How project managers can encourage and develop positive emotions in project teams
International Journal of Managing Projects in Business
ISSN: 1753-8378
Article publication date: 27 May 2014
Abstract
Purpose
This study provides insight into how project managers can use leadership tools to encourage and develop positive emotions among the project team members toward greater overall project success. The purpose of this paper is to provide the engineering industry with a closer look at how positive emotions can create good team member relations, reduce stress, develop clearer roles, creativity and joy at the workplace.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical data were obtained using in-depth interviews of three experienced project managers.
Findings
The empirical data give insight as to how project managers can use their signature strengths. Additionally, the data also show how they can evolve and draw on positive meaning, positive emotions and positive relations. Various examples of positive meaning, positive emotions, positive relations and signature strengths have been identified and discussed.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should apply a more comprehensive research design, for example a survey using a larger sample, so that these findings may be generalized.
Practical implications
The paper contributes to portray and analyze positive psychology in a project management setting. Additionally, the paper assists understanding the connections among positive meaning, positive emotions, positive relations and signature strengths by presenting and discussing a model.
Originality/value
This research extends current understanding of how project managers use their signature strengths to encourage and develop positive emotions in project teams.
Keywords
Citation
Emil Berg, M. and Terje Karlsen, J. (2014), "How project managers can encourage and develop positive emotions in project teams", International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, Vol. 7 No. 3, pp. 449-472. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMPB-01-2013-0003
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited