allPM has an article by Dhanu Kothari discussing "the human side of project management" and detailing Ten Golden Rules Of Project Management Maturity & Team Effectiveness. Some interesting thoughts  are outlined and there is a questionnaire at the end to help you assess your own team's effectiveness. You'll want to read the complete post for proper context, and to get all the great insights, for now here are the "10 golden rules" (truncated):

Golden Rule # 1: Develop a Project Organization

1. Are there specific individuals who are identified as the Sponsor and the Customer or Client for the project?
2. Does everyone know who has the single source of responsibility for the project?

Golden Rule # 2: Formulate a Team Purpose

1. Is there a common understanding of project objectives and deliverables among all players?
2. Are the “Vision, Purpose, Goals” of the project documented and supported by a scope definition with SMART objectives (i.e. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Target-driven)?

Golden Rule # 3: Scope and Sell the Project

1. Do you know who your clients are and do you have their enthusiastic support?
2. Do you have a presentation that explains the business benefits of the project, its major components, how the project will be implemented and why it takes as long as it does?

Golden Rule # 4: Insulate Team from Management Issues

1. Is there a process for escalating problems to management and resolving issues?
2. Does the Project Manager resolve internal team conflicts expeditiously, and stand up for the team when dealing with external influences, management and stakeholders?

Golden Rule # 5: Teams Optimize, Individuals Maximize

1. Does every team member clearly understand his/her deliverables, acceptance criteria, and the individuals who will be approving or accepting the deliverable?
2. Is there an agreed facilitation process for team discussion and issue resolution?

Golden Rule # 6: Encourage & Facilitate Open Communication

1. Is there a formal and structured communication process in place consisting of reviews, status reports, minutes of meetings and management updates etc.?
2. Does the Communication Plan include weekly “One on One” reviews with team members?

Golden Rule # 7: Institutionalize Positive Mindset

1. Do your team members believe that their meetings are generally productive?
2. Do you invite team members to provide feedback on the content and process of the meeting so that you can continually improve the management and performance of meetings?

Golden Rule # 8: Remember the Five “R”s

1. Does the project team practice and follow through the 5Rs - Respect, Recognition, Rewards, Rest and Recreation?
2. Is the project baseline schedule realistic and based on reasonable assumptions?

Golden Rule # 9: Implement Consistent & Predictable Processes

1. Are team members trained in the fundamentals of Project Management and are they familiar with the organization’s business terminology and Project Management Methodology?
2. Do team members clearly understand the differences and context of the various methodologies used for project management, system design, systems development, proprietary solutions and IT operations, etc.?

Golden Rule # 10: Transition the Team Graciously

1. Do you get a formal signoff from the client whenever a project deliverable is approved and accepted?
2. Do you take the time to provide feedback to team members on their project performance?

Read complete article here: http://www.allpm.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1924&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

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Posted by Raven Young at Raven's Brain under Project Management
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