Role of leadership in project management

This document discusses the role of leadership in project management within a business organization. It explores the concept of leadership, the importance of leadership in project management, and different leadership styles used by leaders in managing project activities. The document focuses on a study conducted on Hilton Hotel to understand the role of leadership in project management.

Research Proposal

Contents
Contents................................................................................................................................................2
Background..........................................................................................................................................3
Concept of leadership in business organization.................................................................................3
Importance of leadership in project management within the business...............................................5
Different leadership style used by leader in managing project activities in business.........................6
Industry Background..........................................................................................................................8
Research aim.....................................................................................................................................9
Research objectives...........................................................................................................................9
Research questions.............................................................................................................................9
Research methodology.........................................................................................................................9
Timescale............................................................................................................................................11
Resources............................................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..................................................................................................................................13

Title: Role of leadership in project management. A study on Hilton Hotel.
Background
Leadership is an important process within the business organisation as it set proper
direction for team members. Mainly, it focus on building an inspiring vision and at the same
time also create something new for executing project activities. Basically, leadership is all
about mapping out where it required to win as a project team and an organisation as well. It
can be dynamic, exciting and inspiring that support workers in developing their abilities to do
something excited for attainment of all the set goals and objectives (Kerzner, 2019). In this
type of activity, leader also play a significant role because who have ability to lead and
motivate their followers by providing them better guidance and support. In the context of
project in business organization, leader help in motivating as well as influencing workers to
take participate in project activities so that each and every task activities can be completed
within the given time frame. In addition to this, project management is also consider as a vital
part that help business organisation in developing growth by providing huge benefits in
related to accomplishing set targets. The overall success of any kind of project is attributed
especially to the leader in context to change as they have power and authority to control as
well as monitor each and every process of project alongside making an appropriate decision
within the project. In case project is fail to attain its key objectives and goals, leader is
responsible for the same. This is the reason that, leader is responsible for the same as they
must have proper skills and competencies to manage project activities. It can be contributes
in enhancing the chances of attaining success by eliminating the negative aspects. For project
success, leader also use leadership styles that support them in handling team activities
through which they can easily attain the goals.
Concept of leadership in business organization
According to Imran and et. Al., (2019), Leadership is an action that taken by an
individual to lead their followers for attainment of goals and objectives. It plays significant
role in developing employee performance and their productivity level. In this, leader is
responsible for motivating their team workers with the aim of enhancing their skills and
knowledge towards the specified goals and objectives. Basically, leadership is considered as
an important process in which an individual lead their followers to improve their skills and
knowledge. In this, leader play a significant role in motivating as well as influencing team
members so that they can easily attain their goals and objectives in an effective manner (Aga,

Noorderhaven and Vallejo, 2016). In context to project management, leader play a significant
role in managing project activities by providing them proper guidance. This can be
contributing in improving the possibilities of attaining all the set goals and objectives in an
appropriate way. Along with this, project manager is also managed both management skills
and effective leadership skills. With the help of this, leader can easily complete the project
activities that provide assistance in enhancing the overall performance level of company. In
relation to this, project management is totally different from leadership but it provides
assistance in increasing the profitability level of company. One of the main purpose of
leadership activity is to influencing employee behaviour in certain ways, in this leader set
clear vision for business organization, motivated workers and at the same time also guide
employees by the effective work process. This will contribute in building employee morale
towards the set goals and objectives in an appropriate manner. With the help of this, company
can increase their performance level by retaining staff members for longer period of time. As
there are important aspects of leadership that help organisation in improving their
effectiveness at market place:
Setting a clear vision: It is one of the important functions of leadership within the
company as it used to influence workers in order to understand and also accept the future
aspects of organization. In this regard, a team member of project may not believe in a
particular mission provided by a company but a good leader will easily influence or
encourage employees to perform their duties along with explaining the vision and at the same
time also give importance to the role for attaining favourable results. For an example, if
project manager carries out a specified project then they are responsible for providing clear
vision of project. This will put positive impact in developing an effective project team which
is responsible for attainment of set targets.
Motivating employees: In a business organisation, it is significant for leader to
understand enough about the employees needs and wants and provide them what they need
and providing encouragement for a doing their job well done. In this context, a good leader
always understands the same and will interact with their team members to learn more about
their requirements at working area. By providing better motivation to their employee’s
company can attain their set targets in an allotted period of time. In order to analyse
employee performance at the time of implementing project activities, manager of company
needs to communicate with their team members as it help in encouraging as well as
motivating their project team.

