LeadershipStylesforProgramandProjectManagers

byJeffHodgkinson

LeadershipStyleisaoneofthepotentialsuccessfactorsforbothprogramandprojectmanagers.Itisasoftskill whichisoftenneglectedintrainingbecauseitisveryhardtomeasureapersonsleadershipstyleinatraining situation.Byunderstandingleadershipstylesandtheirimpact,aPMcanbecomegreatprojectleader.Therefore, theprogramandprojectmanagermustdeterminethemostappropriateleadershipstyleforeachprojectteam.A Program/ProjectManagershouldchoosethecorrectleadershipstylebasedupontheProject&ProjectTeam requirements.Someofthemostcommonleadershipstylesforaprojectmanagerinclude:

LeadershipStyle DecisionMakingStyles Autocratic

BriefExplanation

Makesdecisionswithoutinput.Thisleadershipstyleisseldomwarranted,unlessthePM clearlyknowsmoreaboutthesubjectmatterandhasimmatureandinexperiencedteam members.Thatisseldomthecase,andifitistruethePMhasmadepoorselectionsfor teammembers.APMwhousesanautocraticstyleoutsidealifeordeathemergency projectshouldreexamineher/hisoverallmethodologyandmotivation. SolvesProblemsandmakesdecisionsingroupwithdecisionmakingbasedongroup agreement.UnlikeDemocratic,thisleaderwillnotnecessarilytakeavote,butwillrather leaddiscussions,readtheteampositionandpersonallymakethedecisionsaccordingly. ThisstyleislessformalthanDemocratic.Itmayworkbetterfordispersedorvirtualteams whichcannotmeettogetherfrequently. Invitesideasfromtheteamfordecisionmakingprocess,goeswithmajority.Alsoknownas ConsultativeorParticipative.Thisstylewillusuallyresultinagooddecision,butmayleave theminorityvotersdisgruntled.ItisimportantthatthePMreachouttotheminorityvoters toensurethatthoughtheydisagreewiththedecision,theycommittotheoutcome.A maturePMwillneverholdavotewithoutfirstconsultingwiththeprimarystakeholdersin thevote.Thisisnecessarytoensurethatthevoteproperlyaddressestheissueathand,and thatallparties(includingthePM)knowwhatisatstake. ThisFrenchphrasemeansleaveitbe.Thisstyleisahandsoffpolicyandtheteamis entirelyselfledregardingthedecisionmakingprocess.Exceptinaverymatureself motivatedteam,thismayleadtoaimlessnessandlackofsuccess.Lessmatureteam membersmayviewitasalackofinterestorinvolvementbythePM.

Consensus

Democratic

LaissezFaire

ActivityManagementStyles Directive Tellsotherswhattodo.Ifthisstyleiswarranted(butitseldomis)thePMmustbevery diplomaticanduseapersonalauthoritystylewhichwillnotalienateteammembers.This stylemaybewarrantedinthecaseofanimmatureteam,immatureteammembers,oran extremelytimecriticalproject.However,thisstyleisgenerallynotpreferredbecauseit doesnotdeveloptheteamnorallowadequatefeedbackfromtheteam.Matureteam memberswillresentthisstyleandproductivitywillbelowerinthelongrun. Runsprojectsbythebook,ensuringtheteamfollowsproceduresexactly.Somesituations maycallforthisleadershipstyle,suchasagovernmentcontractorwhereregulatory requirementsmustbemet.Usually,though,thisstyleistherefugeofinsecureproject managerswhofearaccountabilityforvariationsfromthestandards.Projectsmaybenefit fromvariationfrompublishedstandards,ifthosevariationscanbejustified.Aconsistently bureaucraticleadershipstylemayindicatepoorabilitytomanageriskorapplytheIntel valueofInformedRiskTaking.
2009 Jeff Hodgkinson; published at www.asapm.org

