I want to show you that a great team is helped to become great by the leadership style of the Team Leader.
Leadership ‘style’ is almost as varied as personality. However, there are 3 types of leadership traits that are absolutely essential to the success of a team. If these aren’t present ‘team’ will be dis-functional.
1. Consultative Leadership – it should be the default behaviour of a team leader to consult with his or her team. Although decisive in outcome a team leader is not primarily directive in nature. The level of involvement of the team in idea generation and decision making should grow as time goes on and trust and cohesion is built. Begin consulting on the ‘easy give-aways’ before you involve on the tough decisions. This leader will delegate, involve and consult.
Note to a team member – your ability to read the team agenda and not primarily promote your own agenda will make you a valued member to be in the consultative process.
2. Coaching Leadership – where there is good delegation there also needs to be coaching. Coaching is the process you go through that empowers the delegated team member. You tell, you show and they do. You feedback, talk through and so there is active participation in team development. To delegate and not coach is to ‘dump’.
Note to a team member – your ability to allow yourself to be coached is essential to the success of the team and your on-going development path.
3. Directive Leadership – because outcome is what outsiders see as the result of good leadership then its easy to think the leader has been decisively directional in style to get there. Therefore a big mistake of many new team leaders is to adopt a very directional style of leadership as a norm. Directional leadership should not need to be used all the time. This will not produce a mature team. However, a team leader needs to be able to bring direction and there is a time for he or she to simply make the decision. There are moments where the leader needs to break into the collaboration and make the final decision and there are times where collaboration is just not appropriate. In the early stages of forming a team directional style of leadership will certainly be needed on tougher decisions until the team is robust enough to be involved.
Note to a team member – be understanding in circumstances where a decision seems to made for you rather than with you, let the leader lead.
I’m believing with you today that you grow in your productivity and success as a leader and team member.
Think about joining The Challenge and grow your leadership.