Chapter 3

1. Chapter 3 Leadership and Motivation

2. Objectives • Project managers as Leaders • Self motivation methods • Motivation methods for others • Influence • Effective delegation • Accountability, authority, and autonomy

3. Project Managers as Leaders • Some of the things they did not do before they became project managers: • 1. Coordinate different functional groups and diverse personalities. • 2. Evoke commitment from people who do not report to the manager. • 3. Gain a sense of accomplishment from other’s achievement. • 4. Take initiative in looking ahead of deadlines towards larger company goals. • 5. Become accountable for others performance or lack of performance. • 6. Develop the skills of employees. • The project manager must lead others to the successful completion of the goals of the project. Successful completion of any project requires effective leadership.

4. Motivation Methods for Self • A project completed on time and in budget is quite an accomplishment, and there is a heady feeling of success that goes along with the knowledge that you were a big part of making that happen. • Two things to keep in mind in difficult times: • 1. The leader has intensity of vision and high expectation of success. • 2. When your own motivation wanes, you can borrow some from someone else: motivational tapes or professional support networks. Many professionals listen to motivational tapes in the car instead of the radio. Have one confidant in your own company because they will be nearby during trying times.

5. Motivational Methods for Others • People can be productive only if they are working under conditions that foster productivity. • If employees are doing well, then they are perceived to be motivated. • The problem with unmotivated employees could be that the employees are being asked to do something they were never trained to do, or that the employees do not have the ability to do the job. • Judiciously discern project team members task preferences and skills. • By knowing what your people are good at and not good at, you can free up talent and support weakness. • Let your people help you define their roles in your projects.

6. Artful Influence • Leaders understand that influencing people is a necessary part of getting the job done. • A leader has only as much power as others are willing to give. • Hard to staff jobs are jobs that are difficult to fill because there are too few people with a particular specialty in the workforce. • Artful influence is the ability to create in members of a project team a desire to meet the goals in a timely and cost effective manner. • Committed employees are intrinsically motivated – they derive satisfaction from their work.

7. Effective Delegation • Inability to delegate is a major deterrent to success. • Delegation is handing parts of a project off to a competent team member. • Each responsibility you can hand off, appropriately and sensibly, enhances your performance as a project manager. • Do not overload the best employees by always delegating to them. • Prepare people for the task you are handing off to them. • Be sure that the employee you hand off to has the competence, skill, and ability to complete the task. If not, find a way to get this person trained. • Check to see if the delegation is working; if not, shift the task to someone else who is more qualified or willing.

8. Accountability, Authority, and Autonomy • Accountability is taking responsibility for a project. Employees will be more willing to do so if the project manager creates an environment where mistakes can be openly admitted and addressed in a constructive, problem solving way. • Authority involves taking the lead and moving ahead with projects. You as a project manager need to tell employees that they can sign off on project reports or purchase orders. • Autonomy is the desire, ability, and authority to make decisions and act in the interest of the project without direct supervision. • You need to provide direction, guidance, support, and encouragement.

9. Summary • The project manager must lead others to the successful completion of the goals of the project. Successful completion of any project requires effective leadership. • The problem with unmotivated employees could be that the employees are being asked to do something they were never trained to do, or that the employees do not have the ability to do the job. • Artful influence is the ability to create in members of a project team a desire to meet the goals in a timely and cost effective manner. • Delegation is handing parts of a project off to a competent team member. Each responsibility you can hand off, appropriately and sensibly, enhances your performance as a project manager. • Accountability is taking responsibility for a project. Employees will be more willing to do so if the project manager creates an environment where mistakes can be openly admitted and addressed in a constructive, problem solving way.

10. Home Work • 1. The project manager must lead others to successful completion of what? What does successful completion of any project require? • 2. What could be the problem with unmotivated employees? • 3. Explain artful influence. • 4. What is delegation?