagement
Forging Real Connections — and a
Sense of Purpose — in a Virtual World
The New Reality: Remote and distributed working arrangements
are here to stay — which means you’ll need to effectively engage
team members from afar.
The Big Question: How can you establish trust and true
collaboration?

Whether it’s a legacy structure of having team members spread

across the globe or a postpandemic extension of work-from-any-
where policies, most companies continue to make concessions for
flexible work arrangements, particularly if they’re out to recruit
and retain dynamic talent. Sixty percent of companies allow team
members to work remotely at least part of the time, according
to a 2023 global survey by business cybersecurity firm Fortinet.

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 12

GUIDEPOST 3 ENGAGEMENT

And since 2021, the number of countries Since 2021, the

that grant visas for remote work has soared number of countries
from 21 to 51.
that grant visas for
Turning an around-the-world talent pool
into high-performing teams requires project remote work has
leaders to rethink team engagement, and to soared from 21 to 51.
develop a flexible and inclusive mindset. It’s
more than just adapting meeting invites and
schedules to accommodate time-zone dif-
ferences. It’s also managing work and sched-
ules in a way that builds trust, from learning
about cultural considerations and commu-
nication preferences to acknowledging local
holidays and empowering team members
to determine which events merit using paid
time off.
Now more than ever, project managers
must find ways to spark a sense of connec-
tion. The pandemic proved to be the ultimate
pilot for virtual engagement. It’s time to assess
and apply those lessons learned so each team
member can perform at their best.
At Thales Digital Banking and Payment,
a financial services firm spread across 20
countries, video calls became a way for
project managers to re-emphasize active
listening during weekly status updates, fore-
cast follow-ups, quarterly staff meetings and
global townhall discussions. Now virtual face-
to-face conversations strengthen engage-
ment, reduce the risk that participants are
distracted by multitasking during calls and
ensure that meetings end with clear direction
for next steps.
“This promotes more focus on the meeting
discussion and allows the organizer and the
speaker to collect more nonverbal com-
munication from the audience, which helps
with more effective communication,” says
Amr Sadek, PMP, global director, customer

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 13

GUIDEPOST 3 ENGAGEMENT

engagement and success at Thales, Val-

bonne, France. “It fosters faster and far
more efficient alignment.”
Of course, project leaders need to under-
stand how virtual ways of working can neg-
“Project managers
atively impact performance (see Figure 3).
need to adapt
For example, to make sure screen fatigue to the diverse
doesn’t lead to burnout among team mem- preferences of
bers, organizations and their project leaders their teams and
need to set limits on video calls and find cre- steer toward the
ative ways (and funding) for team members greater purpose.”
to engage in person. —Amr Sadek, PMP, Thales,
Valbonne, France
Still, there’s no getting around the real-
ity that high-performing teams also need
access to the right tech tools as a means of
boosting engagement. Training up teams on
tech can accelerate conversations in ways
that help keep projects on course. For some
teams, it might mean using basic cloud-

Figure 3

How Can You Strengthen Connections on Distributed Teams?

Before project managers can forge deeper bonds on remote teams, they must understand what’s
acting as a roadblock. When asked which of the engagement obstacles most apply to them,
distributed workers cited:

25% Not being able to unplug

24% Loneliness

21% Working across time zones

21% Staying motivated

17% Difficulties with collaboration and communication

Source: State of Remote Work, Buffer, 2022

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 14

GUIDEPOST 3 ENGAGEMENT

based collaboration software or incorpo-

rating low-code/no-code apps to streamline
POWER SKILL IN ACTION:
tedious processes. For others, it could involve
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
learning to use complex digital twin virtual
models that simulate physical objects as a We empower local project leaders to be
ambassadors. This boosts the collabora-
way to generate more immediate and accu- tion of cross-functional teams working in
rate feedback. hybrid modes by retaining focus on team
At iMerit Technology, the organization devel- communication and engagement. Local
leaders convene team events and bond-
oped a proprietary web-based tool that helps ing moments outside work throughout
project managers monitor workloads and the year. We use those events to cele-
brate small successes like new customer
productivity, allowing for efficient distribution
acceptances, welcoming newcomers,
of tasks to team members who have down- sharing customer feedback with teams
time, says Shashwat Samrat Paul, PMP, proj- working on more back-office missions,
and supporting everyone to keep them
ect manager at the Kolkata, India, company.
engaged and to tie their day-to-day
No matter what type of tech teams use or work to bigger goals. Showing gratitude
where they use it, Sadek says project leaders doesn’t need to be a major event — it can
be done in short meetings. But no matter
need to focus “on how we collaborate as one how much time you devote to it, there’s
team” even when working across enterprise great value in recognizing and appreci-
functions. “We encourage our leaders to be ating team members — and providing
spaces for people to talk.
purpose-oriented rather than focused on
the specificities of what tools they use,” he —Amr Sadek, PMP, global director, cus-
tomer engagement and success, Thales,
says. “Project managers need to adapt to the
Valbonne, France
diverse preferences of their teams and steer
toward the greater purpose.”

