ABSTRACT
Developing subject matter expertise is the most misunderstood component of the leadership competency pyramid. This does not mean a project leader must have expertise in every aspect of the project work. Although having experience with the type of work team members are doing is certainly helpful, it is often impractical. Subject matter expertise is not about having the ability to master all aspects of the project work and tasks; rather, it means understanding one’s customers, their business, and the project goals, and linking the project team to those goals. A service-based project leader has many customers, including team members. To drive transformational change in them, he must know what they are experiencing-and what they want to experience.
