by Denene Brox

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>>To be seen as a leader, project mangers should play up their natural mediator skills when dealing with sponsors and stakeholders.

hen you look at influential business figures like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, it seems like they were born leaders. Not only are they able to articulate a clear vision, they also have an uncanny ability to inspire people and help them turn those visions into reality. Yet the ugly truth is that project managerscaught up in a whirlwind of budgets and schedulesoften lack those finely honed leadership instincts. That doesnt mean such instincts cant be cultivated, though. Leadership skills can be learned, says David Davis, PMP, PgMP, a program manager at telecom giant AT&T, Sylvania, Ohio, USA. However, this is only possible if the project manager wants to learn them. This self-motivation is half the battle, and the rest becomes a combination of style, day-to-day behavior and situational experience, he says. Sure, it helps to attend leadership development seminars and read

the appropriate books. But the best classroom is often the front lines of a projectdeveloping plans, communicating with clients, inspiring your team and solving the problems that pop up along the way. Project managers have the opportunity to share their vision about the scope of a project with the team, to build trust through a participative process when planning the project, to listen to the team and promote a work environment that stimulates adaptation when changes are necessary, says Alcides Santopietro Jr., PMP, project planner and controller at SNC-Lavalin, an engineering and construction group in Montral, Qubec, Canada. All of those responsibilities help build a better leader, but youre still going to have to work at it. Here are some other tips:

Avoid the power trip.

Humility might not be the first leadership skill that jumps to mind, but even team leaders must understand their complementary role as a team player. I have seen many project managers be condescending to their team and feel that the title of project manager provides them with a certain power, Mr. Davis says. You are still part of a team, and your role is to make sure the team understands what is trying to be accomplished, the timeframe to accomplish it, their individual tasks and how the tasks are related. Sometimes project managers have to admit that someone else on the team is more capable of carrying out a certain task. Project management leaders insppire confidence and trust when they have the confidence to defer tasks to those better-skilled, the ability to admit they do not know an answer and the wisdom to coach rather than command, says Joseph R. Czarnecki, PMP. He is senior consultant of global learning solutions for Europe, the

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The ability to get the most out of all team members can make the difference between a good project and a great project.
Gareth Byatt, PMP, PgMP, Lend Lease, Sydney, Australia

Middle East and Africa at project management training firm ESI International, London, England. Those who have a high regard for others, regardless of their experience and role, are always inspirational leaders.

a global telecom services provider in Valbonne, France. People make or break projects, he says. We ought to balance our investment between the project and the management aspects of project management.

Maintain balance.
Project managers must contend with demands coming from several directions: the organization, team members and clients. And they need to juggle all those requests while staying on schedule, within budget and without scope creep. To be seen as a leader, project mangers should play up their natural mediator skills when dealing with sponsors and stakeholders. Subtly call out the elephant in the room, Mr. Davis says. A project manager leader has a knack for getting people with opposing opinions into a situation where he or she can address the matter and look for a result. A project manager must be good at presenting the pros and cons of each position, hopefully leading to a less-emotional resolution. When it comes to team members, avoid focusing too heavily on tasks versus the individuals involved, says Michel Operto, PMP, IT transformation lead at Orange Business Services,

Play to a teams strengths.

Great leaders realize each team member has his or her own work style and personality, and they take the time to get to know players on an individual level. Expecting everyone to work in the same way is nave at best and can jeopardize a project at worst. The ability to get the most out of all team members can make the difference between a good project and a great project, says Gareth Byatt, PMP, PgMP, head of the global information and communication technology program management office at Lend Lease, a global project and construction management firm headquartered in Sydney, Australia. When people feel empowered to perform to their best ability, they display a sense of enthusiasm and drive that benefits the overall project. Project managers should be able to detect each team members motivational factors and adjust accordingly, Mr. Santopietro notes.

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People make or break projects. We ought to balance our investment between the project and the management aspects of project management.
Michel Operto, PMP, Orange Business Services, Valbonne, France

>>READ MORE ABOUT LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN VOICES ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT ON PAGE 80.

Some individuals are naturally more competitive than others. For others, recognition of their work is very important. And there are people who value the process as much as the results that come at the end, he says. The true project manager leader will identify these specific aspects and create a work environment that satisfies as many of them as possible. A project manager who doesnt respect team members as individuals isnt truly a leader. Mr. Czarnecki recalls such a person: He never valued the judgment of his team member experts. He always asked for our advice and input, but never once used it, he says. It ended up making the project hugely over budget and resulted in a very unhappy client. He was completely unaware of how unhappy the entire team was under his leadership.

As tempting as it might be to just wait it out and hope things will get better, project managers must be willing to deliver the unpleasant news. Its a leadership skill that probably isnt practiced as much as it should be, Mr. Czarnecki says. It is usually the project sponsor that makes the final decision to keep or kill a project. But a good project manager leader ensures that the right information gets to the sponsor with the right recommendations at the right time. That message must be conveyed with the conviction and confidence that comes with knowingand believing inthe right decision, he adds.

Look for hidden opportunities.

Be willing to cut your losses.

If theres one thing that became readily apparent during the recession, its that change can occur overnight. Those project managers who adapted to the shiftsand indeed even discovered some hidden gems in the rubble of the downturncame out all the stronger. From a leadership perspective, the recession has been both a good and a bad thing, Mr. Czarnecki says. For many project managers, especially during the first six to eight months of the recession, it was an excellent opportunity to practice and grow leadership skills. Natural leaders had an opportunity to rise. While it wasnt pleasant, the leadership lessons learned will guide many professionals for years, if not decades, to come. PM

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