Final‌‌Paper‌ 

‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
Melissa‌‌Lofton‌  ‌
OGL‌‌321:‌‌Project‌‌Leadership‌  ‌
Professor‌‌Shyla‌‌Lang‌  ‌
October‌‌5,‌‌2021‌  ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 Part‌‌One‌  ‌
 ‌
I‌‌scored‌‌a‌‌66‌‌this‌‌time‌‌I‌‌took‌‌the‌‌quiz‌‌“How‌‌Good‌‌Are‌‌Your‌‌Project‌‌Management‌‌ 

Skills”‌‌and‌‌stayed‌‌in‌‌the‌‌same‌‌middle‌‌area‌‌as‌‌I‌‌did‌‌the‌‌first‌‌time‌‌I‌‌took‌‌the‌‌quiz.‌‌I‌‌know‌‌ 

the‌‌areas‌‌that‌‌I‌‌still‌‌need‌‌to‌‌improve‌‌the‌‌most‌‌are‌‌risk‌‌management‌‌and‌‌cost‌‌ 

management‌‌as‌‌I‌‌received‌‌5‌‌out‌‌of‌‌10‌‌for‌‌those‌‌areas.‌‌My‌‌general‌‌project‌‌management‌‌ 

skills‌‌and‌‌scope‌‌management‌‌were‌‌the‌‌strongest,‌‌at‌‌10‌‌out‌‌of‌‌10.‌‌Project‌‌Procurement‌‌ 

and‌‌Communication‌‌were‌‌my‌‌next‌‌weakest,‌‌which‌‌is‌‌surprising‌‌as‌‌I‌‌tend‌‌to‌‌think‌‌of‌‌ 

myself‌‌as‌‌a‌‌good‌‌communicator‌‌and‌‌spend‌‌time‌‌making‌‌sure‌‌that‌‌everyone‌‌involved‌‌is‌‌ 

aware‌‌of‌‌what‌‌they‌‌are‌‌supposed‌‌to‌‌be‌‌contributing.‌‌I’m‌‌honestly‌‌not‌‌sure‌‌how‌‌that‌‌was‌‌ 

scored,‌‌so‌‌I‌‌won’t‌‌really‌‌lose‌‌too‌‌much‌‌sleep‌‌on‌‌the‌‌communication‌‌score.‌‌However‌‌ 

project‌‌procurement‌‌is‌‌one‌‌skill‌‌I‌‌agree‌‌with‌‌that‌‌will‌‌give‌‌me‌‌problems‌‌if‌‌things‌‌go‌‌ 

wrong‌‌and‌‌there‌‌isn’t‌‌a‌‌backup‌‌in‌‌place.‌‌   ‌

People‌‌management‌‌is‌‌absolutely‌‌the‌‌main‌‌consideration‌‌for‌‌me‌‌when‌‌it‌‌comes‌‌ 

to‌‌project‌‌management.‌‌If‌‌the‌‌team‌‌members‌‌doing‌‌the‌‌tasks‌‌are‌‌involved‌‌and‌‌ 

motivated‌‌to‌‌complete‌‌the‌‌project,‌‌there‌‌is‌‌a‌‌better‌‌chance‌‌of‌‌the‌‌entire‌‌project‌‌being‌‌a ‌‌

success‌‌versus‌‌if‌‌you‌‌have‌‌a‌‌team‌‌of‌‌uninvolved,‌‌unmotivated‌‌people‌‌just‌‌going‌‌through‌‌ 

the‌‌motions.‌‌Giving‌‌each‌‌person‌‌a‌‌little‌‌bit‌‌of‌‌individual‌‌attention‌‌and‌‌time‌‌to‌‌get‌‌to‌‌ 

know‌‌them‌‌on‌‌a‌‌personal‌‌level‌‌helps‌‌them‌‌feel‌‌cared‌‌about‌‌and‌‌seen,‌‌not‌‌that‌‌they‌‌are‌‌ 

