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“A title or promotion does not make anyone a leader. Leadership emerges from the character, qualities, and capacities of the individual. Make no mistake about it, authentic leadership is personal.”
George Bradt

The transition from team member to new team leader is both exciting and challenging for many people. Here are 7 useful tips to help people who are either undergoing this transition or are in roles such as managers, mentors or coaches assisting others to become new team leaders. Having trained thousands of people moving into leadership roles the Frontline Management Institute has  identified these steps as being what our clients tell us are the most important actions to carry out to achieve success. In our experience they apply at all levels of leadership.

1. Be clear on what you want to achieve as a new team leader

This first step is to take time out to clarify exactly what you want to achieve. What are the most important priorities for you and your team. This stage must not be rushed over when people start leading a new team. It is far too easy to plunge into action without first clarifying what you want to achieve. Developing a set of goals for the team is like developing a “strategic intent” for an organisation: it gives you a clear direction to head in. The goals should be quantifiable and have set times for achievement so you can measure progress is on track. Often you will have clear guidelines as to what you are expected to achieve but sometimes it is not so clear. Document team goals in writing, have them agreed by whoever you report to and then make sure the team have copies of the goals to refer to.

2. Identify the strengths and capabilities of team members and yourself as a leader

As a team leader you will succeed or fail not just through your own actions but through the actions of the whole team. You need to understand and evaluate the strengths, weaknesses of team members. This will enable you to delegate tasks appropriately and to identify any development that needs to be given to team members. You also need to identify your own strengths and weaknesses so you can develop your own leadership capabilities. Sometimes you need to take a fast learning curve when moving into a leadership role.

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3. Focus on improving and lifting the game

To be a successful team leader keep your focus on how to improve team performance and consistently lift the game. Identify what standards you want to achieve and plan how to meet or exceed these standards. This may in some cases also involve changing the culture of the team – culture being “how we do things around here”.

4. Plan actions over a period of time

Once you are clear what you want to achieve set up a timeline for an appropriate period – say three to twelve months – so you have a clear schedule of what you want to achieve by when. Use some basic planning tools to record the flow of what you want to achieve and the schedule you want to meet.

5. Communicate clearly to the team in stages

One temptation for new team leaders is to communicate all your plans to the team at once. Avoid information overload by not giving all the details in one go. Plan the communication so you give a broad picture of what you want the team to achieve first and gradually fill in the details later as you go along. Be aware there may be resistance to change. Listen carefully to feedback from the team and other stakeholders. Plan your communication. Think before you speak!

6. Focus on performance rather than personalities

As a team leader your focus must be on performance. Don’t get waylaid by focusing on personalities in the team. This can sometimes be a difficult transition if you’ve been promoted from inside the team and know them well. By keeping your focus on the end goals and performance you can avoid being caught up in the day to day personality clashes. Sometimes leading a team can be lonely so it helps to have a mentor and to network with others in similar leadership positions to yours.

7. Measure your progress as a new team leader

Finally it’s important to measure your progress towards your goals as you progress. This enables you to identify what’s working and what’s not working. It also means you can identify where you need to take corrective action. Set weekly or monthly reviews where you review what you have achieved. At the end of a project or having reached a goal it’s useful to meet with colleagues and run a “Lessons Learned” session to review what has been learned and what can be applied from this learning to future similar projects.

A final reminder is to celebrate your successes as a new team leader! May you have many of them.

The Frontline Management Institute provides corporate training and individual coaching in leadership and management. If you would like further details please contact the Frontline Management Institute at fmi@fmi-au.com or phone +61 2 9660 0199. We can help you analyse development needs in your organisation, contact us for a free initial consultation.