October 20, 2014
A good team builder is someone who is able to evaluate the skills of those around him. He then displays an aura of confidence that motivates them to utilize their varied skills to the mutual benefit of the team. A good builder guides, inspires and mentors their team members effortlessly, efficiently, effectively and with effervescence. There is always a lot of confidence, peace, goodwill, enjoyment, productivity and happiness around these great people. However, good leaders are hard to find, but when good qualities are spotted to emerge through a team building exercise, then those qualities need to be nurtured and put to work for the success of the team and the company.
Many people often think that leadership skills are inherently bred into someone. No doubt you will hear people utter the phrase “he is a born leader.” However, this is not the case. It is true there are people whose personalities lend more to possessing leadership qualities, but management skills are actually leaned. These skills are usually a combination of education or training, one’s character, and the desire to be an effective team builder.
A Good Leader Has a Vision
A good team builder must have a vision. A visionary leader has a vivid, clear picture of what he is doing, where to go, as well as a firm understanding of what success looks like and how to achieve it. However, having vision alone is not enough. A good leader must be willing to share his vision with other team players, and act upon it. According to Jack Welch, former Chairman and CEO of General Electric Co., “A good team leader creates a vision, articulates the vision, passionately owns the vision, clearly communicates/share the vision, and relentlessly drives it to completion.”
Honesty And Ethical Behavior Are Key
Whatever ethical plane one holds himself to, a responsible team leader must be able to raise the bar higher and higher. The organization and the employees are often a reflection of team leaders, and by making honest decisions and showing ethical behavior, the team will also follow suit. A good leader must learn to promote healthy inter-office lifestyle, and encourages the team to adhere to such standards. When he emphasizes and displays these standards himself, he will strongly influence the office environment into a helpful and friendly workplace.
Ability to Delegate
Any leader who wants to create an organized and efficient team must first be able to finesse his brand vision. However, if a leader fails to trust other team players with this vision, he’ll never progress to the next stage. Trusting your team members with your idea is always a sign of strength, not weakness. The ability to delegate is often considered one of the most valuable skills one can develop. With time, tasks and emails will start piling up. The more a leader stretches himself thin, the poorer the quality of his work will become, and the lower he will produce.
Efficient Communication
Good and successful team builders communicate clearly and efficiently, both verbally and through written communication. The skill to communicate effectively allows leaders to present quality expectations to his team members in a way they can easily understand. However, communication is not a one-way affair; the leader must also be able to listen carefully to, and encourage ideas and input of other team players. In the process, a leader must accept criticism. In fact, a good leader must have a thick skin and not to take criticism personally. Furthermore, as long as a criticism is constructive, it should be welcome as it will help improve your leadership and management styles.
As a manager, it is not easy to maintain all the good qualities, and at times, you may falter. This is why working with an executive coach is very essential to helping you learn how to maneuver through hard and tempting situations.