LEADERSHIP IN THE PROJECT ENVIRONMENT Terri Pomfret, PMP, D.M. March 8, 2010

Project Success LeadershipPM Methods

Background –Project Environment –Leadership Research and Findings Recommendations

Background What does the term “project environment” mean?

Project Environment  Temporary  Distinct Beginning and End  Centered on Specific Goals and Responsibilities  Limited to a Steady State of Change  Constrained by Time, Resources, and Requirements  Led by a Manager with no Formal Authority  Supported by the Coordinated Effort of Subject Matter Experts  Impacted by Internal and External Pressures  Authority Disparity Between Function and Project  Contradictory Objectives Between Function and Project

Project Environment Operational Environment Transformation Environment Political Environment Temporary Permanent Temporary Permanent Distinct Beginning and End No Distinct Beginning or End Distinct Beginning and End No Distinct Beginning or End Steady State of Planned Change Day-to-Day with Minimal Change Dramatic Revolutionary Change Incremental Evolution Specific End Goal or Objective Focus on Mission / Long-Term Strategy Strategic Objective Stay in Power Activity Disparity between Project and Function Activities Sustain Mission Activities Enable Strategy Activities Build Support Limited by Internal / External Constraints Internal Constraints Almost Unlimited Constraints Almost Unlimited Constraints No Formal Authority Hierarchical Authority Positional Authority

What is “leadership” “leadership”?

Servant Leadership:  Lots of Leadership Models!  Leaders stimulates others to follow  No guarantee a leader is heading in the ‘right’ direction Situational Transactional Charismatic Trait Characters Transformational Authoritarian Emotional Intelligence

Project Success LeadershipPM Methods

projects fail to achieve expected outcomes Despite the wide spread application of project management methodologies an alarming number of projects fail to achieve expected outcomes. (Chabursky, 2005; Ivor & Alderman, 2005; Kanter & Walsh, 2004; Matta & Ashkenas, 2003) Research

relationship leadership practices performance Determine if a relationship exists between the leadership practices used by project managers and project managers’ performance. Research

 Research population: North American project managers responsible automotive product development projects  Sampling Frame: 96 North American product development project managers employed by Fortune 100 automotive supplier  Similar education, responsibility, scope  Same tools and methods Population and Sample

Dependent Variable: Project Performance 1 = Unacceptable performance 2 = Less than full performance 3 = Full performance 4 = Excellent performance 5 = Distinguished performance Assessment Criteria Team Management – Gate Exits On Time Scope Management – Adherence to Plan Project Metrics – Accomplishment of Key Project Metrics Financial – Accomplishment of Financial Metrics Product – Accomplishment of Quality and Delivery Metrics Customer Satisfaction – Customer Assessment Assessment Criteria Team Management – Gate Exits On Time Scope Management – Adherence to Plan Project Metrics – Accomplishment of Key Project Metrics Financial – Accomplishment of Financial Metrics Product – Accomplishment of Quality and Delivery Metrics Customer Satisfaction – Customer Assessment

Independent Variable: Leadership Practices Vision Motivation Communication Team Ethos Trust/Accountability Versatility Problem Solving/Decision Making Tolerance for Ambiguity and Risk Vision Motivation Communication Team Ethos Trust/Accountability Versatility Problem Solving/Decision Making Tolerance for Ambiguity and Risk Inspirational Behaviors Flexibility Team Culture Camaraderie

Challenging the process Inspiring a shared vision Enabling others to act Modeling the way Encouraging the heart Vision Motivation Communication Team Ethos Trust / Accountability Versatility Problem Solving / Decision Making Tolerance for Ambiguity & Risk Leadership Practices Inventory PM Leadership Themes Inspirational Behaviors Flexibility Team Culture Camaraderie

Independent Variable: Leadership Practices 1 = Almost Never6 = Sometimes 2 = Rarely7 = Fairly often 3 = Seldom8 = Usually 4 = Once in a While9 = Very frequently 5 = Occasionally10 = Almost always Leadership Practices Inventory Challenging the Process Inspiring a Shared Vision Enabling Others to Act Modeling the Way Encouraging the Heart Leadership Practices Inventory Challenging the Process Inspiring a Shared Vision Enabling Others to Act Modeling the Way Encouraging the Heart

Research Hypotheses H 0 1: Challenging the process… H 0 2: Inspiring a shared vision… H 0 3: Enabling others to act… H 0 4: Modeling the way… H 0 5: Encouraging the heart… … relationship with project manager’s performance. Leadership Practices: Performance:

Data  44 project managers participated in the research  Leadership practices data was collected from project managers’ cross-functional team members

Performance Data

Findings

Challenging the process encourages leaders to create environments where they and their followers can challenge established boundaries and standards, as well as take on risk and explore innovative solutions. (Kouzes & Posner, 2002). Versatility, Problem Solving / Decision Making, Tolerance for Ambiguity & Risk

Inspiring a shared vision encourages leaders to passionately envision and communicate a future that followers believe and embrace. (Kouzes & Posner, 2002). Vision, Motivation, Communication

Enabling others to act encourages leaders to accept various points of view and facilitate environments where followers are free to accomplish their work in accordance with their level of knowledge and skills. (Kouzes & Posner, 2002). Team Ethos, Trust / Accountability

Modeling the way calls on leaders to make clear expectations in the form of plans and goals that are realistic and measurable, and in keeping with their own values and those of their followers. (Kouzes & Posner, 2002). Team Ethos, Trust/Accountability

Encouraging the heart is reliant on the premise that leaders create a sense of collective purpose by linking reward to performance. (Kouzes & Posner, 2002). Vision, Motivation, Communication

Project Performance Implications Challenging the process Inspiring a shared vision Enabling others to act Modeling the way Encouraging the heart Leadership Practices

Recommendations 1)Replicate the study using a sample of project managers with significantly greater differences in project performance. 2)Build a ‘new’ model of project management leadership based on PM Leadership themes and/or qualitative inquiry. 3)Create new instrument based on PM Leadership themes to study leadership in relationship to project performance.

Leadership Focus Group Mission Provide PMI GLC members and environment to develop PM specific leadership skills. Develop practical methods and models of leadership that enable project and program management excellence. Recommendations

Leadership Focus Group Objectives 1.Create a collaborative environment where members and other stakeholder can exchange ideas, lessons learned that focus on leadership development. 2.Identify and conduct research that advances the understanding of project/program related leadership. 3.Develop innovative leadership models that are specific to the project/program management environment. 4.Promote leadership skill development as a means to improve project/program excellence. Recommendations