See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/269875981

The Essence of Project Leadership is Significant to Project Management.

Article · May 2013

CITATION READS
1 5,167

3 authors:

Riaz Ahmed Noor Azmi Mohamad

Bahria University Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
19 PUBLICATIONS   67 CITATIONS    21 PUBLICATIONS   138 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Muhammad Tahir Masood

University of Wah
20 PUBLICATIONS   353 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Project leadership View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Riaz Ahmed on 31 December 2014.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Research Journal of Recent Sciences _________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502
Vol. 2(5), 44-48, May (2013) Res. J. Recent Sci.

The Essence of Project Leadership is Significant to Project Management

Riaz Ahmed1*, Noor Azmi2 and Muhammad Tahir Masood3
1*
COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, PAKISTAN
2
Faculty of Management (FM), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor Bahru, MALAYSIA
3
Department of Leadership and Management Studies, National Defense University, Islamabad, PAKISTAN
Available online at: www.isca.in
Received 9th December 2012, revised 1st January 2013, accepted 21st February 2013
Abstract
The objective of this research is to explore the significance of project leadership from literature which has been emerged as a
child of leadership and management in last ten years. The motivation factor to conduct this study rise through fascinating
observation revealed in literature that still there is limited research on project leadership in the field of project management
even though calls have been made for more research on project leadership for more than one decade. To determine the effect
of project leadership performance on success or failure of project, understanding the differences between project leadership
and project management becomes important. It perceived through literature review that the role of project leadership in
coming years will be more fascinating, demanding and critical. The role of professionals working on projects as manager,
coordinator, and director is rapidly evolving from managing or directing to leading the projects who must possess essential
skills and competencies of project leadership concept. Further research is suggested to consider project leadership in future.

Keywords: Project leadership, essence, project management, leadership, project manager.

Introduction is an attempt to address phenomenon of project leadership that

is emerging leadership and management.
The aim of this paper is to explore the significance of project
leadership in the area of project management. The issue of The leadership competencies may play various role during
project leadership needs more attention in project management different activities of organizational change implementation
literature, even though calls have been made for more research which has largely been ignored by the leadership literature8. It is
on project leadership1. It is apprehended on the basis of becoming difficult to differentiate between the roles of project
literature that there is a vital need of effective role which must manager and leader in context of leadership and management as
be able to lead and manage simultaneously in complex and well as project management. Therefore, it becomes important to
challenging working environment. Project leadership is critical understand the differences between project leadership and
to overcome this challenge, which has been cultivated as a project management, to determine the effect of project
brainchild of leadership and management in last decade. leadership performance on success or failure of project2. The
Therefore, it becomes important to understand the differences essential leadership and managerial knowledge, skills,
between project leadership and project management, to competencies and characteristics ensure successful completion
determine the effect of project leadership performance on of projects through right decisions at right time and employing
success or failure of project2. right people at right places9. Leadership is a process which
creates change and uncertainty in organization involving:
The role of project manager’s leadership on the project outcome developing vision for organization, supporting and
and success is vital which is often discussed in literature3, in communicating with the people for achievement of vision, and
context of leadership and management which are dissimilar to motivating people for action through fulfillment of basic
certain extent from each other but complementary and cannot necessities and empowerment10.
function without each other in the competitive and challenging
environment4. There is very limited research to address the issue A large number of studies have been explored to identify
of project manager’s leadership and its contribution to project leadership traits and characteristics, including personality,
success5. It has generally been recognized in management abilities, physical factors, knowledge, dominance, and self
literature that performance of functional manager’s leadership confidence, as the list goes on1, but there are no common traits,
contributes to project success in organization but the behavior or processes which can identify the qualities of an
performance of project manager is ignored while identifying the effective leader11. The leadership fundamental function is to
project success factors2,6. The performance of leadership is produce change and set direction to cope with change which is
reported as most explored part of human behavior which is not similar to planning or long-term planning, but perplexity
fundamental for the project team to work together7. This article between both often take place among people10 . Leadership style
and personal traits have been determined as critical success

International Science Congress Association 44

Research Journal of Recent Sciences ______________________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502
Vol. 2(5), 44-48, May (2013) Res. J. Recent Sci.

