Industrial and Commercial Training

Emerald Article: Leadership, beyond project management

Prudence A. Clarke

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To cite this document: Prudence A. Clarke, (2009),"Leadership, beyond project management", Industrial and Commercial Training,
Vol. 41 Iss: 4 pp. 187 - 194
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Leadership, beyond project management

Prudence A. Clarke

Prudence A. Clarke is the

founder and developer of
the PLACE programme.
She is a HR adviser to
multi-disciplinary
organisations and
specialises in
organisational development
and learning.

Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness of the need to understand the differences
between management and leadership within the project environment.
Design/methodology/approach First stage research involved data analysis from forum, workshops,
group to one, one to one interviews. Second stage research involves a five-year PhD study undertaken
by the author.
Findings The paper highlights the need not only to understand the difference between project
management and leadership, but also to use this differentiation in the identification, assessment and
development of project services providers and as an integral part of organisational and people
development for all companies involved in sponsoring, supporting or delivering projects.
Practical implications The premise is that the emphasis needs to be on project leadership to achieve
a successful project
Originality/value The paper includes research within a specific industry based on identification of a
market niche.
Keywords Project management, Assessment, Development, Management theory, Leadership
Paper type Research paper

Why the need?

The historical and ongoing confusion, misunderstanding and assumptions made
surrounding management and leadership and their differences continues. Management
consultants, academies, universities, all have their own views, models and plethora of
books, articles et al. developed over many, many years and are a strong indication of what
we all believe is correct at a given time. At a given time can be a genuine cause for
scepticism; while the need to address the changing environment is required, fundamental
behaviours to achieve a given outcome are relatively static. Understanding behaviours has
proved a significant change to understanding the differences between the manager and the
leader; that of process and behaviour. Identifying processes is scientifically relatively
easy; making tangible behaviours is not. Recognising the need, however, is an excellent
start to initiating the research. The key drivers for the research emanated from a clear
business need from clients, initially within the construction industry that of achieving
project profitability and a dissatisfaction with project management, but not really
comprehending why. This was obviously an issue with both public and private sector
projects and anecdotal evidence through delayed, uneconomic projects and national and
international controversies, provided substantial confirmation. Using the then Egan Report
(Construction Task Force, 1998) as a starting point, and tracking government initiatives
following this report, provided further evidence that clinging onto status quo and the focus
on project management simply did not provide the solutions. The breakthrough came from
the initial Project Leadership Forum in 2000, following consultancy work to find a solution to
project delivery problems.

DOI 10.1108/00197850910962760

VOL. 41 NO. 4 2009, pp. 187-194, Q Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 0019-7858

INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL TRAINING

PAGE 187

To quote Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, during the development of the Project Leadership

Assessment for the Commercial Environment (PLACE) psychometric:
. . . there has been a great deal of speculation about the personality of leaders. Historians,
political scientists, novelists and business people as much as psychologists have speculated on
the characteristics of great, as well as failed and derailed, leaders. Leadership has also proved
difficult to define though a few published chapters suggested that leadership can be defined in
terms of the ability to build, motivate and maintain high performing teams, groups, departments
and organisations.

Finding the solutions

The original Project Leadership Forum 2000 held in London over a two-day period, with key
industry leaders, professional bodies (including the Association of Project Management
APM) and selected representatives from relevant universities (i.e. Reading, UCL)
identified and consolidated 40 attributes the various mixed-working groups considered
essential to successful delivery. Future biennial project leadership forums using a similar
format, produced a total of 96 attributes, which were subsequently analysed, debated and
rationalised through senior partner/director action research groups over a number of years
into what are now recognised as the PLACE seven plus twelve (7 12) project leadership
facets and behaviours.
Having achieved tangibility, the next evolutionary stage was to practically apply the
identified facets and behaviours throughout projects to provide benefits at both a macro and
micro level using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to presenting data clarity,
accuracy and importantly, face validity.
The discerning client research group sought incisive proprietary tools, techniques and
development programmes that identified, assessed and prepared project managers and
directors for leadership. The programmes had to be timeless, universal and of substance
that would stand the test of time bringing about positive change within the project operating
environment.