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
FOSTERING ENGAGEMENT
Remote work means that building team engagement requires a conscious, concerted effort.
Some tips include:
Focus on people rather than tools or technology.
Set limits on video calls to prevent screen fatigue.
Look for creative ways to engage in person where possible.
Seek feedback from the team on virtual engagement processes and apply lessons learned
to improve collaboration.

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 15

GUIDEPOST 4

Resilience
Bouncing Back — Again (and Again)
The New Reality: No matter what the job market looks like, you’ll be
staring down talent gaps.
The Big Question: How can you reallocate responsibilities to fill those
holes — and build a more resilient team?

In today’s highly dynamic business environment, teams must be

pivot-ready as a default state. Emerging geopolitical risks, shifting
strategic priorities or some out-of-nowhere digital disruption can
push projects off track or unlock opportunities for new initiatives
with little notice. For project managers, cultivating team resilience
— the ability to bounce back or keep your footing during times of
change — is a modern must.
Yet building high-performing, resilient teams is complicated by
widespread workforce reductions and increasing utilization of exter-

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 16

GUIDEPOST 4 RESILIENCE

nal and temporary talent. Roughly 1 in 5 CEOs

have already implemented hiring freezes in
2023, and 1 in 6 have made workforce cuts,
according to PwC’s 2023 global CEO survey.
Such moves belie the ongoing shortage of
“Once you define the
project talent, with PMI’s most recent Talent high-level objective
Gap report finding that 2.3 million additional and establish scope
project professionals will be needed globally and boundaries, it’s
each year through 2030 in order to keep easier for teams to
pace with demand. navigate through
changing requirements
To make the most of the talent they
and move ahead with
have, organizations need project leaders an agile mindset.”
who can deftly establish working norms
—Amit Kasodekar, JPMorgan Chase,
— and nimbly adjust those ways of work- Bengaluru, India
ing in the face of change. Whether that
means adjusting communication styles mid-
project to accommodate new team mem-
bers from differing countries or finding
ways to amplify productivity in the wake
of resource cuts, project leaders who are
able to exercise creativity and proactive
problem-solving will be best positioned to
nurture resilience among team members.
To support high-performing teams even
amid constant change, project managers
must rethink how they deploy resources and
look for ways to help team members navigate
shifting expectations, says Amit Kasodekar,
VP, strategy and project management office
at JPMorgan Chase in Bengaluru, India. He
offers this advice:
• Dedicate more time to planning and
meeting prep. This helps ensure you ask
the right questions of all stakeholders —
and get clear direction for your team.
• Increase the frequency and duration of
brainstorming sessions for important
deliverables. Doing this gives team mem-
bers more time to develop innovative and
strategic solutions.

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 17

GUIDEPOST 4 RESILIENCE

“Once you define the high-level objective

and establish scope and boundaries, it’s eas-
ier for teams to navigate through changing
requirements and move ahead with an agile
mindset,” Kasodekar says.
“You need to make sure
In a perfectly static world, team members
the proper training is
provided to the team would know their exact responsibilities and
— otherwise, people workloads from the outset. But that’s hardly
may not be able to the norm — particularly for teams that are
effectively use the using agile to prioritize versatility. Still, it’s
[tech] tool or the helpful when project managers are able to
features.”
help team members distinguish which project
—Niral Rajani, Aristocrat,
Sydney, Australia
elements are within their control, says Kaso-
dekar. He also recommends reviewing weekly
progress to identify opportunities to make
processes leaner — for the benefit of team
members and himself. “This helps me manage
the stress level of my team and, in turn, my
stress level as well,” he says.
Of course, frequent changes, team turn-
over and shifting responsibilities can breed
burnout or frustration — and the impact can
be significant (see Figure 4). To help mitigate
those risks, project managers should regu-
larly check in with team members to surface
potential stressors and assess their work-
loads and well-being. They also need to build
downtime into the schedule for team mem-
bers, arranging those breaks around seasonal
peaks and lulls. All of these efforts can help
inform the resource plan, too.
“We ask project managers to proactively
forecast if things will get too heavy so that we
can bring additional resources onto the proj-
ects,” says Clement Chin, PMP, program and
project management lead, RAC Insurance,
Perth, Australia. “We also measure whether
we place unrealistic demands on subject mat-
ter experts across all the projects and report
this to our executive team each month.”

