Leadership activities in projects are carried out by the project owner, the project manager and the project team. Different leadership styles are used in projects, such as the autocratic, the cooperative, the democratic and the situational leadership style.
The primary functions of leadership are for instance:
Agreeing on objectives and assigning tasks
Informing and deciding
Providing information
Ensuring freedom of action and recommending work forms
Controlling and giving feedback, reflecting, encouraging learning and further development
Creating conditions for motivating team members
Directing energy in the project.
From a systemic perspective, the key element of leadership is target-oriented communication – intervention. In this case individual persons or teams have to be managed. Leadership in projects and programs is closely linked with the project management sub- processes project start, project controlling, project coordination, project close-down and with the design of these.
Furthermore, leadership activities as for example, giving orientation to the project team members, motivating and further developing the project organization members. Moreover, the role of the project leader is to ensure performance of the project, the project team members must be given freedom of action, which tends to be reduced during the course of the project. Although leadership activities have to be carried out continuously, event-oriented leadership is also required. In event-oriented leadership, energy in projects can be directed through events, such as project workshops, project presentations and milestone celebrations. Energy cannot be maintained at a continuously high level throughout the entire duration of the project. Hence, leadership methods have to be adjusted and deployed according to the team composition and culture.
Team Leader
The Project Manager has primary responsibility for defining, planning, tracking and managing the project they are assigned. The team leader is responsible for identifying key resources and providing the direction required for meeting the project objectives. Project Leader therefore, is also responsible for ensuring appropriate management, customer and supplier involvement throughout the life of the project.
Qualifications and skills of the Project Manager include an ability to lead and motivate people and encourage teamwork, an ability to communicate effectively with senior management, and a clear vision of what determines a successful product for the customer and for the company. In addition, the Project Manager must have a technical background sufficient to understand the technologies and technical issues involved with the product, to be able to anticipate and identify critical technical obstacles, and to make accurate technology decisions.
The Project Manager must be able to manage project schedule and task details and utilize project management tools such as reports, tracking charts, checklists, and project scheduling software and to act appropriately. The leader must be able to manage change and take active leadership in timely decision making. Finally, a project manager has to have courage to face up to issues early, resolve conflicts, admit to having problems and seek coaching openly. In general, project leader must champion the people and the project up, down, and across the organization and with customers.
Sources:
Rattay, 2003, p.48-52 & Gareis, 2006, p.141-152
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