The results in three stages

Identifying the project leader (intrinsic)
The PLACE psychometric was commissioned for development with Dr Tomas
Chamorro-Premuzic, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Goldsmiths College. Using his brief
during the development of the PLACE psychometric provides a rare insight into the
philosophy behind development and over 100 years of leadership research. The material
also, quite rightly, justifies the quality of the mechanism supporting the psychometric.
Item selection (rationale). The seven project leadership facets were selected on the basis of:
1. systematic review of the literature (and following up Furnham and Chamorro-Premuzics
(2004) leadership review);
2. taxonomic position of leadership with regard to other organisationally relevant constructs
(such as intelligence, confidence, emotional intelligence and social intelligence);
3. focus group, interviews and rank order data on the more specific construct of project
leadership (provided by PCR).
We were able to provide both peripheral and core items for the first version in line with the
three criteria specified above, we have been able to select a total of 60 items that are
consistent with:
B

state of the art trait leadership approaches;

related (though distinct) differential constructs (notably personality and intelligence), and

pilot results and response grid (mainly non-parametric analysis of ranked attributes)
available from the PCR data base.

As a result, our items show high face validity and correspond to a robust theoretical as well
as methodological framework. A priori, we predict these items (or the ones to be retained) to

PAGE 188 INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL TRAINING VOL. 41 NO. 4 2009

load on different, but oblique, composites, as well as an overall, individual, score of project
leadership which allows employers and managers to identify potential for project leadership
at an early stage, and maximise both the prediction of performance and sound allocation of
resources.
B

Systematic review of the literature.

Correlates of leadership (related constructs).

Based on the results of previous interviews, focus groups, and ranked-ordered attributes
provided by PCR, the analyses suggested the following traits would play an important role
in determining the structure of project leadership.

PLACE is a 54-item, un-timed, self-report, psychometric inventory that assesses individuals

potential for project leadership in the construction environment. Questions are answered on
a five-point Likert-type scale, ranging from strongly agree (SD 1) to strongly disagree
(SD 5), and refer to work-related statements, dispositions, beliefs, and preferences that
represent the individual in his/her everyday work environment. PLACE can be used to obtain
an overall, quantitative, project leadership score (in both points and percentages) as well as
seven primary facet scores. The primary facets provide information on the individuals
leadership style, in particular whether and to what extent he/she is pragmatic, creative,
positively intolerant, group-oriented, stable, communicator, and motivated. Descriptive and
conceptual details of these facets can be found in Figure 1.
Primary facet scores can range from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) with an arithmetic mean of 2.50
(standard deviation 0.75). Some primary facet scores are oblique or positively
inter-correlated. For instance, pragmatic, creative, and positive intolerance tend to load on
the same composite, whereas motivated, communicator and stable tend to load on another.
Overall PLACE scores: can range from 7 (lowest) to 35 (highest) with an arithmetic mean of
19.50 (standard deviation 2.07). This score is also expressed in terms of percentages,
where the mean is 50.00 and the standard deviation is 5.00. Percentage scores above 65
percent indicate great potential for project leadership, while percentage sores higher than
75 percent indicate excellent potential.
PLACE is the product of a six-year PCR academic research enterprise working with Dr
Chamorro-Premuzic (Goldsmiths, University of London). PLACE was designed according to
a state-of-the-art literature review, which examined more than one hundred years of
empirical and theoretical findings on leadership and leadership assessment, and a
large-scale qualitative pilot study that identified and determined the relevance of traditional
leadership facets in the construction industry. PLACE was validated empirically employing
robust psychometric techniques and state-of-the-art statistical methods (principal
Figure 1 PLACE

(r)

