Leadership is a relatively new concept, as until a few years ago, it was considered as one of the tasks of a project manager. However, the need of companies to have well prepared project managers that are also great at running a team brought us this concept, which is practically the next level of project management.
However, the job could be done right in many ways. There are different types of leaders, and we can’t say that those approaches are good or bad. A good leader must have all of them, and to combine those tactics when needed:
1. Pacesetting Leadership
A pacesetting leader is the one that expects over-achievements. This type of leader expects the members of the team to follow his style, and to achieve great results. This type of leadership can be implemented for skilled and motivated teams, and when the leader is able to establish a good example. On the other hand, it might exhaust the members of the team if it is used for a longer period.
2. Authoritarian Leadership
This type of leader leaves liberty of execution to team members, but the possibility of creativity is limited. The team leader gives clear sketches to employees, and those need to accomplish all the points, without asking too many questions. This type of leadership is best suited when a major change was made in the project, and the team members are confused about the possible directions that they need to follow. It is not suited when the leader is less experienced than some other members of the team are.
3. Affiliate leadership
This type of leadership is based on creating emotional bonds, which would encourage the team members to help one another. This type of leadership is good when the team is a little exhausted, and when they seem to be out of ideas. It is just like brainstorming, with the difference that it is a voluntary one.
4. Coaching Leadership
This type of leadership is perfectly suited for an experienced managed with a young team. This method would allow the members to gain experience, as enthusiasm is probably already present. The leader has to train the employees, offering them support and having patience even in some moments when time is important.
5. Coercive Leadership
A coercive leader is the one that expects the employees to follow his instructions immediately. A leader of this type is great during emergency periods, if the leader has gone through those periods before, so he or she knows what is needed to be done. On the other hand, creativity, liberty of choice and free will are eliminated, and this might affect the employees on the emotional level.
The Roles of a Leader
The role of a leader is to keep the resources needed for a project in equilibrium, so those would not be consumed in a useless way. Connecting people and processes becomes an interesting task, as the procedure of such project implies management and leadership skills. This means that a leadership specialist needs more than technical skills, as other elements are also important: cultural elements, beliefs, values and aptitudes. In this context, the manager is not only responsible for the success of the project, but also of creating a good atmosphere in the team. Let’s see the main attributes that must be implemented by an efficient leader within a team:
Interpersonal communication – the teams today could be created with people of many nationalities, habits and traditions. What might be normal for a team member will look weird and offending for another. This is why the leader must establish a set of minimal rules that should be respected by everyone. This way, the border of professionalism would not be crossed, ensuring the initial networking needed for the cohesion of the team. This element is more connected with the ability of the manager to influence the members, as a good behavior in the team will definitely lead to better results.
Allowing competences – establishing an informal and formal hierarchy in the team is crucial for avoiding conflicts later. Each member will be in charged of a task or more, and on that task, he must have competences over all the other members of the team. However, one or two persons with more expertise and skills might be appointed as team-leaders.
Feedback – Obtaining and giving feedback even for the smallest tasks of the project is not only good because it will allow all the other members of the team to be updated about the progress, but also allows better backup, and it gives you the possibility to track the project. However, this part is strictly connected with the first two stated here, as without those, efficient feedback is not possible.
The abilities to sustain group discussions, no matter of what type, play a crucial role for a smooth project. The role of the coordinator is to change and adapt those considering the specifics. It could be brainstorming, or instructing, when the team is formed completely. At the project advances, periods in which the team has a low moral might appear.
Leadership is not effective without good implementation. A good manager needs to use Human Resources and Management techniques to succeed in creating the team’s networking. If this part is implemented fast, the project would be a lot smoother, and you will have more chances of getting good results with the overall project.
As a manager of a company with a great number of employees, you will have to lead them on their path, and this will eventually bring success to your enterprise also. Using a simple CRM will help you more to achieve your business goals here.
