An urban design project in Istanbul faced leadership problems under an experienced but overly controlling manager. Her micromanagement stifled team creativity, slowed decision-making, and damaged morale. As a result, project timelines were extended, community engagement suffered, and design flaws emerged. The manager's perfectionism, lack of trust in the team, and failure to communicate the vision effectively exacerbated issues. The experience highlighted how a leader's style, personality, values, and communication skills can significantly impact a project's success or failure.

1. Title: Leadership Crisis in Urban Design Project in Istanbul
What happened?
I was part of an urban design project in Istanbul. Our goal was to transform a neglected neighbourhood
area into a great community space. I was excited to work under the leadership of my manager, an
experienced urban planner. As the project progressed, it became clear that my manager’s leadership style
was causing problems. Her leadership actions were marked by micromanagement. She seemed to be
obsessed with perfection and was overly involved in every detail. Her need for control stifled team
creativity and slowed decision-making. Her lack of effective communication further exacerbated the
situation.
What were the results?
Initial progress was made, with some aspects aligning with my manager's vision but the team's morale
plummeted due to the lack of empowerment and stifled creativity. Timelines were extended. Community
engagement suffered, and design flaws emerged due to manager's limitations.
Why did this happen?
Personality: My manager's perfectionism and fear of failure drove her micromanagement tendencies.
Values: Her deep attachment to the project's success fueled her need for control.
Leadership Style: Her inability to delegate stemmed from a lack of trust in the team and her desire for
perfection. Whenever someone on the team suggested another idea for the project, se immediately
declined. She wasn’t open to changes
Communication: My manager’s failure to communicate the project's vision caused misunderstandings.
What did you learn from this?
Effective leaders must trust their team and delegate tasks to foster creativity and autonomy. Clear
communication of vision is vital for stakeholder engagement and project alignment. Leaders should
tailor their approach based on the situation and team dynamics, shortly they should be adaptive leaders.
Reflecting on this crisis, I've learned that a leader's personality, values, and communication skills
significantly influence project success. Balancing control, trust, and effective communication is key to
fostering innovation, engagement, and overall project effectiveness.
Eda Gorun