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 18

GUIDEPOST 4 RESILIENCE

Figure 4

Burnout: The Toll on Teams

Burnout is real — and project managers need to get a handle on it if they want to forge change-
ready teams.

42% of people feel burned out at work.

What problems does that create for teams?

Those who are burned out at work are:

2x more likely to feel
>3x more likely to
disconnected from company
look for a new job
values, direct managers, immediate
within the year
team and executive leaders

Who’s most at risk for burnout?

There’s a gender gap: And an age gap:

46% 37% 48% 40%

Under Age 30
Women Men
age 30 and over

Source: Future Forum Pulse, 2023

Get ahead of it. Make it part of skills development.

“The key … is “Equip them with

to stop viewing necessary tools that
employee burnout as they require to
a personal problem navigate this new
and to recognize change effectively.
the importance of It can be training
systemic workplace opportunities or maybe
solutions in mentorship programs or
addressing the even cross-functional
issue.” projects.”
—Brantlee Underhill, PMI chief —Mary Tresa Gabriel, PMP, project
community officer manager, SP Software, Bengaluru, India

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 19

 Technology can also lend a hand, when
it’s used to shoulder mundane repetitive POWER SKILL IN ACTION:
tasks and maximize efficiencies that free up ADAPTABILITY
team members to focus on more strate-
Talent and resources will always be scarce,
gic activities. For instance, AI-powered tools so one has to prioritize. To assemble the
can assess complexity and risks, so project right combination of talent within the team,
I follow a rule wherein 80% of team mem-
managers are better able to pair particular bers are versatile with fungible skills and
tasks with the most appropriate person for 20% are subject matter experts with niche
the job, says Niral Rajani, project manager skills. This gives me flexibility to adapt roles
and responsibilities to changing require-
at Aristocrat, a gaming solutions provider in ments and optimize resource utilization.
Sydney, Australia. Such tools can also help When hiring, I also value people with basic
with tracking progress, so when a resourcing common sense and the right attitude.
Ultimately, no matter how technology
wrinkle arises team members can be reallo- helps us do our jobs, the people behind the
cated swiftly and efficiently. machine matter.
“You need to make sure the proper training
—Amit Kasodekar, VP, strategy and PMO,
is provided to the team — otherwise, people JPMorgan Chase, Bengaluru, India
may not be able to effectively use the tool or
the features, and the whole operation will not
give you the desired result,” he says. “We also
need to continuously evaluate whether the
tool and the features you have selected are
still right for your business.”

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
BUILDING RESILIENCE
Today’s teams must navigate both expected and unexpected changes and challenges.
Some tips include:
Check in with team members regularly on their well-being and stress levels.
Look for tools and technology that can help the team work smarter, not harder.
Facilitate brainstorming sessions with the team to encourage innovation.
Make time for planning to ensure expectations of both team members and stakeholders.

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 20

Helping Teams Find
the Power Within
Having a future-focused vision for building and leading high-
performing project teams gives companies a strategic advantage.
By super-charging engagement, reinforcing resilience, developing an
in-depth understanding of employee motivations and cultivating a
positive culture, project leaders can empower teams to deliver value
that’s both immediate and lasting.

Visit the Power Skills Resource Hub to explore other related

content.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
PMI would like to thank the following contributors, who provided
the insights and actionable recommendations on building high-
performing project teams presented in this report:

• Luis Branco, PMP, PMI-ACP, CEO, Business Insight, Consultores

de Gestão
• Clement Chin, PMP, program and project management lead,
RAC Insurance
• Yael Israel, PMP, senior program manager, Wipro
• Andy Jordan, PMP, author and president, Roffensian Consulting
• Amit Kasodekar, VP, strategy and project management office,
JPMorgan Chase
• Lara Martinez Gonzalez, PMP, global head of talent strategy,
AstraZeneca
• Michele K. Ninivaggi, PMP, senior manager, Salesforce Healthcare,
Cognizant
• Stéphane Parent, PMP, PMI-RMP, PMI-ACP, team lead, Shared
Services Canada
• Niral Rajani, project manager, Aristocrat
• Amr Sadek, PMP, global director, customer engagement and
success, Thales
• Shashwat Samrat Paul, PMP, project manager, iMerit Technology
• Tine Vižintin, PMP, project director, Triglav Group

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams 21

 PMI.org

©2023 Project Management Institute. All rights reserved. “PMI” and the PMI logo are marks of Project Management Institute, Inc.
For a comprehensive list of PMI trademarks, contact the PMI Legal Department. CNT-23-059-TL