**9. Importance of project teams**

Projects are executed in teams. In general, projects are managed using teams in a work environment that is complex for two reasons: first, each project is unique, and second, conditions for team selection and motivation are often far from ideal [3]. In addition to uniqueness and complexity, unfamiliarity is often described as one of the characteristics of projects and as a result, projects are often associated with change. Consequently, successful project performance requires strong leadership, which provides vision and ability to cope with change.

Projects, by definition, are unique and are often associated with uncertainties and unknowns. It is reasonable to assume that in project management, it is not if the plans will change, it is when, what will change, and by how much. If anything is constant in a project, it is the change. When changes are significant in a project, which is often the case, leadership role assumes greater importance. Leadership has its efforts directed towards convincing people about the need to change, aligning them to a new direction, and motivating people to work together to achieve project objectives under difficult and demanding work environments [12].

Motivating the project team involves getting the team members to do the tasks that need to be done, not because they have to do them but because they understand the value of their work to the overall success of the project and they want to do them. If people want to do what we need to have them do, their commitment is bound to be greater, and the job is likely to be accomplished much better than if they were being forced to do the work.

Project managers must understand the personal aspirations of project team members and support them. The project manager's leadership skills play an important role in motivating and guiding the project team to grow as professionals while accomplishing project goals at the same time. In essence, project managers should ensure that both personal and project goals are accomplished and that the conflict between these two goals is minimized [7].

The project manager's job is to get others to do what the project manager needs them to do, not because they have to but because they want to. Empowerment means providing freedom to people (not control) so that they can successfully do what they want to do. This is very different from making them do what you want them to do. Empowerment makes sense on projects. Projects typically employ a multidisciplinary approach, requiring subject matter experts from different

functional areas. Each person brings unique expertise, and experience to the project team. By letting project team members make decisions and set goals pertaining to their roles and functions, the project manager can empower the team.
