Snagging a new Team Leader job can be really exciting – but don’t think it’s just about being the boss. This is actually an extremely complex role and one which requires you to keep a number of balls in the air at any given time. From troubleshooting issues to dealing with that one disruptive team member, you’ll have a lot on your plate and so, in this article, we’re sharing eight things you need to remember in your new Team Leader job.
How Do You Get Your Team Leadership Right?
1. Getting to know the team
Your first – and most important – priority is to get to know your team; and allow them to get to know you. There’s every chance that some – if not all – of the people you’re heading up have been with the company for a long time and this can mean that they have an automatic distrust for a newbie Team Leader who swoops in and has the nerve to take over. If you’ve never been in this position before, a team leader course can help you to navigate that tricky first meeting with your new team.
Those first couple of days are crucial when it comes to gaining the trust and respect of your team and so a friendly but professional tone is usually best. As well as meeting the team as a whole, it’s a good idea to schedule one-on-one meetings to get to know everybody better (and allow them to speak freely).
2. Your role and your goals
Having met your team, your next job is to get to grips with the goals of your department and how your responsibilities funnel into those goals. It may sound like stating the bleeding obvious but, making sure that you completely understand your contribution and how that should be implemented really does set the foundation for a connected and productive team. By doing this you can also then effectively explain to team members the ways in which their own roles contribute to the overall success of the business. Finally, this is vital for figuring out which tasks you can – and can’t – delegate to your team.
3. Relationships are the building blocks of your team
Your new team will almost certainly be made up of diverse individuals who all have their strengths, weaknesses, needs and quirks. It’s your job to get to know each and everyone so that you can then work to your team’s strengths. This is all about building relationships with your team members and, while you don’t want to come across as trying to be their new BFF, you do want to foster an environment of openness and trust. If you’re thinking that this sounds like a balancing act, you’d be right – but it’s one which will absolutely serve you well.
4. Keeping communication clear
Hot on the heels of building relationships is, of course, communication skills within the team, without which any team simply cannot function. It’s important to show that you are open to thoughts, suggestions and feedback and to make this part of the culture of your team. Good communication reduces errors, encourages creativity and helps your team to stay connected. You may want to start as you mean to go on and introduce weekly meetings or catch ups to make sure everybody stays focused (this is particularly important if some or all members of the team work a hybrid or remote model).
5. Set the tone right from the start
If you’re not used to being the one in charge it can sometimes be difficult to find the right level of assertiveness – but find it you must. It’s really important that you clearly communicate goals and objectives to your team as well as letting them know what is expected of them on a day to day basis. This is essential for establishing the right tone right from the beginning and warding off any initial disconnect. When it comes to your first few days as Team Leader, first impressions do very much count and so you really want to set out your expectations and lead with them going forward.
6. Become a role model instead of playing a role
Earlier in this article we mentioned delegation which is an integral part of your role and involves trusting team members with some of your tasks. It doesn’t, however, mean throwing an unreasonable amount of work onto other people so that you can focus on something more interesting. A great Team Leader isn’t scared to get stuck in and help out when necessary and this will very much be noticed by your team who will be looking to you for guidance and inspiration.
7. Cracking the confrontation code
Almost every workplace experiences tension between colleagues from time to time and when left unchecked this can quickly erode team morale. The uncomfortable truth is that the job of refereeing these spats will probably be yours if you want a harmonious workplace. To give yourself a head start, keep a close eye on interactions within the team to try to identify any possible problems. While this may not be something you look forward to, you might even feel like taking something linke an assertiveness course to help you solve disagreements quickly so that everyone can focus on the job in hand.
8. Encourage teamwork and collaboration
Players in a sports team are constantly communicating and working together to produce the right result – and the same should be encouraged in your workplace. Collaborating on a project is a fantastic way of getting those creative juices flowing and, this in turn, will reflect extremely well on you as the leader.
Leading Your Team On To Great Things
Managing a team can be extremely rewarding, but you need to make sure that you manage yourself, too! You need to get into the habit of constantly evaluating how you interact with your team as well as looking at their performance. This will keep the doors and windows of communication open. And of course it’s also a great idea to keep working on your soft skills such as empathy, relationship building and assertiveness to make sure that you’re the best Team Leader you can be.
Good luck in your role!