Top 10 ways to be a great team leader

Team leaders need a set of skills and abilities that not every manager or boss has.
Nevertheless, anyone can become a good team leader.

In this post we share 10 practical tips that will help you develop your team leadership skills while effectively leading your team at the same time.

How to be a great team leader? Top 10 tips to lead teams effectively

1. Collaborative creation

It is important to involve people in the process of creating and defining the business. Doing so will require you to spend time and at first you might feel you have less control over the situation.

Team leaders work hard side by side with their peers on the same goal. This way, they help them to learn more about the business and create an emotional connection with them, resulting in higher motivated workers.

2. Freedom and responsibility

Another top team leading practice is giving freedom to employees to define their schedule and choose their holidays. Each person is fully responsible for his/her functions and everyone knows that his/her job can affect other teammates’ jobs.

The freedom to choose their spare time makes people aware of when they are leaving a critical situation to a colleague or when they can actually take a break.

It is a solution of total trust between the company and its workers, and it also ensures that they confront the day with maximum energy, thereby increasing results.

3. Absolute financial transparency

There is no better way to engage people with the company’s goals than by being completely transparent about its financial results.

Although most team leaders do not feel comfortable sharing this information, it really helps increase the team’s connection with the company and helps them to understand the different challenges that they face as a whole.

Thanks to these actions, not only does motivation increase, but also the decision-making process is more efficient.

Think of the benefits that can come from your team’s knowledge of this information: you won’t be the only one who is motivated to improve the results.

4. Train the decision-making skills of your team

Though at first they can make mistakes, great team leaders allow people to take their own decisions on their job independently.

Remember, failure is always a new opportunity to learn, which means failure is positive in the long run.

The more you let your team make their own decisions and take responsibility for them, the easier it is to work independently and feel more involved in the day to day business.

5. Trust

People are not going to rely more on the company than the company relies on them. If you want them to trust you, you have to lead by example, even with the smallest details.

Confidence costs a lot to win, and only a single moment to lose. It is something that must be cultivated sincerely and day by day. Why don’t you start right now?

6. Always be positive

As a team leader, you must always show a positive attitude, not only for your own personal success, but also for the benefit of the rest.

A team leader’s attitude is perceived before his/her actions by the team. An attitude can be expressed without saying a word. Your body language should always convey positive feelings.

7. Proactive Contribution

People want to join a group or follow a cause that has a lasting impact over time. They need to feel that what they are doing is not a waste of effort or time, that they are helping to achieve something big.

Your team has to perceive value for what they are doing. Thus, motivation is given not through specific tasks, but through the desire to achieve a final result.

>> Related post: Related post: What is the employee experience?

8. Recognition

Every person needs credit for his/her personal achievement and appreciation for his/her contributions. Recognizing a job well done is another way to say thank you.

Personal achievements are motivating, even more if someone realizes and recognizes their value. Recognition is a very good way to give meaning to people’s jobs.

9. Clear and achievable expectations

Every person is fully motivated when he/she knows exactly what to do and knows that it can be done successfully. No one feels at ease with a task that is not clear or without an explicit objective.

Motivation is achieved when the objectives, expectations and responsibilities are well defined, clear and understandable.

When delegating responsibilities, great team leaders make sure they give enough authority and freedom to carry out the tasks successfully. People are much more motivated and work much better when they have control over their work and their time.

10. Good communication

An effective team leader clearly communicates with his/her team and is also a good listener. Pay attention to your workers’ non verbal communication and try to anticipate their pains and needs.

To connect emotionally with them it is important to reinforce your mutual trust, their commitment with the project and their motivation to achieve the company’s goals.

>> Related post: How to address difficult conversations with employees?

Conclusion

Although some people are born with a natural talent to lead, everyone can enhance their team leadership skills.

These 10 best practices can help you grow into an inspiring team leader and to connect emotionally with your teams.

It’s just a matter of willingness, effort and practice, and the reward of seeing your workers motivated and giving the best of themselves because they truly believe in you and in your business’ goal is priceless.