Project roles

Leadership team - the secrets behind effective organizational leadership

We often think of project leadership as one person – the project manager. But the Project Management Institute (PMI) sees it more broadly. It is a complete set of knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to lead, inspire and manage people so that they can achieve the company’s goals together. How does this definition relate to the role of the leadership team?

In this article, you will learn: What makes leadership a shared responsibility How leadership teams shape strategy and performance Which roles are key for effective leadership Why trust and clarity are essential for teamwork How strategic and operational roles complement each other

One person cannot bear the burden of inspiration and motivation for the entire project. In modern, complex projects, the knowledge, skills and behaviors described by the PMI (Project Management Institute) must be distributed across the entire leadership team. This means the main leader not only leads but also actively develops new leaders within the team.

For the project to be truly successful, all team members must demonstrate these critical skills – from motivation to effective self-management. This principle is fundamental to project team management: 12 tips for a project manager, which emphasizes that distributed responsibility is essential for high performance.

What is a leadership team?

The success of a leadership team is linked to the comprehensive competencies of its main leader. An effective leader combines the roles of visionary and inspirer, painting a clear, engaging vision of the future, with those of motivator and mentor, actively supporting the individual development of their team members. Furthermore, they build a culture based on trust through empathetic and transparent communication. The ability to actively listen and show empathy is essential for understanding the perspectives of other managers and effectively managing diversity. This high level of trust is the basis for the entire leadership team to act quickly and decisively. This synergy is directly related to how clearly defined project roles support successful delivery, as trust and clarity allow leaders to execute their specific responsibilities without hesitation.

When faced with strategic challenges, a leader must skillfully adapt their leadership style – from directive to supportive – all while demonstrating courage and decisiveness.

Leadership teams vs. line managers - key differences

In any large organization, management roles generally fall into two main, yet complementary, areas: strategic leadership (primarily carried out by the leadership team) and operational management (handled by line managers). It is crucial to understand how their tasks and responsibilities differ. Strategic leadership focuses on the long-term vision, direction and “doing the right things,” which is the core principle of effective strategic project management. In contrast, operational management focuses on the day-to-day execution and “doing things right.” The successful synergy between these two functions ensures both organizational direction and efficient delivery.

The simplest way to distinguish between the tasks and responsibilities of the leadership team and those of line managers is to use the metaphor of a journey. The leadership team acts as a visionary and strategist, devising the destination and choosing the map, focusing on the long-term time horizon (years). Their overarching goal is to ensure that the company is doing the right things. In contrast, the line manager is the executor and operational leader who drives the bus according to the map and takes care of the passengers. Their time horizon is short-term (days, weeks) and their focus is on doing things right. Ultimately, the leadership team maintains the primary relationship with external stakeholders (board, market), while line managers focus on internal employees.

Conclusion: the strategic importance of leadership teams and collaborative leadership

The success of any modern company rests on two complementary pillars: the management team and the leadership team. The combination of these roles is absolutely essential. The strategic vision set by the management board (“Where are we going?”) must align perfectly with the willingness of employees to act and adapt (“How are we going to do it?”). It is in this latter area – the “how” – that effective project team management becomes critical. This synergy not only ensures a company’s stability and growth but also builds its resilience to any market changes.

Manage your projects effectively at a strategic level with FlexiProject, which is specifically designed to support the synergy between vision and implementation. Learn exactly how to maximize this powerful connection by following the team collaboration with FlexiProject.