just‌‌another‌‌cog‌‌in‌‌the‌‌company‌‌gears.‌‌In‌‌large‌‌teams,‌‌that‌‌may‌‌be‌‌more‌‌difficult‌‌to‌‌ 

accomplish,‌‌but‌‌having‌‌some‌‌sort‌‌of‌‌camaraderie‌‌amongst‌‌the‌‌team‌‌is‌‌extremely‌‌ 

helpful‌‌with‌‌regards‌‌to‌‌working‌‌together‌‌and‌‌dealing‌‌with‌‌issues‌‌when‌‌they‌‌occur.‌‌   ‌
 My‌‌personal‌‌approach‌‌to‌‌project‌‌management‌‌is‌‌ensuring‌‌that‌‌the‌‌team‌‌has‌‌all‌‌ 

the‌‌resources‌‌they‌‌need‌‌to‌‌be‌‌able‌‌to‌‌complete‌‌the‌‌goals‌‌given‌‌to‌‌them.‌‌During‌‌the‌‌ 

simulations,‌‌I‌‌put‌‌more‌‌care‌‌into‌‌how‌‌my‌‌team‌‌was‌‌doing‌‌rather‌‌than‌‌keeping‌‌on‌‌the‌‌ 

budget.‌‌Whether‌‌it‌‌be‌‌additional‌‌training‌‌and‌‌meetings‌‌or‌‌hiring‌‌additional‌‌team‌‌ 

members,‌‌I‌‌listened‌‌to‌‌what‌‌my‌‌team‌‌was‌‌telling‌‌me‌‌and‌‌provided‌‌them‌‌with‌‌what‌‌they‌‌ 

were‌‌asking‌‌for.‌‌If‌‌they‌‌were‌‌bored,‌‌I‌‌would‌‌lessen‌‌the‌‌outsourcing‌‌or‌‌meetings,‌‌and‌‌ 

consider‌‌lowering‌‌the‌‌number‌‌of‌‌team‌‌members‌‌I‌‌had.‌‌If‌‌they‌‌felt‌‌they‌‌weren’t‌‌going‌‌to‌‌ 

get‌‌things‌‌done‌‌in‌‌time,‌‌I‌‌would‌‌expand‌‌the‌‌outsourcing,‌‌or‌‌if‌‌it‌‌was‌‌already‌‌maxed‌‌then‌‌I ‌‌

would‌‌add‌‌a‌‌new‌‌skilled‌‌team‌‌member.‌‌If‌‌they‌‌didn’t‌‌feel‌‌like‌‌they‌‌understood‌‌what‌‌they‌‌ 

were‌‌there‌‌to‌‌do,‌‌I‌‌would‌‌increase‌‌the‌‌meetings‌‌until‌‌they‌‌did.‌‌   ‌

Although‌‌I‌‌did‌‌pay‌‌attention‌‌to‌‌the‌‌budget‌‌requirements,‌‌I‌‌didn’t‌‌try‌‌as‌‌hard‌‌to‌‌ 

meet‌‌them‌‌as‌‌I‌‌did‌‌sticking‌‌with‌‌the‌‌scheduling‌‌deadlines‌‌or‌‌keeping‌‌the‌‌team‌‌morale‌‌ 

as‌‌high‌‌as‌‌I‌‌could.‌‌Even‌‌when‌‌I‌‌did‌‌try‌‌to‌‌stay‌‌within‌‌the‌‌budget,‌‌I‌‌found‌‌it‌‌very‌‌difficult‌‌to‌‌ 

have‌‌a‌‌team‌‌that‌‌didn’t‌‌struggle‌‌if‌‌I‌‌had‌‌a‌‌smaller‌‌number‌‌of‌‌people‌‌or‌‌if‌‌they‌‌were‌‌less‌‌ 

skilled.‌‌Those‌‌teams‌‌were‌‌typically‌‌very‌‌stressed‌‌and‌‌were‌‌not‌‌as‌‌productive‌‌as‌‌I ‌‌

