Leading a team to success could be a challenge for anyone, regardless of whether they have previous leadership experience. Focus on the team as a whole, not neglecting any member of the team. It is also necessary to win the trust of your team by setting an example.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Addressing the Whole Team
Step 1. Set a goal
The whole team must work together to achieve the same goals. Propose a specific goal, on which the team can agree and actively commit to pursue it.
- Clearly state your team's performance metrics.
- Make sure your goals are interesting, yet achievable. If your expectations are too high, team morale will drop heavily.
- You will have to refer to the goals set for the entire life span of the team. When the latter has to make a decision, evaluate the various options, identifying those most in line with your final goal.
Step 2. Make a work plan
Work together with your team to define the steps to be taken to achieve the common goal. Make sure that these are described in clear and precise terms, so that all your collaborators are on the same wavelength.
Each phase of the project should be essential. Don't make a countertop crowded with unnecessary steps, just to make it longer
Step 3. Clarify doubts before they increase
Always stay in touch with your co-workers and never allow them to feel uncomfortable around you. Try to answer their questions before they arise.
- Update your teammates on any developments or changes. Leaving someone in the dark is a foolproof way to give rise to confusion and to reduce performance.
- The members of your team should have a precise idea of your way of thinking, making decisions and evaluating the performance of each one. They also need to know how you want them to work. If they didn't know all these aspects, they wouldn't be able to meet your expectations, even if they wanted to.
Step 4. Ask for their input
Your teammates need to see that you are ready to welcome their proposals and are excited that they participate actively.
If they have the impression of being listened to, they will most likely make a greater contribution to the final project. Make sure everyone has a chance to share their ideas and suggestions before taking an important step
Step 5. Consider the specificity of the team before making decisions
Each group has its own dynamic that differs from that of another team. Look at their patterns and habits before making decisions that affect the team as a whole.
- You should also consider the context in which the group must operate, regardless of whether it is an industry, an organization or a sports team.
- Only with this data in hand can you make the most relevant decisions. Immediate intervention can demonstrate your abilities as a leader, but if these actions worsen the situation, you will lose the trust of your team members.
Step 6. Make the final decision
While you should involve your team as much as possible in the decision-making process, ultimately, you are the leader. This means that you will ultimately have to make the final decision.
In addition to asserting your authority, there is a practical reason why you are required to make the final decision: you will certainly have a broader idea of what is achievable or not, based on the team's resources. Its members can imagine the various possibilities, but you have to rely on reality
Method 2 of 3: Motivate Team Members
Step 1. Treat each team member as an individual
Spend some time with each of them. Let them know that you don't see them as just anonymous elements of a larger whole.
Get in touch with each member as often as possible. At first you should try to test the waters at least once a day. Address problems of any nature
Step 2. At the beginning, identify the most important components
Pay attention to their natural behavior and how they cooperate. You will probably notice that some of them play a crucial and driving role within the group.
Evaluate behavior before skills. Teammates who wish to support the group's goals are probably the ones who put the most effort into it. Those who disagree still manage to work hard, but you should especially keep an eye on those who express their dissatisfaction to avoid any form of sabotage
Step 3. Note individual strengths
As a team leader, your job is to discover the contribution each team member can make to the group. Assign tasks based on each person's strengths.
Take note of the area of expertise of each component. You probably won't be leveraging these skills for ongoing projects, but if you need them later, you'll know where to look for them
Step 4. Divide the tasks
Authorize other members to play some minor leadership roles within the team when working on certain projects. As a leader, knowing when and how to share responsibilities is your primary responsibility.
- Entrust tasks on the basis of who will be most able to complete them in a timely and accurate manner.
- Set deadlines for specific tasks.
- Partner with the person you assigned the task to throughout the project. When needed, offer your support.
Step 5. Empower team members
When you assign a certain job to someone, you need to make sure they get it done, as they need to be aware of their responsibilities.
- It stimulates team members to assume their responsibilities from the very beginning, offering them all the tools they need to complete the assigned task.
- Performance analysis is also a good way to empower team members and make them aware of the extent to which they meet your expectations.
Step 6. Thank and reward team members appropriately
A little appreciation can go a long way. Those who do what is expected and those who do more than they should be thanked and rewarded.
- When available resources are limited, recognition of results or commitment could be quite an important reward. Print a certificate, write a thank you card, or offer a gift certificate.
- Make sure you are impartial. Try to recognize the significant contribution made by each team member, to avoid favoritism.
Step 7. Train your co-workers
As a leader you must lead, support and encourage the members of your team. Everyone should do their job, but you can and should teach teammates to learn the most effective ways to complete it.
You have to encourage and guide your teammates during difficult times, instead of blindly and passively cheering them with a detached attitude
Step 8. Promote creative thinking
To be an effective leader, you need to recognize when it is appropriate to allow others to think outside the box. Ingenuity is a valuable resource for solving problems.
A great way to get teammates to think creatively is to give them challenging tasks. Let them collaborate and compete with each other, regardless of your intervention
Method 3 of 3: Lead by example
Step 1. Commit on a personal level
Show your commitment by actively participating in the work in progress. Don't just manage the team remotely; join others and lead them from the front line.
- A professional ethics based on involvement is an important tool to demonstrate your commitment, but remember that sometimes you have to step back and lead from the sidelines.
- You will demonstrate your commitment simply by demonstrating your concern for the well-being of the team through your actions. Make the best decisions for your team at any time, no matter what kind of work you end up doing independently.
Step 2. Act as soon as possible
Encourage your team by solving major difficulties or other problems immediately. Acting promptly will demonstrate your seriousness as a leader and could encourage the rest of the team to do the same.
- If you take over an existing team, quickly identify a pre-existing problem and fix it as soon as possible.
- When you lead a team from the beginning of its formation, identify the warning signs of any problems and deal with them quickly.
Step 3. Show respect for respect
You may be the leader of the team, but if you want others to respect you, you will have to respect them in word and deed.
This is especially important if you have taken on the role of leader instead of someone else who is still on the team. Avoid criticizing his work directly and remedy past mistakes, without pointing out where they came from
Step 4. Pay no attention to popularity
Do your job properly and make the most consistent decisions, even if they are often unpopular. If you are too focused on trying to "play fair," you will demean your role as a leader, and the rest of the team may lose faith in you as a result.
