Leadership in Project Management Teams: Can You “Hear” Me Now

Terry R. Adler, Ph.D., PMP
Associate Professor of Management, College of BusinessNew Mexico State University

Friday, January 19, 2018

Abstract: Current trends in global business practices reveal an increasing need for project management skills. A project management “talent challenge,” however, exists in many global markets due to a lack of adequate interpersonal project skills (PMI Project Management Job Growth and Talent Cap Report, January 2018). Since organizations face turbulent environments driving the need for improved communication, project team-based designs are frequently employed to address this uncertainty where work is increasingly complex. Communication within project teams, thus, becomes even more important to achieve customer satisfaction and project goals. This presentation provides a fundamental conversation for understanding the intricacies of communication through active listening in project management teams. Results of improved active listening in project teams include the potential for better use of individual skills, improved team productivity, greater motivation, better results and effective leadership.

Biography: Terry R. Adler is currently an Associate Professor of Management in the College of Business at New Mexico State University (NMSU). He received his Ph.D. in Strategic Management from the University of Cincinnati in 1996. Dr. Adler is widely published in the top academic business journals on such topics as strategic leadership, trust, distrust, and project management. Dr. Adler has partnered with over 80 global organizations and made over 500 corporate presentations. He was recently named Consulting Editor for the Journal of Social Psychology (JSP) in 2015 and remains on the Editorial Review Board for the International Journal of Project and Organization Management. These two positions are highly influential in shaping the research agendas for two important fields of study: social science (trust issues) and strategic project management. Professor Adler was also asked to be an external reviewer for the Forbes School of Business, Ashford University, in baselining their Bachelor of Arts in Project Management program in San Diego, CA in 2013. Dr. Adler continues to advise the Chancellor of NMSU by providing executive strategic planning that have affected economic and social development for New Mexico’s diverse population. He was recently recognized as NMSU’s College of Business researcher of the year for 2016.