How to Develop Your Leadership Skills: Evidence-Based Practices for Both PM Functions

PM Theory isn't just a diagnostic framework, it's a development framework. Because both the Performance function and the Maintenance function describe specific, observable behaviors rather than personality traits, they can be deliberately developed through sustained practice.

This guide focuses on what that development looks like: specific behaviors to build for each function, how to sequence your development, and how to integrate PM-function thinking into your daily leadership.

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The Development Logic of PM Theory

Both functions consist of specific behavioral clusters, concrete actions that either are or aren't occurring in your leadership.

This means development isn't primarily about attitude change, though that helps, it's about behavioral change: doing different specific things with your team on a regular basis.

Research on leadership development consistently finds that behavioral development, particularly when supported by structured reflection and feedback, produces more durable change than insight or training alone.^[1]

Developing the P Function

Explicit expectation-setting addresses the most common P-function deficit, assuming team members know what's expected without stating it.

Research on goal-setting consistently finds that specific, explicit goals produce significantly better performance than vague or assumed ones.^[3] At the start of any significant task, state explicitly what the outcome should look like, what the standard is, by when, and how progress will be reviewed, taking three to five minutes and eliminating the most common source of performance gaps.

Consistent follow-up requires following through on expectations you set, since expectations without follow-up communicate that the expectation wasn't genuine. For every significant commitment you track, schedule a specific follow-up point at the time the commitment is made, and actually do it.

Direct performance feedback means addressing gaps directly and promptly, within 24 to 48 hours with a specific, behavior-focused conversation, since delayed feedback is significantly less effective than timely feedback.

Developing the M Function

Genuine individual attention is the most foundational M-function behavior, treating each team member as a specific person, not as a role or a resource.

Brief, genuine one-on-one check-ins on a regular cadence, ten to fifteen minutes, genuinely attended, matter here, since the quality of the individual leader-member relationship is one of the strongest predictors of team member engagement and retention.^[4]

Appreciation for effort, not just results, requires explicit, specific acknowledgment. Once per week, identify one specific thing a team member did that deserves acknowledgment and articulate it specifically, since specificity signals genuine attention while generality signals performance.

Psychological safety in team settings means actively inviting dissenting views before finalizing decisions, since research established that psychological safety is one of the strongest predictors of team learning and retention, and the leader's response to the first few honest dissenting views establishes the team's norm.^[2]

Integrating P and M: The Daily Practice

The challenge of PM leadership isn't developing either function in isolation, it's holding both simultaneously in your daily leadership behavior.

A practical integration framework: in the morning, ask what the team is working toward today and whether anything is unclear about expectations, P-function attention. During the day, ask how each person is doing, not just the work, them, M-function attention.

In difficult conversations, address the performance issue directly while maintaining the relationship, since these aren't in conflict, they require different behaviors in the same conversation.

At the end of the day, ask whether you followed through on any commitments and acknowledged anything worth acknowledging, both functions. This daily practice, maintained consistently, produces cumulative PM-function development that's more durable than any training event.

Frequently Asked Questions

I am naturally stronger in one function. Should I try to become balanced across both?

Research supports aiming for PM combination, both functions at a functional level, rather than perfect balance. Your natural strength in one function is an asset to build from, not a liability to correct.

The development goal is bringing the weaker function to a level where it doesn't undermine the stronger one, not achieving identical scores.

How will I know if my development is working?

The most reliable signals are behavioral, are you doing the specific things associated with each function more consistently, and relational, are team members more open and clearer about what's expected.

Formal reassessment using the CommStyle Leadership Assessment after three to six months of focused development also provides useful calibration.

Is PM Theory applicable outside of formal management roles?

Yes. PM Theory describes leadership functions, not hierarchical roles. Anyone who influences a team's direction or cohesion, a project lead, a senior contributor, a team member with informal influence, can apply PM-function thinking to increase their effectiveness.