TABLE OF CONTENTS While appearing obvious, a major characteristic of a project is that change occurs in many ways, internally and externally to it. In fact, a project is really a manifestation of change. The very reason for a project is to implement change; otherwise, a project is nothing more than an ongoing service.
Because a project is a change, project managers must understand change and exhibit the appropriate leadership behaviors, just as all leaders must do and, like all leaders, they must share perspectives on change when leading.
Much has been already been written in this book about the differences between transformative and transactional actions of leaders. Nothing manifests the differences between the two actions more than how project managers perceive and deal with change.
Managers strive to protect the status quo; leaders do the opposite, seeking changes that improve efficiency and, perhaps more importantly, effectiveness. As Warren Bennis says in On Becoming a Leader, the distinguishing characteristic between a manager and a leader is whether he or she accepts or challenges the status quo. [1]
Leaders take the initiative when dealing with change. They do not wait for something to happen to them; rather, they make change happen. They identify ways to change the status quo in a radical, revolutionary way, as Kouzes and Posner observe in The Leadership Challenge. [2]
If change comes to them, they do not shrink from it. Instead, they respond rather than react to it. They view leadership...
