Influence and leadership in technology

  Reflect on the following in a minimum of 350 words each. (350 * 6 = 2100 Words)

1. Thought Leaders on Leadership​​​​​​​

Research and reflect on one of these thought leaders on leadership: Stephen Covey, Jim Collins, John Maxwell, Lolly Daskal, Sylvia Ann Hewlett, or the team of Jocko Willink and Leif Babin.

• Summarize      their core beliefs on leadership.
• Identify      critical leadership traits, behaviors, and communication tactics      highlighted by the thought leader.
• Discuss      what you learned from your research on your selected thought leader,      including any changes you want to make to your leadership traits,      behaviors, and communication tactics at work.
• Discuss      how you can apply their teachings on leadership to an IT manager position.

2. Communication in Project Management

Reflect on how project management involves detailed communications where a misunderstanding can impact dozens of future tasks within a project or cause a dozen tasks that were already completed to be redone. Sometimes the best way to learn is to examine mistakes you have experienced.

• Discuss      three examples of poor communication that negatively impacted an IT      project and how you would improve them. You can use examples from your      past work experiences or examples you researched.
• Discuss      an additional three examples of poor communication with the c-suite and      how you would improve them. Again, you can use examples from your past      work experiences or examples you researched.
• Consider      all of the forms and types of communication you send and are sent to you      at work in a given week. You can include nonverbal communication too.

3. Project Scope Management

Reflect on how project scope management is a critical step in project integration. To help illustrate its importance, consider what happens without it.

• For      a CRM software implementation project, list five specific potential      problems and their negative impacts on this IT project if the project      scope is not defined or if it is allowed to be changed by anyone in the      middle of the project.
• Using      the perspective of an IT manager, discuss the most important aspects of      the scope that need to be defined for a CRM software implementation      project to be successful.
• Lastly,      discuss the role of IT leadership and communication in project scope      management.

4. Moral Leadership

Reflect on the intersection of moral leadership, motivation, team culture, and conflict management within an IT team from the perspective of an IT manager.

• How      does using moral leadership impact ways you would motivate your team or      develop your team’s culture.
• How      does moral leadership change a team’s ability to manage conflict?
• Include      a description of moral leadership and your opinion on the continuing      influence of moral leadership on management philosophies.

5. Power and Influence

Individuals with authority have many choices in how they use their authority. Reflect on managers you have had in the past.

• How      did they use their authority and how did it make you feel about your job?
• Discuss      the difference between leaders using power and leaders using influence      within an IT department.
• Consider      the role of an IT project manager who almost always needs individuals to      complete tasks or provide resources, but who do not report to him or her      (so they have limited authority).
• How      can they use power and influence to make sure the project is successful?
• Should      an IT project manager consider soliciting a project stakeholder to use his      or her authority to help the project?

6. Managing Change

Reflect on the idea that it is not unusual for departments or employees to be resistant to change. You read about Kotter’s eight-step model of planned organization, appreciative inquiry, and the psychological and emotional processes involved in successful change. Keeping in mind Kotter’s model, answer the following questions from the perspective of an IT manager or IT project manager.

• What      is the most challenging aspect of managing change?
• How      does change in the IT department impact the rest of the organization?
• How      can you apply leadership and project management principles related to      vision and strategic direction during times of change within the IT      department or your organization as a whole?