Undertaking a leadership role means taking on new responsibilities and setting an example for those around you. In many circumstances, being an effective leader is a challenge within anyone’s grasp. Whether you’re leading a small team, or managing a large group of people, you will be the one people look up to.
There are a few qualities and traits of great leaders that you can learn and practice. If you can master these, it will significantly increase your ability to manage successful projects. However, it is important to keep in mind that you may not master these abilities straight away. You are bound to make mistakes. However, if you stay true to yourself and keep working at it, you will be a better leader for it.
Adopting the following skills will help you establish whether or not you have what it takes to lead a team.
Critical self-assessment
Effective leaders know how to ask the tough questions. Not only of others but also of themselves. To be a good leader and to lead a team effectively, you must stop and ask yourself: “What do I like to do? What are my weaknesses? What are my strengths?”
By doing this, not only can you establish areas in which you may need improvement, but it also allows you to delegate to others who may succeed in fields you don’t. This will help your team to exist as a cohesive unit, working towards one common goal.
Project management skills
More and more organisations are constantly striving to deliver successful projects at a faster pace, while battling with the increasing complexity of the business environments. In order to lead a team through these challenges, you must have outstanding project management skills.
Effective project managers understand what goes on within the organisation, constantly working with their team to improve things for stakeholders, suppliers and other functional leaders. And while many are born with these skills, they are often taught best from an expert. Opportunities for adult learning or a Diploma of Project Management can help you to refine this speciality, honing in on how effective project management can increase productivity for the organisation as a whole.
Good intuition
There is no roadmap on how to effectively lead a team; sometimes you just have to follow your gut. In many circumstances, your decision as a leader will come with great risk – this is where your natural institution comes into play. We’re not talking about the guidance of members through everyday tasks, but the occurrence of an unexpected hiccup that may cause the ship to sink.
When an issue arises within the organisation, your team will look to you for direction. It will be predominantly up to you to make the tough decisions, steering your peers in whichever way you see fit. You must learn to trust yourself, this will in-turn create a culture of calmness and stability, where everyone feels as if they are in capable hands.
Organisational knowledge
Good leaders know their organisation inside and out and can set effective goals for their team. They understand the mission and vision of the company, as well as the goals their team is working towards.
Not only this, but an effective leader can take a step back to see the big picture, understanding how their team fits into it. Full knowledge of the ins and outs of your organisation will bring you one step closer to excellent leadership. Being well versed in this information will help you relay it to your team, which will in-turn create a unified vision that you are working towards.
Recognise achievements
As a leader, every employee will want to impress you. When they do a good job, it is important that they feel as if you have recognised this achievement. Unfortunately, few bosses do much in the way of rewarding employees for a job well done. Intrinsic motivation costs little to no money and is easy to implement, so give someone a pat on the back for a job well done. This will help to instil a higher sense of morale within your team, motivating others to work towards the feeling of satisfaction that comes with being acknowledged for hard work.