Running a large corporation or managing a part of it requires a lot of time, dedication and passion. It is a difficult task to be able to look after and upkeep a number of staff while considering your own needs and desires. This can include everything from staff holidays to encouraging development and growth within your team. Here are some ideas and good practices for successfully managing your team and being a good team leader.
Establish a hierarchy - As much as it is good to get along with everybody in your team and to treat them equally, when push comes to shove, your team need to know that you have the final say. Likewise, while everybody in the team holds an important role that is important to the operation of your business, it might help to establish a hierarchy and to clearly define who reports to who. This can be done through team meetings and discussion or by simply growing up a chart, but do be careful not to make anybody feel under-appreciated in the process.
Scheduling your time well - While part of your role as a team leader may also be to complete the same work as your team, organising and looking after people takes a lot of time and it will help you immensely to put aside some of your hours every day specifically for helping your crew. Make sure there is time for your staff to talk to you, to come to you with their problems and questions and for you to effectively play your role in either solving them or encouraging them to solve them independently. You may have to be the one working the hardest and longest, but by picking up the slack and driving forwards, you will also push your team forwards. Make sure there is time to hold team meetings, to hold individual meetings, and to carefully manage the people who are working for you.
Upkeep morale - Make sure everybody feels appreciated for the tole that they play in your business. Treat everybody with equal respect, even if they are new and still at the bottom of the ladder. Be very open and transparent with your communication and operations. Try your best not to criticise anybody, inside and outside of your team in other departments, as your staff will follow your example and this is likely to create internal problems for the business. Try to delegate some time to do something fun with your team every day. Generally try to be a good friend while maintaining your position at the top.
Be clear - When you designate work, do not be ambiguous with what is required and when it is required by. Be realistic with your expectations, but do enforce them. Be informed as well as decisive, and try to keep a confident exterior so that people trust you as procrastination can be seen as a sign of weakness. Trust your team to be decisive as well, and to follow your clear examples. Talk to your team to help you to make decisions, especially when the decisions impact the team directly, as their opinions and input can help immensely and to help them feel included.
Communicate regularly - As well as teaching and leading, you should be prepared to listen and to consider the views, opinions and input from everybody you are looking over. Being well informed about everything happening in your team will help you to run your business, and the best way to be informed is to talk to the people most involved - your team. Listen to their suggestions, guide them towards solutions but ultimately try to encourage them to reach the final epiphany individually which will help them to grow and develop, and help everybody to work together.
Have the knowledge - You can be an excellent leader, but not know what you are leading. Make sure you are informed about the business that you and everybody in your team is completing. Be prepared to answer questions about processes that you might not even be working yourself. If you don't know the answers, be prepared to admit this and know where you will be able to find the solutions.
Be positive - Your team will follow your example. Positivity is essential to quality and productivity, and upholding a positive exterior will reflect well on everybody in your team.