In our last blog we talked about Communication. Today we are going to look at the next topic in our series Five Vital Skills for Project Managers – Leadership.
The difference between Managing and Leading
Simply put, Management is about tasks while Leadership is about people. Project Managers need to be able to wear both hats, often at the same time. The role involves managing work and project progress while also guiding, motivating and directing people.
Skilful project leadership brings people together to achieve a common goal. It also ensures that together, the team efficiently accomplishes more than they could as individuals.
In addition, while management requires you to focus on the tasks, leadership requires you to look ahead, always focusing on the vision. This will enable you to anticipate problems and opportunities and plan for future changes.
Creating the Vision
A strong leader will create a clear vision of what the outcome of the project will look like. They will also inspire others to commit to achieving that vision. Making clear the purpose, importance and benefits of the project will engage the team. By providing vision, the Project Leader can engage and motivate people. They must maintain clear direction through tough times and celebrate wins along the way.
Motivation
A natural leader will motivate others to take actions, even when they are not officially in charge. As a project leader, you need to maintain motivation through tough times. This is key when a project is struggling or when BAU takes priority. You also need to understand what the team needs to perform at their best and create a positive working culture that enables people to excel.
Different things motivate different people and an individual’s motivation can change over time. Motivational factors include praise, variety in tasks, and autonomy for decision making. Great leaders recognise and understand those differences. They gain commitment by providing individuals with what they need to motivate them.
Forward Thinking
An effective Project Leader will always have one eye on the vision. Hence, they will ensure that all activity contributes to achieving that vision. While managing day to day tasks and actions, a Leader will be looking ahead to anticipate potential problems. This will help them to put preventative measures in place. The Leader will also be on the lookout for opportunities to add value to the project. They will save time and cost or improve outcomes.
To do this well, a Leader needs to be proactive. They should use both critical and strategic thinking. They also need to be decisive and be able to negotiate changes with stakeholders.
Conflict Management
Projects bring about change. Conflict is inevitable in situations where you are introducing something new or changing something. Strong Leaders know how to harness conflict for good, as the best solutions arise when someone challenges an idea.
Conflict can be positive for teams because it allows differing views to be expressed. This often results in a better solution and a more effective project outcome. However, Leaders need to arm themselves with conflict resolution strategies. This will ensure they can identify and tackle conflict proactively before it escalates into an issue for the team.
Enabling people
To empower, by its definition, means to put power into. Therefore, empowering people is the process of enabling someone to do something themselves. As a leader you need to recognise the skills and knowledge of individuals. You should remove roadblocks and then trust them to do their job without you micromanaging.
Once you have empowered people to work through problems on their own, it is counterproductive to tell them what to do and answer every question. A resourceful Leader will simply point people in the right direction. They will then employ coaching techniques to enable them to come to their own conclusions and solutions. This will encourage autonomy and productivity, and provide them with a reason to be proactive in their efforts, ultimately building trust.
Finally, a Leader needs to be able to control their emotions and stay calm when faced with hardships. When it comes to empowering people, you need to always remain positive. The emotions you express will affect those around you. If you want positive, enthusiastic team members, you must demonstrate positivity and enthusiasm yourself.
In conclusion, a well-known quote states that strong leaders are born and not made. This is often true, but you are leading a project, not fighting a war. Anyone can learn, develop, and apply these skills. The important part is to understand your role as a leader and what others expect of you, then make the commitment to step up and lead.
For further information the following courses we offer may be of interest.
- Leadership Development
- Building Confidence and Assertiveness at Work
- Team Performance Management
- Strategic Decision Making
- Developing Personal Impact and Productive Relationships
That concludes part two of our series “Five Vital Skills for Project Managers – Leadership”.