Introduction

As the leader of a team you have the power to educate, inspire and encourage your team to achieve their full potential; you also have the authority to undermine, demotivate and demoralize – which style of leader would you prefer to report to?

Be the person you would like to be managed by, someone who brings out the best in you. Then observe how this fits in to the dynamics of your team and the individual preferences of team members.

Leadership comes in more than one flavour and the underlying beliefs, principles and practices of the team leader is paramount in achieving a high performing team.

Historically, there has been heated debate over whether leaders are born or made. It is becoming accepted that it might be a combination of the two. Whatever the final conclusion to this debate is, you can rest assured that leadership skills and qualities can be developed – although only if you are prepared to work hard at polishing rough edges and moving outside your comfort zone to engage in personal development for yourself – “lead by example”!

1. Vision

See the bigger picture how does your team fit into the strategy and vision of the business.

Know how things fit from the perspective of other teams within the business.

Be aware of your department strategy to inform future planning.

2. Suspend Judgement

Be open minded with challenges faced by your team members and to new ideas.

With your own agenda look for ways team members can use a collaborative effort to reach team performance goals.

See others perspectives when planning your workload and delegation.

3. Make Time

To get to know team members not just recognition of their face as you pass in the corridor.

To really listen to their requests and suggestions.

To receive feedback, particularly about things that are going not so well too.

4. Communication

Listening be aware of your listening habits, we all get into bad habits without realising it.

Body Language: being aware of it and how to read it is a skill that is rarely given consideration.

Questioning in the right way can empower team members and engage them more fully in the bigger corporate picture.

5. Patience

In skills development both that of the team leader as well as individual team members.

Variety of work pace, as well as learning at different paces, individuals also work at different paces.

When things go wrong do not look for a scape-goat.

6. Empowerment

Effective Delegation requires time, thought and planning.

Encouragement to grow team members who actively seek opportunities to expand their knowledge, skills and experience.

Handling mistakes … we’re human, right? As humans we don’t always make the right decision – mistakes provide us with an opportunity to learn.

7. Ownership

Of challenges every manager faces challenging situations in their role. Don’t shy away from taking responsibility for solutions.

Of the role rather than imposing your authority and ideas on the team, build a “work with” culture across the team.

Of the vision for the business as well as your team.

8. Recognition

For achievement don’t wait for congratulations to come from elsewhere to give your team members, or the team collectively, recognition for a job well done.

Of effort for things that are ongoing and perhaps have no final end date, don’t let opportunities slip by to give credit for effort being invested in tasks by your team.

Of potential: identify it; build on it and reward it.

Next Steps

Step Ahead are passionate about helping you to retain your talented individuals by enabling them to develop a wider range of skills. We deliver one to one support for your technically skilled talent to help them make a smooth transition from technician to inspirational managers of teams.

You will benefit from increased confidence and performance, reduced stress levels and absenteeism, reduced recruitment costs and higher productivity across teams led by those we support. Our services really do pay for themselves.

Don’t Miss Out

Each of the above points will be examined in more detail over the coming months in a series of monthly blogs that is aimed at helping you to establish a more inspiring leadership style for yourself. Please follow our blogs and share your comments and questions.