Project Debrief. The Five-Phase Model. Management Essay

Project Debrief
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Project Debrief
Group Project
Working at the American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) Company was an important step forward both in my personal and professional career. In the firm, I worked under the customer care department as a customer service representative whose primary goal was to interact with the customers and provide solutions to their questions on behalf of AT&T Inc. The most effective customer care department is one that takes into account customers’ opinions and ideas regardless of their derogatoriness. In the quest to align with customers’ perspectives, the department was asked to conduct a survey reflecting the needs and wants of customers. The company places high value towards their customers and thus, endeavors to align their business practices with these expectations. The process constituted the collection of data from both online clientele as well as physical questionnaires from customers who visit the premises. Areas of interest included the quality of services offered, possible improvements, and how we perform against competitors. Besides, the customer was to use their words in describing the service they received.
The Five-Phase Model and the Punctuated Equilibrium Model in the Development of the Project Team
The Five-Phase Model
Team development models are meant to provide a strategy upon which leaders and groups can achieve success in the intended objectives. Ben Harris (1975) is renowned for his contribution in this area as he developed the five-stage model, which would be used to facilitate change. In alignment with this process, the leaders began by establishing clarity on the goals of the entire exercise. In this case, he prescribed the specific activities to be conducted as well as the people to accomplish them. For instance, I was responsible for issuing and receiving all physical questionnaires that had been provided to customers. The leader also provided the resources to be used in this exercise guaranteeing that the process ran smoothly. In the beginning, the process was slow because many were new to the system. I was overwhelmed with confusion apparent in the fact that at some point, I mixed answered questionnaires with the new ones. These were mere setbacks meant to create momentum in the process. On a positive note, there was the feeling of involvement and more importantly, personal growth.
Despite measures to ensure the smooth progress of the project, the team met with unforeseeable circumstances that presented major problems. Some customers were uncooperative with a substantial number picking the questionnaire, but failing to return them. These situations were messing the entire project because there had to be accountability in regards to the resources. In retrospect, customers' willingness to contribute to the course had to be questioned before they were given the questions. Those who experienced weariness would be assisted by those who were less busy particularly in the afternoon. How these problems were handled meant that there was less thought directed towards the turning point in regards to halting the project. Consequently, the project was never terminated until the designated period of two weeks was o...