Situational leadership in a project/matrix environment

To effectively implement projects in matrix organizations, project managers must possess the skills and the knowledge needed to lead teams. Not only must they master the technical aspects of managing projects, they must also understand communication, integration, negotiation, and team-building. This article outlines an approach for identifying the leadership behaviors and skills needed to manage projects in matrix organizations. In doing so, it identifies the challenges of working as a project manager in matrix organizations and discusses the use of situational leadership as an approach for working in matrix environments; it also details a situational management training program for project and functional managers within a large, project-oriented engineering department at a United States production company, a program that involved a situational assessment identifying and comparing project and functional managers' operational requirements, existing skills, and training needs.