Ela GreearEnterprise Project Manager I| ITS IncWest Des Moines, Ia, United States
Hello, I am a Project Manager and would like to transition into a team leader/trainer. I am looking in to obtaining a leadership certificate and go through training, but there are many options out there. Any tips and recommendations are greatly appreciated! What does leadership mean to you and how did you accomplish the transition? Thank you! Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Leadership is not about certifications.
...
1 reply by Rolf Dieter Zschau
Jul 25, 2016 10:57 AM
Rolf Dieter Zschau
...
Very true!
Saving Changes...
Justin WortleyProject Manager| Quicken LoansDetroit, Mi, United States
I feel like the notion of a leadership certificate is contradictory. You're either a leader or you aren't. And if you aren't, only practice and experience will turn you into one. A piece of paper shouldn't validate your leadership skills, you do that in practice at the workplace. If you are looking to validate your project management experience, continue your path of pursuing the CAPM if you choose but a "leadership certificate" won't increase your personal credentials nearly as much as developing and displaying leadership skills regularly will. Saving Changes...
saurabh mahajanPMP, ITIL, PRINCE2| vodafonePune, Maharashtra, India
As a project manager you should be a leader as well. Because that is very very important trait of a manager. However to sharpen that skill you can start behaving like a leader. Take responsibility and convene a team to achieve a common goal. Lead from front to resolve the impediments. Take stand on team issues. This will picture you as leader.
...
1 reply by Cynthia Clark
May 06, 2016 6:47 PM
Cynthia Clark
...
I agree with your statement 100% Saurabh. You don't have to know everything about a subject to be the leader, you just have to know how to pull the right individuals together and get a discussion going, and facilitate as necessary. There are many ways to do that. I manage a specific program at work, and my teams look to me to take the lead in driving things to move forward. To be a leader - no certification necessary.
Product Operations Program ManagerBarcelona, Cataluña, Spain
Very interesting topic.
Sergio's statement is very assertive, but it is not lacking truth. Leadership is not something that may be trained or certified. In Spain we have a very well known case in soccer: Messi is a great player, perhaps the best player that has ever existed, but yet he is NOT a leader, he lacks the skills to become one
That being said, there are programs that may provide tools to develop and/or optimize the key competences of business leadership.You may want to take a look into the PDD program from IESE
Ela GreearEnterprise Project Manager I| ITS IncWest Des Moines, Ia, United States
Thank you, everyone. The word "certificate" may have thrown people off. What I am really looking for are classes, events or opportunities to strengthen the EQ. Eduard, I will look into the programs you mentioned! Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
I believe leadership can be developed, you can learn techniques and change your behaviors, establish a good sense of values and ethics and try it out in real life, gain experience also by failing, grow reputation and increase followers.
Yes, there are many theories and books out there that make it confusing to develop a career path and curriculum. 30 years ago I started with emotional intelligence: understand myself and improve, developed a sense of others, still working today on my empathy, and improving how to - ethically - influence others ('leading without authority').
There are many tests and certificates in this area, e.g. you could become a certified presenter, negotiator, obtain your EQ level etc. I do not know about a 'leadership certificate' but given the requests for it and money spent on that topic I bet there is someone out there creating one.
...
1 reply by Frank Dieters
Apr 30, 2016 10:09 AM
Frank Dieters
...
I couldn't agree more, Thomas. Leadership is all about paying your dues, developing your personal leadership and teach others to do the same. Good, sound advice!
Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
I need to bring on the table this: you need to understand what leadership is, for you and for your organization. Unfortunatelly Leadership is a new "buzzword". But in my case, when I ask "what is a leader for you?" to organizational leadership teams that belong to hugh organizations the answer is "somebody that get the most from her/his team" where that means that leaders get more than 24 hours a day of work. That is not leadership. So, we need to agree what leadership is.
...
1 reply by Thomas Walenta
Apr 30, 2016 11:45 AM
Thomas Walenta
...
Hi Sergio,
agree, we need to agree what we mean by a term like leadership.
Some thoughts:
Let us start with wikipedia which says it is the "ability of an individual or organization to "lead" or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations", while it is also states that different views exist between east and west, US and Europe etc. PMI also seems to say it is the 'ability to lead'.
Leadership can be learned (in contrast to older statements that leaders are born), has to do with power (influence), needs followers, is rather inspiration than motivation (or: a vision than objectives), is based on joint values and beliefs.
Project Management Leadership is generally discussed as being positive, e.g. like in servant leadership, probably because PMs need to develop skills in leading without authority and teaming is seen as mandatory (I have seen successful autocratic PMs using mostly coercion though, but also leaving behind a burnt environment). The joint values could be those of PMI's Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, maybe some more.
When I think of leadership, I think of Godly behaviour. To me it means following are the traits of a leader:
1. A teacher/guide 2. Caring/Loving (for both the personal needs of the team members and the needs of the project) 3. Forgiving 4. No tolerance for ungrateful behaviour attitude
In my view, leadership compromises a spectrum of behaviours. At one place the leader would teach and at other he would test. At one place the leader will be taking care of personal well being of his subordinates and at other hand he will not tolerate that his caring attitude is taken for granted and most importantly is FORGIVING. And while doing so, he does not lose the sight of project goals.
There are then leadership personalities. Aristocratic is my personal favourite. :) Saving Changes...
Frank DietersTransitionist | Manager | Team Rallier | Momentum Manager| Frankdieters.ComSelfkant, Germany
Hello Ela, A lot is already said in this thread. If you want to lead, you have to learn to lead yourself first. It is about finding what makes you want to be a leader in the first place. If you want to read more on leadership, I wrote a number of blogs on this issue. One of them:
I read the thread you posted Frank and could not agree with it more! You spoke very well and I really enjoyed the article!
Jul 25, 2016 11:28 AM
Rolf Dieter Zschau
...
A really good article, indeed.
Saving Changes...
Frank DietersTransitionist | Manager | Team Rallier | Momentum Manager| Frankdieters.ComSelfkant, Germany
Apr 29, 2016 10:27 AM
Replying to Thomas Walenta
...
I believe leadership can be developed, you can learn techniques and change your behaviors, establish a good sense of values and ethics and try it out in real life, gain experience also by failing, grow reputation and increase followers.
Yes, there are many theories and books out there that make it confusing to develop a career path and curriculum. 30 years ago I started with emotional intelligence: understand myself and improve, developed a sense of others, still working today on my empathy, and improving how to - ethically - influence others ('leading without authority').
There are many tests and certificates in this area, e.g. you could become a certified presenter, negotiator, obtain your EQ level etc. I do not know about a 'leadership certificate' but given the requests for it and money spent on that topic I bet there is someone out there creating one.
I couldn't agree more, Thomas. Leadership is all about paying your dues, developing your personal leadership and teach others to do the same. Good, sound advice! Saving Changes...
Community Champion
