MONDAY MORNING LEADERSHIP TIP #185
5 Simple Ways to be an Effective Team Leader |
Leading a team is not the same as being the boss. While you may be both, the skills required for each are different. Consider the tips below to inspire loyalty, harmony and hard work among your team:
 1. Train Your Team Members. Few things are more discouraging to your team than to have one or more members who are ill-trained for their roles and responsibilities, and the others continually overcompensate for them.
- Explain the steps of the job.
- Demonstrate how you want it done.
- Observe team members and provide feedback.
- Ask the team member if he/she needs help.
- Don't assume!
2. Provide Resources Needed. A job can only be done to the highest degree of quality when the appropriate tools are accessible.
- Access what's needed in a timely manner, and make it available.
- Ask what your team members need that they may not have.
- Connect your team members with other people or teams who have needed skills.
- Help your team problem-solve when they need resources that are not accessible.
3. Facilitate Team Meetings. Communication is the key to overall team effectiveness.
- Keep meetings organized, timely and relevant.
- Encourage open communication, questions, and ideas without fear of recrimination.
- Allow team members to help with decision-making.
- Control team members who sabotage effective process.
 4. Manage Conflict. Address issues before they happen, or when they are small. Leaders too often avoid conflict instead of using it to the advantage of the team.
- Identify the sources and causes. Is it a specific person or persons? A system that is not working? Communication breakdown?
- Discuss conflict openly. Invite the conversation. Put it on the agenda when it needs to be discussed with the whole team.
- Support those involved to work out problems between each other, identify common ground for solutions.
5. Develop Leadership Behaviors. Your team will rise only as high as your expectations and your role-modeling allow.
- Model the behavior you want to see from your team.
- Trust your team members, and intentionally engage in trust-building activities within the team.
- Treat all team members equitably and with respect. Equitably doesn't mean 'the same' - they are each individual people, with differences. But don't play favorites.
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LEADERSHIP TRAINING |
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Would you like to learn more about leadership topics such as this one?
 Leadership training opportunities are offered in many ways to meet your organization's specific needs and budget. Take a look at our different training approaches, including these On-Demand traning courses:
- Supervisor 101
- Bringing Out the Best in You and Others
- Managing Staff in Stressful Times: Celebrations and Challenges of Leading Multiple Generations
- Dealing With Difficult People
- Creating a Culture of Customer Service Excellence
- The Healthy Leader: Learning to Lead Yourself
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| ABOUT TERESA |
 Teresa Gilbert is founder of Pathways to Excellence, LLC, a company devoted to inspring excellence in others, empowering them to rise to their potential and "unleash the leader within"! She is also a Consultant, Leadership Coach, and author. If you liked today's issue, you'll love Teresa's dynamic coaching and training in the form of on-demand training, on-site presentations and one-on-one consulting. See more about Teresa and Pathways programs here. Teresa Gilbert, "Live Your Leadership Mentor" Pathways to Excellence, LLC teresa@teresagilbert.com Phone: 618-521-1917 | Fax: 618-223-5181 |
Last weekend I managed to spend the evening and part of the night at the emergency room -- where I was the patient! Not one of my favorite activities....nor yours, I'm sure! 
