Project Leadership: Power, Influence, Politics, and Negotiation Strategies

Introduction

There are many definitions of leadership, but what stands out most is how it relates to project management, an area with many dimensions. In this context, leadership can be defined as the process of knowing oneself better and enhancing one’s leadership traits to build a competent and enduring leadership brand. This course in project leadership aims to improve your leadership capacity, which will be constantly utilized to achieve project results.

Socio-emotional competencies are an inherent part of project management. This course focuses on expanding your ability to influence others positively, even when you don’t have direct power to demand results. You will develop skills in commanding and subtle persuasion, applicable to project management scenarios.

The syllabus includes an analysis of specific leadership styles, personality characteristics, and behavior. It also covers the impact of interpersonal relations on project leadership, motivation, teamwork, trust, and employee empowerment. Applying these components will enhance your ability to achieve project success and maintain your dignity.

In the final sections, participants will explore the process of negotiation, emphasizing the procurement of resources necessary for project completion. You will learn about influence tactics, personal power, and organizational politics applicable to different negotiation situations.

Objectives

Within the dispositional perspective, participants will:

• Receive practical guidelines for balancing leadership skills required for effective project management.
• Implement techniques to expand their sphere of influence.
• Manage company politics on a project basis and from a senior management perspective.
• Differentiate between types of power and strategize on maximizing global project power.
• Recognize negotiating principles, policies, and standard practices for projects.
• Formulate target-centered goals and objectives for negotiations, considering shared interests.
• Develop an authentic leadership persona.
• Continuously refine their leadership persona.
• Enhance political skills while adhering to ethical and moral standards.
• Recognize essential skills and competencies for effective negotiation and influence.
• Extend positive influence towards project stakeholders.
• Instill confidence in stakeholders during group negotiations.
• Navigate and mitigate hazards of internal company politics.

Training Methodology

• Group activities
• Individual reports
• Interviews
• Simulation games
• Team debates
• Teamwork games
• Written journals
• Management support without supervision

Course Outline

Unit 1: The Nature of Project Environment and Organizational Politics

• Project environment constraints
• Political interplay and PM leadership challenges
• Political management of projects
• Relation of organizational politics to project life cycle stages
• Influence of organizational cultural systems on project management
• Self-ethnocentrism and managing project politics
• Power and participation of project actors
• Causes of organizational and project-related politics
• Political behavior of project team members
• Political skill development among team members
• Importance of leadership in project management

Unit 2: Project Leadership

• Attributes of effective leaders in project management
• Project manager’s attitudes towards leadership
• Components of project leadership
• Management styles in project leadership
• Role of personality and self-awareness in project management
• Understanding leaders from IQ and EQ perspectives
• Leading the project team: Administration and Education-Training
• Professional development of effective project leaders
• Developing project management skills under pressure

Unit 3: The Use of Power and Influence in Project Leadership

• Role of power in project management
• Sources of power
• Discourse on powerful vs. powerless in project leadership
• Creating ownership in project management
• Empowerment paradigms and practices
• Influence strategies for project leaders
• Planning a successful influence plan
• Stakeholder behavior and personality
• Building project credibility
• Trust, communication, and consensus in project management
• Application of conceptual project management

Unit 4: Negotiation for Maximizing Project Results

• Importance of negotiation in projects
• The project leader as a negotiator
• Preparation for project discussions
• Active listening and negotiation with stakeholders
• Handling conflict and emotions during negotiations
• Underlying principles of project negotiation
• Common negotiation mistakes
• Necessary negotiation skills and strategies for project leaders
• Persuasion and delegation in projects

Unit 5: Project Leadership Development

• Self-awareness and self-discipline for project leaders
• Learning and mentoring as leadership tools
• Shifts in leadership during project implementation
• Political strategy development for project teams
• Creating a positive project climate
• Balancing relationships with project stakeholders
• Comprehensive approach to the project leader’s role