If you run a business or have had to manage a project, you will know how hard it is to get a team onboard to ensure results are delivered.
Often, no matter how much we want our teams and our businesses to succeed, we're bogged down by ineffective communication, legacy issues or water under the bridge, and a clash of styles.
The first step to lead a team effectively is that you must establish your own leadership. The most effective team leaders build their relationships on trust and loyalty, rather than fear or power.
Here are some ideas that have been useful for me over the years of managing teams.
You must consider each employee's idea as valuable. As much as you may have heard that idea before, you need to remember that there is no such thing as a silly or useless idea. Be acutely aware of an employee's unspoken feelings. You can set an example for your team by being open with employees, yet remaining sensitive to their moods and feelings.
The role of a leader is like a "chairperson." You have to act as a harmonising influence for your team. Your team will look to you to mediate and resolve disputes. And, at each opportunity when you intercede, you must stay focused on the team's higher goals.
Your personal communication must clear, concise, and courteous at all times. There is nothing more confusing for an employee than having to deal with a leader who offers no clarity, makes constant U-turns, and is muddled up in themselves. Be careful to clarify.
Trust is the cornerstone for collaborative work in your team. Ensure that you are constantly creating and developing a conducive eco-system in your workspace, and amongst your team members, for trust to be established. The relationships team members create among themselves are important. As the team begins to take shape, pay close attention to the ways in which team members work together, and take steps to improve communication, cooperation, trust, and respect in those relationships.
Sharing of information and transparency is another facet that you must encourage. You must be open and you must inspire team members to speak freely in a safe environment that you provide and preside over. Highlight the importance of everyone's contribution, and show how all of their jobs operate together to get results.
Delegate problem-solving tasks to the team. Let the team work on creative solutions together. Many leaders try to "control and command." This does not facilitate the growth of creativity within your team.
Smoothen interpersonal communication within the team. Remember that communication is the single most important factor in successful teamwork, and it is not about countless meetings. Instead, it is about remaining open to suggestions and concerns, by asking questions and offering help, and by doing everything you can to avoid confusion in your own communication modalities.
You will need to set up the core values and goals for your team. Good teamwork starts when everyone can easily remain on "the same page" especially when times are uncertain or if business conditions get tough.
This also helps you and your team to evaluate individual performance. The values and goals you establish form the benchmark against which both you and your employee can judge progress. Regular sessions where you talk with, and offer support to your employees regarding the progress that they are making towards the agreed goals, is vital.
It will give your team members a sense of both of their success and of the challenges that lie ahead.
You must have regular dialogue sessions with your team. Questions should be centred on what you collectively care about in the job, what "success" means for the team, and what actions you can take continuously towards the values and goals you have set up.
In your communication modalities, make sure that you have a clear idea of what you need to accomplish, and that you know what your standards for success are going to be. Also, be clear about time lines, and that your team members truly understand their responsibilities.
Many teams start well but don't sustain because no one agrees on "ground rules." Set up the rules of engagement in your team. These are the norms that you and the team agree on to ensure efficiency and success. They can be simple directives like being on time for meetings or general guidelines like everyone has a right to give suggestions. But you should make sure that the team commits to these rules, both as a group and as individuals.
Learning what makes a good team helps you create a more respectful and aligned workplace where everyone collaborates toward common goals. Remember, a great leader supports a team, but every member plays a role in creating a better work environment.
