How to Lead Your Projects

The main difference between a leader and a manager is that a "leader" is responsible for setting the goals and motivating the team to achieve them. Whereas a manager is responsible for co-ordinating the work to achieve the goals set.

Take these tips to boost your leadership skills today:

• Set goals: Start by setting clear project goals and timeframes for achieving them. Then create a crystal clear roadmap for your team so that every person in your team knows what has to be done and by when. Use a project methodology to help you do this.
• Be passionate: You then need to be passionate about achieving your project goals. It's passion that will drive the project to success. If you are passionate, then your team will be as well.
• Be focused: If you want others to follow you, then you need to be incredibly focused on achieving your goals. You need to be the hardest worker and most highly driven person in the team, if you want to inspire others to follow you.
• Identify values: You need to think about the values you want to portray as a leader, and once you've identified them—you need to stick to them. Good values to have as a leader include openness, honesty, trust and integrity. Remember, your values define who you are as a person. Strong values are critical to strong leadership.
• Your leadership: You need to think about your leadership style, and then make sure you follow it. So how do you want others to perceive you? Do you want them to see you as hard or soft, formal or informal, strict or relaxed etc. Remember that your leadership style needs to fit in with your personal nature, and it also needs to fit with your team.