factor for failure or success of a project, in most of research2,12- management in any organization is that a project manager act as
15
. Two perspectives exist in literature on broader context about a problem solver by finding the best options to achieve defined
what managers do in which first stipulates what managers do16, project objectives and ensure to perform assigned
in recognized role-based approach17,18, and other entail to responsibilities efficiently by the project team. On the contrary,
portray the work of manager19. leaders create vision and wisdom, and build up strategic
guidelines for long-term problems24.
Leadership is about “the process of creating an environment in
which people become empowered”20. Leadership is the ability There is a significant aim for research on project leadership due
to inspire others to achieve objectives actively which binds the to field of project management which include leadership
human factor together into a group and motivate towards goal. theories and models. It is essential that project management
Though, leadership is a part of management but not all of it1. field must take the responsibility for development of apt
The prominent definition of leadership is “an influence theories of project leadership either using deductive approach or
relationship among leaders and their collaborators, who intend inductive approach25. In project management literature, there
real change that reflects their shared purpose”21. Management is has been written little about more common question of “what
“the ability to work through others” and most of today’s project managers do”19,26. In fact, literature focused much about
management definitions are similar to Courtland Bouee who what project managers should do but less noticed about what
offered in his book Management: “...it is a process of attaining they actually do and how can teach, improve and help through
organizational goals through effective and efficient planning, project management26. The new approach in project
organizing, leading and controlling the organization’s human, management is strategic project leadership which is focusing to
physical, financial and informational resources”21. create competitive advantage through projects and providing
opportunities for winning in the market place24.
Linking Leadership and Management with In project management perspective, project managers are
project management basically planning agents as they are the architects of project
It is commonly assumed that everyone in management position plan27. Accordingly, it is fair argument in project management
is a leader and leaders are not concerned to manage but theory that ‘plan your work’ and then ‘work your plan’19. An
leadership is performed by the people even though not in accepted proverb among researchers and project manager is that
management positions22. In contrast to leadership, management “failing to plan is planning to fail”27. Effective planning play
is a process which diminishes uncertainty and stabilizes the key role for project managers to deliver project successfully
organization involving: planning and budgeting, organizing and including customer satisfaction and successful implementation
19
staffing, and controlling and problem solving10. Though, . For every successful project, planning and scheduling are
management is a function comprises on implementing the seen cornerstone as well as key predictor and contributor of
direction and vision provided by the leaders, handling day-to- project success28. The prediction about functions of the project
day problems, and coordinating and staffing the organization23. managers in future to become key players in organizational
In latter part of the last century, management’s two “children” world26, has been come to reality19. The project managers are
evolved into leadership and project management fields21. required to be focused towards achieving the success and
Management practices are considered for many centuries as winning the market place by expanding the role from just
planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. Management getting the jobs done24. Firstly, the project manager essentially
skills were required for all mega events including building Great plan to ensure project success and secondly perform the task of
Wall of China, preparing armies for battle, and running the “getting things done” in standard project management19.
Roman Empire. Traditionally, management was viewed as an art
that transferred from generation to generation until late nineteen The project managers perform similar functions like other
centuries and science of management has also developed in last mangers in narrow terms which include planning, motivation,
hundred years21. scheduling and controlling29. It is the project manager’s
responsibility to ensure properly planning, implementation, and
The definition and functions of management are substantially completion of the project30. Project managers mostly do
agreed while there is a little agreement on definition and planning irrespective of project type as “planning is the first
functions of leadership, or whether it is a discipline or not but step a project manager should take in beginning of a project”31.
mostly scholars agree that it is a discipline21. Kotter4, a The project managers must efficiently handle all aspects of
professor of leadership at Harvard Business School argued that project leadership including strategic, operational and human, in
both leadership and management are distinct but still order to grow and become a real leader24. The fundamental
complementary systems of action in organizations. The question of “what mangers do”16 has obtained constructive
management is about dealing with complexity in projects while debate among researcher and practitioners17 and the role of
leadership is about coping with the change through projects10. project managers is similar to other managers19. There are some
Leadership is not different from management just due to like key differences between roles of managers and project
and dislike of people and leadership is not numinous and managers, while projects are not permanent and their
inexplicable4. The difference between roles of leadership and temporality might impact on work performance of project

