www.falcontraining.co.nz

GREAT LEADERSHIPIN PROJECT MANAGEMENTSean Whitaker, PMP, BA, MSc, MBA

A Bit About Me . . .Experienced project manager having successfully delivered construction, telecommunications and IT projects in NZ and AustraliaPMP, BA, MSc, MBAPresident of Project Management Institute of New ZealandProject management trainer, author and speaker

OverviewPresent a competency-based model for leadershipPresent four key competencies for leadership within the profession of project managementImplications for project managersFeel free to ask questions throughout

LeadershipStudying leadership and developing your own leadership abilities is important for both personal and professional reasonsFor you personally, a path of growth through your own leadership development will enable you to reach the goals you have and fulfil your full potentialTake a proactive approach to accepting the personal and professional challenges that leadership opportunities present

The Value Of Leadership To Project Management

The value of project management– Properly applied professional project

management practices do add bottom line value to an organisation

The value of leadership to project management– Leadership increases the likelihood of project

success and the absence of leadership negatively affects projects

Defining Leadership

What do you think defines Leadership and Leaders?

Leadership – Definition The ‘Purposeful Influencing of Followers’

PurposefulThe leader must accept the challenge that leadership presents and demands

There are many people we may wish to follow who may not wish to lead

InfluencingThe leader must have a vision and be prepared to influence followers to see and move towards the vision

Followers

Leadership is a relationship between those who choose to lead and those who choose to be lead

Without followers there are no leaders

A leader must acknowledge, value and protect this relationship

What about Followers and Followership?

Are you a Leader or a Follower?If you are a Leader do you know what your followers expect of you?If you are a Follower do you know what your leaders expect of you?

Born or Made?There are certain behaviours and characteristics you are born with which may dispose you towards a certain style of leadership Other than that it is entirely up to you if you wish to study leadership and learn to develop your particular leadership styleLeadership is situational, different situations call for different styles (i.e. charismatic leadership works well in transformational situations but can be a liability in other leadership situations))

So what?Now we know what leadership is, what are the characteristics, traits and skills a great leader should have?

The Leadership Development Spectrum

Spiritual - Personal - Tasks - Technical

A Model for LeadershipLeadership within projects presents a unique situationA project environment is finite and uniqueIt is also constrained by time, budget or resourcesIt needs a different prioritisation in the set of leadership competencies from an operational settingLeadership in project management is situational and utilises 15 core competencies depending on several contextual factors such as project type, complexity, industry and size

The 15 Competencies of Leadership

ManagerialEngaging

communicationManaging resourcesEmpoweringDevelopingAchieving

IntellectualCritical analysis and judgementVision and integrationStrategic perspective

EmotionalSelf-awarenessEmotional resilienceMotivationSensitivity Influence IntuitivenessConscientiousness

A Model for LeadershipEmotional

Competencies

Managerial Competenci

es

Intellectual Competenci

es

Personal Foundation

•Engaging Communication• Managing Resources• Empowering• Developing• Achieving

·Critical Analysis & Judgement· Vision and Integration· Strategic Perspective

·Self-Awareness· Emotional

Resilience· Motivation· Sensitivity· Influence· Intuitiveness· Conscientiousnes

s

Personal Foundation – It is Important

The need for an authentic personal foundation is central to leadership as during your career as a leader you will at one time or another be required to draw on and display whatever set of competencies are required due to the context of the situationA strong authentic personal foundation is constant in all leadership situationsWithout a strong personal foundation the dark, narcissistic side of leadership can take hold

What do you think . . .

Constant Core Competencies

A strong personal foundation is a constant requirements of great leadershipMany of the competencies of project leadership are situational. However, there are number of the 15 identified competencies, along with a strong personal foundation, which are regarded as constant no matter what the situationThe following research added weight to thisOverall the respondents can be described as highly experienced, motivated, intelligent and educated people working in a focussed, pressured and high profile profession

The IntervieweesBy Industry

Social services 3%

IT59%

Construction31%

By Gender

Male72%

Female28%

By Country of Professional Origin

New Zealand44%

By Country of Current Residence

New Zealand88%

USA 6%

Education 6%

Jordan 3% Australia 3%

UK25%

USA 9%

Australia 6%

Romania 3%Jordan 3%

Malaysia 3%Switzerland 3%

Holland 3%

Project ManagersWhy are you attracted to the profession of project management?

Leadership role

Variety, diversity and challenge

Like organising/ planning

Seeing workto completion

Building something tangible

Finite nature Remuneration

Percentage of interviewees

Project Managers

What are your core values?

Honest

y

Percentage of interviewees

Integ

rity

Humou

rTru

st

Authen

ticity

Self-l

earni

ng

Passio

nFam

ily

Fairne

ss

Respe

ct

Sense

of …

Kindn

ess

Compe

tition

Pride

Empa

thy EQ

Humilit

y

Hospita

lity

Your Leadership ExperienceThink about a time in your life when you have accepted a leadership role. As a result of you being leader things went really well.What behaviours, characteristics and traits did you display as a great leader?What do you hope your followers would say about your leadership style?

