A Little Respect

ON THE FRONT LINES of business, even the best pedigree doesn't buy ongoing respect. A Master of Business Administration from a prestigious university and a résumé brimming with blue-chip experience may provide a strategic and tactical framework for success. It may establish a person's qualifications and expertise, and get colleagues to pay attention. However, unless project managers follow through with the right actions and professional behavior, their credibility almost certainly will wane. Effective leadership is the key to earning respect.

For example, in a business climate where projects are constantly changing, good leaders can earn respect by being flexible and admitting mistakes, says Arto Seppälä, vice president at Rastor Ltd., a training and management consulting firm in Helsinki, Finland. Leaders must also be sensitive to their team when making change requests and understand the difficulties involved in changing course. “People don't like someone who rocks the boat,” Mr. Seppälä says.

In addition to being volatile, today's projects often are focused heavily on objectives. “A project manager is given a goal, a schedule, a cost structure and a precise definition of the end result,” Mr. Seppälä says. “If the person cannot deliver the desired results, his or her reputation is threatened.” Equally important to sheer competence is graciousness in failure. When leaders succumb to the pressure and snap at colleagues or try to blame failure on someone or something else, respect evaporates.

MAKING THE GRADE

The best leaders are honest, fair and tolerant, and that's a tall order to fill, says Maureen Moody, an executive consultant at Robbins-Gioia's financial services group in Dallas, Texas, USA. When a team member makes a mistake, a manager should avoid being harsh or condescending. “It's essential to recognize the imperfections we all have as human beings and, after addressing an issue, move on.”

If an employee continues to repeat the same mistake, fight the urge to show your frustration in your facial expression and voice. Instead, be calm but direct. Address the issue before it spirals out of control. “You cannot allow the situation to escalate,” Ms. Moody says. “One person with a negative attitude or a tendency to disrespect a project manager or fellow employees can affect the morale of the team.”

To prevent problem situations from arising, take on the role of facilitator with your team: Encourage teamwork, listen well, referee conflicts, provide growth opportunities, coach and mentor team members, and provide enough challenges to motivate employees to grow and improve. It's fine to demand a lot from your team, as long as you are caring and involved—sincerely congratulate and thank workers when they perform well.

—TOM ERDOS, PROCESSO RACIONAL CONSULTORIA, SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL

Establishing clear rules, processes and boundaries is a good starting point for building the best working environment throughout your career. Often, it's not so much what a person says; it's how he or she says it. In addition, being a leader is all about “building respect among people with varying levels of status and authority,” observes Tom Erdos, partner at Processo Racional Consultoria, a management consulting firm in São Paulo, Brazil. Successful organizations typically allow employees to provide input and actively participate up to their level of knowledge.

Open communication channels provide a baseline for employees feeling involved, Mr. Erdos says. When a leader embraces an inclusive and open philosophy and puts a solid framework in place—one that clearly defines roles, responsibilities and workflow—the tendency for team members to blame others fades and a greater sense of respect takes hold.

NO MIDDLE GROUND

It's not unusual for project managers to feel as though they're caught between two worlds: employees who look for leadership and executives who demand answers. “Both groups have entirely different expectations,” says Kasper Kokkonen, a department manager at Vantaa, Finland-based Pöyry Engineering Oy, a global engineering firm focused on the forest and chemical industries. While the management team is looking at profitability, employees are typically clamoring for more manpower and resources.

Tugged in different directions, a project manager can question which constituency to appease. However, with the right skills, planning and systems, it's possible to address both groups and, in doing so, gain their esteem. The starting point is to “communicate in a language that a constituency understands,” says Andrew Longman, vice president of marketing and partner at consulting firm Kepner-Tregoe, Princeton, N.J., USA. A discussion with senior executives should be very different from one with a project team member, because both have different priorities. You must supply the information that's needed by a constituency in a timely, case-appropriate way. For instance, before working out an answer and sending off a message, determine how detailed and formal your response must be. Different stakeholders see you in different ways at different times during the project life cycle. “Once a project has been broken down into logical phases, it's possible to supply the needed answers and deal with different segments of the organization effectively,” Mr. Longman says.

