Introduction
Leadership is a powerful strategy that dictates the success of different projects or organizations. Leaders should use the best traits and qualities in every phase of the targeted project. The effectiveness of leadership is what dictates the success of many projects. There are various leadership traits that empower teams to deliver positive results. According to many theorists, an outcomes-based evaluation is a powerful leadership trait that can make a project successful (Dess and Picken, 2012). This discussion goes further to identify more qualities that can be used to measure the appropriateness of project management.
Qualities Used to Measure the Effectiveness of Project Leadership
Teams have been observed to deliver positive results much faster. This concept explains why the ability to foster team goals is a useful trait for project managers. This quality makes it easier for a leader to outline the best goals and visions that govern a specific project. The second trait is the ability to articulate the most desirable vision. Leaders should identify the best opportunities for their followers throughout the project lifecycle (Measuring leadership, 2015). This move makes it easier for a project leader to set the right vision for his or her team.
The effectiveness or performance of the leader is another quality that will impact the effectiveness of the targeted team (Nixon, Harrington, and Parker, 2011). Leaders who act in a professional manner will ensure their teams deliver positive results even after the objectives of the project have been realized. The next trait associated with successful project management is the implementation of ‘high performance expectations’ (Measuring leadership, 2015, p. 3). This trait acts as a benchmark for effectiveness and quality.
Successful leaders always provide personalized support to different followers throughout the lifecycle of the project (Yang, Huang, and Wu, 2011). The leader understands clearly that every member of the team has diverse competencies and expectations. The use of personalized guidance will ensure the followers acquire new skills in order to deliver positive results. The other quality is the leader’s ability to establish collaborative cultures in every stage of the project (Measuring leadership, 2015). Positive cultures have been observed to promote diversity and eventually deliver positive results within the specified period. The members of the group find it easier ‘to address various challenges through the use of a project management (PM) performance framework’ (Mir and Pinnington, 2014, p. 214).
Leadership theorists believe strongly that intellectual performance is useful for project managers (Measuring leadership, 2015). This skill makes it possible for the leader to analyze every situation, make appropriate assumptions, and offer powerful alternatives. This trait supports each phase of the project. The other powerful quality considered whenever monitoring the effectiveness of project leadership is role modeling (Mir and Pinnington, 2014). Successful leaders use the role modeling concept to promote consistency, acceptance, and trust. By so doing, the targeted members of the team find it easier to communicate with each other and focus on the deliverables of the project.
Conclusion
The above discussion summarizes the major traits used to determine the success of every team involved in a project (Kissi, Dainty, and Tuuli, 2013). This discussion shows conclusively that project managers should borrow the major traits associated with participative and transformational leadership. Managers can use this strategy to impact their teams positively and eventually deliver the outlined project goals.
References
Dess, G. and Picken, J. (2012) ‘Changing roles: Leadership in the 21st century’, Organizational Dynamics, 1(1), pp. 18-34.
Kissi, J., Dainty, A. and Tuuli, M. (2013) ‘Examining the role of transformational leadership of portfolio managers in project performance’, International Journal of Project Management, 31(1), pp. 485-497.
Measuring leadership (2015) Baltimore: Laureate Education Press.
Mir, F. and Pinnington, A. (2014) ‘Exploring the value of project management: Linking project management performance and project success’, International Journal of Project Management, 32(1), pp. 202-217.
Nixon, P., Harrington, M. and Parker, D. (2011) ‘Leadership performance is significant to project success or failure: a critical analysis’, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 61(2), pp. 204-216.
Yang, L., Huang, C. and Wu, K. (2011) ‘The association among project manager’s leadership style, teamwork and project success’, International Journal of Project Management, 29(1), pp. 258-267.