International Science Congress Association 45

Research Journal of Recent Sciences ______________________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502
Vol. 2(5), 44-48, May (2013) Res. J. Recent Sci.

managers19. The ‘project-as-practice’ school of thought strives capabilities but find difficult to become a strong manager due to
to address performance of projects in general and practices of certain reasons29.
project managers in particular32.
Project leadership is about leading others in project which is
There is a real difference exist between leadership and project different and additive to project management but there may
manager in complex working environment but yet a some overlap. Project management focused on managing the
complementary relationship between these two roles are project work whereas leading others is focused more towards
supposed to be performed by the project manager1. An intrigue individuals on their ways of working to perform best work on
distinction between leader and project manager roles identified projects38. All project leaders must face any of the three issues
by Bennis33 is that ‘a leader does the right things (effectiveness); related to variety of task, personnel and commitment situations
a manager does things right (efficiency), while project leader which are more complex in projects than in on-going operations
create vision for project, bring together the resources, and due projects exceptional demands of their temporary nature and
provide motivation and inspiration to project stakeholders in unique outcomes21. To understand that project leaders must
doing the right things to achieve the project objectives1. make timely decision is the science of project leadership due to
Leaders focus on what needs to be done while managers focus its perspective – that decision must be made21.
on how things get done, namely ‘leaders do the right things and
managers do things right’24. The project management will be totally different in coming
years than last five decade as it is evolving rapidly24. Project
Leaders and managers are very different as leaders develop leaders must be able to facilitate subordinates for making sense
entrepreneurial culture while managers create managerial of changes and provide guidance and support for ambiguous
culture in organization34. Warren Bennis35 highlighted the changes41.
difference between leaders and manager through the statement
“To survive in the twenty-first century, we are going to need a The organizations initiate projects for business success and
new generation of leaders – leaders, not managers. Successful ‘getting the job done’ is not sufficient24. Today, there is a need
project managers and successful leaders are not complement of to find out new ways of vibrant and competitive business
each other in exceptional successful projects24. The distinction is environment to make the projects more competitive and
an important one. Leaders conquer the context – the volatile, powerful tools42. Project leaders try to improve development
turbulent, ambiguous surroundings that sometimes seem to process in decision making as required by the art of project
conspire against us and will surely suffocate us if we let them – leadership21. There is also a need of new leader, or leaders at
while managers surrender to it”. Bennis36 most recently expense of managers which is need of people who can be both43.
summarized his quotations as “Managers do things right, while A move have been made from task perspective to a leadership
leaders do the right things”. Leaders focuses on people and perspective within project context in recent project management
looks outward while mangers focuses on things and looks literature review44. The ability of project leader is essential for
inward22. successful management of projects40. The duties of project
leader’s include gathering and distributing information, leading,
Significance of Project leadership planning, coordinating, moderating, and controlling the project
team43. Project leadership is becoming important due to increase
Research on Leadership progressed in last century while of project-based organizations in industrial importance as well
research on project management evolved in latter part of the last as due to lack of studies within project management literature22.
century21, and as a result, project leadership evolved in 21st Obviously, it is not possible for everyone to be effective for both
century to cope with competitive challenges. Project leadership leading and managing29.
is about knowledge and creation of learning37, which occurs
during project execution and across the projects in
organization24. Project leadership is the ability to lead in most Essence of Project Leadership
powerful manner while leading the others in project work 38. It is mandatory for the project leadership during planning and
Project leadership impact on improving project management execution of project to apply sound project management
practices in order to reduce uncertainty and complexity practices38. Project leadership rather than just focusing on time
associated with project pursuit39. A strong project leadership is and budget, they consider customer needs on day-to-day basis,
required to deal with administrative or bureaucratic projects but future market and competitive advantage to manage project
it does not mean that strong leader is always a more successful strategically24. In project leadership, the essence of leading
leader40. Any strong leadership with week management and others focus on empowering the individuals in order to create
vise versa is always not better for good results but actual the situations and environment for effective and efficient
challenge to use combination of strong management and strong performance38. Project leadership is supposed to access needs of
leadership for balancing each other. Though some people have project team and help them for best project performance by
the ability to be a strong manager but cannot be an excellent meeting the team members frequently and by providing more
leader, in contrast, some people have great leadership empowering environment38. To achieve outstanding results and

