Leadership in Project management and Leadership: From Stakeholder Engagement to Ethical Decision-Making

Question

Task: What leadership techniques are essential for effective project management and Leadership, and how do they contribute to project success and organizational excellence?

Answer

Introduction

The success of an organisation depends in large part on its ability to manage projects effectively and respond to shifting conditions. An in-depth grasp of a variety of topics, such as stakeholder management, leadership principles, social network development, communication methods, and ethical issues, is necessary for effective project management and Leadership. These essential facets of project management and Leadership are examined in this study article.

We explore stakeholder analysis and engagement strategies, with a focus on how crucial it is to recognise and address stakeholders' requirements (Wu, Hu, & Zheng, 2019). We also talk about how social network development might help project teams collaborate and share expertise. Additionally, we look at management strategies like MBWA and upward relationship management. The importance of setting priorities, problem-solving, teamwork, performance standards, and ethics in project management and Leadership is also discussed in the last section. We want to give project managers helpful insights and techniques for completing successful projects and promoting organisational excellence by thoroughly examining these subjects.

Stakeholder Management and Analysis

Stakeholders are people, organisations, or groups who are interested in or may be impacted by a project. Stakeholder demands, expectations, and concerns must be adequately handled throughout the project lifecycle for effective stakeholder management to be successful.

Stakeholder management begins with stakeholder identification and analysis. This entails locating all prospective stakeholders, comprehending their functions, spheres of influence, and areas of interest, and evaluating the possible effects they could have on the project. To categorise stakeholders and rank their degree of participation, a variety of techniques may be utilised, such as stakeholder mapping and power/interest grids.

project management and Leadership use tactics that promote open communication and cooperation to successfully involve stakeholders. This entails creating effective communication channels, holding frequent stakeholder meetings, and delivering pertinent and timely project updates. Effective involvement is also facilitated through active listening, resolving issues, and including stakeholders in the decision-making process (de Oliveira & Rabechini Jr, 2019).

Effective stakeholder communication also entails changing communication techniques and approaches to accommodate various stakeholders' requirements and preferences. This could involve employing numerous communication strategies and methods including conferences, emails, project portals, or social media sites. Project managers may establish trust with stakeholders, gain insightful information, and guarantee stakeholder satisfaction throughout the project lifetime by actively interacting with them and attending to their demands.

Social Network Building in Project Teams

Social networks are essential in project contexts because they help team members collaborate, communicate, and share expertise. Project managers may improve project outcomes and build a healthy team culture by comprehending the dynamics of social networks (Pollack & Matous, 2019).

Project managers can use a variety of strategies to encourage teamwork and information exchange. This entails encouraging open channels of communication, fostering chances for casual contacts, and planning team-building exercises. Building a strong social network within the project team also involves fostering cross-functional cooperation and offering forums for the exchange of concepts and best practises.

Project teams benefit from strong social network building in a number of ways. It improves information flow, allowing team members to quickly access pertinent information and resources. As team members establish relationships, create trust, and make use of varied viewpoints and talents, collaboration improves. A positive social network fosters team cohesiveness and morale, which raises motivation and engagement levels. The success of a project is ultimately influenced by the social networks that exist inside the project teams.

Management by Wandering Around (MBWA)

An method to project management and Leadership called Management by Wandering Around (MBWA) places a focus on active participation and presence of project managers within the project team and working environment. It entails regularly monitoring, listening, and communicating with team members while being physically present. Building relationships, encouraging open communication, and developing a better knowledge of the project and team dynamics are key to the MBWA philosophy (Durrah, Eltigani, Gharib, & Hannawi, 2020).

Project managers may develop rapport, foster trust, and encourage openness and cooperation by being physically present. By encouraging open discussion, resolving problems, and encouraging ownership and accountability, MBWA improves communication and team engagement. Case studies highlight the advantages of MBWA by showing how it aids project managers in proactive issue identification and resolution, cooperation and innovation promotion, and team member connection building. Project success as a whole, team morale, and project performance are all positively impacted by MBWA.

