Leadership Styles of Effective Project Managers: Techniques and Traits to Lead High Performance Teams

Project management is a growing practice and is being utilized in an increasing number of facilities. The project manager is at the head of this project process, and has an important role of overseeing the project and project team, and ultimately ensuring the project ends in success. Analyzing critical qualities of leadership and determining their positive impact can benefit project managers in any industry and therefore promote project success. A few of these leadership styles include: team building, establishing clear relations and roles between project members, openness, self-confidence, organization, and clearly defining project successes, reevaluating when necessary. These leadership styles and traits were researched and analyzed to determine the extent they contribute to the construction, execution, and closure of the project. By adopting these qualities, the project's stakeholders such as investors, clients, or patients are more likely to feel the positive impact of a successful project. Projects can also move more smoothly and efficiently, receiving positive results in less time. This is beneficial not only to the stakeholders, but to all members involved: the organization, the project manager, executive staff, team members, and outsourced facilities. It is not enough to possess one of these crucial traits. As seen in literature and historical examples, a combination is necessary to create balance and develop into a leader that can produce an efficient team and satisfactory end results.