What Really Makes You a Leader?

PM''s are by nature minimalists and they seek the most efficient way possible.

Any project will have to exist in a limited circumstance, meaning we deal with varying factors that are not always optimum. " You cant complain or ask for the sky from a client to implement your raindance", you must approach with the skill sets and people who are there.

Trusting that everyone is competent and that objectives act like magnets, PM''s must surely have the quality of knowing everones best is always really good enough., when working with a plan.

I am more concerned about the ''No Votes" on Authenticity , Receptivity to Feedback, Navigates Ambiguity, Conceptual Thinking & Conceptual Thinking. These allseem like hallmarks of great leaders.

Even the 1 vote for " Propensity to Lead" proves that the credibility a PM needs is to spot, plan and execute corrective actions way before they are needed.

Empowerment is another word for trust and so it is evident that a PM must empower his team with trust to see them soar.

See a lot like what we are supposed to do in our everyday living.



Posted: May 13, 2008 12:16 AM

I don't think any one can be the most important predictor. Depending on the project and current business climate any of these could be seen as the most important. Also what a team member feels is most important can be very different from what the company wants.

One company I had worked at felt getting results was most important. This was getting the job done at any cost, not monetary but if you had to run over people that was ok at long as the sponsor was kept happy.

Posted: May 13, 2008 10:26 AM

"A leader is best when people barely know he exists. And when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”
- Lao Tzu.


Leadership comes in many different flavors but it is the results of leadership that count. The success of great leaders comes from inspiring, motivating and empowering the people they lead to achieve their full potential. When this is done supremely well, people are unaware that the leader has actually done anything. There are many character traits associated with this skill, including trust, authenticity, credibility, empathy, etc. all of which appeal to the emotional rather than to the intellectual side of people. But do not mistake this for irrationality. The heart has its own reasons (or what is often referred to as "emotional intelligence" in business circles) that leaders instinctively respond to.

For more on Leadership in Project Management, check out the articles that were published on gantthead last August on this featured topic.


Posted: May 13, 2008 11:12 AM

This is a good list, Dave, but I think you might be missing the most important, in my opinion, indicator of leadership - Influence. If you are a 360 degree influencer, you are well on your way to being a great leader. As project managers, depending on the type of organization you work for, we generally have to lead without formal authority. And the only way one can do that is through influence.



Ultimately, I chose "They bring out the best in others" because it most closely relates to the 5 Levels of Leadership, as described by John Maxwell:



5. Position - People follow because they have to.

4. Permission - People follow because they want to.

3. Production - People follow because of what you have done for the organization.

2. People Development - People follow because of what you have done for them personally.

1. Personhood - People follow you because of who you are and what you represent.


Posted: May 13, 2008 11:15 AM

While all mentioned attributes reflect leadership traits, I find missing a very key attribute - Ability to forsee into future and taking people there. Leaders create shared vision to build bridges to the future.

A leader is someone you choose to follow to a place you wouldn't go by yourself.

I think leaders have this very unique ability to ensure that people shift to new paradigm.

Influencing ability is certainly required to get people buy-in and take them along towards Vision.





Posted: May 21, 2008 9:29 AM

Dear Dave
Interesting perspective on the topic: "What Really Makes You a Leader?"

Thanks for sharing

I think that questions about the characteristics of a leader have few options to choose from

Posted: Jan 20, 2020 10:15 AM