Evaluating critical success factors for effective leadership of projects

Leadership skills in projects are viewed as the secondary need in projects for a competent project manager while technical core skills are viewed as the primary need. This argues that leadership and technical core skills should be treated the same as the primary need, furthermore the leadership skills should never be compromised when recruiting a project manager. Qualitative research was employed for this study. The researcher explored the ontology and epistemology as the research paradigms of the study. Data was collected through focus groups, unstructured interviews and through case study. The data collected was analysed by employing the content analysis and descriptive analysis. The quality of the data was the main focus for ensuring that correct information was obtained, and hence triangulation was employed. The recommendations provided will contribute to the efficient and successful execution of projects. The drive to ensure effective leadership projects can be achieved through employing the following: Development of accidental project managers; accreditation of project managers; project management training for project managers; recruitment of project managers, hard technical skills and soft skills for competent project managers. If these recommendations are properly implemented the organisation may realise savings on their projects, and will be able to complete their projects on time, within approved budgets and approved scope of work