IT Leadership

Introduction

If you are a project manager, leadership must be part of your skill set, right? After all, you are appointed to lead a team, a project, or both, to success. Or is it more complicated than that? In today’s complex business environment, leadership tends to be misunderstood. We’ll discuss the perception versus the reality of what leadership means in project management and how you can use innovative leadership skills to guide your team to success.

The Illusion of Leadership

Leading a team of people to achieve a common goal is not easy. It requires a very particular set of skills and competencies that not everyone possesses inherently. But the keyword here is “not everyone.” That doesn’t mean that leaders have a monopoly on a certain skillset. In fact, leadership is a skill that you can cultivate and refine with practice, just like any other skill. The perception of leadership as a innate quality is misleading and can create unnecessary barriers for anyone who wants to step into a leadership role.

It’s this very perception that exasperates the leadership skills gap and leaves organizations and projects lacking the leadership required to succeed. So, it’s time to set the record straight on what leadership means in the project management realm and provide you with the tools to cultivate the skills you need to get your team across the finish line.

The Reality of Leadership

If you analyze the skills required to manage a project, you would find that leadership skills are scattered throughout the entire project lifecycle. In other words, the skills that enable great project managers to get things done effectively, often overlap with the skills considered fundamental to leadership.

As a project manager, you are constantly wearing two hats. On the one hand, you are the person responsible for planning, budgeting, scheduling, and overseeing the project to ensure its success. All of these tasks require strong organizational and administrative skills that are typically associated with project management.

But on the other hand, you are also the person responsible for rallying the team around a common goal, motivating and engaging team members, resolving conflicts, and facilitating communication and collaboration among team members. All of these activities relate to skills in influence, communication, and team-building, which are fundamental to leadership.

Given this overlap in skills, it’s easy to see why there is a perception gap between leadership and project management. But it’s time to bridge that gap once and for all. Let’s get into some practical strategies that you can use to lead yourself and your team to success in any project.

Leadership Strategies for Project Managers

As mentioned above, strong leadership skills are scattered throughout the project lifecycle. So, let’s analyze each stage and identify the critical leadership moments you need to master to innovate as a project manager.

1. Planning Phase

The planning phase sets the foundation for the entire project and its success. As the project manager, you are responsible for developing the project plan and defining the scope, schedule, budget, resources, and risks involved. This phase can make or break your project’s success, so it requires a laser focus. Here are some leadership skills required during the planning phase:

Strategic Thinking: Assessing the project goals, determining the steps needed to achieve them, and identifying the resources needed to implement those steps, requires strategic thinking. You need to assess the available information, look for opportunities and potential risks, and develop a plan that is both realistic and ambitious.

Decision-Making: The planning phase involves making numerous decisions, big and small. From choosing the project management framework to defining the scope and setting the budget and schedule, every decision can impact the project’s success. You need to make informed and confident decisions to set the project on the right path.

Risk Management: Identifying potential risks and formulating risk management strategies is essential for every project’s success. Effective risk management requires you to think critically, creatively, and proactively to anticipate and mitigate risks.

Communication: Clear and open communication within your team and other stakeholders is essential for effective planning. This means communicating the project goals, scope, expectations, and timeline effectively to get everyone on the same page.

2. Execution Phase

The execution phase is where the planned project strategy goes live. This phase requires constant monitoring, evaluation, and adaptation to ensure the project’s objectives and goals are met. Here are some essential leadership skills needed during the execution phase:

Motivation: As the project progresses, team members may experience challenges and setbacks. It is your job to maintain a positive atmosphere and motivate your team, especially in the face of adversity. You must foster a culture of motivation, recognizing and celebrating achievements while providing encouragement and inspiration when things get tough.

Conflict Resolution: Conflict is inevitable in any project, and as a leader, you must be equipped to resolve it. Disagreements among team members, changes in scope, or differences in work styles are common issues that require your mediation skills.

Facilitating Collaboration: Your team consists of diverse individuals with different backgrounds, expertise, and perspectives. Your ability to create a culture of collaboration and encourage teamwork will contribute to the project’s success. You must foster a safe and inclusive environment where ideas are shared, and everyone feels valued.