Bureaucratic

LeadershipStylesforProgramandProjectManagers;JeffHodgkinson,page2

ActivityManagementStyles,continued Coaching Instructsandmotivatesotherstoenhancetheirskillstoachievemaximumimpactforthe teamandproject.Acoachisdirective,butfocusedonindividualandteamdevelopment. Thisisverygoodaslongasitisalsoinlinewithprojectgoals.Aprojectmanagersfirst responsibilityistotheproject,andsecondarilytotheteamandindividual.Notethata coachandamentorarenotthesamething. Amentorsfirstresponsibilityistheindividualscareerandpersonaldevelopment,notto theprojectorteam.Generally,teammembersrespondwelltoacoachingstyle,andthis stylemaybenefitfutureprojectsaswellasthecurrentone.Asharshasthismaysound,a goodPMmustbewillingtodelayateammemberspersonaldevelopmentifitinterferes withtheobjectivesoftheproject.Forexample,aPMmayaskateammembertodefer takingaclasstoacquireanewskillifthatskillisnotneededtocompletetheprojecton schedule. Givesteammembersauthorityandtoolstodotheirjobs.Thisissimilartoacoach,butis lessfocusedonteachinganddirecting.IncontrasttoaDirectivestyle,theEmpoweringPM asksteammemberstomakedecisions,tochoosetasks,andeventodeterminehowthose tasksaredone.ThisPMevaluatesthematurityandskillofindividualteammembersand givesthemappropriatelevelsofauthorityandfreedomtoaccomplishtheprojectgoals.An EmpoweringPMhelpsteammemberslearnskillsneededtoaccomplishprojectgoalsor acquireneededtoolstodotheirjobs. Coordinatestheinputofothers.AfacilitatingPMisprimarilyanorganizeranddispenserof projectinformation.ThisPMdoesnotmakedecisionsfortheteam,exertauthority,nor directactivities.He/shesimplyisacontactpointforteammemberstocoordinatetheir individualefforts.Generallyspeaking,thisPMhaslittlepersonalauthority,andsimply communicatesthedecisionsorordersofhighermanagement.Thisstyleisappropriatefora novicePM,butmayalsoreflectalackofmanagementsupportfortrueproject managementdiscipline. Leavestheteamalone.Hasahandsoffpolicyandtheteamisentirelyselfdirectedintheir activities.Aswithalaissezfairedecisionmakingstyle,thisstyleisonlyappropriateforvery matureselfmotivatedteams.Foranyotherteam,itisaformulaforfailureandasignof lazyorovertaskedPM.Teammemberswillgenerallyinterpretthisstyleasalackof interest,andtheprojectwillsufferaccordingly. Providesassistancealongtheway.ThisPMisclosertoateammatethanaleader,butmay havegreatsuccessasaresult.He/shepitchesinanddoessomeoftheactualworkofthe project,aswellascoordinatingtheprojectoverall.Frequently,thisstyleiscombinedwith theFacilitatingstyle.

Empowering

Facilitating

LaissezFaire

Supporting

PersonalAuthorityStyles Organizational Receivesauthorityduetopositioninorganization.ThisisthenormalstartingpointforaPM onanygivenproject.AstheprojectprogressesandtheteamgetstoknowthePM,the personalauthoritystyleshouldchangetooneofthemoreactivestyles.APMwhocannot motivaterespectthroughanythingotherthanpositioninanorganizationneedstoimprove theirpersonalityandstyle.Generally,ifOrganizationalauthorityisallthePMhas,team memberswillbecomeeitherapatheticordisrespectfulovertime.Thustheprojectwill suffer. continued
2009 Jeff Hodgkinson; published at www.asapm.org

LeadershipStylesforProgramandProjectManagers;JeffHodgkinson,page3

PersonalAuthorityStyles,continued Charismatic Leadsateamprimarilythroughmagnetismofpersonality.Charismaticleadersinspireahigh levelofenthusiasmandsuccessonshortprojects,buthavethefocuswrong.Focusshould beontheprojectgoalsandteamdevelopment,notontheleader.Further,iftheteamwork isbasedonthecharismaticleader,theprojectmayfailifthePMchanges.Thereisgreat dangerthatacharismaticleadershipstylemaydevolveintoanautocraticone,soa charismaticPMmustalwaysbeontheguardnottoindulgepersonalegointhisway. However,acharismaticleadershipstylecanbeveryeffectiveifcombinedwithpreferred styles,suchasdemocratic,consensus,coachingorempowering. Inspiresteamwithasharedvisionofthefuture.SimilartoCharismatic,butinthiscaseitis theleadersvisionratherthanpersonalitywhichprovidesthemotivationalaspect.The greatvalueofatransformationalleadershipstyleisthelevelofcommitmentand enthusiasmitelicitsfromtheteam.Teamsthusmotivatedneedverylittlesupervisionand arelikelytobeveryproactiveandinnovative.EvenifthePMleavestheproject,a Transformationalleaderwillleavealegacyofenthusiasmtotheteam. Gainscooperationofteamduetotheirrespectofprojectmanagerspersonalexpertisein theproject/programsubjectmatter.APMwhoknowsnothingaboutthesubjectofthe projectwillgainlittlerespectfromtheteam.APMwhoisknowledgeableabouttheproject subjectwillgetmuchgreaterrespect,cooperationandresultsfromtheteam. AcombinationofgoodsubjectskillsplusgoodPMskillswillresultinthebestpossible resultsfortheproject.TheReferent/ExpertPMmustbeontheguardagainstinternal bigotryregardingthesubject.Frequentlysubjectmatteroftheprojectwillhavetwo polarizedcamps,suchasWindowsversusUNIXoroldwayversusnewway.ThePM mustriseabovetheseemotionalreligiousdisputestounitetheteam,applyingtheIntel Valueofdisagreeandcommit.

