Project Management Leadership

WEEK 2 ESSAY

____________

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Course

QAS 518.41

Quality Project Management and Productivity

____________

by

Todd Munson

9 SEPTEMBER 2016

Professor Robert Spencer

ESSAY TOPIC

Write an essay of not less than 250 words sharing what you have learned from chapter 10 as it relates to chapters 1 and 2.  Remember to abide by the APA Publication Manual requirements for format and grammar.

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 10 addresses the intangible art of leadership development.  No project will be successful without successful leadership. A truly successful project manager accomplishes work through the work of others which requires the ability to build a strong team and then lead that team through the ups and downs of the project life cycle.  

DISCUSSION

Chapter 1 was an introductory chapter to modern project management and how it has evolved over the last few decades. Product cycles have become shorter and with these more aggressive schedules the need has developed for a more stream-lined approach to project management.  This first chapter gave a more modern definition of project management based on aligning projects with organizational strategy.  Chapter 1 provided a more objective view of acquiring the big picture for managing projects from beginning to end.  This chapter established the need for directing and guiding diverse teams with the ‘how to’ shown in Chapter 10.  

Chapter 2 was focused on the selection and evaluation of projects by organizations.  This chapter discussed the idea of the necessity for a project portfolio management system which helps to overcome common problems with having a weak priority system that’s not linked to organizational strategy.  This model for managing projects uses key concepts such as building discipline into the project selection process and prioritizing project proposals across a common set of criteria, rather than on politics or emotion.  In doing so, the methodology is established for a more focused and scientific approach to managing projects in an aggressive, demanding business environment.