needed‌‌them‌‌to‌‌be‌‌to‌‌get‌‌things‌‌done‌‌on‌‌time.‌‌Going‌‌over‌‌schedule‌‌caused‌‌me‌‌to‌‌go‌‌ 

over‌‌budget‌‌as‌‌well,‌‌because‌‌I‌‌would‌‌typically‌‌hire‌‌extra‌‌people‌‌at‌‌the‌‌end‌‌in‌‌order‌‌to‌‌get‌‌ 

the‌‌project‌‌completed‌‌before‌‌I‌‌went‌‌too‌‌much‌‌further‌‌past‌‌when‌‌I‌‌was‌‌supposed‌‌to‌‌be‌‌ 

done.‌‌That‌‌extra‌‌$5,000‌‌a‌‌week‌‌added‌‌up,‌‌especially‌‌when‌‌I‌‌was‌‌3-4‌‌weeks‌‌behind.‌‌I‌‌did‌‌ 

utilize‌‌the‌‌outsourcing‌‌as‌‌much‌‌as‌‌possible,‌‌as‌‌I‌‌noticed‌‌early‌‌on‌‌in‌‌the‌‌simulation‌‌I‌‌was‌‌ 

able‌‌to‌‌afford‌‌having‌‌a‌‌higher‌‌number‌‌of‌‌skilled‌‌people‌‌the‌‌more‌‌tasks‌‌I‌‌outsourced.‌‌   ‌
 The‌‌skills‌‌I‌‌learned‌‌in‌‌the‌‌Harvard‌‌Project‌‌Management‌‌Simulation‌‌were‌‌very‌‌ 

helpful‌‌in‌‌order‌‌to‌‌better‌‌understand‌‌myself‌‌as‌‌a‌‌leader.‌‌During‌‌the‌‌simulations,‌‌the‌‌ 

teams‌‌were‌‌able‌‌to‌‌be‌‌very‌‌vocal‌‌about‌‌what‌‌they‌‌were‌‌needing,‌‌depending‌‌on‌‌what‌‌ 

stages‌‌they‌‌were‌‌in.‌ ‌I’ve‌‌known‌‌from‌‌experience‌‌the‌‌type‌‌of‌‌leadership‌‌style‌‌I‌‌gravitate‌‌ 

towards‌‌is‌‌one‌‌of‌‌supporting‌‌my‌‌team‌‌and‌‌providing‌‌them‌‌whatever‌‌it‌‌is‌‌they‌‌need‌‌to‌‌ 

succeed.‌‌I‌‌am‌‌a‌‌trainer‌‌in‌‌my‌‌organization‌‌and‌‌I‌‌am‌‌very‌‌mindful‌‌of‌‌how‌‌I‌‌correct‌‌the‌‌ 

people‌‌I‌‌am‌‌training‌‌when‌‌they‌‌make‌‌a‌‌mistake‌‌and‌‌also‌‌who‌‌will‌‌hear‌‌and‌‌see‌‌the‌‌ 

correction.‌‌It‌‌is‌‌important‌‌to‌‌me‌‌that‌‌they‌‌gain‌‌confidence‌‌within‌‌their‌‌positions‌‌and‌‌I ‌‌

don’t‌‌want‌‌them‌‌to‌‌feel‌‌belittled‌‌or‌‌embarrassed‌‌if‌‌they‌‌do‌‌something‌‌wrong.‌‌I’ve‌‌been‌‌ 

told‌‌by‌‌some‌‌fellow‌‌trainers‌‌that‌‌I‌‌am‌‌too‌‌soft‌‌at‌‌times,‌‌but‌‌I‌‌am‌‌honestly‌‌too‌‌ 

empathetic‌‌to‌‌say‌‌something‌‌that‌‌will‌‌hurt‌‌someone’s‌‌feelings,‌‌because‌‌I‌‌will‌‌just‌‌end‌‌ 

