Being a leader of your own team is a great honor and a great responsibility. When you act alone and make your own decisions, that’s one thing; however, when you are a leader of a team, you have to encourage everyone to work hard and work as a part of your team. Even if you are a great leader by nature, this still can be challenging at first, especially when you have no idea where to start.
That’s why today I want to offer you some advice that hopefully will help you to lead your team right to success.
1. Encourage team members to voice their opinions
It might seem obvious, but in reality, not all team members are willing to speak their honest opinions. Actually, it is understandable: not all people react to honesty and criticism well (even if this can make them better). Moreover, not all leaders are willing to listen to others’ opinions.
However, if your team experiences the same situation, this means you’re missing many good opportunities. Your team members can offer brilliant ideas, notice the slightest flaws and help improve your work greatly – but in order to do so, they need to understand that they are wanted to be heard. It’s up to you to help your team with that. Encourage them, provoke discussions, accept criticism, help them get their point across and so on.
2. Teach them to cooperate, not to compete
While in some cases competition can inspire growth, it can also lead to its destruction. Not all people are capable of switching from competition to cooperation when necessary, not to mention that it can be hard for many to compromise with their competitors.
That’s why your goal is to deliver the message that while individual growth is important, you are here working as a team and so you have to act accordingly. Moreover, be sure to praise them for joint success, not for their own one, and try to come up with various team building activities that will help the members of your team get to know each other better.
3. Don’t forget to praise your team
A good leader always lets their team know that they are appreciated and their skills are valued. You might be surprised by how much the praise actually matters, some people even leave their companies simply because they don’t feel valued enough. Don’t create such atmosphere among the members of your team: try to always find things that you can praise them for. However, be sure not to overdo it. Approval is important, but it doesn’t mean that you have to turn a blind eye to your team’s mistakes: after all, they won’t grow professionally if you do so.
4. Encourage team members to grow
Of course, every person is responsible for their own personal growth, but it’s up to you to ensure that your team will grow professionally and personally together. It’s hard to stay aside when everyone else around you works hard to improve their skills and gain more knowledge, so your goal is to create such surroundings.
To do so, feel free to recommend various learning materials, events, etc. and encourage others to do the same. You can even organize a certain learning event by yourself: for example, spend the last work hour every Friday to discuss some things that inspired you and taught you something new, share your experience, etc.
And, of course, you have to really care for your team if you want to become a good leader. If you are really motivated to make your team the best of the best, you have to be a person they trust. Listen to them, praise them, inspire them – and you’ll be surprised how great your team will become.
I wish you good luck with that and hope that you’ll become a great leader!
Alice Jones is a tutor and freelance writer for https://breezewriting.com/, who is interested in education, blogging and sharing her ideas. She also loves inspiring and motivating people and has spent the last 5 years improving and helping the others to improve. Follow Alice on Twitter, Google+, or find her in other social media, pop in there and say “Hi” to her!