However, projects are short-lived and therefore the people working for
them have to engage in swift socialization and quickly find a way to
carry out a complex task within the limits set. As witnessed by many, the
project goals are very ‘strong’ and there appears to be little incentive, or
even perceived time available, for engaging in private strategizing. The
quite limited overlap among specialist competences also means that people
can help others without risking that they would be able to capitalize
extensively on people’s advice (cf. Lindkvist, 2004).
A way to observe individual differences in the project team is to look for
differences in individual style and personality (Flannes and Levin, 2001).
‘Style’ covers areas such as how people direct their energy, how outgoing
or quiet they are, what their approach is in addressing a situation, how
they make decisions and how they attempt to order their world. Because
of these differences it is often difficult to form a project team that has
the ‘right mix’ of personal styles and personalities. The right mix is the
glue that holds the team together during the rough times of a project. It
is also the right balance of styles that allows each team member to find
an appropriate niche among project member functions.
As project work is typically carried out in rather public interaction,
those who do not contribute actively and share their knowledge with
others run the risk of developing a bad reputation and low demand
for their services. Getting a reputation for non-co-operative behaviour
would be devastating in many organizations, since this would mean
that nobody would ask the individual to participate in projects or ask for
their advice. In a limited labour market no one can escape her history
(cf. Lindkvist, 2004).