Leading Thriving Teams
ADVISORY ARTICLE
By Jeff Oltmann
Oregon, USA
Why do some teams thrive in the real-world messiness of projects, deadlines, and change? Recently, I joined the Profiles in Leadership podcast to talk about it. One theme kept surfacing: effective leadership is less about being the smartest person in the room and more about enabling others to do their best work.
The theme of leading by enabling others shapes the way I work, teach, and consult. Whether I’m working with a PMO, a project team, or a management team, I see that the most effective leaders focus on creating the right conditions for their team. It’s not about them – it’s about their people.
Here are a few of the ideas I shared during the conversation and some practical ways you can apply them.
Enable Others
The phrase “servant leadership” has become a buzzword, but the concept is solid. Your best leadership is not about you. It’s when you create an environment where others can do their best work. Here are some ways you can create it.
Build a Band
Leadership means building teams that can solve complex problems together. Don’t focus on finding a flashy soloist when you’re creating a new team or hiring a new employee. Look for someone who can play in the band as well as solo. Of course, individual skills and subject matter expertise are always important, but even the most talented individual will fall short without a functioning team.
More…
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How to cite this article: Oltmann, J. (2025). It’s Not About You: Leading Thriving Teams, Advisory, PM World Journal, Vol. XIV, Issue IX, September. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/pmwj156-Sep2025-Oltmann-Its-not-about-you-leading-thriving-teams.pdf
About the Author
Jeff Oltmann
Oregon, USA
Jeff Oltmann is a seasoned leader with over 30 years of experience advising clients, managing successful technology programs, and developing new products. His specialties include strategy deployment, operational and project excellence, and project portfolio management. As principal consultant at Synergy Professional Services, Jeff advises leaders and teams in diverse sectors including healthcare, research, bioscience, and technology product development.
Jeff is the founder of the Portfolio and Project Leaders Forum. He is also on the graduate faculty of the Division of Management at Oregon Health and Science University and was previously on executive staff at IBM. He teaches portfolio, program, and project management and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®).
Jeff welcomes your questions and ideas. You can contact him at jeff@spspro.com or read previous articles at www.spspro.com/article-library.
