8/10/2019 The Five Flavors of Project Management Leadership

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CO C O

JUST AS THERE are five primary

flavors we can taste that com-

bine to create literally millions

of potential food flavors, five essentialproject management styles define our

own leadership style.

We are products of our genetic her-

itages as well as our experiences. No

human being is as simple or as com-

plex as psychologists, politicians, soci-

ologists or evolutionary biologists try

to make us out to be.

We all embrace one of the five fol-

lowing primary leadership styles and

simultaneously have traces of the

other four that come to the fore

when our primary leadership game

plan isnt working.

By recognizing these paradigms ofhow we manage projects and lead team

members, we can enhance our

strengths and minimize our weak-

nesses. We also can recognize these

traits in others and use that knowledge

to our advantage as well.

The deve lopmental l ead er. This

leader uses formal and informal learn-

ing as a tool to maximize potential, in

both himself and his charges.

Strengths: By emphasizing continual

reinvention of himself through never-

ending education, he keeps fresh eyes

on the target of profitability and is

aware of all the latest methods of howto achieve it . Constant review of

marketplace conditions means that

new so-called niche opportunities

will become available to your com-

pany before most of your competitors

are aware of them.

Weaknesses: He can often become

lost in the pursuit of knowledge for

knowledges sake without regard to

day-to-day reality. The never-ending

quest for knowledge can detract from

the daily tasks at hand at the expense

of job profitability.

The character -based leader . This

leader uses longstanding personalhabits, principles and behaviors to get

things done.

Strengths: As long as these traits are

positive ones such as honesty, atten-

tion to detail and punctuality, consis-

tently profitable job performance can

be expected. When the chips are down

or he is assigned a job that otherwise is

headed toward disaster, these positive

personal character traits can be inspira-

tional to those around him and

enhance the chances for potentially

pulling a bad job out of the ditch.

Weaknesses: A character-based leader

sometimes has an overblown sense of

self-importance and a stubborn streak

that tells those around him that he

thinks hes always right, even when

reality indicates otherwise. When

these types possess any character flaw,

they are usually reluctant to try tochange for the better, even when its

clearly called for.

Th e s it ua ti on al le ad er . He uses

maturity and the recognized capabili-

ties of fellow project stakeholders to get

the project accomplished.

Strengths: He usually takes simultane-

ous macro (the forest) and micro (a sin-

gle tree) views to analyze the totality of

the project and choose the best course

of action. Modest to complete lack of

ego allows him to let fellow team mem-

bers become more fully integrated

within the projects scope, allowing all

involved to do their jobs better by play-ing on their own strengths.

Weaknesses: He lacks attention to de-

tail at times or lacks focus at times on

necessary day-to-day goals and project

milestones. Theres sometimes a mild

streak of laziness because hes empow-

ered others to do much of the actual

work that another leadership style

would have taken over. Delegation and

assignment of authority on the project

also can lead to wanting to be liked too

much by fellow team members and can

result in avoiding conflict or discipline

thats often necessary to control a job.

The functional (expert) leader. He

uses personal knowledge, experience

and personality to get things done.

Strengths: He has hard-won insights

and insider knowledge of ways to ac-

complish tasks on time and on budget

that others might think impossible. Heusually remains calm and focused in

the most dire of project management

situations, because hes seen worse and

not only survived but thrived.

Weaknesses: Ego and inflated self-im-

portance to the point of hubris can be

downright objectionable to other

stakeholders. This often will negate

what other positives he might bring to

the table because nobody wants to

work with him. Stubbornness and sub-

sequent outright refusal to follow

company policies and procedures can

manifest itself in increased liability

exposures for the company.The responsive leader. He uses his

wits to survive and respond to project

problems and to develop solutions.

Strengths: An uncanny sense of self-

preservation usually drives a similarly

uncanny ability to take any job in any

state of disarray and close it out prof-

itably. Fellow stakeholders often

respond positively to his understated

sense of quiet self-confidence and

leadership by positive action more

than mere words or orders.

Weaknesses: Frequently distrustful of

other stakeholders with whom he

doesnt have a track record from pastjobs. That can lead to eventual mistrust

from those stakeholders not included

in the clique. Tendencies to take

shortcuts and bend the rules in order to

show job progress which makes for

messes that will be discovered later

that somebody else will have to clean

up after the project is completed.

In the end, it really doesnt matter

what style of leadership you possess or

that possesses you. You have to recog-

nize that you operate day-to-day with

one primary style and bits of the other

four in varying degrees. So, when

youre getting ready to do somethingbrilliant or, conversely, equally stupid,

youll know it and can act on it (or

not), as the case may call for.

H. Kent Cra ig i s a second-genera tion

mechanical contractor and project

manager with unlimited Masters licenses

in boilers, air conditioning, heating

and plumbing. He can be reached by

calling 919/367-7488, or via e-mail at

hkcraig@yahoo.com. His Website is

www.hkentcraig.com.

The five flavors of project management leadership

CRAIG ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT BY H. KENT CRAIGMECHANICAL CONTRACTOR

The responsive leaderuseshis wits to respond to project

problems.

FORT WAYNE, IND. The Mechani-

cal Service Contractors of America has

named Current Mechanical an MSCA

STAR Contractor.

Contractors that achieve MSCA

STAR Qualified status belong to an elite

group of contractors within the heat-

ing and air conditioning industry,

MSCA said. These firms have verified

that they uphold a strict code of busi-

ness ethics, employ the best-trained

and most qualified workforce, main-

tain a safety record above the industry

average, offer outstanding customer

service, and focus on continuing edu-

cation and training for all employees.

Current Mechanical pursued this

designation as a means of providing

our existing and future customers with

industry validation that we are provid-

ing the highest level of skill, quality

and value in our market, General

Manager Pete Smith noted. Our mis-

sion statement, Delivering value

through quality and performance, has

been this companys guiding tenet

since our inception in 1978. Achieving

this designation is an honor and a

credit to the professionalism and

dedication of every member of the

Current Mechanical team.

Current is a member of the Linc

Service Network. By earning the STAR

designation, it joins a select group of

other mechanical service contractors,

several of them Linc Service Contrac-

tors, who have earned this designa-

tion, LINC said.

Were proud to see members of our

network achieve this success, as it rein-

forces our standards of excellence and

raises the bar for the more than 130

franchise locations that comprise our

organization, Linc Network President

and CEO Scott Giacobbe said. I com-

mend the staff at Current Mechanical

for their commitment to excellence.

Established in 1978, Current Me-

chanical is led by CEO and founder

Robert Current. The company, which

joined the Linc Service Network in

2004, offers commercial and industrial

HVAC, fabrication, industrial piping,

service and maintenance and tempera-

ture controls to customers in Fort

Wayne and surrounding communities

in Ohio and Michigan. More informa-

tion is online at www.currenthvac.com.

Linc Network, headquartered in

Pittsburgh and Atlanta, is the fran-

chisor of the Linc System, a business

format for operating a commercial

HVAC service business. Founded in

1979, the Linc Service Network pro-

vides energy solutions to commercial

building owners worldwide.

More information is available at

www.lincservice.com.

Current Mechanical earns its MSCA Star

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