Research Paper on Project Management and Leadership: Keys to Project Success

Introduction

In discussing the correlation between project management and the rate of success or failure, various themes arise. The literature of the topic provides an exciting view of the topic by stating that the style of leadership adopted by project leaders to determine whether or not a project is bound to success. In support of that argument, it is prudent to comprehend that leadership competencies are fundamental, especially in addressing operational issues and hurdles that might unfold during the manufacturing process (Novo et al., 2017). Confidence is an essential leadership trait that helps project managers in the manufacturing industry address critical issues that hamper their operations.

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Confidence as a Leadership Trait and Project Success

The paper's central argument reveals that leadership competencies remain an insignificant factor for most project managers. Based on the fact that project success or failure is determined by the leadership traits possessed by the project leaders, the correlation between project management and leadership is justified. Leadership encapsulates characteristic traits essential for project success (Novo et al., 2017). These traits either facilitate failure or success. The personality attributes, as well as their implications on the group under management, is the core of leadership traits (Camilleri, 2016). Confidence is an excellent example of a leadership trait that determines whether or not a project will succeed, and it all depends on the project managers.

In project management, these traits like confidence significantly influence the course of leaders' and subjects' activities, and this determines project success or failure. For instance, leaders with robust self-confidence are implicating the same on their subjects (Holroyd et al., 2015). Consequently, their subjects gather the courage to tackle challenging tasks, and hence project success. Arguably, the application of leadership traits is a reflection of the typical roles leaders should play during project management. Leaders applying the leadership traits succeed because they influence the behavior, and hence, the success of their subjects (Novo et al., 2017). The net effect is project success, and converse of this is undeniable. In manufacturing, project leaders reiterated that confidence is an essential trait as it helps them take their subjects, especially when they are bound to give up on some tasks. Also, self-reliance is another quality conferred by imparting confidence among stakeholders of a given project. The study group asserted that confidence fueled their urge and desire to complete their tasks without supervision because they could follow the rules and guidelines to meet the requirements. Thus, confidence catalyzed employees' success (Levitt, 2016).

Confidence and Project Leadership

In leadership, confidence bridges performance and expectations (Ferraro, 2017). It was revealed, in a study focusing on manufacturing plants, that confidence, whether among project leaders and their subjects, implicate similarly because its presence spelt project success. It was essential in seeking to motivate the team members whenever challenges arose, evaluation of success and risk factors of the project, supporting every stakeholder involved in the project, and lastly, motivating the team members to complete their tasks with optimum pleasure and energy.

Team Motivation

Confidence is an essential quality among the team members, as well as the leaders. It is a medium through which leaders get their subjects delivering their best or dedicating their energy to the project activities (Mackay, 2015). In the processing plant on which the study was conducted, it was found out that all departmental heads motivated their subjects. Consequently, their subjects boldly took up their roles and completed their tasks within the stipulated time. Of the 231 interviewed respondents, employees of the company, 203, were utterly satisfied by the motivation of their leaders. They confessed that such motivation fundamentally implicated confidence among them, and thus, they could figure out ways through which they could undertake even some of the challenging tasks.

Evaluation of Success Factors and the Risks Associated with the Project

In evaluating the possible success factors and risks associated with a project, top leadership is in the spotlight. The leaders must evaluate to determine the probable risks and success, and subsequently manage them appropriately so that every aspect of the operations falls in the right place (National Research Council & National Academies Press, 2015). In the study, 13 project managers were interrogated about confidence and the evaluation of the risks associated with the various manufacturing under their control. They all asserted that confidence was the epicenter of effective evaluation, as well as subsequent management of the risks. They cited nervousness and the aspect of hasty decisions as a converse of lacking confidence in project management. When a project manager is nervous, poor decision-making is imminent, and this is the onset of project collapse (Green, 2018).

