Leadership Styles in Managing a Project Team
Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2025 5:18 am
Effective teamwork is only possible due to the leadership position of the project manager. Management expert Kenneth Blanchard, author of the bestseller “The One Minute Manager”, gave an interesting definition of leadership. He described it as “the process of achieving meaningful results while acting with respect, care, and integrity for the well-being of all involved.”
Based on this, the author formulated the following principles of leadership in teams :
open communication;
availability of knowledge;
the presence of common goals and values;
continuous learning;
focusing on the interests of the consumer;
high degree of interest.
Principles of Team Leadership
Situational leadership, developed by philippines email list Kenn Blanchard and Paul Hersey, includes four management styles. They can vary, but the basic principles are always:
Directive style - in which the main focus is on the task at hand, not on people. The leader gives orders and specific instructions, and strictly monitors their implementation.
Teaching or mentoring — the focus is on both the task and the people on the team. The leader still gives orders, but conveys their meaning to subordinates and listens to the opinions of others. The activity is structured, and team members receive the necessary knowledge and skills.
Supportive style - people-oriented, less task-oriented. The leader helps subordinates, encourages them in their activities, is an active listener and encourages. He participates in decision-making, but the main role is given to employees, and it is important to maintain a balance here. Everything should be in moderation, and rewards should be given only to those who deserve it.
Delegating - no focus on either the task or people. The leader does not take responsibility, but delegates all authority and rights to team members.
The project manager's leadership style should be flexible and correlate with the team's development phases. The manager needs to pay attention to each team member, read verbal and non-verbal signals. He must competently assess the expectations of employees, the current situation and take into account the team's development stage. In accordance with this, choose a specific leadership style or their combinations that will be appropriate and effective in a specific situation.
It would seem that people gather to implement a project for a short period of time, have a specific goal and a limited number of tasks. Therefore, leadership in a team may, at first glance, seem paradoxical. But in projects, the pace of events is too high and there are clear deadlines, because of this, unforeseen situations and difficulties often occur. You can’t do without a leader who will coordinate the work and provide support.
Based on this, the author formulated the following principles of leadership in teams :
open communication;
availability of knowledge;
the presence of common goals and values;
continuous learning;
focusing on the interests of the consumer;
high degree of interest.
Principles of Team Leadership
Situational leadership, developed by philippines email list Kenn Blanchard and Paul Hersey, includes four management styles. They can vary, but the basic principles are always:
Directive style - in which the main focus is on the task at hand, not on people. The leader gives orders and specific instructions, and strictly monitors their implementation.
Teaching or mentoring — the focus is on both the task and the people on the team. The leader still gives orders, but conveys their meaning to subordinates and listens to the opinions of others. The activity is structured, and team members receive the necessary knowledge and skills.
Supportive style - people-oriented, less task-oriented. The leader helps subordinates, encourages them in their activities, is an active listener and encourages. He participates in decision-making, but the main role is given to employees, and it is important to maintain a balance here. Everything should be in moderation, and rewards should be given only to those who deserve it.
Delegating - no focus on either the task or people. The leader does not take responsibility, but delegates all authority and rights to team members.
The project manager's leadership style should be flexible and correlate with the team's development phases. The manager needs to pay attention to each team member, read verbal and non-verbal signals. He must competently assess the expectations of employees, the current situation and take into account the team's development stage. In accordance with this, choose a specific leadership style or their combinations that will be appropriate and effective in a specific situation.
It would seem that people gather to implement a project for a short period of time, have a specific goal and a limited number of tasks. Therefore, leadership in a team may, at first glance, seem paradoxical. But in projects, the pace of events is too high and there are clear deadlines, because of this, unforeseen situations and difficulties often occur. You can’t do without a leader who will coordinate the work and provide support.