Leadership in program management

Solid leadership is the foundation to building an effective team and delivering an effective program

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It’s about you Are you a leader? Leadership is a skill, what are you doing to improve? What do you feel are the best traits of an effective leader?

Keys to successful program leadership Understanding your role as leader Understanding the work Build a team, co-accountability Developing key staff Create an enjoyable work environment Supportive personnel practices Tracking progress at the program level Emphasis on quality and customer satisfaction Planning, planning, planning

Leadership lead·er·ship n 1.the office or position of the head of a political party or other body of people 2.the ability to guide, direct, or influence people 3.guidance or direction 4.a group of leaders (takes a singular or plural verb)

Leading a team Successful leadership is maximizing the talent and resources available within the team to meet common goals that align with the teams values and vision.

Building a Team Part of being a team is being able to trust and rely on your teammates. Once that trust is broken you cease to be a team, each team member walking through the motions of their own responsibility without taking advantage of the efforts and talents of the others.

Leadership responsibilities Guidance Mentoring Clear expectations Roles and responsibilities of the team and individual Planning Long term Short term Manpower planning Implementation Appropriate delegation Creating shared vision Evaluation

Leadership styles 1.Autocratic leadership “dictator” 2.Bureaucratic leadership “by the book” 3.Charismatic leadership “follow me” 4.Democratic leadership “participative” 5.Laissez-faire leadership “let it be” 6.People-oriented leadership “relations-oriented” 7.Servant leadership “supports everyone” 8.Task-oriented leadership “get it done” 9.Transactional leadership “ carrot and stick” 10.Transformational leadership “inspiring, communicative”

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Finding your leadership style Acknowledging your current primary leadership style and working on other styles will help you develop a situational leadership style.

Situational Leadership There is no one right way to lead or manage that suits all situations. To choose the most effective approach for you, you must consider The skill levels and experience of the members of your team The work involved (routine or new and creative) The organizational environment (stable or radically changing, conservative or adventurous). Your own preferred or natural style.

Your style A good leader will find him or herself switching instinctively between styles according to the people and work they are dealing with. This is often referred to as situational leadership

Embracing your role as leader Establish order and routine on the job so all workers know where they stand and what is expected of them. The discipline makes the staff feel they’re in capable hands. Always keep the door open to your staff members, and be generous with information that affects them. Well- informed employees are more eager and better prepared to participate.

Shared vision Sustainable organizations rely on leadership that can create systems and lines of communication that allow for the continual adjustment of course to achieve established goals created by the the team out of shared vision.

con·ver·sa·tion n 1.an informal talk with somebody, especially about opinions, ideas, feelings, or everyday matters 2.the activity of talking to somebody informally 3.an informal talk about something involving representatives from various interested groups 4.an interaction with a computer carried on in real time Shared vision is created through conversation

Role = responsibility defined role or rôle n 1.an individual part in a play, movie, opera, or other performance played by an actor, singer, or other performer 2.the usual or expected function of somebody or something, or the part somebody or something plays in a particular action or event 3.the part played by somebody in a given social context, with any characteristic or expected pattern of behavior that it entails

Understanding the work Get into the field Observe staff in action Have contact with clients Review projects with staff Knowledge of program policies and specification Be involved in your state network

Developing key staff Emphasis on learning Meaningful evaluation Involve them in planning Provide them with the information they need to make decisions Give them the authority equal to the responsibility Utilize and further develop their strengths Support them in areas where they need improvement Get to know them, find out what gets them excited

Key Your No.2 is your most important hire. Pick one who complements your management style, shows loyalty without being a yes-man, and has a talent for working with others. Shackleton John Davies Building Performance Center, Director

Create an enjoyable work environment Surround yourself with cheerful, optimistic people. They will reward you with the loyalty and camaraderie vital for success. Do your part to help create an upbeat environment at work. A positive and cheerful workplace is important to productivity.

Personnel management Good hiring practices (hire based on values and then experience) Compensation Evaluation Professional development Mentoring Praise Creating the culture

Good Read

Shackleton’s Way on hiring Be a creative, unconventional interviewer if you seek creative, unconventional people. Go deeper than job experience and expertise. Ask questions that reveal a candidate’s personality, values, and perspective on work and life. Hire those who share your vision. Someone who clashes with your personality or the corporate culture will hinder your work.

Supporting staff To help your staff do top-notch work, give them the best equipment and training you can afford. Working with outdated, unreliable tools creates an unnecessary burden. Always keep the door open to your staff members, and be generous with information that affects them. Well- informed employees are more eager and better prepared to participate. Shackleton

Implementation the responsibility of program leadership The single biggest barrier to program development or its success is the lack of effective implementation.

Implement - defined 1.to put something into effect or action 2.to provide or equip somebody with the tools or other means to do something (formal)

Tracking progress at the program level Make roles and responsibilities clear to all team members. Provide staff with reports that make sense to them Meet with staff and review progress Don’t depend on grant/fund accounting to run your business Take the time to analyze the data

Emphasis on quality Make your standards clear Identify quality when you see it, praise it Perform in-progress inspections Involve staff in resolving quality issues Create feedback loops

Solutions through systems thinking Document individual roles and responsibilities Consolidate contacts with clients (project coordinators and lead technicians) Develop a timeline for expected project closure Establish annual and monthly production goals, review monthly Meet monthly and review every “open” project as a group Track program expenses at the program level, “real time accounting”

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