As we talk about leadership, we should also talk about our teams. What are some of the things we need to consider when we talk about leading our team?
First, we always need to set clear goals for our team. Having well-defined goals is key not only for ourselves as a leader but also for our team. You need to have a vision and goals and if you don’t have those then how do you communicate to your team what you need them to do? You should make sure the vision and goals that you have also fit in the business plan and then you can help your team by having specific, measurable, attainable and relevant objectives.
Next we need to empower our team. As a leader, we empower by recognizing their achievements and affirming their value to the organization. Positive feedback will keep employees motivated. Delegating to our team also allows us to focus on our strengths and let’s them control their work. You may also find that by giving our team more responsibility they may be more productive along with giving them a morale boost.
As a good leader, we also need to be mindful of our “responses” to our employees. When we talk about being mindful in this area is by being tuned in to the reaction we get to our team’s suggestions, questions and concerns. Open communications is important as a leader and if we don’t have their trust they may not even make an effort to communicate with us. If they have a great suggestion, then implement it and if they don’t have a suggestion that will work make sure you communicate the reasoning behind it.
The final consideration to build a strong team is to know what is going on. This may come in several forms such as positioning ourselves as both a knowledgeable and credible guide for our team along with allowing us to anticipate changes, identify opportunities and make strategic choices.
The team will learn from us and use these skills to become better leaders for their own teams!
