In most projects there are a high focus on controls and processes defined by the familiar Scope, Cost, Schedule and Quality project framework. Management and control is exercised through various well-defined standard project management methodologies, tools and the latest scheduling and collaboration software.
Yet, research indicates that more than 60% of projects fail to reach its objectives. In our experience, the best performing projects demand more than the application of standard project management methodologies to well-defined tasks. As in business, politics, and other fields, a key driver of change and success is effective leadership. Think of Steve Jobs and his transformation of Apple in the late ’90s, or Winston Churchill’s pivotal leadership during World War II.
So what are the critical characteristics defining effective project leadership that can transform the outcomes of projects?
Project leaders put strategy first
Project leaders understand that projects should be aligned with a purpose and specific objectives. Defining the purpose and the right objectives is a strategic question that will influence the outcome of the project. Leaders also understand that there are alternatives to reach the project objectives that demand strategic choices to be made.
In addition, a project’s purpose is attached to the value it brings to its stakeholders. Leaders are therefore concerned with stakeholders’ expectations and inputs, its impact on the project and how to engage with stakeholders.
Strategic choices and dealing with the interests of stakeholders involves an integrated set of decisions that affects how projects are initiated, planned, scoped and delivered.
Leaders are integrators
As integrators, the critical role of a leader is not only focussed on integration of tasks, but also on the alignment of the critical relationships between various stakeholders and the project team itself.
A leader’s role is to ensure that the various interests of all project participants and stakeholders are well understood, managed and integrated into creating strategic choices. This also requires insight into the dynamics of human behaviour. This is often not well-understood or mismanaged resulting in conflict, conflicts of interest, delays and ultimately cost-overruns.
Through integrating project tasks and deliverables as well as the interests of all stakeholders through each stage, leaders foster high performing teams by keeping teams focused on the right goals and processes as part of the bigger vision. This is accomplished by shielding teams from project politics, engaging in conflicts or other organizational noise that distracts from the project objectives.
Leaders are creative problem solvers
As problem solvers, project leaders need to be able to apply holistic thinking to understand cause and effect relationships, deal with constraints and devise alternative solutions.
Project leaders must be adept at navigating ambiguity, which often arises in more complex projects. This demands advanced problem-solving skills that go beyond purely rational thinking, embracing a more holistic — and often intuitive — approach to managing complexity.
While project managers mostly focus on the ‘what’ and ‘when’ of execution, project leaders are driven by the ‘how’ and ‘why.’ This mindset challenges the status quo and encourages proactive exploration of alternative ideas and approaches to achieve better outcomes. Effective leaders also foster collaboration and creativity within project teams, paving the way for more innovative and elegant solutions.
Project leaders accept responsibility
To lead is to be responsible. This is never more evident than when a project experiences serious roadblocks or difficulty. Such moments often triggers blame shifting, excuses and deflection among project team members and other stakeholders, all of which is counter-productive.
In leading projects, we apply the three R’s of responsible project leadership: Recognize, Resolve, Review.
Effective leaders must first recognize the critical success factors that influence the project — a task that often requires deep insight and discernment. They must also stay alert to emerging issues throughout the project lifecycle. To do this, leaders should design effective feedback loops, create space for meaningful engagement with stakeholders and team members, and establish performance metrics that support timely and informed decision-making.”
The Resolve aspect of responsible leadership calls on project leaders to evaluate strategic options, tackle problems effectively, and implement the right course of action. This often involves realigning and refocusing project teams — especially when conflicts emerge.”
Identifying and prioritizing issues, establishing feedback mechanisms, and implementing actions are all critical — but without a review process, these efforts lose their impact. Regular reviews ensure accountability by assessing the effectiveness of actions and plans, enabling timely course corrections where needed.
The reason the above characteristics are so important is that project leaders often work in grey areas. Rather than clearly defined deliverables and schedules, they also deal with complexity, ambiguity and the intangible aspects that hold a team together and lead a project to be successful.
Even on smaller, less complex projects with simpler team dynamics, these traits are essential to maximize outcomes. At this scale, they help ensure that goals, strategies, and execution plans are clearly defined, optimized and aligned with the interests of both the project owner and the project team.
At Camdebo, we have created project development tools that stimulates and harness these leadership traits into an integrated development model that optimizes project outcomes.
