Conclusion
The trend is that jobs become outmoded or outsourced and individuals are displaced from their place of employment for lack of the right skills to perform new work. A highly competent project manager can be a role model to others to transfer those skills not learned in schools or learned in work situations.
Learning by doing or learning under the gentle guidance of a competent role model will provide opportunities for professional competence growth in project management. According to some sage wisdom attributed to Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898), “Fools say they prefer to learn by experience. I, however, prefer to learn from the experience of others.”
Project manager role models actively demonstrate their leadership in a positive manner through appropriate actions (emotional intelligence), setting the standard for others to follow, and building trust in subordinates and superiors alike. Subordinates learn by observing the project manager’s actions and may be able to develop leadership skills that permit assuming the project manager’s position.
Organizations develop evaluation criteria for leaders – to define what a leader should be – to assist their efforts to grow the business. Of all the traits of leadership, it is perhaps judgment and character that are prime indicators of what it takes to lead others and serve as a role model for subordinates.
Chinese philosopher Lao Tsu said: “The best of all leaders is the one who helps people so that, eventually, they don’t need him.”
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Notes:
1. Paraphrased from Emotional Intelligence Appraisal
Technical Manual, 2004 TalentSmart. pp. 4-5
www.talentsmart.com
2. Taylor, Robert B. MD, “Leadership is a Learned
Skill,” Family Practice Management, pp.43-47
October 2003 www.aafp.org/fpm
3. Bennis, Warren, “Growing on the Job: How can you
develop leaders?” Executive Excellence Publishing,
pp. 9-10, 2004 www.eep.com
4. Powell, Colin L. (with Joseph E. Persico), My
American Journey, Random House, 1995,
pp. 612-613
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