A Team Leader is a specific term used in the AgilePM methodology while a Team Manager is a term used in the PRINCE2 methodology. Both organize the production in a constantly changing context while ensuring the team cohesion.
They provide direction, instruction and advice to a group of people, also known as a team, in order to achieve a certain goal. An effective Team leader/manager will know the strengths, weaknesses and motivations of all of his/her team members.
Team Manager Role in a PRINCE2 Project
Team Manager is the person responsible for production. This within the limits that are set by the project board, regarding quality, timescale and costs. The Team Manager is allocated by the Project Manager and this is defined in the work package.
The Team Manager role reports to and takes direction from, the Project Manager. If a Team Manager is not assigned, the Project Manager will undertake the responsibilities of the Team Manager role.
Team Leader Role in an AgilePM Project
Team Leader ideally acts as the servant-leader for the Solution Development Team.
It ensures that the team functions as a whole and meets its objectives. Team Leader works with the team to plan and coordinate all aspects of product delivery at a detailed level.
This is a leadership role rather than a management role. The person holding it will ideally be elected by his or her peers as the best person to lead them through a particular stage of the project. It is therefore likely that the Team Leader will also perform another development team role, in addition to their team leadership responsibilities.
Team Leader and the Team Manager Responsibilities
Team Manager (PRINCE2)
- Prepare the team plan
- Provide the project manager with recommendations on how PRINCE2 may be tailored to suit the management of the work package
- Produce checkpoint reports
- Plan, monitor and manage the team’s work
- Identify and advise the project manager on any issues and risks associated with a work package.
- Advise the project manager on any deviations from the plan, recommend corrective action and help to prepare any appropriate exception plans
- Pass back to the project manager products that have been completed and approved in line with the agreed work package requirements
- Liaise with any project insurance and project support roles
- Ensure quality activities relating to the team’s work are planned and performed correctly, and ensure that the appropriate entries are made in the quality register
- Manage specific issues and risks as directed by the project manager
- Ensure that all assigned issues are properly reported to the person maintaining the issue register
Team Leader (AgilePM)
- Facilitating the team focus on the on-time delivery of agreed products
- Encouraging full participation of team members within their defined roles and responsibilities
- Ensuring that the Iterative development process is properly focused and controlled
- Ensuring that all testing and review activities are properly focused and controlled
- Managing risks and issues at the Timebox level, escalating to the “project level” roles
- Monitoring progress on a day-to-day basis for all team activities
- Facilitating communication of team progress with the project manager
- Facilitating the daily stand ups, ensuring they are timely, focused and brief
- Facilitating reviews and retrospectives with the team
Team Leader and the Team Manager Competences
The Team Leader/Manager have many of the same competencies. including:
- significant managerial / leadership and organizational skills
- a developed sense of teamwork
- great technical knowledge to be able to understand all tasks carried out by his team
- time management and problem-solving skills
- great knowledge of the software used in the project
And the Project Manager, how is that role defined?
Discover it by reading this blogpost.
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