Top Winning Strategies to Better Lead Your Teams

Being a leader of a team or an organization is not an easy job at all. Not only do you have to manage all of your underlings, but also make sure that they work with each other perfectly. Effective team building is an important part of being a great leader. 

A team has to be like a well-oiled machine, where all the parts work with each other in sync. The job of the leader of a team or an organization is to make sure that all the members are heard and all their ideas are taken into account. 

Whether someone is just taking over the leadership role of an already existing team or making a new one for a certain purpose, team management is very important when it comes to a leader’s roles. 

It is important to make sure that the best interest of the organization is kept and yet the members also do not feel overlooked or pressured. A team works best when its leader leads it well towards the common goal. 

If you are going to start a new leadership role in your job, then this article will provide you with some insight as to how you can manage your new team well without any hiccups. 

What Makes an Effective Team and Organization? 

While we all understand the importance of team building, let’s see how you can build effective teams. They are not made by adding the strengths of talented individuals together. They are built when all of the members’ strengths multiply with each other and make for a strong group.

Assembling talented people is only one part of the job. The harder part begins when you have to build an effective team or organization out of these people. 

All the members of a good team should have a single, shared vision that they believe in. And, all of them have to be motivated to bring that goal to life by working hard with each other and their leader. 

You also have to make sure that the group has an ideal size according to your goal. If there are too few people, then they will feel too pressured and their output quality will decrease. If the group has too many people, then they might get into quarrels and get distracted from the main goal. That is why, you need a team that has the perfect amount of members, each with a clear purpose. 

The team members should also communicate with each other and their leader well. There should be multiple lines of communication. It is also the job of the leader to see that there are no internal conflicts in the team as that can lead to problems in the long run. 

All the team members should also take part in the decision-making process. The team leader needs to take all the opinions into account before you choose the best course of action. Everyone should feel included in the decision-making process. 

Lastly, the members also have to take accountability for their actions. Since all of the members should have their role in the group, if someone makes a mistake in the process, he/she has to be held accountable so that he/she can improve in the future. 

Building a successful organization is not an easy task. Businesses and workplaces are changing. And that is why, you also need to make sure that your organization is at the top of its game at all times. 

Higher-ups making the decisions and employees blindly following their instructions are a thing of the past. In a successful organization now, you have to make sure you include your employees in the decision-making process of the company. If you have a lot of employees, then you might also make a plan and then ask for their opinion on it and make improvements later. 

Building trust is important as it drives employees to work harder for a company they trust. If you have the trust of your employees, then they will also respect you and the workplace. This will make advantageous improvements in the workplace. 

Encourage employees to be more collaborative and make sure that they are working together harmoniously. Some people want employees to compete with each other to bring better results but that may give rise to resentment amongst them. Instead, build teams and make sure your employees are working with each other to achieve the collective goal of your organization. 

When you are making changes and improvements, make them throughout the department. If you put your focus on one employee, others might become disheartened. Instead, identify the problems within a group and try to improve them. 

How to Build a Successful Team? 

Building a successful team is slightly different from running an organization. Because in a team, even if you are the leader, you are always working with your teammates closely. That is why, successful team building is a little bit more personal. Proper team building exercises help teams understand the strengths and weaknesses of each team member and how to work together to solve problems. 

You have to set the purpose and goals of your team from day one. Make sure everyone knows what they need to do and everyone feels included in the process of making that dream come true. You also have to delegate tasks amongst members according to their strengths properly. Working in a team requires effective teamwork where everyone can work towards a common goal for the team and the business. 

Secondly, as a leader, you should always reward hard work. If you can afford a financial bonus for them, then that will be the best. But if not, then make sure to show them your appreciation.

Compliment your teammates frequently and include the people who show great judgment in more serious decision-making processes in the future to boost their confidence. 

Make sure to respect all of the individual members of the group. Include all of them in the discussions and delegate important jobs amongst them. This will show them that you trust your team and in turn, they will trust you as well. 

Encourage your team members with positivity instead of negative criticism. Positivity brings out far greater results and more hard work than critiquing individuals.

