The Influential Project Manager

The Influential Project Manager

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The Influential Project Manager
The Influential Project Manager
iPM Archetype #4 - The Leader
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iPM Archetype #4 - The Leader

The Hidden Force That Creates the World's Greatest Teams

Kyle Nitchen's avatar
Kyle Nitchen
Mar 24, 2023
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The Influential Project Manager
The Influential Project Manager
iPM Archetype #4 - The Leader
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👋 Welcome to The Influential Project Manager, your weekly companion designed for Construction Project Managers. Our mission is to elevate your leadership skills, deepen understanding of best practices, and accelerate career growth. Learn the art of achieving predictable outcomes.

Please note: this is a 🔒 premium-only edition🔒 of my weekly newsletter. Next Tuesday, we will go back to the free weekly issue. To read the entire post, consider becoming a paid subscriber:


Today’s Overview:

  • Welcome to Part 4 of a 7 part series covering the (7) Archetypes of The Influential Project Manager. In this issue, we’re going to dive deep into the sixth archetype - The Leader.

  • In this article, we dive deep into The Leader archetype, outlining the key characteristics and skills that every project manager should embody to become an effective and respected leader.

  • Whether you're a seasoned project manager or just starting your career in the industry, these insights will help you produce successful project outcomes and significantly accelerate your career growth.


If you’re not a subscriber yet, here are the first 3 posts in the series you missed:

  • iPM Archetype #1 - The Communicator - 9 communication strategies that will pay off for the rest of your career. How to be well understood by everyone.

  • iPM Archetype #2 - The Accountability Partner - A fresh approach that delivers radical results for individuals & teams. How to drive a high-performance culture.

  • iPM Archetype #3 - The Builder - Essential Traits & Skills to Transform Your Project Management Prowess and Earn Respect.


iPM Archetype #4 - The Leader

man in gray and orange jacket holding green and black dslr camera during daytime
Photo by Scott Blake

The "Leader" archetype is a term used in psychology and mythology to describe a personality type that is characterized by their drive to guide, direct, and influence others.

People with this archetype are natural leaders, with a strong sense of purpose, vision, and charisma. They are often seen as confident, assertive, and decisive, and are able to inspire and motivate others to achieve their goals.

In mythology, the Leader archetype is often represented by powerful gods and heroes, such as Zeus in Greek mythology.

In terms of personality psychology, the Leader archetype represents an individual's natural tendencies and motivations to guide, direct, and influence others. People with this archetype are often seen as charismatic, confident, and assertive, and are valued for their ability to bring order and stability to the world around them.

However, they may also struggle with issues such as power and control, as their focus on leadership can sometimes lead to a disregard for the feelings and needs of others.

Leadership is one of the most challenging of human endeavors. It is often misunderstood. It can bewilder, mystify, and frustrate even the most dedicated practitioners.

Leaders at all levels are often forced to use theoretical guesswork to make decisions and lead their people.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

There are principles that can be applied and tenets that can be followed. There are skills that can be learned and maneuvers that can be practiced and executed.

There are leadership strategies and tactics that have been tested and proven in business and in life.

The goal of leadership seems simple: to get people to do what they need to do to support the mission and the team.

But the practice of leadership is different for everyone. There are nuances to leadership that everyone has to uncover for themselves.

I would like to offer this guide to help project managers become project leaders.

As a leader of a project, your real job goes beyond managing tasks, budgets, and timelines. It's about inspiring and motivating your team to work towards a common goal.

The Leader archetype is defined by several key traits that set exceptional project managers apart from the rest. By embodying these qualities, you'll inspire your teams, foster collaboration, and drive your projects to new heights.

Let's break down the essential components of The Leader archetype:

Visionary

As a project leader, you must create a clear, compelling vision that provides direction and purpose for your team.

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