Supporting Involved Stakeholders

Manufacturing processes are quite complicated because most of the operations are sequential and interdependent. Such operations draw professionals of different competencies and specializations. Regardless of their roles and responsibilities, they need support from one another, as well as from the top management. All the 231 employees of the manufacturing plants asserted that it took confidence to support one another, and at the same time, confidence was imparted on the employees to whom support was delivered. It increased the overall efficacy of the stakeholders involved, and hence, project success (Ahmed et al., 2018). For instance, when some of the employees were reshuffled and allocated new roles, they were motivated so that they could gain the confidence to undertake new challenges cast upon them. It was a motivation so that they cannot quit. The project managers also reiterated that supporting their workforce was a significant way through which they implicated confidence among their employees. In one instance, a human resource officer stated that she would support her team, especially when they are exhausted or few at the workstations, so that they can complete their tasks. In such a way, support enhanced task completion.

Conclusion

The correlation between project management and success or failure can be best demonstrated through the implication of confidence in project management. Confidence enhances the chances of maximizing organizational potential. In manufacturing, it was evident that confidence fueled task completion, as well as team affectivity. In one way, effective project leadership must encapsulate the trait of confidence. As a leadership trait, it helps project managers to evaluate the probable risks and success associated with the manufacturing activities, as well as subsequent management frameworks. In another way, it implicates the workforce, hence determining their engagement in manufacturing activities. Typically, manufacturing activities are complicated, tiresome, and demanding, and it takes confidence to complete them. Confidence, as a countermeasure, is a medium of support and motivation to the workforce, as well as leadership. The net effect is effective leadership throughout the manufacturing process, as well as the success of the manufacturing processes.

References

Ahmed, R., Tahir, M., & Azmi bin Mohamad, N. (2018). Leadership is vital for project managers to achieve project efficacy. Research Journal of Recent Sciences, 2(6), 99-102. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269876068_Leadership_is_Vital_for_Project_Managers_to_Achieve_Project_Efficacy

Camilleri, E. (2016). Project success: critical factors and behaviours. Routledge. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=h5TsCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA242&dq=leadership+traits+and+project+success&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjGzeSEu-7nAhWDUhUIHVSkC3cQ6AEIOjAC#v=onepage&q=leadership%20traits%20and%20project%20success&f=false

Ferraro, J. (2017). The strategic project leader: Mastering service-based project leadership. Auerbach Publications. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=XYxqBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA88&dq=confidence+and+project+leadership&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjG9eHQwu7nAhWzmFwKHYWJCqYQ6AEIJzAA#v=onepage&q=confidence%20and%20project%20leadership&f=false

Green, A. (2018). Ask a manager: How to navigate clueless colleagues, lunch-stealing bosses and other tricky situations at work. London: Piatkus, 2018. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=9FY4DwAAQBAJ&dq=nervousness,+poor+decision-making+and+mismanagement+of+risks+of+manufacturing+process&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiex5Ovze7nAhUJYsAKHe-GDmgQ6AEISDAD

Holroyd, J., Brown, K., & Turner, A. (2015). Self-leadership and personal resilience in health and social care. Los Angeles: SAGE. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=XRaJCwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=trait+theory+of+leadership&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj6vO74vO7nAhWkTxUIHSe6DmsQ6AEISTAE#v=onepage&q=trait%20theory%20of%20leadership&f=false

Levitt, G. (2016). Team planning for project managers and business analysts. Auerbach Publications. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=QS4a89LJ5-4C&pg=PA135&dq=confidence+and+creativity+in+project+management&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiCpNHPye7nAhU7VxUIHWcrASgQ6AEISjAE#v=onepage&q=confidence%20and%20creativity%20in%20project%20management&f=false

Mackay, A. (2015). Motivation, ability and confidence building in people. Rutledge. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=fP4JBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA83&dq=confidence+and+team+motivation+in+project+management&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwihgK_Sxe7nAhWdSBUIHZNlB2QQ6AEIOjAC#v=onepage&q=confidence%20and%20team%20motivation%20in%20project%20management&f=false

National Research Council (U.S.). & National Academies Press (U.S.). (2015). The owner's role in project risk management. Washington, DC : National Academies Press, [2015]. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=Z8VVAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=they+must+seek+the+confidence+by+evaluating+the+project+risk+and+success+factors&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj9nrLEy-7nAhVLTsAKHcvMCroQ6AEIJzAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

Novo, B., Landis, E. A., & Haley, M. L. (2017). Leadership and its role in the success of project management. Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics, 14(1). Retrieved from http://www.na-businesspress.com/JLAE/NovoB_Web14_1_.pdf