The Strategic Project Leader
Mastering Service-Based Project Leadership, Second Edition
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Book Description
As executives build and nurture their organization’s strategic agility in today’s turbulent, uncertain business environment, the ability to lead strategic change has become more critical than ever. The Strategic Project Leader: Mastering Service-Based Project Leadership, Second Edition will help project managers lead with confidence in temporary, ambiguous team structures that execute risk-laden work in an increasingly agile project environment.
Like the first edition, this edition encourages readers to take ownership of their leadership agenda and become disciplined in the processes of building a framework of leadership skills. Readers are introduced to a new role: the service-based project leader. This role serves the entire project organization by creating a meaningful experience for team members, customers, and critical stakeholders.
The book provides practical guidance to help you move from project manager to service-based project leader. Detailing a framework for developing and refining leadership skills, it explains how to build a leadership competency pyramid and then execute a self-directed plan for building leadership competencies. The leadership competency pyramid includes an intuitive model that will be helpful to project managers at any level.
The book elaborates on the components of each layer of the pyramid and how each layer relates to the others. A chapter is dedicated to each layer of the pyramid, with supporting evidence for the necessity of each of these layers, as well as practical advice on how to build and practice these component layers.
Table of Contents
THE NEW PROJECT LEADER
Leadership in Project Management: A Defining Moment
Introduction
My Story
Are We Better Off?
Two Types of Project Managers
Understanding Leadership
Carol’s Story
Effective Leadership
Challenges for Practitioners
"I Don’t Have the Authority"
"I Don’t Have the Ability"
"The Organizational Culture Must Change First"
Another Defining Moment
Summary
Endnotes
The Rise of the Service-Based Project Leader
Importance of Transformation
Separating from the Pack
Efficiency
Customization
Foresight
Connectedness
Filling the Role of Service-Based Project Leader
The Younger Generation of Workers
The Volunteer’s Story
Summary
Endnotes
Project Management as a Service: What You Need to Know
Introduction
Growing Expectations
Project Management as a Service
When Professional Services become Commodities
The Optometrist’s Story
Information Technology Case Study
What versus How Work Gets Done
Unbundling of Project Management
New Managerial Work
Information Overload
New Work, Old Model
Summary
Endnotes
Project Management Certifications: The Leadership Angle
Introduction
Value of Certifications
Project Management Certifications
Australian Institute of Project Management
International Project Management Association
Project Management Institute
Problems with Certification
Jacque’s Story
Summary
Endnotes
Professionalism and the Leadership Void
Introduction
Obstacles to Professionalism
The Leadership Void
Performance and Expectations Gap
Contributors to the Leadership Void
Organizations
Practitioners
Trainers
Where Do We Go from Here?
Summary
Endnotes
The Case for the Service-Based Project Leader
Introduction
Customer Focus
Increasing Portfolio Management Return on Investment
Increasing Project Management Maturity
Academia in Project Management
Ethics in Project Leadership
Summary
Endnotes
Discovering the New Project Leader in You
Introduction
A Commitment Story
Committing to Personal Change
Unfulfilled Needs + Natural Abilities = Initiation of Personal Change
Ownership: Whose Career Is It, Anyway?