The Core of Great Leadership

Percentage of interviewees

Commun

icatio

n

Vision

ary Trust

Empa

thy

Took r

espon

sibilit

y

Coach

ing/M

entor

ing

Humou

r

Use of

autho

rity

Serva

nt lea

dersh

ip

Motivat

ional

Fairne

ss

Integ

rity

Openn

ess

Issue

resol

ution

Respe

ct

Self-r

egula

tion

Passio

n

Charis

ma

What did they do when being great leaders?

Your Followership ExperienceThink about a person in your life who has inspired you with their leadership roleWhat was it about this person that you admired?What lesson did this person teach you about leadership that you would pass on to someone wanting to be a great leader?

The Core of Great LeadershipWhat did they admire in great leaders?

Commun

icatio

n

Percentage of interviewees

Vision

aryTrust

Empa

thy

Coachi

ng/M

entor

ing

Protec

tor

Took r

espon

sibilit

y

Serva

nt lea

dersh

ip

Honest

y

Passio

n

Friend

ship

Humou

r

Kindn

ess

Diplom

acy

Self-r

egula

tion

Use of

autho

rity

Charis

ma/con

fiden

ce

Listen

ing

Humilit

y

Authe

nticit

y

The 15 Competencies of LeadershipManagerialEngaging communicationManaging resourcesEmpoweringDevelopingAchieving

IntellectualCritical analysis and judgementVision and integrationStrategic perspective

EmotionalSelf-awarenessEmotional resilienceMotivationSensitivity Influence IntuitivenessConscientiousness

Bridging the Gap

Percentage of interviewees

People skills

What things do they need to work on to become a great leader?

Strategic/ visionary

Work on leadership skills

Coaching/ mentoring role

Better processes

Empathy Communication skills

Confidence Servant leader

Proactive

Becoming a Great LeaderNow we can see what the essential and core elements of leadership within the professional of project management we can look at ways to develop the required core competencies of great leadership

5 Practices of Exemplary Leaders1. Model the Way2. Inspire a shared Vision3. Challenge the Process4. Enable others to Act5. Encourage the Heart

Model the Way1. Find your voice by clarifying your personal values

2. Set the example by aligning your words and actionsTitles are granted but its your behaviour that wins you respectLeaders are supposed to stand up for their beliefs, so they’d better have some beliefs to stand up for.People follow first the person, then the plan

Inspire a Shared Vision3. Envision the future by imagining exciting possibilities

4. Enlist others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirationsLeaders gaze across the horizon of time, imagining the attractive opportunities that are in store when they and their followers arrive at a distant destinationLeadership is a dialogue not a monologue so you have to listen to others as you communicate your visionYour enthusiasm and passion for your vision will be catching

Passion definedpas·sion [pash-uh n] – nounan instance or experience of strong love or sexual desire.a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything i.e. a passion for music. [dictionary.com]

The best leaders are passionate about what they do.

Discover what you are passionate about.

Challenge the Process5. Search for opportunities by seeking innovative easy to change, grow and improve

6.Experiment and take risks by constantly generating small wins and learning from mistakesLeaders are pioneers and are willing to step into the unknown.Don’t sit around waiting for luck to make things happen. Leaders search for opportunities to innovate, grow and improveFailure doesn’t guarantee future success without the ability to learn – Try, fail, learn

Enable Others to Act7.Foster collaboration by promoting cooperative goals and building trust

8. Strengthen others by sharing power and discretionLeaders foster collaboration and build trust to build teamwork.A leader who can make people feel strong and capable will get more from their team.Leaders enable others to act not by hoarding the power they have but by giving it away – empower your people to be amazing and exceed their own personal best.

Encourage the Heart9. Recognise contributions by showing appreciation for individual excellence

10. Celebrate the values and victories by creating a spirit of communityLeaders encourage the heart of their followers to carry on.Recognise contributions, celebrate values and victoriesThis demands that you are authentic and genuinePeople will know if you aren't a genuine person.

• First make a decision to develop your leadership skills. They can be learnt

• How do you think you can apply what we have gone over today? At your work place? In your personal life?

• Leadership opportunities are everywhereFollow the K&P model and start a journal noting down where and when you have, or wished you had, developed and displayed any of the 5 characteristicsTake the opportunity to get feedback from followers – ask the hard questions and accept the answersCopy those leaders you admire – get a leadership mentor

How can you apply all of this?

SummaryProject management adds value to organisationsLeadership adds value to project managementGreat project leaders demonstrate great communication,a vision, trust and empathyProtect your personal foundationProject environments are more focussed and constrained than operational environments and this affects leadership skills usedActively (and proactively) seek to develop within yourself the traits of a great leader.Just as you would study medicine to become a great doctor you can study leadership to become a great leader

Further readingThe Leadership Challenge, Kouzes and PosnerThe Encouraging the Heart Workbook, Kouzes and PosnerTrue North, Bill GeorgeEmotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman

Final ThoughtsThe project management profession must take responsibility for developing our own leadersMake leadership development a core component of ongoing professional development

Thank youPlease feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or feedback.Sean Whitaker, sean@falcontraining.com (and on LinkedIn)