Authentic Leadership and Project Management - Essay Example

The study is based on the capability maturity model and findings of previous studies done by other researchers. The question of argument is on how project leadership has changed over time. Additionally, the paper analyzes the changes that are required to make 21st-century project leadership authentic. The authors argue that the environment for conducting projects in the 21 century has changed from that of the 20th century. There has been increased alliancing between companies for project purposes. Therefore, the authors suggest that there is a need for the development of a new leadership style that suits the current as well as the future environment. The authors are persuasive and believable. By making use of previous study findings, the authors compare the past and present project environments. The comparison depicts a changing environment, which supports the authors’ argument on the need for changes in leadership style to enhance authentic leadership. 

LIoyd-Walker & Walker (2011) provide empirical data to show the different attributes required by project leaders in the 21st century that were unnecessary in the 20th century. Toor and Ofori (2008), Thiry & Deguire (2007),  Avolio & Gardener (2005), and Sirias, et al., (2007) agree that the project environment for the 21st century is different from that in the 20th century. Additionally, their views are similar to those of LIoyd-Walker and Walker (2011) who argue that there is a need for modification of transformational leadership to make it an authentic leadership style for the 21st century. Just as Alvolio and Gardener (2005) had suggested, LIoyd-Walker and Walker (2011) argue that trust and commitment are among the most important feature of authentic leadership and they distinguish authentic leadership required for the 21st century from that in the previous years. Lloyd and Walker state that authentic leadership entails enabling or empowering the followers to self-regulate their activities by supporting their development. As opposed to leadership in business alliances, project alliances require collaboration between the participating teams. This requires that the team members collaborate in decision making and sharing of risks. For authentic leadership, LIoyd-Walker and Walker (2011) suggest that the leaders create a contracting environment.

The sections of the article are coherent and answer the research question. By reviewing literature from previous studies, the authors are able to come up with findings regarding what authentic leadership entails and how it is suited for project leadership in the 21st century. Additionally, the authors identify the areas their study fails to address adequately and suggest further research on such areas. The paper was important in expanding views on project leadership and the attributes required in making project leaders authentic. This is relevant to our coursework theme, which seeks to explore how authentic leadership can be enhanced among project leaders.

Views regarding project leadership have changed over time. In the 20th century, project leadership focused on the return of investment. However, the lookouts have changed in the 21st century, which is attributable to generational change. LIoyd-Walker and Walker (2011) claim that the baby boomers have a different viewpoint on leadership from those held by generation Y and Generation X.