Profile: SAMPLE

VOL. 41 NO. 4 2009 INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL TRAINING PAGE 189

component analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling), using

large samples (N . 200 , 500) of construction industry employees. All levels of seniority
and positions were examined, and the structure of PLACE was replicated using confirmatory
factor analysis. Validation of PLACE was achieved through other-ratings, expert and
consensual scoring, as well as in terms of discriminant predictive validity studies.
PLACE is a dynamic tool for the assessment of comparative employee profiles on
standardised and structured dimensions. It is an ideal complement and enhancement for
open or semi-structured interviews, in that it provides a quantitative indicator of an
individuals potential on the key dimensions of project leadership. PLACE can be
administered online, via e-mail, or in the traditional paper-and-pencil version. It can also be
used for self- and other-reports (or combining both methods). All scoring, feedback, and
interpretation is standardised, systematised and provided by PCR through the automation
provided by an authorised associate, Pulse-check.
Assessing the project leader (extrinsic)
Having identified the fundamental leadership facets, expanding knowledge of the individual
with regard to specific project leadership behaviours and attributes through rigorous,
in-depth assessment to provide an overall picture of the individual and a sound basis for
selection and/or development.
The PLACE Profiler, developed again over a period of six years, analyses and provides a
synopsis of the individual aligned with 12 project leadership attributes identified by
successful leaders in industry. From the initial Forum 2000, a series of senior partner, director
action research workshops were initiated, taking the 96 identified attributes and behaviours
identified during the various Forums, for rationalisation to the critical aspects of project
leadership to bring about successful delivery of projects. Dr Michael Murray of Strathclyde
University and Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic (to ensure continuity between both
identification and assessment) contributed to this development; however Nadia Bettega
was instrumental in preparing the foundations for delivery and ultimately, the end product.
To use the work of Rust and Golombok (2000, p. 4), ... interviews when used for selection
are also psychometric procedures. That is, they need to be reliable, valid, standardised and
free from bias. The Profiler was designed with this strongly at the forefront during the
developmental stage. Further, when human experts are interviewed on how they make
decisions about people, it is noticeable that much of their judgemental process is based on
estimations of the persons personality and aptitude in general, and not on the very specific
pieces of performance defined by the job specification itself. (Rust and Golombok, 2000,
p. 35).
The PLACE Profiler includes a semi-structured in-depth interview lasting 45-60 minutes. This
qualitative element can either be carried out on a one to one basis, or in the form of a panel
interview. It seeks to maximize the validity and reliability of the findings of the psychometric
test through methodological triangulation; that is, by gathering information simultaneously
by means of different techniques.
Questions in the interview are semi-structured and generally non-directive to facilitate the
respondents own meaning frame. Specifically developed to collect information and data in
a relatively short time, this approach also allows interviewers to undertake their own analysis
(which can be compared between interviews and interviewers) with an explicit focus on local
experiences, values, knowledge and expertise.
The Profiler examines views and experiences of various aspects of project leadership in the
context of the project-operating environment. Responses can be compared over time and
across interviews, allowing for training in any deficient areas of project leadership. The
interview themes include:

definitions and understanding of leadership;

knowledge and beliefs about leadership;

experiences of leadership attributes;

evaluations of leadership qualities.

PAGE 190 INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL TRAINING VOL. 41 NO. 4 2009

A coding frame is drawn up and developed by close examination of the full set of
transcriptions. The interviews are then analysed using a computer package Atlas-ti which
will allow the prevalence and substance of each theme/attribute to be ascertained. If any
interviewee lacks a particular quality, this will be identified in the analysis and training can be
tailored accordingly, providing appropriate support for development outlined below.

