In theory, team leaders should plan, organize, coordinate and control. Their task is to inspire and motivate the employees. The team leader is the interface between superiors and other teams or departments in the company. All information and communication run through them. The task of the team leader is to be the contact person and to pass the information on to the relevant team members.
It starts with the
- composition of the team
- defining goals for the team and team members
- tracking of goals and achievement of goals and, if necessary, intervening if goals are at risk
- the organization of the cooperation in general
- the organization of meetings, whether it’s dailies, team meetings or lessons learned
- solving conflicts and crises
The team leader ensures that communication within the team runs smoothly and is very attentive when he discovers communication gaps or information islands.
He /she is also responsible for organizing meetings or dailies. Especially within teams, a good manager is also a good moderator. He ensures that meetings are not dominated by the two or three alpha animals and other employees are talked down.
If you are a team leader, your teammates need to be able to take your word for it – so don’t make promises that you may not be able to keep, don’t gloss over them, and keep your promises. A project is completed, but the relationship with the employees continues. Therefore, your primary focus should be on the stakeholders and relationships. Motivate your employees by showing that you stand up for the company’s values and are enthusiastic about the current project. You are the locomotive that pulls the team train: you determine how, how quickly and by which route you will get to your destination together. This also includes the coordination and organization of the framework conditions.
One of the best tools for developing yourself as a manager or team leader is to get continuous feedback on what you are doing as a manager. Namely from the people with whom a team leader has to cooperate. So especially from your own team members.
Every development takes time! Do your best and assume that your employees do the same. If you also manage to enjoy your task and convey this positive feeling, then you are on the right track.