Guiding employees: It is also considered as an effective aspect of leadership that
define their role in the project activities and at the same time also provide them with
necessary tools that they needed to perform and participate at working area. By guiding
workers as per continuous basis leader can improve worker’s performance and make them
able to give their best efforts for attainment of their job roles. As an effective leader will
always explain the tasks activities, provide them important tools, direct and guide them to
work and influence them to be available to assist their workers when they face any kind of
issues. This can be improving the organisational performance by reducing employee
turnover.
Building morale: In order to improving the organizational performance and
productivity, it is one significant for boosting employee morale. This is because employees
are the one who always give their efforts for attainment of their targets in allotted period of
time. For this, leader of business organization is responsible for building employee morale by
providing them benefits at working area and at the same time also influence them to give
their views and opinion. This can be contributing in keeping workers valuable for company
as they feel their importance at working area and give their best for accomplishing their
targets.
Importance of leadership in project management within the business
According to Zhu and et. Al., (2019), project management has played a crucial role and
became an integral part of the company. Hereby, leadership tend to drive the work done by its
team members into the right direction by providing clear vision. Therefore, in order to do this
leader, make use of effective communication systems so that things can be delivered what to
is intended to be delivered. Leadership, in project management helps in planning out each and
every detailed of business including cost, schedule and process. Moreover, if company face
any sudden change then with an appropriate leadership, company will be capable enough in
taking quick actions for solving their problems. Henceforth, role of leadership in project
management provides a company with a wide range of actions such as, making effective
decisions, motivating team members, develop an effective plan, establishing a coordination
between employees and so on.
In a business organisation, a project plays a vital role and undertakes different kinds
of actions. Here employees are required to do their job with full concentrations so that, being
in a right direction company can achieve their benefits. Moreover, considering the future
business environments based on the success or failure, a company can set a different

direction. Therefore, all these activities in a project management is confined to leadership
thus, attributes of a leader who is in charge for accomplishing the task plays an important role
because they are the one who are responsible for controlling and monitoring each and every
process that can lead the company towards success. Leaders, keep a close eye on the aims and
objectives of the company alongside make critical decisions that will be suitable for the
company’s image in the market. Henceforth, if any project fails to attain its goals and
objectives then leaders are to be blamed because, due to their incompetency of using the
powers they didn’t achieved success. Therefore, it is important for a leader who is assigned
for managing a project to choose appropriate leadership skills and styles for getting an
increased performance, productivity, and profitability.
Having an appropriate leadership by a leader for a project management, leaders
should be efficient in performing three key roles that is decision making: in order to achieve
the aims, it is crucial that a project leader is capable enough of taking appropriate decisions
regarding the project. Leader should be able to look at various perspectives with different
angles so that the correct decisions could be made. Planning: whatever project is assigned to
a leader, he/she should be accountable whether the result is successful or failure. While
making a plan leader should have considered these factors like cost, schedule, roles and
responsibilities etc., Management: a proper project needs to be managed appropriately from
selecting a team, allocating them with the responsibilities, guiding them and so on. Thus, in
any project, leadership helps an individual in leading the team according to the terms and
conditions so as to achieves the set objectives of a particular project. Therefore, based on the
acquired traits a leader can improves its capacity to transform its failure into success.
Talking about the business, according to Duggal, (2020), project management is one
of the integral part of business operations as it increasingly relying on project management in
order to monitoring as well as evaluating project activities in an effective way. Mainly,
project manager is also ensuring that all the project activities or task in comply with its
objectives. This is the reason that proper leadership is significant in a project management is
important as it needs an individual who is employed with appropriate leadership skills with
an overall trait. This will help the company as well as an individual in improving its
performance. Henceforth, leadership for managing the project requires an amalgamation of
essential traits like team player, transformational and team building traits. Along with this,
flexibility and effective communication skills play its own role for developing a better
understanding amongst the members who are associated with the project. Therefore,