International Science Congress Association 46

Research Journal of Recent Sciences ______________________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502
Vol. 2(5), 44-48, May (2013) Res. J. Recent Sci.

overcome gigantic obstacles, peoples are transformed and 2. Nixon P., Harrington M. and Parker D., Leadership
inspired by the visionary project leaders24. The first principle of performance is significant to project success or failure: a
strategic project leadership is to develop the project managers of critical analysis, International Journal of Productivity and
yesterday to learn the power of leadership for motivating, Performance Management, 61, 204-216 (2012)
inspiring and coaching right intelligence24.
3. Pinto J.K. and Slevin D.P., Project success: definition and
Effective project leaders are capable to articulate an inspiring measurement techniques, Project Management Journal, 19,
project vision and build an appropriate project spirit or spark 67-71 (1988)
aligned with project strategy which create energy, excitement, 4. Kotter J.P., What Leaders Really Do, Harvard Bus Rev, 68,
and commitment24 among the project team to perform 103-111 (1990a)
efficiently to ensure project success. Project leadership assert
own wisdom to make difficult decisions by using leadership 5. Yang L.R., Huang C.F. and Wu K.S., The association
techniques and give directions to the project team according to among project manager's leadership style, teamwork and
the situations38. The project leadership strategically focus on project success, International Journal of Project
projects for creating competitive advantage as well as winning Management, 29, 258-267 (2011)
the market place rather than focusing on “getting the job done” 6. Turner J.R. and Muller R., The Project Manager’s
and the strategic project leadership approach provide step-by- Leadership Style as a Success Factor on Projects: A
step guidelines for projects turning into successful competitive Literature Review, Project Management Journal, 36, 49-61
weapons, to project managers and business organizations. (2005)
Often project leadership is concerned to perform following three 7. Dulewicz V. and Higgs M., Assessing leadership styles and
common types of responsibilities performed by project leaders. organisational context, Journal of Managerial Psychology,
First, project leaders need to continuously make decisions 20, 105-123, (2005)
according to changing situations and aware of project details. 8. Higgs M. and Rowland D., All changes great and small:
Second, project leaders must identify project priorities and Exploring approaches to change and its leadership, Journal
continue to insist that these priorities must be adhered. Finally, of Change Management, 5, 121-151 (2005)
project leaders must see and communicate with key stakeholders
to integrate the project into grander scheme of things which 9. Ahmed R., Azmi N., Masood M.T., Tahir M. and Ahmad
benefited to both within the performing organization as well as M.S., What Does Project Leadership Really Do?,
customer organization21. Now time has come to move truly International Journal of Scientific and Engineering
toward strategic project leadership to lead and manage the Research, 4 (2013)
projects effectively and efficiently. The project leadership must 10. Kotter J.P., The leadership factor, (NY: Free Press, (1987)
address project spirit properly and must know how to define and
cultivate vision for energizing and bringing out the best 11. Bass B.M. and Stogdill R.M., Stogdill's Handbook of
people24. Leadership: A Survey of the Theory and Research, (Free
Press, (1981)
Conclusion 12. Geoghegan L. and Dulewicz V., Do Project Managers’
The essence of project leadership is significant to project Leadership Competencies Contribute to Project Success,
management while professionals must acquire fundamental Project Management Journal, 39, 58-67, (2008)
skills and competencies of both leadership and management to 13. Kerzner H., In search of excellence in project management,
ensure accomplishment of project and organizational objectives. Journal of Systems Management, 38, 30-39 (1987)
An effective project leadership always have right competencies
and skills for right jobs at right time which necessitates for an 14. Anantatmula V.S., Project Manager Leadership Role in
ample need of research on project leadership. Therefore more Improving Project Performance, Engineering Management
comprehensive research is desired to appraise benefits generally Journal, 22, 13-22 (2010)
related to project leadership and especially project manager’s 15. Keller R., Transformational leadership and the performance
leadership associations with project performance and teamwork of research and development project groups, Journal of
through different empirical studies at industry, sector and Management, 18, 489-501 (1992)
country level to address the emerging challenges of the 21st
16. Fayol H., Administration Industrielle et Générale;
century.
Prévoyance, Organisation, Commandement, Coordination,
Contrôle, (Paris, (1916)
References
17. Mintzberg H., The manager’s job: Folklore and fact,
1. Cleland D.I., Leadership and the Project Management Body Harvard Bus Rev, 53, 100-110 (1975)
of Knowledge, International Journal of Project
Management, 13, 83-88 (1995) 18. Mintzberg H., Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., San
Francisco, (2009)

