Important Notes on Leadership and Ethics In Software Project Management
How Management and Leadership is different from each other?
• Management
– Focuses on policies and procedures that bring order and predictability to complex organizational situations
– Is traditionally defined with such activities as planning, organizing, controlling, staffing, evaluating, and monitoring
• Leadership
– Is different from management, although they tend to overlap
– Centers on vision, change and getting results that involve setting direction, aligning people, and
motivating them
– Focuses on policies and procedures that bring order and predictability to complex organizational situations
– Is traditionally defined with such activities as planning, organizing, controlling, staffing, evaluating, and monitoring
• Leadership
– Is different from management, although they tend to overlap
– Centers on vision, change and getting results that involve setting direction, aligning people, and
motivating them
Various types of leadership styles:
Leadership Style
The following six styles can be used in influence performance and results
– The Coercive Style
– The Coercive Style
• Attitude: “do as I say”
• Can be effective in a crisis situation, kick-start a turnaround situation, dealing with a problem
an employee, or when trying to achieve immediate compliance
• Can be ineffective in many other situations and can have a negative impact on the climate of the
organization or project
– The Authoritative Style
• Can be effective in a crisis situation, kick-start a turnaround situation, dealing with a problem
an employee, or when trying to achieve immediate compliance
• Can be ineffective in many other situations and can have a negative impact on the climate of the
organization or project
– The Authoritative Style
• Attitude: “Come with me!”
• The leader outlines a clearly defined goal but empowers people to choose their own means for achieving it
• Authoritative leaders provide vision and enthusiasm
– Shows how peoples’ work fits into the large picture
– People believe their work has meaning and purpose
– Standards for success and performance are clear to everyone
• The authoritative style works best when the organization or project is adrift
• Not a good style for inexperienced leaders who work with experts or a more experienced team
– The Affiliative Style
• The leader outlines a clearly defined goal but empowers people to choose their own means for achieving it
• Authoritative leaders provide vision and enthusiasm
– Shows how peoples’ work fits into the large picture
– People believe their work has meaning and purpose
– Standards for success and performance are clear to everyone
• The authoritative style works best when the organization or project is adrift
• Not a good style for inexperienced leaders who work with experts or a more experienced team
– The Affiliative Style
• Attitude: “people come first!”
• Affiliative leaders try to build strong emotional bonds that translate into strong loyalty by attempting to keep people happy and creating harmony among them
– The idea is that people who like each other tend to communicate more, share ideas & inspirations, and take risks
– The leader does not impose unnecessary rules and structures to define the work
– that’s up to those who must do it
• Works well in situations where the leader must build team harmony, morale, trust, or communication
• Does not work well where people need some structure or direction
– An over-caring and over-nurturing approach can create a perception that mediocrity is tolerated
– The Democratic Style
• Affiliative leaders try to build strong emotional bonds that translate into strong loyalty by attempting to keep people happy and creating harmony among them
– The idea is that people who like each other tend to communicate more, share ideas & inspirations, and take risks
– The leader does not impose unnecessary rules and structures to define the work
– that’s up to those who must do it
• Works well in situations where the leader must build team harmony, morale, trust, or communication
• Does not work well where people need some structure or direction
– An over-caring and over-nurturing approach can create a perception that mediocrity is tolerated
– The Democratic Style
• Attitude: “what do you think?”
• The leaders try to get other’s ideas while building trust, respect, and commitment
• People have a greater say in the decisions that affect their work
– Morale tends to be higher
– More realistic idea of what can or cannot be done
• Works best when the leader needs buy-in or consensus or to gain valuable input from others
• But can lead to seemingly endless meetings or the perception that the group is leaderless
– Not appropriate in a crisis or when the team does not have competence or experience to offer sound advice
– The Pace Setting Style
• The leaders try to get other’s ideas while building trust, respect, and commitment
• People have a greater say in the decisions that affect their work
– Morale tends to be higher
– More realistic idea of what can or cannot be done
• Works best when the leader needs buy-in or consensus or to gain valuable input from others
• But can lead to seemingly endless meetings or the perception that the group is leaderless
– Not appropriate in a crisis or when the team does not have competence or experience to offer sound advice
– The Pace Setting Style
• Attitude: “do as I do, now!”
