Influence Methods of Project Managers: Perceptions of Team Members and Project Managers

Much and significant research was done for more than 100 years in the area of leadership. However, with the exception of the studies by Hodgetts (1968) and Thamhain and Gemmill (1974), not much has been done in the area of project leadership. This paper presents the findings of four research studies in this area. Among others, the findings show that professionally challenging projects are the single most important factor influencing the behavior of project team members. Team members need to be challenged, they respect leaders who know how to properly exercise their authority, and they need to believe in their leaders, both in terms of the leaders' competence and ethical character.