Project Management Leadership: Building Creative Teams, 2nd Edition

Chapter 1

Introduction to Project Management Leadership

Learning Outcomes

After reading this chapter you should be able to:

• Recognize the portfolio of skills a project manager needs to complete projects successfully.
• Understand the leadership content of the project management body of knowledge.

Project management leadership is one of the special project management techniques that enable the project manager to lead and manage the project team, project stakeholders and other project participants. Project management leadership is a process by which a project manager can direct, guide and influence the behavior and work of the project team towards accomplishing the project objectives. It is, therefore, essential that the project manager understands the characteristics and features of project management leadership to be able to apply the process effectively.

This chapter will introduce the project environment, and the relationship between project management leadership and the other project management disciplines and techniques. It will indicate how the project lifecycle can be used to show where project leadership and its associated techniques can be used effectively as the project progresses along the lifecycle. This chapter will also introduce key bodies of knowledge and identify the knowledge areas relating to project management leadership and project teamwork.

The project manager’s challenge is to strike a balance between the appropriate type of leadership skills and styles, ...