Whether you are leading a new team or taking the reins of an existing one, there’s no doubt that this role can be daunting. A great team leader can be the difference between a high-performing team, and an ineffective one.
This means that investing in good leaders, and having people with the right skills and behavior in leadership roles is vital. Here are our tips for good leadership:
Get To Know Your Team
This may seem obvious but it is key as you cannot be a successful leader if you do not know your team. So leaders need to take time to listen and learn about each team member.
Touching base with one’s team to find out what their issues and aspirations will help one identify potential strengths and weaknesses. Getting to know who you are working with is the first step to establishing their respect and trust. Only then can you formulate a leadership approach with each of them that stands a chance of success.
Manage the Work
The team looks to the leader for clarity on what to do and which tasks matter most. The best leaders plan, organize, and delegate resources, ensuring that each person’s responsibilities are upheld and the tasks are completed in a timely manner. For example, when a deadline changes, the lead needs to consider what work might need to be paused and whether team members need to reprioritize how they are spending their time.
The person in charge needs to also be able to trust their team to do its job and encourage independence as micromanaging them is never a good idea. Even when issues or opportunities arise, a good leader will empower the team to find a resolution themselves, of course, with support.
Set Clear Goals and Communicate
Leaders need to communicate openly with their team to share updates, and explain goals and expectations. Sharing the lead’s vision and the goals they hope to accomplish is key. In this way, the leader will also be able to track their progress and identify whenever they successfully achieve something.
Inspire the Team
An inspirational leader can help build the team’s resilience, raise the team’s energy and keep them focused on the future so they can do the best work. When a team leader talks about how they find meaning in the work, it helps team members discover their own meaning in the work. This is because a team leader’s ability to lead through motivation and guidance can impact everything from employee engagement and development to productivity.
Reward the Team
One might not be in a position to hand out pay raises and promotions but it is key to recognize good performance and reward it when appropriate. Verbal praise goes a long way in showing your team you are both aware of and appreciative of their achievements.
Although it is vital to look for the best in people and understand that mistakes will happen, it is equally as important to tackle poor performance issues, and to offer rewards when improvements occur.
We hope that you find these top tips helpful in your journey to becoming an effective leader. Take a look at our Careers section at BrainRocket if you fancy becoming a BRO.
