Leaders can be hard to come by; they possess an exceptional blend of charisma, vision and character traits that encourage people to follow them. The skill in leading a team is as simple as relating to people and interacting with them with care. You could know everything in the book about managing a team, but if they don’t feel like they can relate to you or come to you with their problems, there is a chance they won’t want to follow you.
A successful leader can encourage people to follow them, without even meaning to. A lot of the time, a leader can be found naturally within a company because it will be noticeable who is guiding others and who colleagues go to with questions and problems. In this article, we take a look at how you can become the best leader you can be and how you can effectively lead your team to success.
Set Goals
There are many theories out there regarding goals, such as the SMART theory. According to this theory, there are five principles goals have to be:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Time-specific
Setting clear goals can make it far easier for you and your team to understand what you are trying to achieve and what you are working towards. Furthermore, you should set goals that are challenging, yet achievable as this will help to keep the team engaged and stimulated.
Getting your team involved in setting the targets can also contribute to you being a successful leader. Allowing them to set their own goals, as well as have a say in the overall end goal, can give them a sense of commitment and empowerment.
You should always take time to provide your team with feedback; this not only displays that you care about their success, but it also helps guide them in the correct direction.
The best way to ensure you do this successfully is to set up a timetable that allows you to take time out of your day or week to sit down with each member of the team and discuss how everything is going. Furthermore, in these meetings, you should check to see how they are feeling; are they stressed? Are they feeling overworked? Are they worried about not knowing enough?
If they feel like they need extra training to ensure they can put out the best work, then offer them this. Coaching and mentoring with more experienced members of the team is an excellent way of building the team and keeping it on track to achieve the set objectives.
Create A Fun and Enjoyable Environment
We all know that working can be mundane and a little mind-numbing at times, so it is crucial that as a leader, you keep your team’s spirit high and encourage them to have fun while working.
It has been scientifically proven that employees perform better when they are relaxed and having a good time. Pressing deadlines and challenging tasks can bring morale down, so as a leader, you should try to keep the environment fun while still working efficiently.
Communication is vital at times like this, along with discussing the successes and celebrating when something goes well. Little gestures like this can help to keep team morale high. Have you ever considered offering incentives?
Don’t Underestimate the Power of Emotions
Whilst it is essential to lead your team to success by teaching them and managing them effectively, it is also essential to remember they are people and have emotions.
For example, if they are grieving, the quality of their work could likely be slower than usual. It is vital that at times like this, you support and encourage them, but also be there for them. Your team should feel like they can come to you and explain what they are going through or why they feel like they do.
Encourage Individual Talents
One of the best ways to lead a team is to recognise individuals’ talents and consider how they can support the end goal.
Furthermore, it is essential to know when you should step aside as a leader and appreciate that there may be others who can complete the task at a higher standard and more effectively.
Praise and Appreciate Your Team
Praise and appreciation can often be overlooked and forgotten about, however; these are two significant factors of leading a team to success.
For example, if your team has worked overtime to meet a pressing deadline, ensure you show appreciation for the effort they have put in and praise them for their hard work. While it may seem like a very small detail, a simple “well done” can go a long way.
Whether you already lead a team and would like to improve, or you are looking to become a leader, we hope that you have found our advice useful.
If you would like to start a new business venture and lead a team of your own, why not consider a franchise? You could buy a coffee shop franchise with us here at Esquires Coffee!
As the UK’s fastest-growing ethical coffee franchise, we can offer our franchisee’s training, support and many other benefits.
About the author - Jack Anderson
Jack has been working in the franchise sector for over 12 years and is our in-house guru on all things business! Jack is also a keen hiker and can be found in some of the UK's best walking spots on the weekends.