International Science Congress Association 47

Research Journal of Recent Sciences ______________________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502
Vol. 2(5), 44-48, May (2013) Res. J. Recent Sci.

19. Ika L. and Saint-Macary J., The Project Planning Myth in 32. Blomquist T., Hällgren M., Nilsson A. and Söderholm A.,
International Development, International Journal of Project-as-practice: in search of project management
Managing Projects in Business, 5, 1-34 (2012) research that matters, Project Management Journal, 41, 5-
16 (2010)
20. Weinberg G.M., Dorset House Publishing, New York,
(1986) 33. Bennis W.G., Good managers and good leaders, Across the
Board, 21, 7-11 (1984)
21. Kloppenborg T.J., Shriberg A. and Venkatraman J., Project
Leadership, 1-137 Management Concepts, (2003) 34. Zaleznik A., Managers and leaders are different? Harvard
22. Lunenburg F.C., Leadership versus Management: A Key Bus Rev., 74-81 (1977)
Distinction — At Least in Theory, International journal of 35. Bennis W.G., Managing the dreem: Leadership in the 21st
management, business and administration, 14, 1-4 (2011) century, Journal of Organizational Change Management, 2
23. House R.J. and Aditya R.N., The social scientific study of (1989)
leadership: Quo vadis?, Journal of Management, 23, 445- 36. Bennis W.G. and Nanus B., Leaders: The strategies for
456 (1997) taking charge, (HarperCollins, (2007)
24. Shenhar A.J., Strategic Project Leadership Toward a 37. Senge P.M., The Leaders New Work - Building Learning
strategic approach to project management, R and D Organizations, Sloan Manage Rev, 32, 7-23 (1990)
Management, 34, 569-578 (2004)
38. Strider W., Powerful Project Leadership, 1-238,
25. Kaulio M., Project leadership in multi-project settings: Management Concepts (2002)
Findings from a critical incident study, International 39. Birkinshaw J., Hamel G. and Mol M.J., Management
Journal of Project Management, 26, 338-347 (2008)
Innovation, Acad Manage Rev, 33, 825-845 (2008)
26. Gaddis P.O., The Project Manager, Harvard Bus Rev, 89-97
40. Curran C.S., Niedergassel B., Picker S. and Leker J.,
(1959) Project leadership skills in cooperative projects,
27. Kerzner H., Project Management: A Systems Approach to Management Research News, 32, 458-468 (2009)
Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling, Hoboken, John
41. Vaccaro I.G., Jansen J.J.P., Van Den Bosch F.A.J. and
Wiley and Sons (2006)
Volberda H.W., Management Innovation and Leadership:
28. Dvir D. and Lechler T., Plans are nothing, changing plans is The Moderating Role of Organizational Size, J Manage
everything: the impact of changes on project success, Stud, 49, 28-51 (2012)
Research Policy, 33, 1-15 (2004)
42. Brown S.L. and Eisenhardt K.M., Competing on the Edge,
29. Gray C. and Larson E.W., Project Management – The Boston MA, (1998)
Managerial Process McGraw-Hill, (2006)
43. Burghardt M., Projektmanagement, Publicis
30. Mantel S.J.J., Meredith J.R., Shafer S.M. and Sutton M.M., Kommunikationsagentur, (2002)
Project Management in Practice, (Hoboken, NJ, John 44. Kolltveit B.J., Karlsen J.T. and Gonhaug K., Perspectives
Wiley and Sons (2011) on project management, International journal of project
31. Adams J.R. and Campbell B.W., Roles and responsibilities management, 25, 3-9 (2007)
of the project manager, Principles of Project Management,
69-88 (1996)

International Science Congress Association 48

View publication stats