I usually ask students about soft skills required by project managers and of course leadership is one of the first, but in order to be a leader I think that you need to develop many other soft skills like communication, emotional intelligence, motivation, decision making, etc. Saving Changes...
AKSHAY JAINPlanning Group Leader| YOKOGAWA, BahrainGwalior, Mp, India
Leadership is basically a skill or characteristic which enable a person to lead. Leaders are the persons who have out of box ideas, who can look ahead, walk at front and make others follow it. They have clear picture of goal in their mind. Leader can be leader of self but normally they have to fulfil goal with the help of others so synonym of leadership in pragmatic world is leading people. And yes to lead people and to achieve goal you needs to have all set of qualities required related to people management, else you cant be a successful leader. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Unfortunatelly "leadership" has become a buzzword in the last years. I agree with you and with Akshay about is a set of skills. And leadership is fully depended of the environment so it is dificult to talk about what set of skills you need. I worked in multi-national projects from years working with people from all cardinal points. I think that if I ask to Akshay his vision about a leader it will be quit different that our (Luis and myself) vision because we are from Latin America. Perhaps we will agree in some basic points. But at the end, it will be different. Saving Changes...
I agree with Sergio: Culture and environment are major points that should be considered by every project manager to successfully lead the team. but I see some skills are required For every leader such as:
Communication skills
The way you influence teams members
Conflict management and resolving issues
Decision making Saving Changes...
Farid AlsakkafShips Projects Manager| ADNOCAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
In project management, as well as in other functions, Leadership is related to a great extent to professionalism. A leader who has charisma, communication skills, decision making ability, intelligence and all other skills required for a leader should also be professional in the field he is working in. Saving Changes...
Is leadership an independent skill or is a set of skills?
Based on the responses, it sounds like a 'set of skills' to me.
...
1 reply by Farid Alsakkaf
Aug 16, 2016 3:10 AM
Farid Alsakkaf
...
Definitely it is a set of skills, and not only that, should be additional skills that suit the situation. At the end, a smart leader who is kind to his team, keen and firm but with no background on the field of practice tackled will not be the right leader.
At the very least it is multi-faceted. I do believe leadership can only be effective if it is properly supported by foundation skills such as those listed in Luis' question. Saving Changes...
Farid AlsakkafShips Projects Manager| ADNOCAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Aug 15, 2016 2:31 PM
Replying to Samuel Vaddi
...
Is leadership an independent skill or is a set of skills?
Based on the responses, it sounds like a 'set of skills' to me.
Definitely it is a set of skills, and not only that, should be additional skills that suit the situation. At the end, a smart leader who is kind to his team, keen and firm but with no background on the field of practice tackled will not be the right leader. Saving Changes...
For me the mindset distinguishes a leader from the manager. Some posted specific skills, but those apply to both in my opinion. The leader has a different perspective and approach and this is due to a different mindset: How do they define collaboration? How do they define success? How do they define a good direct or team? And how do they define themselves? And this is just a start.
...
1 reply by Rolf Dieter Zschau
Aug 16, 2016 7:47 AM
Rolf Dieter Zschau
...
I agree. Leadership is more a mindset and a certain behaviour than a specific skill. But to be a leader, you also have to have the skills mentioned in the other answers. But to have them and not the mindset and behaviour doesn't make you a leader.
Saving Changes...
Farid AlsakkafShips Projects Manager| ADNOCAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
In many cases we need the manager and we need the leader. This means that the role for both is different but required for both. A leader should build and enhance the vision while a manager is responsible to maintain the mission, to escalate or sustain the production and to improve the performance. Saving Changes...
In my view there is a difference between managing or leading something, thus between acting as a manager or a leader. The leader can both - lead a n d manage - that is what makes them stand out. The manager can manage - and of course there are many positions where there is "just" the need for a manager. For me they both work on different levels - the leader being above on the "evolutionary ladder".
I do not refer to job titles or positions here, again, I see it as a different mindset that allows a leader to evolve on another level.
...
1 reply by Farid Alsakkaf
Aug 16, 2016 11:03 AM
Farid Alsakkaf
...
I am not sure if the leader can do both management and leadership nor any manager can be a leader. There is the part of impression or perhaps the charisma in the leader that should be while for the manager all what he should do is to maintain systems.
