Blog Post

4 Key steps to leading and building a successful team

Communicate the right thing at the right time.

Be quick to praise. Give credit where it is due. Appreciate the work that others have done, be specific, immediate and honest - if you can’t praise the whole job then praise the part you can.

Give feedback. Always start with the positive aspects of performance. If things need to change, be specific, seek other’s opinions and encourage them to be part of the solution.

Encourage open communication. Solicit feedback on your behaviour as well as projects and procedures. Admit your own mistakes. Let others know that a mistake is all right if a lesson is learned, the team grows and the mistake is not repeated.

Criticise in private. Again be clear and specific, identify what was done wrong and its impact – agree how could it have been done differently and the potential benefits.

Never withhold information that you could share. Include your colleagues every step of the way when dealing with sensitive issues; preface your remarks with “this is confidential” or “initial ideas are...” or “the options being included are…” but keep the other members of your team informed.

Aline the team to the organisation

Define lines of authority. Outline for each team member the parameters of responsibility and communicate it to others. Respect and support the lines as established.

Concentrate on the organisation’s goals. Be aware of organisational plans and share them with your team to set group goals and prioritise accordingly.

Set performance standards. Ensure people know exactly where they stand – make your expectations known and set clear performance standards. This provides a focus for people to work towards and standards against which performance can be monitored.

Focus on the Task

Think of solutions. Encourage people to think independently, focusing on solutions rather than problems. This contributes to a creative environment and a sense of moving forward to achieve the possible rather than dwelling on negatives.

Assign complete tasks. The pride people get from following a project through from start to finish is immense. When delegating a task element rather than a complete project, present the total picture so people understood how their contribution fits into the whole.

Grow and Nurture

Don’t overprotect. Allow people to experience the consequences of their behaviors. People grow from their experiences, so show confidence in the abilities of others and constructively review decisions made when consequences are evident.

Provide growth opportunities. You can’t be promoted if you can’t be replaced. People in teams need to be cooperative not competitive and develop collectively.

Continually evaluate the team. An effective team never stops learning, practicing and improving their individual and collective performance. Even though things may become easier or comfortable, often expectations get higher so the best teams anticipate change and strive to do even better.

Give autonomy. Respect each person’s skills and give them as much autonomy as possible. Agree on the required outcome and, as there are always different ways to achieve a result, let people use the approach that suits them best and discuss its effectiveness later.

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