This document discusses leadership roles in large projects. It begins by introducing the speakers, Christian Thuesen and Søren Lybecker from the Technical University of Denmark. It then profiles six key leadership roles in projects: the change agent, the conductor, the entrepreneur, the boundary walker, the negotiator, and the coach. It concludes by discussing the importance of reflective practice and continuous education for project leaders.

1. Leadership in Large Projects
Next Practices of Project Management
NORDISK FORUM 2012
Christian Thuesen
Senior Researcher
DTU Management Engineering
E: chth@dtu.dk
T: +45 6167 9131
Søren Lybecker
Programme Manager
DTU Management Engineering
E: slyb@dtu.dk
T: +45 2639 3331

2. Market
Development

3. Market Development
Market development
multiple customers = one market  one customer = multiple markets
Inspired by Stanley Davis and Joseph Pine

4. The Long Tail
…a consequence of a more individualized society
Mass production  Mass customization

5. Dimensions and motors of Social Acceleration
A) Economic Motor:
Time=Money 1. Technological
Acceleration
B) Structural Motor:
Functional Differentiation
Dimensions of
3. Acceleration of the Acceleration
„Pace of Life“
2. Acceleration of
Social Change
C) Cultural Motor:
Promise of Acceleration
Inspired by Hartmut Rosa

6. Dilemmas and Dualisms of Project Organizing
Order Chaos
Disciplinary Interdisciplinary
Hierarchy Network
Standardized Unique
Efficiency Creativity
Linear Iterative
Collective Individual
Degeneration Stress

7. The Academic Field of Project
Management
Constructive Deconstructive
Standards and
best practices Practice-based Critical
Perspectives perspectives
The reflective Hodgson
practitioner
Communities of
practice Kreiner
Case studies
Koskela
SYMBOLIC-
MODERN POSTMODERN
INTERPRETIVE
1960’s & 70’s 1990’s
1980’s
Inspired by Mary Jo Hatch

8. Current Practices
• Communication is placed as the central concept in the network
Central empirical concepts
• Central collective concepts • Persuasion
– Quality • Social atmosphere
– Planning • Tools
– Risk • Project clarification (goals)
• Resources
– Communication
– Flexibility
– Stakeholders
– Leading
– Learning
– Organization
– Controlling
– Innovation

10. Role 1:
THE CHANGE
AGENT
Project = Change
Change requires leadership rather than
management. The project leader is thus a
change agent.
A change agent is a person who alters
human capability or organizational systems
to achieve a higher degree of output or self
actualization.
Imperatives:
•A change agent lives in the future, not the
present.
•A change agent is fueled by passion, and
inspires passion in others.
•A change agent has a strong ability to
self-motivate.
•A change agent must understand people.
Inspired by Patti Hathaway

11. Role 2:
THE
CONDUCTOR
Conducting is a means of communicating
artistic directions to performers during a
performance.
The primary responsibilities of the
conductor are to unify performers, set the
tempo, execute clear preparations and
beats (milestones), listen critically and
shape the sound (performance) of the
ensemble (project team), and to control
the interpretation and pacing of the music
(project).
Conducting requires an understanding of
the elements of musical expression
(tempo, dynamics, articulation) and the
ability to communicate them effectively to
an ensemble (project team).
Inspired by Ramona Wis

12. Role 3:
THE ENTREPRENEUR
Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity
without regard to resources currently controlled.
The entrepreneur is the person ready to supply
the enterprise with the mixture of energy,
boldness, courage, expertise, insight, and often
ruthlessness, necessary to start or grow a business.
The actions of the successful entrepreneur often
follow the five effectuation principles:
Bird in the hand: use the available means.
Affordable loss: decide in advance what you are
willing to lose.
The crazy quilt: work with any and all
stakeholders who are willing to make a real
commitment.
Make lemonade: acknowledge contingency by
taking advantage of surprises.
Pilot in the plane: act upon any risky situation to
reduce the risk of crashing.
Inspired by Saras Sarasvathy

13. Role 4:
THE
BOUNDARY
WALKER
Since the beginning of history, human beings
have formed communities that share cultural
practices reflecting their collective learning:
from a tribe around a cave fire to a community
of engineers interested in railway operations.
Boundary walkers act as brokers between
communities of practice. They can introduce
elements of one practice into another.
Boundary walkers can perform specific tasks
such as:
•Boundary spanners: taking care of one
specific boundary over time.
•Roamers: going from place to place, creating
connections, moving knowledge.
•Outposts: bringing back news from the
forefront, exploring new territories.
Inspired by Étienne Wenger

14. Role 5:
THE NEGOTIATOR
Negotiation is a dialogue between two or more parties, intended to reach an
understanding, resolve point of difference, or gain advantage in outcome of
dialogue, to produce an agreement upon courses of action, to bargain for
individual or collective advantage, to craft outcomes to satisfy various interests of
two parties involved in negotiation process.
The negotiator can basically distinguish between two types of negotiation:
distributive negotiation (win-lose negotiation) and integrative negotiation
(win-win negotiation).
Integrative negotiation is also called principled negotiation. The method consists
of four main steps:
•Separating the people from the problem.
•Focusing on interests, not positions.
•Generating a variety of possibilities before deciding what to do.
•Insisting that the result be based on some objective standard.
Inspired by Roger Fisher and William Ury

15. Role 6:
THE
COACH
Coaching is a teaching or training process in
which an individual or a group gets support
while learning to achieve a specific personal or
professional result or goal.
Coaching may also happen in an informal
relationship between a “master” and a “student”.
Basic tools in coaching are active listening,
constructive feedback, and appreciative
inquiry.
.
Inspired by David Cooperrider

16. The Profile of the Future Project Leader:
THE REFLECTIVE PRACTITIONER
Reflective practice is the capacity to
reflect on action so as to engage in a
process of continuous learning,
which is one of the defining
characteristics of professional
practice.
It involves paying critical attention
to the practical values and theories
which inform everyday actions, by
examining practice reflectively and
reflexively.
This leads to developmental insight,
and reflective practice provides a
tremendous development
opportunity to transform from
project manager to project leader.
In the end it's all about people, and
consequently it's all about presence.
Inspired by Donald A. Schön

17. Continuous Education at DTU Management Engineering:
JOIN THE MOVEMENT…
Design and Management of Network Projects: Class 2 (2012-2013)

18. Thank You!