Make sure to praise the ones who did a great job so that others will also be motivated to work better. This way, you can build a team where members trust each other and build each other up with positivity. 

And lastly, even though we have mentioned this before, make sure your team member communicate with each other. Not just as colleagues but also as friends. This will build a harmonious relationship within your team and they will be willing to help each other when the situation arises.

Also, make sure to open lines of communication with your teammates so that they can reach you when they are in need of assistance in serious matters. 

How to Lead Teams and Organizations? 

Being a successful leader is not at all easy. You have to manage a group of people and make sure they are working hard towards a shared goal through effective teamwork. You have to communicate with your team and also praise them for their hard work and dedication. 

To become a successful leader of a team or an organization, you have to get to know your teammates and employees. You have to influence them into achieving their goals as well as the organization’s objectives. For this, you have to know your team members and employees inside out and build an effective working camaraderie with them. 

Make sure you have time to lead your team and organization. It is not enough anymore to give orders to your team members and employees and get on with your day. You have to sit down and listen to their suggestions and brainstorm with them to come up with a plan. Team building exercises are a great way to do this. 

Sit down with your members often and listen to what they have to say. Be strict, but also friendly and helpful so that your employees and teammates will trust you. 

Leading is all about setting examples. If you want certain behavior from your employees or teammates, you have to be an example from which they can learn. They will willingly follow your lead when they respect you and see that you are working just as hard as them. 

Delegate the jobs. This is one of the most important tasks of a leader. You have to learn how to properly distribute the jobs amongst the departments of your organization or team members.

Play by their strengths and when they succeed, try to reward them. This will also motivate other members to work harder. 

How to Sustain Great Teams and Organizations? 

It is not only enough to build a great team or organization but you also have to sustain them in the long run. One of the first things to keep in mind while doing that is conflict resolution. If a conflict arises amongst your employees or co-workers, then make sure that it reaches a peaceful resolution.

You also have to include your team in the decision-making processes all the time. If they feel that their voices are being heard, they will come up with more creative ideas for the organization that will make it better. Do team-building exercises often so that they feel a sense of camaraderie with you and each other. And finally, always remind them of their goals as an organization so that they are motivated to achieve them with you. 

Leadership Skills Needed 

Now that we have talked about all the ways that you can build an effective team or organization, let us talk about the skills you will need as a leader to make all of these come true. These are some of the most important skills that a leader needs to have to lead a team or an organization towards its goal. 

1. Patience: You have to be patient with your teammates and employees. If you lose patience often, your frustration will affect them negatively. 
2. Listening Ability: As a leader, you must listen to your subordinates often. If in a meeting, ask them to come up with ideas or give feedback and take all of their opinions into account while making decisions. 
3. Positivity: We have talked about positive feedback, but to achieve that, you need to be a positive leader. Always look at the bright side and make sure that your team members never feel disheartened over small failures. 
4. Empathy: This is one of the most important qualities of a leader. You have to be empathetic so that your teammates can trust you with their problems and come to you for solutions. 
5. Team Building: Make sure to do team building exercises with your employees and subordinates. This way, they will learn to communicate with each other better when they face problems. Effective team management is a key aspect of being a great leader. 
6. Reliability: And lastly, you have to be reliable. Leading by example is possible when you are a leader that your teammates and employees can trust. If they can trust you to have their back, they will always have yours as well. 

How to Become a Better Leader? 

Becoming a leader is not something you can do in a day. You have to build these habits slowly. Even if you are not in a leading position now, treat your colleagues with empathy. Understand the principles of team management and team building, and how to work in collaborative work environments. 

You have to listen to your employees and subordinates carefully and always take their opinions into account. A great leader is one who always praises their teammates for their good efforts and helps them improve their work and efficiency when needed. If you want to run your own team or even your own business someday, then make sure to always treat your employees with respect and trust. 

If you want to build your leadership qualities to become a better leader for your team or organization, then Hero Vired’s Certificate Program in Strategic Management and Business Essentials can help you. Developed and delivered in collaboration with INSEAD, the #1 B-School in the world in 2021, this program provides insights into team management and leadership – and how you can become a great leader.