Developing the project leader

Having identified and assessed the leader, the results from both psychometric and profiler
provide sound data on which to invest in either selection or development.
Our differentiation, based on sound human resource practice, dictated that not only did we
provide sound identification and assessment practice, we also too took a pragmatic holistic
approach in providing supportive training and development. When working with behavioural
change, the sensitive and sometimes challenging transitions require the nurturing and
expertise of outstanding tutors. Our careful selection of tutors provide an ideal learning and
transition environment, during both the five-day Project Leadership Challenge, or the
one-day workshops.
Attaining specific behavioural characteristics and the motivation for change is a complex
psychological process. Learning from experience (skills, knowledge, attitudes for example)
on the job or within a learning environment, provides significant results and is the basis for
both the five-day and one-day programmes.
The five-day Project Leadership Challenge (restricted to 12 delegates) is a five module
learning programme. As all competent human resource development practitioners
intrinsically know, adult learners must be motivated in order to learn; understanding the
delegates therefore before the five-day programme is of paramount importance; in addition
to assessing their learning needs. An integral part of all PLACE learning programmes
consolidates the seven facets (Psychometric) with the 12 behaviours (Profiler) of the project
leader and is the focus for development. It is equally important that the tutors are aware of
and recognise each individual delegates knowledge and experience, if learning and
subsequently change, is to occur. The tutors also embrace the social learning approach as a
powerful influence in shaping project leadership behaviours within the group while
stretching the shared intellect as opposed to exceeding the individual intellectual capacity,
which can prove extremely dangerous.
While the cognitive focus is on developing project leadership behaviours, it is not the
intention of the programme to enforce a model, dictate the way delegates should behave, or
based purely on the behaviourist model of learning, more one of providing scope for
cognition, individual choice and discretion for change. Providing scope translates into
providing the environment for knowledge (tutor stimulus), practice (exercise, delegate
response), reflection (space) and change (nurture and reinforcement). In simple terms,
using single and double loop learning as the underlying philosophy.
The basic principles evolving from the Action Research Group (ARG) were that the project
leader was fundamentally responsible for an organisation analogous with, for example, an
MD or CEO. An interesting and astute observation however, from a delegate from the Notting
Hill Housing Group, attending the 2007 Profitability through Project Leadership workshop,
was that while this is so, the major difference was the wherewithal to be able to operate at this
level, while running multi-projects or while moving from one project to another often without
an official hierarchy or authority fully recognised within the 7 12 attributes. Another
important aspect when developing the programme was the acceptance that there would be
a broad and diverse range of delegates from the 25 year old looking for a fast-track to
project leadership to the 55 age group who either need coping strategies during a
complex and challenging project, or to gain additional confidence in existing knowledge and
expertise. Taking an extract from Rupert Browns Group Processes, It is not who you are that
is important to leadership success, it is how you behave.... argued Lippitt and White (1943)
in one of the earliest and most influential studies of leadership (Brown, 2000) and stands the
test of time.

VOL. 41 NO. 4 2009 INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL TRAINING PAGE 191

The five modules

Module 1 From manager to leader
Recognises the psychological transition from the process of project management to the
behaviour of the accountable leader. There has been much debate about what is a manager
and what is a leader. Project management, historically, focuses on processes, systems and
delivery; leadership is generally relegated to soft skills, or conflict management, or a
heavy reliance on leadership styles. Useful though these are, it assumes a manager can
lead and anecdotal evidence of failed projects (major ones at that) suggests the danger of
making these assumptions. The 12 behaviours and attributes identified by ARG are
critically business oriented and covered in Modules 2, 3, 4 and 5 below. We have a tendency
to use (glibly) expressions such as high performance teams, profitability, the project
management mantra of on time delivery, to budget and specification, and so on, without
necessarily analysing the psychology behind the expectations or the feasibility of the term
success.
Module 2 Profitability through project leadership
Visionary Strategist Commercial acumen Integrity. The ARG raised the issue that
project managers based on anecdotal evidence in failed high profile budgets, appear to
operate as a team member rather than a leader in a highly reactive way; responding to
situations, rather than anticipating the issues in establishing a clear collective vision as the
Visionary. Equally, driving the project to success is leadership and behavioural through
the team, not merely a plan through critical path analysis and must be integral to the project
vision, setting realistic challenges, stretching the commerciality capability, and financial
accountabilities. Profitability through project leadership and all participants in the project
team is an exciting, achievable proposition.
The overwhelming high percentage response from all the participants during the ARG
workshops was the importance of integrity; while its interpretation can vary between
project stakeholders and organisations. Despite this variance, the project leader can
influence project participants through their own behaviour and in setting standards through
their collective vision and strategic implementation; confidently overcoming, realistically, the
sometimes moral dilemmas.
Modules 3 and 4 Leading through uncertainty and Decision making
Panoramic perception Realist Judgement Decisive/decision-maker. Project decisions
and decision making, without the necessary hierarchy or authority, as anecdotal evidence
from failed projects indicates, was a critical issue the ARG were keen to remedy.
Interestingly, panoramic perception, an innovative notion identified by a senior project
member of staff at LandSecurities Group, interlinked well with the other PLACE grouped
attributes identified by other members of the ARG at different workshops. It was fascinating,
on reflection, that behaviours prioritised by the individual ARG members culturally matched
their way of working, for example, realist EC Harris; commercial acumen Urban
Splash, and so on.
Module 5 Building the team
Team-builder Empowering Motivational Politician. The ARG recognised the project
manager had a tendency to ride roughshod over the teams involved in the project and
could quote incidents which were not reflective of their own organisations. Sara Fox, while
New Building Director, Swiss Re responsible for the successful completion of the iconic
Gherkin building in the City of London (and a contributory to the PLACE research), is an
excellent example of the ideal project leader. The focus on systems and processes,
contractual obligations, KPIs and the rest did not necessarily address the needs of the
project team (and their organisations) in achieving what she saw as rewards for all as an
integral part of the team-building objectives while creating an environment for functional
accountability and nurturing talented individuals.
The one-day project leader workshops concisely convert Modules 2, 3, 4 and 5 into three
separate learning sessions and are restricted to 30 delegates creating flexibility for
delegates who do not need the full five-day project leadership challenge programme.