up‌‌feeling‌‌bad‌‌that‌‌I‌‌upset‌‌them.‌‌I‌‌always‌‌try‌‌to‌‌comment‌‌on‌‌something‌‌positive‌‌they‌‌ 

have‌‌done‌‌as‌‌well‌‌so‌‌it‌‌doesn’t‌‌make‌‌them‌‌think‌‌I‌‌only‌‌see‌‌their‌‌mistakes.‌‌I‌‌tend‌‌to‌‌have‌‌ 

a‌‌good‌‌working‌‌relationship‌‌with‌‌everyone‌‌I‌‌work‌‌with‌‌because‌‌they‌‌all‌‌know‌‌I‌‌am‌‌ 

approachable‌‌and‌‌will‌‌help‌‌anyone‌‌that‌‌needs‌‌it.‌  ‌

‌In‌‌my‌‌position,‌‌staying‌‌within‌‌a‌‌budget‌‌is‌‌not‌‌something‌‌I‌‌have‌‌to‌‌concern‌‌myself‌‌ 

with,‌‌so‌‌that‌‌may‌‌be‌‌why‌‌that‌‌factor‌‌didn’t‌‌carry‌‌over‌‌to‌‌the‌‌simulations.‌‌However,‌‌since‌‌ 

we‌‌work‌‌outside‌‌vaccinating‌‌animals,‌‌ensuring‌‌that‌‌my‌‌team‌‌is‌‌comfortable‌‌and‌‌well‌ 

hydrated‌‌is‌‌my‌‌utmost‌‌priority.‌‌For‌‌example,‌‌I‌‌have‌‌a‌‌few‌‌people‌‌I‌‌work‌‌with‌‌that‌‌drink‌‌ 

sugar‌‌free‌‌gatorade‌‌versus‌‌the‌‌regular‌‌kind,‌‌so‌‌I‌‌make‌‌sure‌‌they‌‌have‌‌plenty‌‌to‌‌drink‌‌ 

when‌‌they‌‌are‌‌on‌‌my‌‌shift.‌‌Little‌‌things‌‌like‌‌that‌‌show‌‌them‌‌that‌‌I‌‌pay‌‌attention‌‌to‌‌what‌‌ 

they‌‌are‌‌telling‌‌me‌‌and‌‌that‌‌I‌‌care‌‌about‌‌them‌‌as‌‌a‌‌person.‌‌   ‌
 I‌‌also‌‌have‌‌a‌‌better‌‌understanding‌‌of‌‌my‌‌conflict‌‌resolution‌‌styles‌‌from‌‌our‌‌ 

readings‌‌in‌‌Module‌‌2.‌‌We‌‌learned‌‌the‌‌5‌‌most‌‌common‌‌methods‌‌of‌‌resolving‌‌conflicts‌‌ 

between‌‌team‌‌members.‌‌I‌‌definitely‌‌prefer‌‌the‌‌compromise‌‌method,‌‌when‌‌at‌‌all‌‌ 

possible,‌‌so‌‌both‌‌parties‌‌walk‌‌away‌‌feeling‌‌like‌‌they‌‌got‌‌something‌‌out‌‌of‌‌it.‌‌I’m‌‌not‌‌a ‌‌

very‌‌forceful‌‌leader‌‌so‌‌the‌‌confrontation‌‌and‌‌force‌‌methods‌‌are‌‌not‌‌ones‌‌I‌‌would‌‌likely‌‌ 

start‌‌out‌‌with,‌‌however‌‌I‌‌do‌‌understand‌‌that‌‌there‌‌are‌‌times‌‌when‌‌being‌‌overly‌‌nice‌‌ 

won’t‌‌be‌‌the‌‌effective‌‌way‌‌to‌‌get‌‌people‌‌to‌‌do‌‌what‌‌they‌‌need‌‌to‌‌be‌‌doing‌‌and‌‌a‌‌little‌‌ 

more‌‌assertiveness‌‌is‌‌required.‌‌As‌‌a‌‌leader,‌‌the‌‌withdrawal‌‌method‌‌does‌‌the‌‌least‌‌to‌‌ 

