A Practical Guide for Leadership in Project Management

Leadership in project management is an important skill for moving the project toward success. Unlike other types of leadership, project leadership will require you to have a range of competencies and behavior - from directing the project to governing it and ensuring that the project is delivered on time with quality. Project management and leadership go hand in hand, and the project lead must have the qualities of a good leader and a good manager, as they need to set the vision, inspire, and motivate their team members to work together and achieve a good end result. 

In 2024, the role of a project leader is more than just looking over the progress of the project. Instead, the project leaders are required to look for the quality throughout the process, how the team is performing, the individual’s contribution to the project, tracking and monitoring the progress, and making adjustments as and when required. Also, with the introduction and advancement of AI and automated tools and the introduction of remote work culture - the role of a project leader has indeed evolved in the past few years. 

This guide talks all about leadership quality and what it takes to be an effective project leader. 

Managing Projects Requires 4 Core Leadership Skills

Here are some core leadership skills that a leader needs while managing a project:

1. Ability to Motivate Team

Leadership in project management requires the ability to motivate the team members. It is quite understandable that a person might get exhausted while working. Hence, a good leader must know how to instill motivation. To motivate the team, they must set a realistic deadline that aligns with the project deadline. Adaptive project leadership skills can help you know your team’s preferences and personalities to adjust the project scope as required. 

2. Effective Communication

No project can be completed within a deadline without proper communication. Hence, it is essential to develop good communication skills. Poor communication can lead to inefficiency and missed deadlines. As per a survey, 28% of employees perform poorly because of a lack of communication or miscommunication. Hence, as a project leader, you must learn how to communicate effectively so that your vision of the result of the project aligns with your team members. This includes:

• The ability to approach
• Create meaningful relationships with the employees
• Give a precise description of your goals and objectives

3. Effective Management 

Management is another practical skill that you require for leadership in project management. As a project leader, you must know how to guide and manage a team throughout the project cycle. Management is not only about telling people what to do - it’s about guiding your team and showing them the path. In addition to guiding, project leaders must have certain leadership excellence skills and must be familiar with the tools and software - which are usually used to plan, organize, and communicate with the team members. 

4. Time Management

Proper time management skills can help you maximize your productivity and deliver the project on or before the deadline. This is one of the important project leadership best practices that you require to be a leader. A leader who is aware of time sensitivity can achieve better results within a given deadline. 

Aligning Project Goals with Organizational Objectives

Here’s how you can align project goals with organizational objectives:

1. Recognizing the Organization's Heartbeat

Project managers must have a deep understanding of their company's core values, including the goal, mission, and strategic objectives that help guide the project. They should be on the lookout for changes in the company's position, market trends, and competitors. Hence, understanding the organization's culture is equally important, as these factors influence and guide strategic objectives.

2. Establish Communication with Stakeholders

Establishing open and honest communication channels with stakeholders at all levels is very important. It is important to conduct daily or weekly meetings and ask for feedback about the project. Additionally, as a project leader, you should understand how to do stakeholder analysis and analyze each team member's report so that you can give constructive feedback to help them improve. Also, frequent communication guarantees that the project aligns with the organization's changing goals. Open communication helps to set reasonable expectations. 

3. Include Organizational Strategy in Project Schemas

Project managers must effectively incorporate the organization's strategic goals into the project's objectives during the planning stage. Determining precise project outcomes intended to support the organization's larger goals directly is frequently a part of this integration. Using frameworks and tools for strategic planning is crucial to achieving this. These instruments aid in guaranteeing that the project objectives actively assist the organizational goals in addition to being in alignment with them. 

Furthermore, it's crucial to continue approaching project planning dynamically. Project plans must be reviewed and updated regularly to account for and reflect any changes in the organization's strategy. By following this procedure, the project is guaranteed to stay current and make a meaningful contribution to the organization's changing objectives.

4. Measure Success 

Create performance metrics for your project that align with the company's objectives. This guarantees that the project's success is measured not just by its output right away but also by how well it contributes to the organization’s goals. In order to understand and improve your employee's performance, you must track and monitor key performance metrics. This also helps in making changes to the project plan. 

5. Allow Flexibility

To match project objectives with modifications in the organization's strategy; project managers need to develop flexibility. Teams maintain alignment with organizational objectives through the constant modification of goals and the cultivation of a culture of continuous employee development. It is crucial to keep the team updated on these modifications in order to keep them motivated and help them see how the project fits into the larger objectives of the company.

Adaptive Leadership in Project Environments

Adaptive project leadership is a practical leadership skill that helps project managers adapt and respond effectively to change and lead the team as per the change. In contrast to other leadership philosophies, adaptive leadership adopts a practical strategy to preserve flexibility and perseverance in the face of adversity. It views leadership as a collaborative activity. However, implementing adaptive methods into your everyday operations can be difficult because they are still purposefully evolving in real-time. For this reason, the essential qualities of an adaptive leader are empathy and open-mindedness.

