The Role of Leadership in Effective Project Management PMGT4021
- Subject Code :
PMGT4021
Several considerations point to the conclusion that leadership is one of the key aspects that can define the performance of the role of a project manager and the outcomes of the activities in both project and interpersonal terms. Leadership, therefore, captures the competencies of a project manager in the deployment of resources, problem-solving and staff motivation for the realization of project goals. While the former involves planning, organizing, and controlling the work in a systematic fashion, which is considered the key factor of project management, the latter involves directing, motivating and creating the spirit of the team among the staff as the leadership factor to support the management process of the project (Imam & Zaheer, 2021).
It is crucial to clarify that leadership in project management is linked to several key activities. First, it helps in coming up with the right strategy on how the project is supposed to be handled, which assists in ensuring that the team objectives are in line with the project objectives. This vision must be championed by a project manager of the project, and the project vision must be effectively communicated to ensure that all the stakeholders understand the end state and their participation in it. This helps in avoiding confusion and also defines the right channel or direction that the team wants to take.
Second, leadership entails decisions, which in most organizations, are the most central aspect of management. They have to be able to make the right decisions regarding time, cost, and quality aspects of the project and manage the people who are part of the project team. Leadership assists in making proper decisions at the right time, especially in instances where the decision is likely to affect many individuals. Another essential trait of a project manager is flexibility, in consequence, leadership entails knowing the presence of any uncertainty and also making changes if needed (Omer et al. 2022).
The other indispensable aspect of leadership is motivating and managing teams. Interpersonal skills are one of the focal aspects of competency wherein competent and efficient project managers can build confidence, and cooperation, and encourage the employees. They make team members take personal assignments, which help to enhance the overall team performance. Again, good leadership entails conflict resolution whereby a project manager is expected to address interpersonal or task-related challenges that may act as hurdles to the implementation of projects.
However, the aspect of leadership in project management also has its drawbacks as explained below. Managing projects presents some unique difficulties and one of these is that most project leaders have little authority over others and most of what they do has to depend on persuasion. This in turn makes other competencies such as emotional intelligence, effective communication, motivation and the like more essential to them. Finally, leadership transformed project management from a technical procedure to an organisational one, which is strategic, social and fluid which can make Project managers and leaders accomplish specific objectives in conditions of risks and volatility.
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