resolve‌‌any‌‌conflicts,‌‌and‌‌while‌‌there‌‌are‌‌plenty‌‌of‌‌times‌‌I‌‌wouldn’t‌‌mind‌‌removing‌‌ 

myself‌‌from‌‌the‌‌situation,‌‌my‌‌job‌‌is‌‌to‌‌be‌‌present‌‌and‌‌assist‌‌my‌‌team‌‌with‌‌whatever‌‌it‌‌is‌‌ 

they‌‌need.‌‌Sometimes‌‌the‌‌parties‌‌are‌‌able‌‌to‌‌work‌‌it‌‌out‌‌themselves‌‌so‌‌I‌‌don’t‌‌need‌‌to‌‌ 

intervene‌‌too‌‌much.‌‌I‌‌have‌‌found‌‌that‌‌at‌‌least‌‌just‌‌having‌‌the‌‌authoritative‌‌person‌‌there‌‌ 

just‌‌to‌‌keep‌‌things‌‌from‌‌getting‌‌out‌‌of‌‌hand‌‌has‌‌been‌‌beneficial‌‌for‌‌coworkers‌‌to‌‌resolve‌‌ 

the‌‌conflict‌‌between‌‌themselves.‌ ‌(Kerzner,‌‌2010,‌‌p.382)‌  ‌

 ‌

 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
 Part‌T
‌ wo‌  ‌
 ‌
● The‌‌most‌‌important‌‌advice‌‌I‌‌can‌‌give‌‌before‌‌starting‌‌this‌‌simulation‌‌is‌‌to‌‌take‌‌ 

your‌‌time‌‌and‌‌pay‌‌close‌‌attention‌‌to‌‌how‌‌each‌‌decision‌‌affects‌‌the‌‌main‌‌factors‌‌ 

of‌‌the‌‌project.‌‌The‌‌schedule,‌‌budget,‌‌scope‌‌and‌‌team‌‌morale‌‌were‌‌the‌‌four‌‌main‌‌ 

aspects‌‌that‌‌we‌‌were‌‌graded‌‌on.‌‌The‌‌importance‌‌of‌‌outsourcing‌‌to‌‌each‌‌of‌‌those‌‌ 

cannot‌‌be‌‌understated.‌‌The‌‌increase‌‌of‌‌productivity‌‌for‌‌the‌‌team‌‌was‌‌helpful‌‌as‌‌ 

we‌‌were‌‌able‌‌to‌‌have‌‌more‌‌higher‌‌skilled‌‌workers‌‌on‌‌the‌‌team‌‌the‌‌more‌‌tasks‌‌ 

were‌‌outsourced.‌‌The‌‌cost‌‌per‌‌employee‌‌was‌‌less‌‌the‌‌more‌‌extensive‌‌the‌‌ 

outsourcing‌‌was,‌‌so‌‌the‌‌advantage‌‌to‌‌the‌‌budget‌‌was‌‌also‌‌quite‌‌apparent.‌‌   ‌

● The‌‌necessity‌‌of‌‌the‌‌meetings‌‌is‌‌another‌‌important‌‌aspect‌‌of‌‌how‌‌well‌‌your‌‌team‌‌ 

will‌‌perform.‌‌If‌‌you‌‌do‌‌not‌‌provide‌‌your‌‌team‌‌with‌‌plenty‌‌of‌‌training‌‌and‌‌insight‌‌as‌ 

to‌‌what‌‌everyone‌‌is‌‌supposed‌‌to‌‌be‌‌doing‌‌the‌‌project‌‌will‌‌fail.‌‌The‌‌team‌‌will‌‌get‌‌ 

frustrated‌‌and‌‌not‌‌be‌‌able‌‌to‌‌accomplish‌‌the‌‌necessary‌‌tasks‌‌they‌‌have‌‌been‌‌ 

assigned‌‌to.‌‌Simple‌‌yet‌‌crucial‌‌mistakes‌‌will‌‌be‌‌made‌‌which‌‌will‌‌slow‌‌down‌‌the‌‌ 

progress‌‌of‌‌the‌‌product‌‌being‌‌produced.‌‌When‌‌they‌‌feel‌‌frustrated,‌‌listening‌‌to‌‌ 

their‌‌reasonings‌‌and‌‌providing‌‌extra‌‌meetings‌‌will‌‌help‌‌them‌‌get‌‌back‌‌on‌‌track.‌‌ 