Whether looking upward or downward within an organization, a respected project manager understands it's impossible to have specific knowledge and expertise to answer every question and address every problem. True leaders tap into the expertise of their colleagues to make sure everyone has the information they need. “It's all about being a good facilitator and leading discussions, research and behavior in the right direction,” Mr. Longman says. Also make sure teams understand the task at hand and the overall project model. “The best way to gain respect is to encourage involvement beginning in the planning stage,” he says. “When employees feel that the project manager respects them, they are likely to respect the project manager.”

OUTSIDE THE BOX

Project managers who think in innovative and creative ways have an edge. Although the technical skills to manage money, schedules and limited resources are vital, individuals who are able to examine problems from different perspectives, retain an open mind and embrace alternative methods for addressing problems are far more likely to garner respect.

—MAUREEN MOODY, ROBBINS-GIOIA, DALLAS, TEXAS, USA

For example, when meeting with a business manager for whom her department was performing key services, Ms. Moody told him that she wanted his perspective so she could include it in her prioritization of tasks. “He said, ‘No one ever asked me that in the past,’” she says. “The interaction helped build trust, respect and rapport.”

By serving as a facilitator, project managers are able to create an inclusive mindset that gives all the various groups a stake in the outcome of an initiative. A savvy leader motivates employees by helping them understand what's in it for them, Mr. Seppälä adds. What's more, he says, leaders “know when to get involved and when to get out of the way.” Managers who are overly controlling typically generate irritation, anxiety and resentment, while those who remain distant often are seen as aloof and unapproachable. The bottom line: When authority and responsibility are out of balance, take immediate steps to correct the situation.

MISSION POSSIBLE

It's one thing to understand the theoretical framework for respect and quite another to recognize when a lack of respect undermines performance and profits. Project managers may suffer from a blind spot when looking at their own behavior. One of the best indicators of poor leadership is employees who bicker, complain and, ultimately, fall behind schedule, Mr. Longman says. “Although performance is a lagging indicator, it offers a glimpse at what's been going on,” he says. Even if there is no open hostility, silence can be a red flag too. “People who avoid each other and bury their thoughts and feelings are heading for problems,” he observes.

The dangers of poor leadership and the resultant loss of respect are very real. If a manager has completely lost the respect of the team, it is so difficult to gain it back that, from an executive perspective, “it's often best to recruit a new project manager,” Mr. Kokkonen says.

Fortunately, with sensitivity to the issues that win or lose standing in their team's eyes, project managers can earn the respect they need to become effective leaders. Savvy project managers know that fairness, honesty, trust and a willingness to listen go a long way toward fostering a culture of respect. “When people know you can manage effectively, they're not going to question your abilities,” Ms. Moody says. “They are likely to respect your decisions even if they don't like them.”

VITAL STATS

CURRENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Oversees a marketing team of 14 professionals. Responsibilities include marketing intelligence, advertising campaigns, events, public relations and programs for demand generation.

GAINING THE RESPECT OF EXECUTIVES AND HER TEAM

“It's important to treat everyone equally and honestly, whether they are my directors or the people I manage. A decision, when viewed from above or from below, should always appear coherent. Also, it's fundamental to always have feedback and know how to listen to your team, their peers and their superiors. This helps guide you at the moment of decision-making, and thus reduces risks and mistakes.”

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

“I always try to put into practice the following idea: ‘Don't leave for tomorrow what you can do today.’ If you leave it for later, everything will be done at the last minute, everything will be hectic, and things will probably come out wrong.”

BUILDING A REPUTATION

“Planning is my recipe. It's my secret. When you plan what and where you want to be, there is time and willingness to consider decisions that will arise during the project. [With planning,] it becomes easier to accomplish goals and avoid possible problems. To develop a work timeline is fundamental. It helps avoid possible problems during the execution of the projects.”

MANAGING HER TEAM

“I always try to have follow-up meetings focusing on work progress. I think it is fundamental to communicate everything that happens to the team, as well as whatever directly or indirectly involves other teams. In other words, it's necessary to communicate the course of the project and provide visibility. This helps create a safe, fast and obstacle-free trail—especially in my area of work, where projects happen over six or 10 months.”

BECOMING A LEADER

“Some requirements are fundamental, such as listening, solving conflicts, providing growth opportunities, coaching and training. A good leader is also somewhat demanding and works to contribute to the growth of the individual and the entire team.”

RESPECT

Graça Bernardes, Cisco Systems, São Paulo, Brazil

PHOTO BY PAULO FRIDMAN

SPOTLIGHT: GRAÇA BERNARDES