Chapter 4
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Understand how project management is a “leader
intensive” profession.
Distinguish between the role of a manager and the
characteristics of a leader.
Understand the concept of emotional intelligence as it
relates to how project managers lead.
Recognize traits that are strongly linked to effective
project leadership.
Understand the implications of time orientation on
project management.
Identify the key roles project champions play in project
success.
Recognize the principles that typify the new project
leadership.
Understand the development of project management
professionalism in the discipline.
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“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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 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
Creation of Purpose
Managers
Leaders
Focus on plans and budgets;
Establishes direction; creates
creates steps, timetables for
a vision and the strategies
achieving results and looks
needed to achieve it.
for resources to support goals.
Developing a Network for
Organizes and staffs; creates
Aligns people with the target;
Achieving the Agenda
structure for achieving the
communicates direction by
plans; delegates responsibility
word and deed to those whose
and authority; develops
cooperation is needed; creates
procedures to guide behavior;
teams that understand and
creates monitoring systems.
share the project’s vision.
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Concerns
Execution
Managers
Leaders
Controls and solves problems;
Motivates and inspires;
monitors results and applies
energizes people to overcomes
corrective action.
obstacles and show personal
initiative.
Outcomes
Produces a degree of
Produces change; challenges the
predictability and order; seeks
status quo.
to maintain the status quo.
Focus
Efficiency of operations
Effectiveness of outcomes
Time-Frame
Short-term, avoiding risks,
Long-term; taking risks,
maintaining and imitating.
innovating and originating.
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do the right thing
Command respect
develop new processes
focus on people
innovate
LEADERS
originate
focused on potential
earn their position
have long-term goal
do things right
Demand respect
maintain the status quo
administer
imitate
state their position
inspire trust
focus on systems
MANAGERS
strive for control
focused on the bottom line
short-term view
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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
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Definition: The general desire or willingness of
someone to do something.



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
See Herzburg Article - How to Motivate
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http://despair.com/motivation.html
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It 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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Emotional 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:
Selfawareness
Social skill
Empathy
Selfregulation
Motivation
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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?
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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
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Champions are fanatics in the singleminded 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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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
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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
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Four competencies determine a project leader’s
success:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Understanding and practicing the power of
appreciation of other’s talents.
Reminding people what’s important
compared to the trivial many.
Generating and sustaining trust with team
members.
Aligning, not dominating team members.
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


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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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The chapter stressed the idea that project
management is a “leader intensive” undertaking.
Discuss in what sense this statement is true.
How do the duties of project managers reinforce
the role of leadership?
What are the key differences between leaders and
managers?
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?
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?
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6.
7.
8.
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?
Why are project champions said to be better
equipped to handle the “non-traditional” aspects of
leadership?
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.
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