leadership helps in strategizing all the activities in accordance with the abilities in order to
determine overall success.
Different leadership style used by leader in managing project activities in business
According to Meng and Boyd, (2017), owning a business doesn’t make an individual
a leader instead to become a leader there are some traits which needs to be acquired by the
person. While running a business there can be a possibility that a person may face some
complex situations where the skills and personal traits can lead to success or otherwise
failure. So, a leader should know his/her responsibilities and initiate the same for making an
effective business plan and strategy. Different leadership styles have different roles and
responsibilities; leaders can use the same according to the requirement of the business. Thus,
leaders should choose an apply this style correctly in order to get positive results.
According to Belyh, (2020), autocratic leadership includes a person who possess this
kind of leadership style thinks that he/she has the entire control over all the resources and
decision-making process. Thus, shows no interest in taking viewpoints of team members.
Most of the decisions by the leaders are based on their own choices and beliefs. Therefore,
according to the modern business environment, application of this leadership style is not
giving appropriate results to project based work where, opinions and viewpoints of others
plays a crucial role. It is effective in relatively small business where the firm has limited
employees because here leaders take decision on the behalf of business rather than an
individual’s perspectives. Hence, by analysing the above statements it is understood that,
application of this kind of leadership styles can damage the business process because such
dictatorship can demotivate an individual and as a result its consequences can be seen in the
performance of the company. Despite of having so much flaws, autocratic leadership style
can be effective in places where company needs a constant change in order to cope up with
the crisis due to its ability to react to the situations promptly. But, following the same for a
long term can work as a negative element for the company.
As per view point of Jakhar, (2017), Democratic leadership style is another name for
this kind of leadership style is participative leadership style because here leaders show faith
and interest on team members. Thus, viewpoints are valued and further used in the processing
of project management for getting the desired results. While achieving targets in a business it
is required that a collaboration is made between leaders and people who work under them.
This provides with a platform to everyone who wants to speak up in favour of the benefit of

the company. Therefore, the most suitable leadership style of accomplishing team related
work. Democratic leadership style provides every individual with an opportunity to express
and exchange thoughts freely by participating in group discussions. The focus is more on
getting an effective outcome from the discussion so that application of the same can give
company with positive results. The core element that makes democratic leadership style an
appropriate one is its ability of distributing leadership, providing subordinates with
empowerment of expressing their thoughts and views, including staff members in decision
making process. Therefore, for most of the companies who adopt this kind of leadership style
works as a building block. Thus, with a well-established system and with the help of
democratic leadership style, definite targets and objectives can be achieved.
Laisse-faire leadership style: Laisse-faire, is a French word that means “let do”, this
leadership style is completely opposite of autocratic because here laissez-fair leaders make
few decisions and further provides the team members with an opportunity of choosing any of
them so as to get appropriate solutions. Thus, it provides staff members with an autonomy of
selecting any of the business solution according to the situation and circumstances. People
with this kind of leadership styles incorporate some of the characteristics such as, these
leaders are good in delegating and confident. Company possess with this kind of leadership
style provides employees with a “room to grow” which means, employees can put their skills
in front of the table so as to know whether they are successful or not, and if not than company
provides them with an environment where these employees can grow and improve
themselves. Henceforth, Laisse-faire leadership styles works appropriately where “creativity”
is given the top priority, and provides opportunity to those who have the ability to master
their future plans.
Industry Background
Hilton Hotel is a certified full-service hotel which was founded in the year around
1919 i.e. 101 years ago. Currently, company has approximately 584 hotels with nearby 216,
379 room in 94 countries. This American based multinational company operates its business
by targeting travellers who travel with a purpose of business as well as for leisure activities.
Therefore, the company is very well known for its customers services across the globe.
Current research is based on the effectiveness of leadership in managing project activities of
business organization with the aim of eliminating the issues that can be arise in project. By
undertaking this instigation, company can manage their project activities with the aim of

developing overall performance of business organisation (de Oliveira and Rabechini, 2019).
Mainly, leadership is refers to the act of leading a team workers towards the completing the
task activities. As it is about getting something done from others to increase the effectiveness
of project that provide appropriate outcomes. One of the main focus of leadership in project is
to placing more emphasis on people as it can be contributing in managing entire risk
activities present within the project completion.
Research aim
“To investigate the role of leadership in project management within the
organization”. A study on Hilton hotel.
Research objectives
 To analyse the concept of leadership in business organization within 1Month.
 To identify the minimum 3 importance of leadership in project management within
the business.
 To determine different 3 leadership style used by leader in managing project activities
in business.
Research questions
 What is the concept of leadership in business organization?
 What is the importance of leadership in project management within the business?
 What are the different leadership style used by leader in managing project activities
within 2 Months?
Research methodology
It is important section of undertaking research activities as it provides framework to
investigator to investigator for undertaking research activities in an effective manner. Mainly,
it includes different methods and techniques that used by investigator to collect reliable data
and information on the basis of selected research topic (Andersen, 2016). With the assistance
of this, researcher can take right and valid conclusion at the end of the investigation. Thus, it
is significant for investigator to select suitable method for gathering authentic information:
Research philosophy: In undertaking research activities, philosophy is related with the
sources, nature and development of knowledge that contributes in analysing the particular
aspect to take right data. Mainly, it is a belief towards the ways that used in research to

