The Last of LIFE's 15 Great Leaders Through History

 

This week we've been looking at 15 of LIFE's great leaders through history.  It was pointed out to me yesterday that everyone on the list was from the last century, but I don't believe that invalidates the list.  Today's list even includes a fictional, yet influential leader, a talk show host, and a bandleader.  As project leaders, I believe that there is something that we can learn from all of these great leaders.  Here are the last five:

1. Eleanor Roosevelt: "It isn't enough to talk about peace.  One must believe in it.  And it isn't enough to believe in it.  One must work at it."
2. James T. Kirk: According to The Journal of Defense Software Engineering, "The first captain to appear on Star Trek was an energetic, hands-on leader.  He led every crew excursion to new planets and took an active role in all interaction with new civilizations.  Captain Kirk also relied heavily on his crew, especially his science officer, chief engineer, and doctor.  He pushed them all to succeed but depended on their counsel to help him make decisions.  His crew knew he was in charge, but responded to his call for their input and did their best to answer his needs."
3. Oprah Winfrey:  From the 1998 TIME 100, "Winfrey stands as a beacon, not only in the worlds of media and entertainment, but also in the larger realm of public discourse... When Winfrey talks, her viewers—an estimated 14 million daily in the U.S. and millions in more than 132 other countries—listen."
4. Pope John Paul II: British Prime Minister Tony Blair once said, "Throughout a hard and often difficult life, he stood for social justice and on the side of the oppressed, whether as a young man facing the Nazi occupation of Poland or later in challenging the Communist regime.  He never wavered, never flinched, in the struggle for what he thought was good and right."
5. Count Basie: According to his 1984 obituary in the New York Times, "There was a memorable concert at Town Hall several years ago when a number of musicians, including Mr. Basie, were scheduled to perform in a variety of combinations.  A group that included some Basie sidemen was on stage, playing in a ragged, desultory fashion, when Mr. Basie arrived.  The pianist in the combo gave up his seat to Mr. Basie who sat down, tinkled a few introductory notes, looked up at the drummer, nodded at the rest of the group and, when the combo took off, the musicians were playing as brilliantly and clearly as they had been disheveled only a few moments before."

Effectively leading project teams and implementing work management methodologies that allow everyone on the team to perform at their best isn't really rocket science.  Many of TIME's 15 great leaders were excellent project managers—they just didn't call it that.

Here's the last of the five leadership skills I believe are shared by successful project managers:

1. Flexibility: Adapted from a line in To a Mouse, by Robert Burns, "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry."  No matter how complete your work management plan, there will always be something or someone that throws a monkey-wrench into the works.  Flexibility is the genesis of creative thinking—which is critical for project success.

Successful project-based work requires more than project management software or other project management tools to be successful.  I've observed that the most successful project managers are also project leaders—and many of the leaders we've talked about over the last couple of days provide great examples of the skills we need to inspire and motivate project teams.

Who are some of the great leaders in history you look to for inspiration?