In
this paper, the researcher is convinced that project management is given an edge
when project leaders apply "the vital soft skills and high relationship"
aspects, that is, `father leadership'. This is an expanded version of the paper
first presented in the 3rd Project Management Symposium in Almaty in October 2004.The
researcher presents the concept of `father leadership in project management',
its practice and benefits, in the form of 6Cs. The project leader, while applying
such leadership strategies, can secure the `allinthefamily' touch and effectively
ensure the project's successful completion.
Projects
are normally constrained by limited resources and a project is "a novel undertaking
to create a new product or service, the delivery of which signals completion"
(quoted in Wideman, 2004: 5). The project leaders are to extend their personal
influence in order to generate positive effects, along with obtaining results
for the organization. "Leadership involves the influencing of others through
the personality or actions of the individual" (Maylor, 2003: 248). Leadership
is the individual's positive influence on his or her people.
Businesses,
like sports, are always looking for an edge over competition. In project management
that edge comes not only from investments in technology or time planning but rather
from father leadership. Most project management books tend to stress on project
scope, project time, project cost and project quality management. A book entitled
The Four Pillars of Project Management discusses the above but leadership
is not included. There appears to be a littleeven so, not an overtemphasis on
the `critical people' or on the soft skills aspect. |