collect, analysis and used with the aim of attaining positive and reliable results. It can be
classified on the basis of two types such as positivism and interpretivism research philosophy.
As per current investigation, positivism is one of the suitable philosophies which focus in the
social world that can be understood in and objective way that support in analysing the actual
facts about the specified research topic.
Research design: It is considered as an effective plan that used by researcher to
answer the research questions as it ensures that all the collected data will assist in addressing
the research question and provide authentic results (Heldman, 2018). It is divided into
different designs such as descriptive, experimental and exploratory research design. In order
to execute current investigation, researcher will apply descriptive research design as it
determines characteristics of a particular phenomenon that being studied. With the use of this
research design investigator can easily analysis the reliable information that provide valid
outcomes at the end of the investigation.
Research approach: It is important for an investigator to develop as effective plan to
execute their research activities. In this approach provide assistance to researcher in analysing
the information on the basis of research topic and specified area of interest (Horlings, Roep
and Wellbrock, 2018). Mainly, it is related with concept plan and procedure that includes
steps for collecting data, analysing and interpretation the same for attaining authentic results.
It is classified into two methods including inductive and deductive research approach. Both
are effective for collecting reliable and authentic data but for undertaking current
investigation, deductive research approach will be applied by research because it is
associated with scientific investigation that is based on facts and figures in order to develop
an effective strategy for gathering reliable information. This can be contributing in gathering
data which is measurable in nature and provide authentic results at the end of the study.
Data collection: For collecting data and information, there are various sources that
researcher have select within the research activities like primary and secondary method of
data collection. In order to execute as well as undertake current study researcher will use both
method because it helps in gathering detailed and authentic evaluation on the basis of
research topic. By using primary method, investigator gather data directly from respondents
by preparing structured questionnaire. On the other hand, secondary method is also assisting
in undertaking the literature review that provide detailed information on the basis of
particular research area. In order to undertake current investigation, researcher will use both

primary and secondary method of data collection as it provide valid and reliable
information towards the specified topic and area as well. For collecting primary data,
structured questionnaire will prepare which includes close ended questions asked from
selected respondents to understand their view points. Apart from this, systematic literature
review is also undertaken as it provides theoretical information that may assist in attaining
positive and reliable results at within the study.
Data choice: It is important for investigator to select one of best suitable method for
undertaking research. As there are various choices Infront of investigator while carry out the
research activities. In this context, there are two type of data choices such as qualitative and
quantitative research. Both are effective for collecting relevant data and information
(Podgórska and Pichlak, 2019). As per current investigation, quantitative research is
effective because it helps in gathering authentic information that is measurable in nature and
also help investigator to draw a valid conclusion at the end of the investigation.
Research strategy: It is based on the overall plan in which entire activities of research
will execute and carried out. Mainly, it provides guidance to investigator in planning,
executing and monitoring the whole study (Guthrie and Jenkins, 2018). In this context, there
are some effective methods that can be used by researcher in order to acquire data about the
specified research topic. As questionnaire, interview, survey, observation and many more
statistical methods that assist in analysing as well as gathering reliable information. For this
research, structured questionnaire will be prepared along with various close ended
questions asked from selected respondents to understand their views and opinion towards the
research problem. By this investigator can take right judgement and draw a valid conclusion
at the end of the investigation.
Sampling: It is a process that used by researcher for selecting sample size from larger
population for gathering relevant data. It can be classified on the basis of two techniques such
as probabilistic and non-probabilistic sampling technique (Zhang, Cao and Wang, 2018). For
selecting right sample size, investigator use probabilistic sampling method in which sample
size will be selected as per random basis. By using this, researcher select 30 sample size who
are the employees and team members of project.
Limitation: Research face various issues and limitation at the time of undertaking
research activities. In this, insufficient time and fund are the major issues that create negative
impact over the end result of the study. Thus, it is vital for researcher to overcome from these

issues by using Gantt chart as it includes all the research activities along with specified time
frame. This will assist in reducing the chances of arising issues at the time of collecting data.
Timescale
Gantt chart is a graphical presentation that used by researcher to effectively represent the
overall schedule that includes various activities along with its specific time frame. Mainly it
also allows investigator to easily assess the duration of research and at the same time also
determine the resources that required to execute the study activities. One of the main uses of
Gantt chart is to effectively manage the research activities that eliminate the possibilities of
arising any kind of issues and obstacles in undertaking research activities.

Resources
In order to carried out an effective research it is significant for researcher to include all
the necessary resources so that entire activities can be successfully completed. Mainly, there
are some important sources including enough fund, time, stationary items, books, internet and
many more. All these are support in improving the possibilities of attaining favourable
outcomes at the end of the investigation.

REFERENCES
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Rowe, S.F., 2020. Project management for small projects. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Fangel, M., 2018. Proactive Project Management. Van Haren.
Zaman, U. and et. Al., 2019. Linking transformational leadership and “multi-dimensions” of
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