Understanding The Role of Leadership in Project Management

Project management is a crucial aspect of modern business operations. It is used to oversee and measure the progress of projects, ensuring they meet their goals.

This process includes various steps like planning, organizing, controlling, budgeting, monitoring, testing and implementing.

Project management also includes managing the various resources of an organization like human resources, equipment, materials, supplies, technology and IT.

Project Leadership Overview

Project leadership refers to the management of a project team and the coordination of the various tasks and activities required to successfully complete a project.

This includes setting goals and objectives, creating a project plan, assigning tasks and responsibilities, and providing direction and guidance to the project team.

Project leadership also involves managing the project budget, timeline, and resources, as well as monitoring progress and making adjustments as needed to ensure that the project is completed on schedule and within budget.

Additionally, project leaders are responsible for communicating with stakeholders, managing risks, and addressing any issues or conflicts that arise during the project.

Why Do Organizations Require Project Management Professionals?

Organizations require project leadership because it is essential for the successful completion of projects. Project leadership is the process of guiding and directing a project team to achieve specific goals and objectives.

It involves setting direction, aligning team members, and motivating them to work together to achieve common goals. Project leaders are responsible for ensuring that projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the satisfaction of stakeholders.

They also need to be able to anticipate and resolve problems, and make critical decisions when necessary.

By having effective project leadership, organizations can ensure that projects are completed efficiently and effectively, which can ultimately lead to increased productivity and profitability.

Project Manager Duties and Responsibilities

Project manager duties in each company may vary depending on the type and size of the company. However, in general, this is the responsibility that should be carried out by the project manager.

1. Planning Projects according to Company Goals

A project manager must prepare a strategy to complete the project within a specific time limit as short as possible. Therefore, you are responsible for finding the fastest way with the best possible management to achieve stakeholders’ goals.

In making this project plan, the project manager usually uses approaches such as agile, waterfall, prince2, and others.

Overall, the project manager’s duties in this section involve the following:

Group tasks and sub-tasks that the team will work on.
Breaking the project down into small realizable tasks.

Establish a project development schedule.

2. Directing the Team to Achieve Common Goals

As a project manager, you are tasked with keeping the team aligned with the goals the company wants to achieve. This requires that you give everyone on the team the motivation they need, so they can perform to their best skills and abilities.

You are responsible for managing the team as well as possible so that, in the end, they can show their full potential in their work.

3. Building a Shared Vision

The project manager must have a clear vision and the skills to understand the big picture of the project being worked on. The image must be conveyed to the entire team, so they know how vital their role is in achieving the project’s final outcome.

The team must be aware of the workload and try to make maximum efforts to realize the vision that has been conveyed.

In building this shared vision, a project manager must also have qualified communication skills so that the image conveyed can be accepted by all parties.

4. Monitor Project Progress and Set Deadlines

When it is in the execution stage, most of the project manager’s time will be spent monitoring the project’s status. You must see how much progress has been made and whether it is by the predetermined timeline.

This monitoring will accompany various activities, including preparing project status reports and submitting them to stakeholders.

5. Develop a Backup Plan

The role and duties of the project manager are not only in the project planning process but also in preparing a backup plan if there are unexpected problems or problems.

This means that the project manager must understand the basics of risk management and change management. At the very least, you should know the following:

  • How to organize additional resources (e.g., when a team member gets sick in the middle of a project).
  • How to manage time under challenging circumstances.
  • Have an alternative plan so that the project continues according to its goals.

5 Differences between Project Manager and Project Leader

Launching Forbes, there are 5 differences between Project Management and Project Leaders. Let’s see together!

1. Project Manager Specialist, Project Leader Generalist

The project manager is responsible for coordinating and keeping the team organized and preventing potential risks and bottlenecks.

That’s why they must be more analytical and detailed in their work. Meanwhile, the project leader is more focused on the big picture of the project. Their goal is to create a vision around the project that will motivate team members to increase their performance.

2. Project leader Makes Plans, Project Manager Solve Problems

The project leader is a strategist and always has high innovation. Meanwhile, the project manager is bound by a schedule and precise task details to solve a problem. They have to manage any unforeseen issues that may arise during the process.

3. Project Managers Focus on Tasks, and Project Leaders Focus on Human Resources

Project leaders are the same as project managers. They also want to achieve achievements. However, the project leader still wants to find ways to improve team performance and set team goals. In this case, they try to create the best working atmosphere for the entire project team.

4. The Project Leader Motivates the Team, While the Project Manager Directs the Team

The project leader focuses on building a good emotional connection with the team through empathy, sympathy, motivation, and feedback.

The goal is to influence and ensure each team member aligns their personal interests and goals with those of the team and the project.

Unlike the project leader, the project manager directs the team members and assigns them different tasks depending on the problems and needs that may arise during the project.

They can demand that the team complete their work quickly and precisely because they are responsible for maintaining the timeline.

5. Project Manager Maintains Status Quo, Project Leader Takes Risks

The project manager’s goal is to maintain the status quo and ensure everything goes according to plan. That’s why they are specialists, and their attention is focused on technical and logistical issues.

In contrast, project leaders are always thinking ahead and setting goals. They strive to find new ways of doing things. They also motivate the team to innovate and continuously improve. The goal is to create positive change and efficiency.

Leaders and project managers only sometimes have distinct roles, and this review is not to say that they are two completely different roles.

Due to the fact a project leader can be a project manager in charge of handling day-to-day technical tasks to move the project forward, which can also be interspersed with his duties to lead, inspire and motivate the team to do their best work.

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