In this day and age everyone who wants to enter the job market is expected to have the ability to work effectively and the ability to lead a team. Teamwork is important not only in the world of professional work, but also in school, sports and group activities. A good team leader is required to listen and communicate with all team members, respect the ideas and input of others, and maintain team spirit. With a positive attitude, creativity, and an open mind, you can be a great team leader.
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Method 1 of 3: Building a Role as a Leader
Step 1. Build a hierarchy
Ineffective team leaders don't just order others around and demand respect without trying to earn respect themselves, but they also don't establish clear and transparent hierarchies within the team as a whole. As a leader, your position is at the top. You make the final decisions and assign roles to each team member.
- Hold team meetings, especially if you are not experienced in leading a team or your team has just been formed. During the meeting, discuss roles for each person on the team and make sure they know who to report to.
- Make a chart with the names of all team members and their titles. The chart you create should have a hierarchy showing your position and role at the top, who reports directly to you, and so on.
- In addition, you must also ensure that each member understands that you intend to respect everyone's role and recognize that everyone is an important and vital part of the team's success.
Step 2. Take time to lead
You must keep communication with the team smooth and open, and demonstrate a willingness to answer any questions members may have. Apart from that, you also have to fill every gap that occurs, solve every problem, and have to work the hardest, most often and the longest.
- A bad team leader will delegate projects and tasks to others and leave early, while a good team leader will constantly make sure everything goes according to plan, in order, and fixes any delays.
- Make sure team members can meet you when they need it. However, you must also set boundaries that everyone must adhere to. The team can call for your attention when needed, but make sure they don't come to you every time you have a question. Use hierarchies to simplify the chain of command and set boundaries.
- In addition, you should also set limits regarding your own and team's workload. Before accepting a position as team leader, negotiate with your boss to discuss your own workload so you can make time if the team needs your presence. Then, do the same for the team.
- As a team leader, you may have to leave late, arrive at work early, or even work weekends. Your goal is to prevent the whole team from doing the same. Provide reasonable workload limits for each member so they don't feel overwhelmed or stressed.
Step 3. Set an example
This concept is like taking the time to lead. As a team leader you may get more perks, a bigger salary, and an extra day or two of leave, but all of that comes with more responsibilities. Mistakes made by the team will be your fault and your responsibility.
- Treat every team member with the same respect. Try to keep communication within the team open and honest and show the team that your role there is to resolve any issues or make adjustments that benefit the team as a whole.
- Show respect for other teams and people in other departments. Never criticize another individual or department, especially in front of team members. However, if team members see you display a certain behavior, they'll think they can do the same. Not only is such behavior disrespectful and unprofessional, and the impression it creates will be your responsibility as the team leader.
Step 4. Delegate tasks if necessary
Being a good leader isn't just about giving work to others, it's also knowing when you should delegate certain tasks. Make sure each team member knows what they need to do and get done. You don't have to overshadow every member's behavior. Trust the team to perform the tasks for which they are responsible.
- Show a firm attitude. The team will follow your directions and respect you if you can make quick, well-informed decisions. If you procrastinate, the team will see it and may see it as a weakness. Your job is to lead and make decisions, so be prepared to do so.
- If you have to make a decision that impacts the team (in part or in whole), or you don't have all the information needed to make the right decision, ask the team. Ask for an updated report or information about a specific part of the project that can help you make an informed decision. Discuss with the team the options available and ask for their input.
Step 5. Manage the project, lead the team members
As a good team leader you must know how to distinguish between managing all the projects the team is working on and leading the teams working on those projects. While you'll have to oversee everyone and all projects, you'll also have to let each team member do the work assigned to them according to their initial commitments when they were hired.
- Managing is a task-oriented job, ensuring meetings and activities run as they should, establishing and maintaining everyone's schedule, and allocating sufficient time and resources to get tasks done right.
- Leading a team requires you to provide support and motivation to team members so that they can complete the tasks for which they are responsible. Good leaders don't micromanage and tell team members how to do things. Instead, inspire and motivate team members so they can contribute ideas and methods that work best for each individual.
Method 2 of 3: Build a Relationship with the Team
Step 1. Earn respect instead of demanding it
It's more likely that you got the leadership position because you deserved it. The position is not given away as if it is your right. Think of the team leader role as something special.
- Even though you are responsible for the team, which means you have a higher position than the rest of the team, as a team leader you must be respected by team members.
- Earn respect by being a confident and competent team member. Demonstrate a positive attitude towards team members as a whole, and towards each member individually. Listen to what the team has to say and ask everyone for input.
- Sometimes you have to be creative and make decisions at a moment's notice. Team members may not always agree with the decision. Explain clearly why you made the decision, and ask for input or feedback from the team.
- Listen to what the team has to say, and appreciate any ideas that are presented to you. People will show their willingness to accept you as a team leader if they know that every opinion is valued and considered.
- Stick to the schedule. If the team feels that work schedules and personal life clash, or are not respected, this will affect morale within the team and impact your image as a leader. Give the team time to live their private lives. Have regular discussions about the weekly schedule, and schedule a meeting every Monday to sort out the issues that occurred that week. Also, allow enough time for the team to complete the project. If one task is interrupted because another task suddenly appears, this can cause a conflict. When you learn that a task needs to be done, let the whole team know.
- If there is an emergency assignment or project given by another department or superior, as the task leader you must refuse. You must be the first line of defense for the team against other departments.
Step 2. Listen to the other person
While you are in a leadership role and are in charge of making decisions, you should also listen to the opinions and ideas that come from the team whenever possible. Try to consider this input if you think it's worth it. Encourage the team to provide suggestions on how to solve a problem or complete a specific task.
