What is a team leader? A team leader is a figurehead responsible for mentoring, motivating, delegating, and understanding the skills and limits of people, following them by displaying qualities that are transparent, quick, and effective in the growth of the company.

Five Tips For New Team Leaders

Above all is a rough overview of what a team leader is supposed to be. Now we have the following tips which can help you gain clarity into your situation as a new team leader. These tips are:

• Observant

As a new team leader, you should be more observant of the people around you and the work they do. The urge to jump in and take the reins of the said company is always there, but to lead effectively, this urge must be replaced with curiosity. Be curious; step away from the spotlight and camouflage into the background. Observe your employees. Watch them as they tackle obstacles. See how they choose to perform. Don’t judge; just open your eyes and broaden your mind. 

• Attentive

The next tip is to be attentive. How would you achieve this? By listening to your employees instead of answering all of their questions. Look into their behaviors, see what ticks them off, what makes them happy. What the aspirations of all the people are, and what do they expect from working at their designated position. Arrange one-on-one meetings with every employee. Be communicative, curious, and genuine to know more about them. 

• Delegating

Now delegating is an important task. But you can only do it accurately if you’re aware of the above two. Once you have the proper know-how of your employees, only then can you delegate properly.  For instance, if a person can make a great sales representative but they are stuck with some accounting-related work, they are bound to fail. Find your employees’ strengths, give tasks accordingly and remember, it’s all about teamwork. So don’t overburden or head in to do it yourself. Successful businessmen and leaders like Moez Kassam always delegate rather than handle everything themselves. If you want to be recognized as a capable leader, then lead and manage your team properly.

• Mentor

Be a mentor to your employees. That means if they come to you with a problem or issue, help them accordingly. See how you can offer your valuable opinion. If you too feel stuck, then start a brainstorming session. Allow everyone to pitch in. Don’t become a coach and start screaming. Become a guide, a helper, look for solutions, see how you can manage it and how you can convince your employees to effectively solve it. 

Apart from this, if you find yourself in a situation as a leader, then find a mentor for yourself too. It could be someone out of work, and it could be someone from work. A second opinion always does wonders. So be sure to get one yourself from time to time.

• Lead By Example

Every single leader once was an employee. And every single employee has always had two cents about their current leader. Remember your days as an employee, how you wanted your leader to act, convince, communicate, and finally lead. Incorporate all those in yourself. Similarly, do whatever you expect of your employees. For instance, you want them to take their time seriously, do the same first. Be on time, be constructive, and hardworking. Or, if you want them to be honest, start by being honest about your expectations and goals yourself. In other words, don’t just preach; ACT and stimulate the growth you want to achieve around you. Leaders like Moez Kassam of Anson Funds Toronto and Bill Gates didn’t reach the place they are by simply talking. They did and now look where they are.

Conclusion

Being appointed as the new team leader can be a daunting yet relishing change in your life. Sometimes, you’d want to swing your head at the wall; other times, you’d like to jump in the air and go hurrah! With the above points, you will not only become aware of yourself, but you will also develop a great rapport with your employees. In the end, you’ll formulate a team based on loyalty and hard work, which will help you achieve the growth you need for your company.