Life Choices
Decisions
Truth
Personal Confidence
Group Confidence
Psychological Barriers
Summary
Endnotes
Finding Meaning in Creating, Rather than Problem Solving
Introduction
Structure for Creating
Personal Visioning
Group Visioning
Initiative Visioning
The Creativity in all of us
Creativity in Project Management
Exploiting the Creative Process in Project Management
Summary
Endnotes
Finding the Energy to Make the Commitment
Introduction
Barriers to Commitment
Fear of Change
Stress
Impact of Stress on the Heart and Mind
Durable Energy
Elements of Commitment
Alignment
Direction
Authenticity
Rare Opportunity
Summary
Endnotes
THE SERVICE-BASED PROJECT LEADER’S COMPETENCY PYRAMID
Competence: The Foundation of Leadership
Introduction
Competence
Background on Project Management Competencies
Project Manager Competency Development Framework Overview
IPMA ICB Standard
Lack of Focus on Behavioral Leadership
Summary
Endnotes
Customers’ Perception of Your Project: Stakeholder Management
Introduction
Paying Customer’s View
Strategic Project Characteristics
Uniqueness
Risk
Temporary in Nature
Expanded Playing Field
Decision Making
Distance and Diversity
What Customers Really Want
Losing Control
Summary
Endnotes
Project Leader’s Competency Framework: Service-Based Project Leader’s Competency Pyramid
Introduction
Overview of Service-Based Project Leader’s
Competency Pyramid
Knowledge, Skill, and Experience
Subject Matter Expertise
Trust-Based Relationships
Consultative Leadership
Courage
Balancing the Pyramid’s Layers
Summary
Endnotes
Building Your Base—Knowledge, Skills, Experience
Introduction
Building Project and Program Management Knowledge
A Certification Story
Building Project Management Skills
Real Needs
How to Create a Need Statement
Crafting the Project Mission Statement
Leading with Work Breakdown Structures
A WBS Story
Stakeholder Management with Simple Project Network Diagrams
Risk
Building Project Management Experience
Summary
Endnotes
Building Subject Matter Expertise
Introduction
Why Leaders Need Subject Matter Expertise
Mastering the Acquisition of Subject Matter Expertise
Follow the Money: Revenue and Cost
Business Process Mapping
Research and Networking
Summary
Endnotes
Trust-Based Relationships
Introduction
Compatibility
Building Trust on Projects
Building Blocks of Trust for Project Leaders
Value Proposition
Credibility
Reliability
Tips for Creating Credibility and Reliability with Customers
Intimacy
Tips for Building Intimacy on Projects
Low Self-Orientation
Listening and Disengaging
Tips for Low Self-Orientation
Customer and Project Team Trust-Based Relationships
Summary
Endnotes
Consultative Leadership: Becoming a Service-Based Project Leader
Introduction
Advisory Nature
Serving versus Coaching
Power
Need for Advising
Tips for Advising
Consultative Leadership Process
Engage
Listen
A Story about Listening
Frame
A Story about Framing
Vision
Commit
Summary
Endnotes
Courage
Introduction
Environmental Impacts on Courage
Risk Attitudes
Modifying Risk Attitudes
Emotional Literacy
Summary
Endnotes
Helping Children: Nemours Case Study; Susan Voltz and Elizabeth Allen
Complexities and Challenges Bring Transformation
A Strong Base of Project Management Knowledge, Skill, and Experience, Plus Subject Matter Expertise
Trust-Based Relationships
Consultative Leadership
Commitment to Self-Directed Leadership Development
Instilling Transparency: Norwegian Cycling Association Case Study; Henning Vahr and Vibeke Binz Vallevik
Knowledge, Skill, and Experience
Trust Building
Consultative Leadership
Self-Directed Leadership Development
SELF-DIRECTED PROJECT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
The Consciousness of a Leader: Understanding Intentional Change
Introduction
Understanding Intentional Change Theory
Overview of Self-Directed Project Leadership Development
New Training Methods
Project Management and Self-Directed Project Leadership Development
Summary
Endnotes
Commitment to Leadership: Taking Control
Introduction
Commitment
Human Motivation Theories and the Service-Based Project Leader
Significance and Motivation
Commitment Killers
Culture of Fear
Fatigue
Denying Failure
The Boxer’s Story
A Healthy Commitment
Summary
Endnotes
Instilling Transparency: Norwegian Cycling Association Case Study; Henning Vahr and Vibeke Binz Vallevik
Knowledge, Skill, and Experience
Trust Building
Consultative Leadership
Self-Directed Leadership Development
SELF-DIRECTED PROJECT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
The Consciousness of a Leader: Understanding Intentional Change
Introduction
Understanding Intentional Change Theory
Overview of Self-Directed Project Leadership Development
New Training Methods
