Project leadership: key elements and critical success factors for IT project managers.

Although there has been considerable improvement in delivering on IT projects in the past decade, successful ones are still considered the exception rather than the rule. Many factors have contributed to this dismal IT project track record, but none is more to blame than a lack of leadership. Conceptually, leadership and management theories have antithetical premises. But principally, they are inextricably linked. Someone cannot be a good leader without some essential management skills. Conversely, an aspiring project manager will not succeed without leadership ability. Project managers must develop a sense of mission by effectively measuring how each project contributes to the goals and objectives of the organization. Additionally, project managers also must learn to control the bottom line when leading a complex project. Finally, these managers must effectively navigate the political landscape by understanding the needs of the organization’s power brokers as well as forming strong “early” bonds with key system users and front-line personnel.