Decision-Making: Decision-making is a continuous process throughout the execution phase. You will face new challenges and unforeseen circumstances that will require you to make quick and confident decisions to maintain the project’s momentum.

Adaptability: As mentioned previously, the ability to adapt to changing circumstances is crucial in project management. This adaptability requires a growth mindset, creative problem-solving, and the ability to respond nimbly to change while keeping your team focused on the goal.

3. Monitoring and Controlling Phase

The monitoring and controlling phase is ongoing and concurrent with the execution phase. It involves regular checks to ensure that everything is going according to the plan and, if not, taking corrective actions to get the project back on track. Here are the leadership skills required during this phase:

Monitoring: Regularly assess the project’s progress against the plan using appropriate metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs). This requires you to be vigilant and attentive to details, and prompt in taking action when needed.

Status Reporting: Keeping stakeholders informed of the project’s progress through regular status reports is a leadership skill that can make or break your credibility. It demonstrates your ability to provide transparent and reliable updates on progress, issues, and other critical information.

Course Correction: When things go off track, which they often do, you need to take quick and effective action. This requires you to analyze the issue, consider alternatives, and make decisions to get the project back within the scope, schedule, and budget.

Risk Management: Throughout the project, new risks may emerge, or known ones may escalate. This phase requires you to re-evaluate the risk landscape consistently and take proactive measures to mitigate threats and capitalize on opportunities.

Team Management: As issues arise, you need to engage in active team management, provide clear directives, offer guidance, and motivate the team to refocus on the goals.

4. Closing Phase

The closing phase is the culmination of all your hard work and that of your team. This phase marks the official end of the project, but it is crucial for completing any loose ends and ensuring that the project delivers the desired outcomes and meets its objectives. Here is where you, as a leader, need to demonstrate the following skills:

Celebration and Recognition: Celebrating project successes and recognizing the contributions of individual team members is an essential part of the closing phase. As a leader, you set the tone for future projects by highlighting the hard work and dedication of your team, which helps to motivate and retain your team members.

Reflection and Improvement: The closing phase also involves an honest reflection on what went well and could be improved in the future. As a leader, you play a crucial role in soliciting feedback from stakeholders and team members while also providing your own perspective and insight on what could be done differently.

Communication: As with every other phase, clear communication is critical to the closing phase’s success. You must communicate all relevant information to stakeholders, team members, and other interested parties. This includes any important next steps, follow-up activities, or opportunities for further collaboration.

5. Leadership in Any Role

Becoming an innovative leader in project management requires a shift in mindset. Whether you are a seasoned project manager or just starting, you can lead from wherever you are with these key leadership insights:

Develop a Growth Mindset: Leadership is not a fixed trait that some are born with and others are not. It’s a skill set that you can cultivate and grow throughout your career. Embrace a growth mindset, continuously seek opportunities to learn and develop your skills, and embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.

Empathy and Communication: Leadership begins with empathy—the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Effective leadership requires the ability to connect with your team, listen actively, and provide open and honest communication.

Collaboration Over Competition: Collaboration is a cornerstone of innovative leadership. Promote a culture of collaboration within your team and organization by valuing diverse perspectives, fostering a safe environment for sharing ideas, and empowering individuals to work together towards a common goal.

Courage to Take Risks: Leadership requires courage to take risks and make tough decisions. It means being decisive, confident, and willing to try new things, learn from failures, and adapt based on lessons learned.

Adaptability and Innovation: The projects of the future require leaders who are agile and innovative. Adaptability and creativity enable you to find novel solutions to complex problems and approach challenges from new angles.

Ethical and Authentic Leadership: Leadership must be grounded in ethics and authenticity. Leading with integrity requires you to be true to your values, transparent with your team, and committed to doing the right thing, always.

Conclusion

Becoming an innovative leader in project management requires a deep understanding of the skills and competencies required throughout the project lifecycle. It is more than just managing a plan; it is about inspiring and guiding a team of people to achieve a common goal.

Remember, leadership is not a destination but a journey of continuous learning and development. So, lead yourself first, and you will be well on your way to successfully leading any team or project.