Here are some of the adaptive leadership best practices:

1. Objective-Specific Choices: Adaptive leaders are aware of their goals. Hence, they work to strengthen the connection between long-term goal fulfillment and systematic organizational change. Due to this, everything they do is aligned with their long-term goals.
2. A Receptive Mind: Establishing a progressive work environment in creating an adaptable workspace. This creates a culture of learning from mistakes at the top of the hierarchy.
3. Trained to Face Challenges with a Positive Outlook: All of the analytical skills of an adaptive leader are emphasized by the notion that long-term success can be developed gradually.
4. Active Dedication: Adaptive project leadership are known for their farsightedness, which involves proactively committing to prospects and tailoring company proposals accordingly.
5. Testing: Adaptive leaders are redirected by a strong introspective culture to experiment and troubleshoot with bold solutions to solve complicated challenges that haven’t been addressed as a whole.
6. Compassionate Nature: To understand adaptive leadership, leaders must have a keen sense of empathy that enables them to place themselves in other people’s situations. Adaptive leaders care about building relationships just as much as they do about making money.

Measuring Effective Leadership in Project Management 

Measuring effective leadership is crucial. Here are some of the ways how you can do it:

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1. Development and Upholding of Strong Values

Identifying talent during the hiring process and assembling a group of skilled individuals is one of the most challenging yet important aspects of leadership in project management. However, establishing a setting that supports development and solid moral principles is also crucial. Effective leadership is seen when workers in a company are eager to work and give it their all.

2. Assess Attitudes of the Workforce

The effectiveness of a leader can be evaluated in a variety of methods. Among these are assessments, outside audits, and business outcomes. However, one can note that measuring and comprehending the attitudes of the workforce is the best approach. A great leader walks with one foot in the valley and one on the mountain.

3. Create and Asses DISC Profile

The DISC profile is a popular method for evaluating project leadership since it assesses four critical components of personality - dominance, influence, steadfastness, and conscientiousness. You can improve communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution by becoming aware of your own and your teammate’s teammates’ DISC profiles. This is one of the most agile methodologies in project management.

4. Evaluate Your Team Growth

One important statistic is your team’s growth. Excessive involvement of entrepreneurs frequently prevents their leadership from developing. Growth results from giving your team the freedom to decide for themselves, make mistakes, and develop from them. This is frequently done unintentionally. It is a sign that you are restricting their progress if you are included in decision-making processes for your explicit or implicit approval.

Continuous Learning and Improvement in Project Leadership 

Project success and efficacy are directly impacted by project leadership, which requires ongoing learning and development. Here are  a few points that emphasize the significance of continuing education and development for project managers:

1. Improving Decision-Making

Project managers have a better understanding of various aspects of project management and a broader perspective from continuous learning. This improves their ability to make decisions. Hence, the project will succeed if leaders make well-informed decisions because they can evaluate risks, spot opportunities, and decide on a course of action that will have a favorable effect on project results.

2. Enhanced Cooperation Among Teams

Leadership in project management requires continuous learning, which promotes a culture of continual improvement within the project team in addition to personal development. An atmosphere that fosters cooperation, creativity, and the sharing of ideas is created when project managers actively learn new things and impart them to their team. Consequently, this raises team morale and increases output.

3. Enhanced Procedures and Effectiveness

The method of continuous improvement includes reviewing and improving current procedures. Project managers are able to spot inefficiencies in project workflows when they adopt continuous learning. Through consistent evaluation and improvement of procedures, executives can boost productivity, lower project expenses, and provide outcomes more skillfully.

4. Development of Leadership

Technological skills for leadership in project management are very essential these days. Project managers can enhance their leadership skills, which include - motivation, communication, and conflict resolution, through ongoing learning. They can use the new perspectives and methods to mentor and encourage their colleagues, which will ultimately contribute to a productive team environment and excellent project results.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best leadership style for project management?

To achieve the best results, project managers must lean more toward vision and be more participative. 

What is the main goal of servant leadership in project management?

The goal of servant leadership is to serve those who require help in meeting the needs of an organization. They share authority and prioritize the development and welfare of their members, in addition to coaching and supporting them. 

What are the most important leadership qualities for project managers?

The most essential leadership qualities for project managers start from

Conclusion

Leadership in project management is an important skill, and it does not develop overnight. If you wish to be a project leader, work on your soft skills and automated tools, observe how people communicate, and understand the scope and purpose of the project - these things will ensure you are an effective project leader. 

It is crucial to be able to adjust to change, make wise decisions, encourage teamwork, streamline procedures, and hone your leadership abilities. Project managers who adopt practical communication skills are well-prepared to negotiate the challenges of project management successfully. Also, this will lead to continuous improvement in project leadership.

In addition, Edstellar - an instructor-led training platform, offers several leadership training courses that enhance your leadership skills and behavior. Contact us now to learn more.