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Leadership and the Project Manager

Chapter 4

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1. Understand how project management is a “leader intensive” profession.

2. Distinguish between the role of a manager and the characteristics of a leader.

3. Understand the concept of emotional intelligence as it relates to how project managers lead.

4. Recognize traits that are strongly linked to effective project leadership.

5. Understand the implications of time orientation on project management.

6. Identify the key roles project champions play in project success.

7. Recognize the principles that typify the new project leadership.

8. Understand the development of project management professionalism in the discipline.

Learning Goals

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Leadership

“The ability to inspire confidence and support among the people who are needed to achieve organizational goals.”

Project management is leader intensive!

“For the project manager, leadership is the process by which he or she influences the project team to get the job done!”

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Leaders Vs. Managers Managers have official titles in an organization

with administration duties; plan, direct, and control the behaviors of others.

Leaders focus on interpersonal relationships rather than administration; inspiring, motivating, and influencing others in pursuit of a goal.

Important differences exist between the two:• Creation of purpose • Outcomes

• Network development

• Focus

• Execution • Time-frame

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Concerns Managers LeadersCreation of Purpose Focus on plans and budgets;

creates steps, timetables for

achieving results and looks for

resources to support goals.

Establishes direction; creates a

vision and the strategies

needed to achieve it.

Developing a Network for

Achieving the Agenda

Organizes and staffs; creates

structure for achieving the

plans; delegates responsibility

and authority; develops

procedures to guide behavior;

creates monitoring systems.

Aligns people with the target;

communicates direction by

word and deed to those whose

cooperation is needed; creates

teams that understand and

share the project’s vision.

Differences Between Managers and Leaders

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Concerns Managers LeadersExecution Controls and solves problems;

monitors results and applies

corrective action.

Motivates and inspires;

energizes people to overcomes

obstacles and show personal

initiative.

Outcomes Produces a degree of

predictability and order; seeks

to maintain the status quo.

Produces change; challenges the

status quo.

Focus Efficiency of operations Effectiveness of outcomes

Time-Frame Short-term, avoiding risks,

maintaining and imitating.

Long-term; taking risks,

innovating and originating.

Differences Between Managers and Leaders

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Differences Between Managers and Leaders

administer

Demand respect

maintain the status quo focus on systems

strive for control

short-term view

focused on the bottom lineimitate

do things right

state their position

innovate

Command respect

develop new processes focus on people

inspire trust

have long-term goal

focused on potentialoriginate

do the right thing

earn their position

LEADERS

MANAGERS

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How the Project Manager Leads

Project managers function as mini-CEOs and manage both “hard” technical details and “soft” people issues.

Project managers: acquire project resources motivate and build teams have a vision and fight fires communicate

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Projects may be underfunded in the concept stage for a variety of reasons:◦ Deliberately vague goals, allows the project to be fluid◦ No top management sponsor◦ Requirements (resources) understated to get project

accepted◦ Insufficient funds – too many projects occurring◦ Distrust between top managers and project managers

thinking the needs have been padded

Note: Resources can be considered either personnel or raw material

Acquiring Resources

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Motivation ultimately comes from within us Each of us decides whether we will become

motivated to do the work we are assigned Successful project managers must

recognize they need to be able to ◦ Recognize talent◦ Recruit it◦ Mold a team of collaborative workers◦ ….apply motivational techniques as necessary

Motivating and building teams

See Herzburg Article - How to Motivate

Definition: The general desire or willingness of someone to do something.

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Motivating and building teams

http://despair.com/motivation.html

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CommunicationIt is critical for a project manager to maintain strong contact

with all stakeholders.

If they do not know what you are doing, they may assume you are doing nothing.

Productive project meetings feature task oriented and group maintenance behaviors and serve to:

update all participants on project status increase understanding of the goal drive commitment on how the team member fits into the

team make decisions as a group provide visibility of the project status

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Leadership & Emotional IntelligenceEmotional intelligence refers to leaders’ ability to understand that effective leadership is part of the emotional and relational transaction between subordinates and themselves.

Five elements characterize emotional intelligence:

Self-awareness

Self-regulation

Motivation

Empathy

Social skill

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A number of studies on effective project leadership reveals these common themes:

Effective communication Flexibility to deal with ambiguity Works well with the project team Skilled at various influence tactics Encouraging Honest

What do you think would make an effective project leader?

Traits of an Effective Project Leader

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1. Organizing under conflict – ability to manage and handle conflict

2. Experience – know how/where to get task done

3. Decision making

4. Productive creativity – implement innovative ideas

5. Organize with cooperation

6. Cooperative leadership

7. Analytical thinking

Seven Essential Project Management Abilities

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What are Project Champions?

Champions are fanatics in the single-minded pursuit of their ideas.

Champions can be: Creative originators – the driving force Entrepreneurs – works to sell the idea “Godfathers” - promote and protects Project managers

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Champion Roles

Traditional Duties• technical

understanding• team leadership• coordination & control

of activities• obtaining resources• administrative

Nontraditional Duties• cheerleader• visionary• politician• risk taker• ambassador

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Identify and encourage their emergence

Encourage and reward risk takers

Remember the emotional connection Champions may have to their project

Free Champions from traditional management roles so they can focus on effectivity not efficiency

Creating Project Champions

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Match personalities to project work

Use training programs to formally commit to project management

Develop a unique award system for project managers

Identify a distinct career path for project managers

Steps to Developing Project Management Professionals

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The “New” Project LeadershipFour competencies determine a project

leader’s success:

1. Understanding and practicing the power of appreciation of other’s talents.

2. Reminding people what’s important compared to the trivial many.

3. Generating and sustaining trust with team members.

4. Aligning, not dominating team members.

Project work is becoming the standard for many organizations to achieve their goals

There is a critical need to upgrade the skills of current project workers through continual training and skill development

Project managers and support personnel need dedicated career paths where project management is a permanent career choice

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Growing Professionalism of Project Management

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1. The chapter stressed the idea that project management is a “leader intensive” undertaking. Discuss in what sense this statement is true.

2. How do the duties of project managers reinforce the role of leadership?

3. What are the key differences between leaders and managers?

4. Discuss the concept of emotional intelligence as it related to the duties of project managers. Why are the five elements of emotional intelligence critical to successful project management?

5. Consider the studies on trait theories in leadership. Of the characteristics that emerge as critical to effective leadership, which seem most critical to project managers? Why?

Chapter 4 Review and Discussion

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6. At the back of the chapter (page 129) is a Future Time Perspective scale. After completing it, determine whether you have a future time perspective, present time perspective, or past time perspective. What are the implications for the types of tasks you enjoy performing? How will your preferences lead to strengths and weaknesses in managing projects?

7. Why are project champions said to be better equipped to handle the “non-traditional” aspects of leadership?

8. Consider the discussion of “new project leadership.” If you were asked to formulate a principle that could be applied to project leadership, what would it be? Justify your answer.

Chapter 4 Review and Discussion