Leading Team

Communication skills are essential for success in almost any role, but there are particular skills and techniques that you will use more as a manager than you did as a regular worker. These fall under two headings:

☛ Communicating with team members

☛ Communicating with people outside your team

Teams are made up of individuals who have different outlooks and abilities, and are at different stages of their careers. Some may find that the tasks you have allocated to them are challenging, and they may need support. Others may be "old hands" at what they are doing, and may be looking for opportunities to stretch their skills. Either way, it is your responsibility to develop all of your people.

Another key duty you have as a manager is to motivate team members. There are two very different approaches to motivation, which depend on the fundamental assumptions that you make about the people who work for you. If you believe that they are intrinsically lazy, you believe in Theory X, while if you believe that most are happy and willing to work, you will tend towards Theory Y. Make sure that you fully understand these theories they will fundamentally affect your success in motivating people.

The top priority for team managers is delegation. No matter how skilled you are, there is only so much that you can achieve working on your own. With a team behind you, you can achieve so much more, that is why it is so important that you delegate effectively.

Successful delegation starts with matching people and tasks, so you first need to explain what your team's role and goals are.

Be a leader with the intention of letting the people around you showcase their abilities. Allow them to give advice and suggest ideas by posing questions that encourage interaction. Being a leader does not mean being a know it all, keep learning from your team.

In other words, be the facilitator. Be the one who sets up other people for success by getting them the ball in the right situation to score. Make your team's job easier by helping them understand their objectives and giving them a plan, then just let them work.

Give your team some credit and praise in front of others. Some people may find this uncomfortable, but I think that letting other people know how well your teammate is doing can really boost their self-confidence and help them maximize their performance.

There are two major aspects of this. You do not do all of the work, and you do not delegate all of the work. You simply lead by example and give others a standard to follow.

Sometimes people get irritated with one another. This is common when groups of people are working toward a goal together. As a leader, you need to have a plan of action in place that allows quick and effective resolution of any problems between team members.

When your team gets tripped up, do they know they can look to you for leadership in resolving the situation? Always be available to answer questions and solve problems. This will build team morale and loyalty.

Focus is important if you want to attain your goals. Having fun as a team can be good and can create team loyalty, but if you as a leader do not set mini-goals and drive the team to complete them, you will find yourself falling behind.

Leaders play a vital role on their teams. It is important to work alongside your team members and avoid "being the boss" and barking orders.

Communication is crucial to the success of your team. Meetings keep everyone up-to-date on the status of projects and any changes that may need to be implemented.

☛ Focus on results and productivity and not the time clock

☛ Align people with the stuff they are good at

☛ Align people with the projects they are passionate about

☛ Put your best performers on your biggest opportunities

☛ Find the balance between aggressive and realistic goals

☛ Trust your people -- and let them know it

☛ Avoid blame

☛ Foster innovation by killing projects the right way

☛ Don't provide all the answers -- make your employees think

☛ Build consensus by letting people know "why"

Let your team members know what is expected of them based on the scope of each project. This gives them a goal to reach, but also ensures they do not go beyond what is necessary and do not feel like they "wasted time."

Leadership is a process of social influence in which a person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.

A team comprises a group of people linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent sub tasks.

Your boss is probably the most important person you need to communicate with. Take time to understand fully what your boss wants from you and your team if you know exactly what she likes, and how he/she prefers this to be delivered, you will be better able to meet with his/her approval.

Do not be afraid to ask your boss to coach or mentor you. You can usually learn a lot from him, but he may not be proactive about offering this. If you are approaching your boss for advice, make sure you have thought things through as far as you can. Introduce the subject with a summary of your thinking, and then say where you need help.

Demonstrate to the team that you are invested in the success of the organization, the stated objectives of the team and the success of each individual in that order and before any self-serving objectives. You do this with sustained action over time, not with words.

Here are some tips for leading a small team effectively:

☛ Purpose of the team

☛ Define each project

☛ Be a team player

☛ Keep the team focused

☛ Simply lead

☛ Have regular team meetings

☛ Support your team

☛ Have a plan to resolve conflict

☛ Be the point guard

☛ Allow others to shine