PAGE 192 INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL TRAINING VOL. 41 NO. 4 2009

Profitability through project leadership.

Risk, judgement and decision-making.

Building the multi-functional project team

In essence development and learning at the intrinsic and extrinsic level; inextricably integral
and interestingly (although not planned) interdependent because enlightenment evolved
organically over a number of years with leading academics and recognised practitioners
as summarised below (see Figure 2).

Ongoing development
Coaching and mentoring
There are almost as many coaching models as there are authors interesting though they
are, there is no specific PLACE model for coaching; more one of:
B

offering support during the transference of learning, post-programme;

facilitation of behavioural change;

gaining agreement to action-centred targets, rather than performance analysis;

ongoing development of skills and expertise;

cultivating motivation, ownership and responsibility;

building confidence and self-knowledge.

Figure 2

VOL. 41 NO. 4 2009 INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL TRAINING PAGE 193

Similarly, there is no specific PLACE model for mentoring, except to differentiate from what
the coach performs; therefore the mentor:
B

focuses on the longer-term development, potential, personal growth and career;

guides through political machinations and cultures;

stimulates innovation and creativity of thought;

fosters networking and alliances;

helps to clarify vision and strategy/

promotes self-reliance, adaptability and exploration.

The PLACE programme offers the distinction between coach and mentor backed-up by the
provision of both expert coaches and mentors with practical hands-on experience of
running successful and not so successful projects combined with academic rigour
relevant to complexity and culture of the project.
Alternatively, an internal coaching and mentoring development programme is delivered by
Professor Adrian Furnham, an organisational and applied psychologist and Professor of
Psychology at University College London, who has contributed to both the Psychometric
and five-day Project Leadership Challenge; not least in selecting the best tutors to deliver
the programme.
Biennial project leadership forum
The biennial forum raises awareness of the benefits of project leadership at both macro and
micro levels and is attended by 250 delegates from all industry-sectors ranging from CEO to
senior project staff. The forum purpose also keeps abreast of the changing environment
assessing and challenging the 7 12 attributes, rather than acceptance of status quo (an
inherent attribute of the leader).
To conclude, at this stage. a number of initiatives to ensure we keep the programme relevant
to different project environments (from film/media to petrochemical), allows enquirers to
complete the psychometric as part of the ongoing pilot and research process or if you
would like to join the next Project Leadership Forum, or attend one of the learning
programmes, do visit the PLACE web site at www.placeleaders.co.uk

References
Brown, R. (2000), Group Processes, 2nd ed., Blackwell, Oxford.
Construction Task Force (Sir John Egan) (1998), Rethinking Construction The Egan Report.
Furnham, A. and Chamorro-Premuzic, T. (2004), Leadership review, British Journal of Psychology.
Rust, J. and Golombok, S. (2000), Modern Psychometrics: The Science of Psychological Assessment,
2nd ed., Routledge, London and New York, NY.

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PAGE 194 INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL TRAINING VOL. 41 NO. 4 2009