Managing Upward Relations

For project managers to guarantee project success and get the required support, managing upward interactions is essential. Developing strong bonds with superiors and higher-level stakeholders improves communication, trust, and the alignment of project objectives with corporate goals. Upward relations management strategies include proactive and clear communication, frequent updates, and prompt resolving of complaints. Project managers can more successfully synchronise project operations by having a clear understanding of the goals and expectations of higher-level stakeholders (Ode & Ayavoo, 2020). Instances when project managers successfully interacted with superiors, developed open communication, won support, and impacted choices are highlighted in successful case studies. Project managers may obtain resources, promote cooperation, and create successful project outputs and organisational success by exercising skillful upward relationship management.

Leading by Example: A Holistic Approach

Project management and Leadership involves many different facets that go into successful leadership and project success (Price-Dowd, 2020).

It is essential to establish clear project priorities and communicate them clearly. To make sure that the team is aware of and supportive of the project's direction, project managers must clearly communicate the project's goals, milestones, and essential activities.

Project managers need to have strong problem-solving abilities. They should use techniques like root cause analysis, brainstorming, and utilising the team's collective experience to quickly identify and address difficulties, guaranteeing smooth project development.

Cooperation among the project team members must be encouraged. Project managers should foster a cooperative and welcoming environment where team members feel appreciated, involved, and inspired to cooperate in achieving common objectives.

For a project to be successful, high performance requirements must be established and upheld. In order to promote an environment of excellence and ongoing development, project managers should clearly define expectations, track progress, offer feedback, and acknowledge accomplishments.

Project management and Leadership requires careful attention to ethical issues. Project managers must uphold moral principles, make moral judgements, and maintain justice, accountability, and openness throughout the project's lifespan.

By encouraging clarity, problem-solving skills, teamwork, performance excellence, and ethical behaviour, project managers motivate their teams, provide a great workplace environment, and improve project outcomes (Kuri & Kaufman, 2020).

Conclusion

For an organisation to succeed, project management and Leadership must be effective. Project success is largely influenced by important factors such as stakeholder management and analysis, social network development, management by roaming about, managing upward interactions, and setting an example. Project managers may guarantee that stakeholders' requirements are satisfied and engage them successfully by recognising the importance of stakeholders and cultivating good connections. Within project teams, creating a strong social network encourages cooperation and information exchange. Communication and team engagement are improved by management that is actively involved by moving about. Upward relationship management that works wins the backing of key stakeholders at higher levels. Last but not least, setting a good example for your team by having clear priorities, problem-solving abilities, teamwork, high performance standards, and ethical behaviour is what makes projects successful.

Bibliography

de Oliveira, G. F., & Rabechini Jr, R. (2019). Stakeholder management influence on trust in a project: A quantitative study. International journal of project management and Leadership, 37(1), 131-144.

Durrah, O., Eltigani, M. O., Gharib, M., & Hannawi, S. (2020). Management by Walking Around as an Approach to Improving Organizational Excellence in Media Institutions. Journal of Economic Administrative & Legal Sciences, 4(4).

Kuri, S. K., & Kaufman, E. K. (2020). Leadership insights from hollywood?based war movies: An opportunity for vicarious learning. Journal of Leadership Studies, 14(1), 53-61.

Ode, E., & Ayavoo, R. (2020). The mediating role of knowledge application in the relationship between knowledge management practices and firm innovation. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 5(3), 210-218.

Pollack, J., & Matous, P. (2019). Testing the impact of targeted team building on project team communication using social network analysis. International Journal of Project management and Leadership, 37(3), 473-484.

Price-Dowd, C. F. (2020). Your leadership style: why understanding yourself matters. BMJ Leader, 4(4).

Wu, G., Hu, Z., & Zheng, J. (2019). Role stress, job burnout, and job performance in construction project managers: the moderating role of career calling. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(13), 2394.