4 Things Your Team Needs from You
Chances are, you are a leader at work. Whether you have direct reports or not, in some way, shape or form, you have to demonstrate leadership qualities.
And if you are a leader, there are two facts about you. You have followers, and you are busy.
How do you do your own job well, keep your sanity, and still develop a team? Focus on giving your team what they need, and you’ll find yourself becoming more productive too. Here are four things your team needs from you:
Clear expectations
Your team members can’t read your mind. You may have a certain goal in place, but have you ever shared it with your team? Even more, have you shared the expected behaviors you want to see practiced on a regular basis?
A listening ear
Not only will you learn a lot by actively listening to your team members (whether in direct conversations or while observing and interacting “walking around”) your team will feel that you care. Show them you are willing to consider things from their point of view.
How do you do your own job well, keep your sanity, and still develop a team? Focus on giving your team what they need, and you’ll find yourself becoming more productive too.
Time
Your team needs time, over time, to learn how you like things to be done. Don’t expect them to adhere to all your preferences, especially not right away. Warning: find a balance between being specific about your preferences, and being unyielding or fussy.
Space
Micromanaging doesn’t help anyone. It takes up too much of YOUR time and makes your team feel hampered in decision-making. While trust is earned over time, decide what small tasks you can release little-by-little to team members, giving them autonomy with decisions. Then back off and let them run with the ball, being ready to guide when necessary. Also, don’t insist on hanging around your team constantly. There is great value of course in spending time with them, but not to the point where they don’t feel they can bond with each other without you hovering.
Give your team what they need, and very likely, you’ll get a lot of what you need, too.
CAREER ADVICE
GOV TALK
