Team Member Perceptions of Software Team Leader Communication Influencing Motivation for Achievement of Project Goals

The purpose of this exploratory multiple-case study was to explore team member perceptions of team leader communication and the perceived influence of that communication on motivation and drive to achieve project goals. The data collection tool consisted of face-to-face interviews with open-ended questions. NVivo 10, Microsoft Access, and Microsoft Excel were the software tools used to analyze data. Study findings resulted from the highest participant count in combination with the highest participant response frequency, which identified four overriding categorical themes. Categorical themes evolved through multiple iterations of coding, theming, and categorizing case study data resulted in four major findings: (1) Good team leaders recognize and promote internal and external motivators that drive the effort to achieve goals; (2) respectful team leaders express personal consideration in communication, actions, and disposition; (3) a leader who micromanages team members and controls the information they receive may constrain their abilities, which could lead to resentment, low motivation, and less than optimal performance; and (4) effective, honest communication is a foundation for sharing information, building knowledge, and developing competency.