What is your preferred leadership style? In which areas you feel comfortable and in which areas you need improvement? There are many aspects you need to know in order to become better in leading your project team.
How would you define the term “leadership“? What does it actually mean?
According to Wikipedia leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task”. A definition more inclusive of followers comes from Alan Keith of Genentech who said “leadership is ultimately about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen.”
Leadership is about influencing people in order to reach goals. It is also about coaching and motivating people so that they can give their best and reach a goal as a team. Leadership can be described many ways, but one thing is sure. Leadership skills are in the core of project management skills. Project management is leading people.
Leadership skills become important when project team faces conflicts or changes, or when difficult decisions must be made. In order to lead a team a project manager must gain respect and appreciation. Without authority project managers does not have much chances to survive in a difficult or pressurized situation. Authority and respect must be earned, and one’s preferred leadership style plays here an important role.
People have different leadership styles, and different leadership styles work in different situations. Although project manager should select the best matching leadership style to a certain situation, his/her personality contains certain dominating leadership styles. Check the table below and think what is your preferred leadership style? With which behaviors you are doing well and with which behaviors you need to develop? Leadership style includes behavior, communication, attitudes, decision making processes, delegating, etc.
The following table is used in IPMA C certification.
| Good behavior | Needs improvement |
| Delegates and trusts others, provides coaching and training. | Does not delegate and does not provide coaching. |
| Has a vision and communicates it clearly, and is on his/her way to reach goals | Can be selfish, changes direction easily, has no vision, and does not support ideas. |
| Has a natural authority, people listen to him/her, and they trust on him/her. | Brings always his/her own viewpoints, people are suspicious on him/her. |
| Delegates work packages with SMART-technique (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound) to team members who have the needed skills to do it. | Does not apply SMART-technique in leadership. Instead uses “command and control” to limit empowerment. |
| Is a skillful negotiator. | Is not able to solve conflicts. |
| Combines power and charisma. | Looks weak and diminutive |
| Encourages and makes people proud to be working with him/her. | People do not like his/her personality. |
| Rewards team members. | Does not reward team members. |
| Takes the overall responsibility, and delegates in fair way. | Does not take responsibility, and forwards all responsibility to team members. |
| Makes sure project goals are understood, and keeps skeptics away from interfering the team. | Blames team members and allows external pressure to change project goals and time schedule. |
| Controls team members in a enhancing way, keeps order and provides time for communication. | Does not have clear understanding of control mechanisms, blames lack of time, and avoids discussion. |
| Commits team members to decision making or has a clear right to make decisions by him/herself. | Makes all decisions by him/herself and does not communicate decisions to team members. |
| Is a good example of leadership and enjoys the trust of stakeholders. | Others do not accept his/her behavior and therefore does not enjoy their trust. |
| Keeps calm during crisis and avoids panic. | Loses self-control and gets into panic. |
Looks scary? Don’t worry, nobody is perfect. We all can find ourselves in both sides, although everybody’s wish is to stay more on the right side. It is important for a project manager to recognize own preferred leadership style and weaknesses, and by that start improving.
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