The‌‌team‌‌will‌‌be‌‌sure‌‌to‌‌let‌‌you‌‌know‌‌if‌‌they‌‌need‌‌more‌‌education,‌‌if‌‌they‌‌feel‌‌like‌‌ 

you‌‌are‌‌not‌‌telling‌‌them‌‌what‌‌they‌‌need‌‌to‌‌know‌‌to‌‌complete‌‌the‌‌project.‌‌You‌‌can‌‌ 

also‌‌encourage‌‌them‌‌to‌‌work‌‌overtime‌‌if‌‌they‌‌begin‌‌to‌‌get‌‌stressed‌‌and‌‌don’t‌‌feel‌‌ 

like‌‌they‌‌will‌‌get‌‌the‌‌project‌‌done‌‌in‌‌time.‌‌They‌‌will‌‌also‌‌let‌‌you‌‌know‌‌when‌‌they‌‌ 

are‌‌bored‌‌and‌‌don’t‌‌need‌‌so‌‌much‌‌hand-holding.‌‌   ‌
 ● Prototypes‌‌are‌‌extremely‌‌helpful‌‌in‌‌discovering‌‌mistakes‌‌along‌‌the‌‌way.‌ ‌When‌‌ 

doing‌‌my‌‌simulations,‌‌I‌‌did‌‌not‌‌take‌‌advantage‌‌of‌‌the‌‌benefits‌‌creating‌‌ 

prototypes‌‌would‌‌have‌‌provided‌‌to‌‌my‌‌team‌‌until‌‌later‌‌in‌‌the‌‌scenarios.‌‌In‌‌the‌‌ 

first‌‌scenario,‌‌I‌‌attempted‌‌to‌‌create‌‌one,‌‌but‌‌did‌‌very‌‌poorly‌‌and‌‌decided‌‌to‌‌ 

concentrate‌‌on‌‌just‌‌completing‌‌the‌‌project‌‌itself.‌‌I‌‌was‌‌too‌‌concerned‌‌with‌‌ 

over-stressing‌‌my‌‌team‌‌and‌‌I‌‌didn’t‌‌want‌‌to‌‌add‌‌anything‌‌else‌‌when‌‌I‌‌was‌‌ 

struggling‌‌to‌‌stay‌‌on‌‌budget‌‌just‌‌creating‌‌the‌‌project.‌‌I‌‌tried‌‌adding‌‌a‌‌prototype‌‌ 

here‌‌and‌‌there‌‌once‌‌I‌‌was‌‌able‌‌to‌‌successfully‌‌complete‌‌the‌‌scenario,‌‌but‌‌didn’t‌‌ 

really‌‌notice‌‌much‌‌of‌‌a‌‌change.‌ ‌However,‌‌looking‌‌back‌‌on‌‌the‌‌last‌‌scenario‌‌ 

where‌‌I‌‌created‌‌multiple‌‌prototypes,‌‌there‌‌was‌‌no‌‌way‌‌I‌‌could‌‌have‌‌completed‌‌the‌‌ 

project‌‌without‌‌doing‌‌so.‌‌   ‌

 ‌

 ‌

 ‌
 ‌
 ‌
References‌  ‌
 ‌
Kerzner,‌‌H.‌‌(2010).‌P
‌ roject‌‌Management:‌‌Best‌‌Practices‌‌-‌‌Achieving‌‌Global‌‌Excellence‌‌‌(2nd‌‌
 
ed.).‌‌Wiley.‌  ‌

 ‌

 ‌