- Consider suggestions from others. If someone comes up with an idea, do the analysis. Think of ways to fix it. Good leaders listen to suggestions from others, not just talk. Show the team that you are flexible.
- If someone suggests a solution or idea, don't dismiss it by saying that you've tried such an approach. The statement “Well, but…” should also be avoided. Instead of dismissing the idea, think it over carefully. Maybe the idea can now be implemented even though it wasn't before.
- Discuss everything with the team. Ask questions to find out more about an idea. Your job as a leader is not to dismiss ideas that you feel won't work, but to help the team find solutions.
Step 3. Get everyone involved
If a team member is a little behind on a project or task, lend a helping hand. Show a positive attitude and take the time to discuss with the person and examine what caused it to happen. Look for tasks for everyone no matter their skill or level.
- When providing assistance to someone who is having difficulty completing a task, avoid the tendency to show how to do the task. Showing how to complete a task won't help team members learn how to complete the task on their own, but it can lower morale. No one wants to feel incompetent or incompetent.
- Always show a positive attitude and don't waste an opportunity to help. You should feel good about seeing team members wanting to learn and improve. Guide team members through the steps to complete a task. Schedule time to help out if you're busy.
Step 4. Give the team a boost
Sometimes people feel afraid when they have to try new things, and this is where the role of a leader is needed. Show the team that the task is possible, even if it's difficult, and try to make it look fun. If someone manages to complete a task well, celebrate that success.
- Enthusiasm is contagious. If you show high spirits, the whole team will likely feel the same way about the project. If your team respects you and admires you as a leader, your passion and drive will fuel their creativity and desire to give their best.
- Give recognition for team success, even for small successes. Small rewards and recognition can be more effective than big ones. While you can't reward good performance with a raise, verbal rewards can have a significant impact. If the team is producing great results, consider taking everyone to lunch together to celebrate the hard work put in. During lunch, take the time to have a personal approach with each person. Forget talking about work outside the office. Get to know each team member further outside the office.
- A simple “thank you” can have a huge impact. If you take a second or two to thank a team member, it will show that you are a leader who cares and believes in the team.
Method 3 of 3: Providing Guidance
Step 1. Know what you are talking about
If team members are as confused as you are, how will they know what to do? As the leader, it is you who must do the research first, have the most information about the project, and know who the assignment will be to.
- Don't just do research on a topic or project in an office setting. That way, when it's time to lead your team, you have all the information you need to answer questions and discuss ideas.
- Watch your team. Listen to what each team member has to say and pay attention to each individual's strengths and skills. When considering tasks and roles, you should be able to assign tasks to someone who has the ability to complete them.
- By learning everything you can about the entire team and the project at hand, you can empower and provide the tools needed to make the team work as efficiently as possible.
Step 2. Enjoy your position as a leader
Even though the leader must show seriousness in carrying out his duties, that doesn't mean you can't have fun. Just make sure you don't get carried away. Balance the serious business at hand while keeping the morale and team spirit in mind.
- There is no guarantee that things will always run smoothly. You will also have bad times. The same goes for everyone on the team. If someone is confused or frustrated with a task, take this opportunity to stand out. Take advantage of your great personality plus a little sense of humor to help out those team members. Discuss what is causing her stress and help your partner find a solution.
- Helping the team is a fun part of your job. Tasks like making plans, dividing up tasks, and ensuring that everything is completed on time and to standards can be overwhelming. Enjoy times when you can help someone solve their problems.
Step 3. Pay attention to the morale in the team
Teams that are demoralized will not function well. You have to generate positive spirits, set clear goals, and demonstrate that the work is worth it and can be done. No one wants to work for an impossible goal.
- If morale is down, encourage the team to communicate openly so that the cause can be found. It's possible that the cause is large-scale and company-wide so you can't solve it quickly. At least you can think of creative ideas to help your team, even on a small scale.
- Hold meetings on foot. Sitting in a stuffy room discussing project details is no fun. Moving will improve blood circulation and clear your mind so you can come up with great ideas. If possible, invite the team to meet on foot outside the office, or even in the office.
- Play games as a reward for team hard work or as a way to exchange opinions. Or use a ball passed from one person to another during a meeting to discuss goals.
- Set fun team goals and reward them for those goals. You may have project-related and departmental goals that the team must achieve, but you can also have your own goals. Maybe you set a goal for the team to complete a part of the project by a certain date. If the team manages to achieve that goal, treat them to coffee with your own money, or plan a one-day tour somewhere that's fun, but can also help with the project. Don't get hung up on it, if you work in a more creative environment you can take the team on a cruise to strengthen bonds between team members or research something relevant to your job.
- Deal with frustration as soon as possible. If you notice that someone is dissatisfied or upset, don't wait until the situation gets worse. Talk to the person and think of a solution together. Not only does this show that you care about the well-being of team members, but you also care about them.
Tips
- If someone makes a mistake, don't react to it with anger. Your team members are human too and making mistakes is a very human thing. Everyone makes mistakes. Try to be helpful and show a friendly attitude. Your task includes trying to prevent errors from occurring, pointing out appropriate steps, and fixing errors that occur.
- Always respect the opinions that come from team members.
- If possible, choose team members who can work together. If that's not possible, it's your job to mentor the weakest member, and help him or her become a better team member. Ask for help from fellow team members. Assign stronger team members to be partners with weaker members and let more skilled teammates show you how to do the job.
- Always show a friendly attitude towards team members.
- A good leader is always light-hearted and will never leave anyone behind.
- Don't try to be too dominant. Remain friendly and respectful.
