Project Initiation, Planning and Execution

MBA642

Project Initiation,

Planning and Execution

Workshop Week 1

Leadership and the Project Manager

2

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• It is strongly recommended that you register on the Project Management Institute website (http://www.pmi.org) and access the resources available there, many of which are free. For example, you may find the following resources useful:

• A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Sixth Edition available for purchase online

• Practice Standards and Frameworks

• Thought Leadership topics

Before We Start…

• Understand how project management is heavily reliant upon effective leadership

• Distinguish between leaders and managers

• Recognise characteristics that are strongly related to effective project leadership

• Identify the key roles that project champions play in the success of a project

• Recognise the principles that typify the “new project leadership model”

• Introduction to Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)

Week 1 Learning Objectives

What is Project Leadership?

Leadership involves an awareness of partnership -

active collaboration with the "team”.

Promoting partnership idea between project

manager and team by:

– Exchange of purpose

– Can say “no”

– Joint accountability

– Honesty

Adapted from Pinto, JK 2016, Project Management, Achieving Competitive Advantage, 4th Edition, Pearson Education Inc., p119

Workshop Activity

Students to discuss the differences between

managers and leaders. Are they valid distinctions?

What are the overlaps? Do they have personal

experience with each? Can they name a well

known manager and a leader?

How Does the Project Manager Lead?

There is a wide span of leadership tasks that may

include:

• Direct supervision

• Indirect influence

• Management of technical details

• Dealing with people issues

• Developing detailed project plans and budgets

• Dealing with stakeholder concerns

Successful Project Management

- Other Duties and Roles

Other duties and roles for successful project

management may include:

• Acquiring project resources

• Building and motivating teams

• Possessing vision

• dealing with problems

• Communicating

Effective Communication is

Critical

• Clear projection of views

• Identify with audience

• Consistency of message

• Keep stakeholders informed at all times

Workshop Activity

One of the most critical means by which project

managers can communicate is through their ability to

conduct successful meetings. These may involve

meetings with team members, senior management,

clients and other important project stakeholders.

With the person next to you, come up with a list of the

key purposes for a project team meeting. Hint: one

could be the chance for face to face discussion.

Be prepared to share your ideas with the rest of the

class.

Project Manager Characteristics

Adapted from Pinto, JK 2016, Project Management, Achieving Competitive Advantage, 4th

Edition, Pearson Education Inc., p119

Workshop Activity

“All really great leaders have charisma. They can

influence people to do things they would not otherwise

accomplish and feel good about it while doing it. We

all know of people that we look up to as leaders, but

what made them so successful in their leadership

role?”

Quote taken from Opfer W A, Kloppenborg T J & Shriberg A 2002, Project leadership—setting the stage.

Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference 2002: Frontiers of Project Management Research and

Applications, Seattle, Washington. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.

Consider this quote and be prepared to discuss the

characteristics of successful project managers that set

them apart from ordinary ones. What are they? Do you

think that charisma is important?

Traits of Effective Project Leaders

• Organising under conflict

• Experience

• Decision-making

• Productive creativity

• Organising with cooperation

• Cooperative leadership

• Integrative thinking

Project Champions – are Crucial

to a Project’s Success

Definition: Identify with new product or service, and persuasively

convince others to get on board

•Creative originators: driving force behind idea

•Entrepreneur: individual who actively promotes a new product or

service

•Sponsor: champions project, including obtaining resources, coaching

the project team, addressing political problems, and protecting the

sustainability of project

•Project Manager: Strongly identifies with project, so naturally can be

central to "championing the cause”

How do Project Champions Carry

out Their Role?

Traditional Duties

• Technical

understanding

• Leadership

• Coordination &

control

• Obtaining resources

• Administrative

Non-traditional Duties

• Cheerleader

• Visionary

• Politician

• Risk-taker

• Ambassador

Adapted from Pinto, JK 2016, Project Management, Achieving Competitive Advantage, 4th Edition, Pearson Education Inc., p129

Workshop Activity

Form pairs or small groups.

• Using a mobile / laptop / tablet, you will need

to research to identify a company where a

project champion has been central to the

success of a particular large scale project.

• Be prepared to share your findings with the

rest of the class.

How do Organisations Create

Project Champions?

• Identify and encourage their emergence.

• Encourage and reward risk takers.

• Remember the emotional connection.

• Free champions from traditional project

management duties.

Project Management – Harnessing our Abilities to Lead Others

Four competencies determine a project leader’s

success:

•Understand and practise the power of appreciation

•Remind people what’s important

•Generate and sustain trust

•Align with the leader

Workshop Activity

Separate into four groups and consider why the

following characteristics in project leaders are

considered important. Do you agree? Be

prepared to justify your findings and share them

with the rest of the class:

1. Abilities to recognise and reward the talent of

others

2. Be aware of distractions, but don’t lose sight of

the main game

3. Honesty is key characteristic of leader

4. Partnership leader and team

The Challenge of Managing

Internationally

1. Develop a detailed understanding of the

environment.

2. Do not stereotype.

3. Be genuinely interested in cultural

differences.

4. Do not assume there is one way to

communicate (i.e. yours).

5. Listen actively and empathetically.

Workshop Activity

Globalisation has made it increasingly important, even for

businesses that have considered themselves purely

domestic, to have a thorough understanding of the risks

inherent in managing projects that span national borders.

Form a small group (3 or 4) and identify these “cultural risks”

and the costs to the project if they are not properly managed.

Introduction to PMI and Project

Management Body of Knowledge

(PMBOK)

• The Project Management Institute (PMI) is a major

professional body for project managers.

• Professional resources and research are available for

professionals working in nearly every country in the world

to enhance careers, improve organisational success and

further mature the profession.

• PMI provides advocacy for project management -

reinforced by globally recognised standards, a certification

program, extensive academic and market research

programs and professional development opportunities.

Workshop Activity

In groups of 3 or 4, use your smartphone or tablet to research,

select and report back to the class on one of the key function

areas reported on the PMI website at

https://www.pmi.org/about/learn-about-pmi

(Certification, Global Standards, Chapters and Community,

Training and Education, Thought and Leadership, and

Academic Research)

Summary

• Project management is leader-intensive as the success of

any project is reliant upon the commitment of an energetic

project leader.

• Leaders focus on interpersonal relationships, unlike

managers whose remit is fundamentally one of

administration and functional authority.

• Recognise the traits that are strongly linked to effective

project leadership.

Before Next Week

• Please read the article by Ann Logue (2003) “Perform,

lead, win”. PM Network, 17(2), 40–44 which can be

located at

https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/assembling-project-

teams-compatibility-development-4792

• Comment in the ‘peer discussion’ forum about what you

think are the most important messages from this reading.