Transformational

Referent/Expert

Althoughsomeofthesestylesaregenerallylessfavored,allofthemhaveanappropriateplace.AgreatPMwill employanyoralloftheseleadershipstylesdependingonthesituation.Ablendingofstylesisusuallyneeded.The leadershipstylesproperlyusedinagivensituationdependsonseveralfactorsasfollows: Thepersonalityandmaturityofthemanager.Animmatureorineffectivemanagerwillusethesamemanage mentstyleinallsituations.Amatureandeffectivemanagerwillevaluatethecircumstancesandvarymanage mentstyletomatchthesituation. Theurgencyandcriticalityofthesituation.Alongtermdevelopmentproject,forexample,willallowrelaxed stylewillgreatlatitudefordealingwithconflictsandissues.Thistypeofsituationgivesthemanagertheability tofocusasmuchonthedevelopmentoftheindividualsandtheteamasontheproject.Ashorttermcrisis project(suchasamultiuseroutage)requiresamoredirectiveapproach,withgreateremphasisontheissue thanonteamorpersonaldevelopment. Maturityleveloftheindividual.Individualswithmoreexperiencecanbeallowedmoreleewayandfreedom frommanagement.Recentcollegegraduatesornewhireswillbenefitfromtighterboundariesandmoredirec tion.Lessmatureteammemberswillactuallystressmorefromhavingtomakedecisionsorengageinactivities forwhichtheyhavelesstrainingandexperiencetheyneedateacher/coachratherthanamentor.Mature teammateswillchafeandresentsimilarboundaries. MaturityLeveloftheteam.Teamswhichhavenotpreviouslyworkedtogethermayrequiregreateroversight. LongestablishedwellmotivatedteamsmaybemanagedbetterwithaReferent/LaissezFaireapproach.Anew lyestablishedteam,evenifitismadeupofexperiencedteammembers,mayneedmoreofaConsen sus/Transformationalemphasis.Teamswithamixtureofmaturitylevelsandexpertisemayneedmoreflexible direction,suchasDemocraticorCoaching.
2009 Jeff Hodgkinson; published at www.asapm.org

LeadershipStylesforProgramandProjectManagers;JeffHodgkinson,page4

Structureandworkingmodeloftheteam.Teamswhicharecolocatedandmeetfacetofacefrequentlymay benefitfromamorecasualapproach.Virtualordispersedteamsmayneedamoredirectiveleadershipstyle becausetheyhavelessdirectcommunication. Thecultureofthecompanyororganization.Inacompanywithaverytight,directiveculturethePMwillbeex pectedtogivemorefrequentanddetailedreports.This,inturn,willrequiremorereportsandstructurefrom theprojectteam.However,eveninsuchaculture,thePMneedstobeapositiveinfluencetodeveloptheteam membersskillsandalsotheteamsesprit.

Insummary,themasteryofsoftskillsinknowingandunderstandingthedifferentleadershipstylesandwhento applythemwillgreatlybenefityourprojectmanagementabilitiesaseachhasaplaceandtimegiventhesituation. Itisagoodbetthatnotjustinworkbutinlifeyouhavehadtouseeachoneoftheleadershipstyleslistedinsome formbutnotknownit.Inallstyles,youshouldknowwhentheyarebeingappliedtoyouandhowtorespondback.

Formoreinformation
IfyouhaveanyquestionsorwouldlikemoreinformationpleasecontactJeffHodgkinson JeffHodgkinsonistheITHostingTransformationProgramManageratIntel.Heisa30yearvet eranwithIntelandholdsanMBAalongwithnumerouscredentialsinProgramandProjectMan agementincludingtheIPMABcertification.HeislocatedinChandler,Arizona,USA.Jeffor HodgeisknownbothinsideIntelandinthePMcommunityforhissuccessfulcoachingand mentoringofaspiringprojectmanagers.YoucanreadmoreaboutJeffperhisprofileon LinkedIn.

2009 Jeff Hodgkinson; published at www.asapm.org