• The leader sets high-performance standards and has an obsession for doing things better and faster
– Poor performers are quickly identified and replaced
– Morale can deteriorate if people feel overwhelmed by the pace or demands for excellence or performance
– Goals may be clear to the leader, but not to everyone else
• The leader sets high-performance standards and has an obsession for doing things better and faster
– Poor performers are quickly identified and replaced
– Morale can deteriorate if people feel overwhelmed by the pace or demands for excellence or performance
– Goals may be clear to the leader, but not to everyone else
• The leader may try to micromanage by taking over the work of others
– People may lose energy and enthusiasm if the work becomes task-focused, routine, and boring
– If the leader leaves, people may feel adrift since the pacesetter sets all direction
• Maybe appropriate in situations that require quick results from a highly motivated, self-directed, and competent team
– The Coaching Style
– People may lose energy and enthusiasm if the work becomes task-focused, routine, and boring
– If the leader leaves, people may feel adrift since the pacesetter sets all direction
• Maybe appropriate in situations that require quick results from a highly motivated, self-directed, and competent team
– The Coaching Style
• Attitude: “try this!”
• The leader helps people identify their unique strengths and weaknesses so that they can reach their personal & career goals
• The leader is good at delegating and giving people challenging, but attainable, assignments – Short or minor failures are acceptable and viewed as positive learning experiences
• This style may be the least often used, but can be a valuable and powerful tool for improving performance and the climate of the organization or project
– Works well in many situations, but is most effective when people are willing to be coached
– Least effective when people are resistant to change or when the leader does not have to knowledge, capability, or desire to be a coach
• The leader helps people identify their unique strengths and weaknesses so that they can reach their personal & career goals
• The leader is good at delegating and giving people challenging, but attainable, assignments – Short or minor failures are acceptable and viewed as positive learning experiences
• This style may be the least often used, but can be a valuable and powerful tool for improving performance and the climate of the organization or project
– Works well in many situations, but is most effective when people are willing to be coached
– Least effective when people are resistant to change or when the leader does not have to knowledge, capability, or desire to be a coach
The Five Exemplary Practices of Leadership:
Five Exemplary Practices of Leadership:
1. Model The Way
– Most effective leaders lead by example
– Most effective leaders lead by example
– A leader’s behaviour wins respect, not title or position
– Find your own voice based on your personal values and beliefs
– Find your own voice based on your personal values and beliefs
- what you do is often more important than what you say
– Modelling the way sets an example of what the leader expects from others and gives the leader the right to lead others
– Modelling the way sets an example of what the leader expects from others and gives the leader the right to lead others
2. Inspire a Vision
– Exemplary leaders have an exciting vision or dream that acts as a force to ignite a passion for what the future could be (i.e., inventing the future)
– This vision should inspire people so that they become committed to a purpose by
• Understanding their needs, interest, and language
• Engaging in dialogue, not monologue
– Exemplary leaders have an exciting vision or dream that acts as a force to ignite a passion for what the future could be (i.e., inventing the future)
– This vision should inspire people so that they become committed to a purpose by
• Understanding their needs, interest, and language
• Engaging in dialogue, not monologue
3. Challenge the Process
– Exemplary leaders venture out and accept challenges not the status quo
• They look for new opportunities to innovate, grow and improve
– But most leaders do not create, develop, or come up with new products, services, or processes
• They are often good listeners who recognize good ideas, support those ideas, and then challenge the process to make those ideas happen
• They minimize the risk of failure for others while making people feel safe and comfortable in taking risks
– Exemplary leaders venture out and accept challenges not the status quo
• They look for new opportunities to innovate, grow and improve
– But most leaders do not create, develop, or come up with new products, services, or processes
• They are often good listeners who recognize good ideas, support those ideas, and then challenge the process to make those ideas happen
• They minimize the risk of failure for others while making people feel safe and comfortable in taking risks
4. Enable Others to Act
– Leaders must get others to act by encouraging collaboration and building trust among the project stakeholders
– Leaders provide an environment that makes it possible for others to do good work
– People should feel empowered and motivated to do their best, feel a sense of ownership, and take pride in what they do
– Leaders should give power away, not hang on to it
