Project Leadership

Techniques for Going Beyond "Managing" to Become a True Project LeaderEven though they can't be reduced to a tidy formula or equation, the principles of leadership are every bit as legitimate--and learnable--as those of finance or engineering.Project Leadershipprovides you with a blueprint for becoming a successful project leader, capable of motivating team members to achieve project objectives not because they have to but because theywantto.This uniquely hands-on look at project leadership goes beyond theory to examine the real-world relationship between task, leader, and follower. It outlines steps managers can take to gain the trust of their team members--the first step toward leadership--then goes on to describe: Commonly encountered personality traits of both leaders and followers Case studies of leadership in action, in both business and nonbusiness settings Leadership principles that can successfully be applied to numerous situationsResearch has shown that successful project leaders exhibit remarkably consistent actions and behaviors, and that virtually anyone can adopt those practices to dramatically improve their leadership effectiveness. InProject Leadership, discover what effective project leadership isreallyall about, and principles that--if followed--can greatly increase your project management success."Leadership appears to be the art of getting others to want to do something you are convinced should be done."--Vance PackardIt is followers, not organizations, thatconvey leadership. And before people will allowyou to lead them, you must understand what they wantfromyou and what they expectofyou.Project Leadershipfocuses on the unique skills necessary for leading people in a project environment. Nontechnical and accessible, it provides an easy-to-follow program for transforming yourself from a by-the-book manager into a leader capable of encouraging team members to plan, accomplish, and sustain excellence. Drawing on author Jim Lewis's considerable experience with project management and leadership best practices, this step-by-step coursebook for developing leadership proficiency discusses: Proven leadership principles, with methods for both understanding and adopting them Strategies for changing from the command-and-control role to that of facilitator Proven steps for building the personal credibility required for effective leadershipAs a project manager, you are generally given overwhelming responsibility with little actual authority. So, without such authority, how do you get others to "do something you are convinced should be done?"Project Leadershipunveils a chapter-by-chapter program for developing the skills of a leader. You discover techniques for matching individuals' talents to specific tasks ... skills for delegating authority without fear of losing control ... physical approaches for quickly building rapport with other persons ... tips for acquiring credibility in an unfamiliar setting ... and much more.The principles of effective project leadership can be learned, practiced, and improved upon. InProject Leadership, author and project management expert Jim Lewis combines decades of leadership research with his own unmatched project management experience to arrive at a straightforward, logical, and convincing system for becoming a leader--one who can consistently direct people to bring projects of every type to their successful conclusions.James P. Lewis is the author of 'Project Leadership', published 2002 under ISBN 9780071388672 and ISBN 0071388672.