Project Management and Self-Directed Project Leadership Development
Summary
Endnotes
Commitment to Leadership: Taking Control
Introduction
Commitment
Human Motivation Theories and the Service-Based Project Leader
Significance and Motivation
Commitment Killers
Culture of Fear
Fatigue
Denying Failure
The Boxer’s Story
A Healthy Commitment
Summary
Endnotes
Assessing and Acquiring Project Leadership Skills
Introduction
Considerations for Assessment
Formal and Informal Assessments
Directors
Socializers
Thinkers
Relaters
Focus on Strengths
Safe Environment
Acquisition
Assessing and Acquiring the Base of the Service-Based Project Leader’s Competency Pyramid
Initiation and Planning
Execution
Control and Monitoring
Closing
Summary
Endnotes
Practicing to Be a Service-Based Project Leader
Introduction
Active Leadership ExperienceTM
Practicing Mental Skills
Summary
Endnotes
Serving Your Community
Introduction
Three Calls to Serve
The Teacher Becomes the Student … and Vice Versa
Giving to Receive
Measuring the Progress of the Service-Based Project Leader
Summary
Endnotes
Developing Your Action Plan
Introduction
Commit
Assess and Acquire Leadership Behaviors
Practice
Serve
Final Thoughts
Appendix
Author(s)
Biography
Jack Ferraro is the founder of MyProjectAdvisor, a project management services company that provides project management training and leadership development. Jack became a project manager by accident 25 years ago while working as a financial analyst. He has two decades of adult training and education experience and has conducted training sessions and developed leadership workshops for project managers. He has 25 years of experience working with project teams and extensive experience managing complex enterprise technology and business process improvement projects.
As a consultant, Jack helps executives improve organizational project management performance by leading project teams and mentoring and coaching both project managers and business leaders on their change initiatives. He has designed a leadership development program to help project managers build their leadership skills and important personal competencies to enable them to lead strategic projects. He works closely with business leaders on how to partner with project teams to achieve better project results.
A frequent writer and lecturer on project management leadership trends, he has published numerous articles and podcasts on project leadership
Reviews
The second edition of The Strategic Project Leader builds on the first edition’s competency and self-directed leadership models to guide not just project managers but anyone in a leadership role in projects to master service-based project leadership. ... By using the tools in this book, not only will your organization’s projects have a greater chance of coming in on time, on budget, and according to specs, but your organization will sustain the continuous transformation required to remain competitive.
—Dr. Frank B. McCluskey, Provost and Executive Vice President (retired), American Public University SystemPraise for the First Edition:
... a truly uplifting book with a self-directed plan to build leadership competencies and recommended tools for establishing compatibility and trust that allows project leaders to truly change the world by connecting their values with their work.
–Dr. Tony Alessandra, author of The Platinum Rule and Charisma
Jack has taken the vast body of research in project management and leadership and boiled it down to its essential elements. He provides clear direction on HOW to implement leadership practices.
–Carl Pritchard, President, Pritchard Management Associates and author of Risk Management: Concepts & Guidance
…demonstrates that project managers are strategic leaders for their respective organizations as project management is a strategic advantage for the organization. I highly recommend this interesting and easy-to-read book.
–Ginger Levin, DPA, PMP, Project Management Consultant and co-author of The Advanced Project Management Office
Jack writes in an engaging way and his concern for the trade is infectious. Being a practitioner myself, I can only say: run and read!
–Merete Munch Lange, Project Manager
... walks us through what it takes to be more than just a project leader, but to be a service-based project leader ... the crème de la crème ... the enablers of the organization. It is a must-read for project managers who want to transform the way they lead.
–Sandy Weiner, Master Certified Coach, Managing Partner, 1-Focus International
By emphasizing the leading of people and providing a roadmap for personal development, Ferraro has created an interesting and practical book.
–SciTech Book News, May 2008