– In short, a leader must turn his or her followers into leaders themselves
– Leaders must get others to act by encouraging collaboration and building trust among the project stakeholders
– Leaders provide an environment that makes it possible for others to do good work
– People should feel empowered and motivated to do their best, feel a sense of ownership, and take pride in what they do
– Leaders should give power away, not hang on to it
– In short, a leader must turn his or her followers into leaders themselves
5. Encourage the Heart
– Exemplary leaders rally others to carry on by encouraging the heart
• Can be simple gestures such as a thank-you note or more dramatic such as a marching band
– The leaders should show appreciation for people’s contributions and create a culture to recognize
accomplishments
• Recognition and celebration should not be phony or lame
• Must visibly link rewards with performance
– Authentic rituals and celebration can that align with a team’s values can build a strong collective identify and spirit that can carry the team throughout the project journey
– Exemplary leaders rally others to carry on by encouraging the heart
• Can be simple gestures such as a thank-you note or more dramatic such as a marching band
– The leaders should show appreciation for people’s contributions and create a culture to recognize
accomplishments
• Recognition and celebration should not be phony or lame
• Must visibly link rewards with performance
– Authentic rituals and celebration can that align with a team’s values can build a strong collective identify and spirit that can carry the team throughout the project journey
What is Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage our relationships and ourselves better
The four capabilities are as follows:
o Self-Awareness
• Emotional Self-Awareness
– Reading and understanding your emotions as well as how your emotions impact your job performance and those around you
• Accurate Self-Assessment
– Realistically evaluating your strengths and weaknesses
• Self-Confidence
– Having a strong and positive sense of self-worth
• Emotional Self-Awareness
– Reading and understanding your emotions as well as how your emotions impact your job performance and those around you
• Accurate Self-Assessment
– Realistically evaluating your strengths and weaknesses
• Self-Confidence
– Having a strong and positive sense of self-worth
o Self-Management
• Self-Control
– Keeping your impulses and negative emotions in check
• Trustworthiness
– Maintaining a high level of honesty and integrity
• Conscientiousness
– Managing yourself and responsibilities effectively
• Adaptability
– Adjusting to new situations & overcoming challenges
• Achievement Orientation
– Meeting high internal standards of excellence
• Initiative
– Seizing new opportunities
o Social Awareness
• Empathy
– Seeing and understanding other people’s emotions, perspectives, and being genuinely concerned in the problems and interests
• Organizational Awareness
– Being perceptive about the currents of everyday organization life, building networks, and navigating through organizational politics
• Service Orientation
– Recognizing and meeting customer needs
• Empathy
– Seeing and understanding other people’s emotions, perspectives, and being genuinely concerned in the problems and interests
• Organizational Awareness
– Being perceptive about the currents of everyday organization life, building networks, and navigating through organizational politics
• Service Orientation
– Recognizing and meeting customer needs
o Social Skills
• Visionary Leadership
– Taking charge and inspiring others with a compelling vision
• Influence
– Having a wide range of persuasive tactics at your disposal
• Developing Others
– Bolstering the abilities of others through feedback and guidance
• Communication
– Listening and sending a clear, convincing, and well-aimed message
• Change Catalyst
– Initiating new ideas and leading people in the right direction
• Conflict Management
– Being able to de-escalate disagreements and facilitate resolutions
• Building Bonds
– Cultivating and maintaining a web of relationships inside and outside the organization
• Teamwork and Collaboration
– Facilitating cooperation and building teams
• Visionary Leadership
– Taking charge and inspiring others with a compelling vision
• Influence
– Having a wide range of persuasive tactics at your disposal
• Developing Others
– Bolstering the abilities of others through feedback and guidance
• Communication
– Listening and sending a clear, convincing, and well-aimed message
• Change Catalyst
– Initiating new ideas and leading people in the right direction
• Conflict Management
– Being able to de-escalate disagreements and facilitate resolutions
• Building Bonds
– Cultivating and maintaining a web of relationships inside and outside the organization
• Teamwork and Collaboration
– Facilitating cooperation and building teams
What is Ethics?
Ethics:
Ethics can be defined as a set of moral principles and values
Making Sound Ethical Decisions
1. Gather the Facts
2. Define the Ethical Issue
3. Identify the Affected Stakeholders
4. Identify the Consequences
5. Identify the Obligations
6. Consider Your Character and Integrity
1. Gather the Facts
2. Define the Ethical Issue
3. Identify the Affected Stakeholders
4. Identify the Consequences
5. Identify the Obligations
6. Consider Your Character and Integrity
