As mentioned in the last section you as a new Project Manager are now a leader. If you are managing a project for the first time then it is like getting your stripes as we used say in the military. Way back in 1980, the first Army Chief of Staff I even heard speak in person told us that the biggest management jump was from Soldier to Corporal (where you earned your first two stripes). It was the jump from no management / leadership responsibility to some. In 2009, almost 30 years later the local university MBA class had a leadership lecture from the then Army Chief of Staff and I was invited as a local business person (as we recruit from this business studies department of the university).  I was also invited as I am ex-Army.  The lecture was one of the best I have ever heard on leadership. It was practical and very sincere. Sadly this great Army General and giant of a man died very recently while still in service.

If you are a new Project Manager then you need to think about leadership. It is very important to have a set of steps to follow as in this guide, which can serve like a map for your collaborative project management, or you will get lost and your project team will be very disappointed in you and your project may well fail. But even if you know how to navigate the project management terrain very well, then you will need to do so with a leadership style that works for collaborative project management. And if you are getting your stripes for the first time, this may be difficult for you. I believe if you are responsible for leading projects then you can learn from the vast experience of this Army General.  Here is a summary of what he had to say:

1. Leaders do the right thing.  Managers do things right.
2. Leaders must be visible - must be seen to be serving with the people they lead.
3. Leaders need to encourage and support - say THANKS more often.
4. Leaders need to have an aura of control, yet be calm and confident.
5. Leaders need to create a dream - a vision - and communicate same really well.
6. Leaders need to know themselves - be self-aware - they need to practice what they preach and never bluff.
7. Leaders need to have external awareness - and should be able to express: the joy of success, the pain of failure, and concern at slow progress.  In these honest expressions leaders should empathize with people and all such expressions should be in a calm and controlled manner.
8. Integrity is key for leaders.  Keep your promises and earn respect and then keep it.
9. Example - set the standard and set it high. Lead your life and work your work.
10. Team effort is the key for greater success.  Mistakes happen.  Get over them, but learn from them always.
11. Communications is vital - listen and ask questions.
12. If you want to know what a person on your team is really like - then give them a bit of authority!
13. Always be fair, firm yet friendly - the 3 F's.
14. People are really able for lots of change and will withstand anything if everyone gets fair treatment.
15. As a new leader you now have weight; pull your weight; do not throw it around!
16. A piece of equipment may cost millions and we pay so much attention to it's care and maintenance; do we always do the same for a human being; what value do we put on humans beings?
17. Finally you if you are not the leader but a team member you need the courage to do the right thing.  Do you as a team member have the courage to:

• take responsibility given to you
• contribute to the team
• challenge the direction
• accept the team direction
• participate in the speed of life
• take moral actions

I so wish that talk had been recorded on video as these printed words do not do justice to the energy of the ideas given on that day. Now I know you may have seen lots of books and talks on leadership - but if you are managing people on projects then it is no harm to see more!  Feel free to spend 15 minutes reflecting on what this wise Army general talked about and do a self-evaluation on your own leadership.  A good leader is always open to learn from other leaders. At a minimum select a few of the suggestions from this list and try to put them into practice.