How can I create leaders in my team?
Tips to build a team of leaders who are self-motivated and proactive
Being a leader can often be a lonely gig. More so when you feel like you’re the only one trying to pull everyone in the right direction to achieve the team’s goals and targets.
Feel like you’re the only decision maker on your team? Perhaps it’s time to rethink how you engage with your team and start empowering them to step up and become leaders!
Here are a few strategies to put you and your team on the right path:
Give your team autonomy
This is perhaps the golden rule for helping build all sorts of good things in your team, including ownership, trust, and leadership.
Floyd Rocha, the Managing Director of Virgin Mobile Canada, couldn’t agree more: “This is the first step in empowering employees to become leaders. While you should provide general directions on where to go, you have to trust that your team members can figure out how to get there. And you need to let them take their own route, even if it involves some off-roading.”
Involve the entire team
In most teams there will be one or two stand out candidates or high performers that leaders find themselves relying on the most. But there’s a flaw to this — you could be neglecting the potential of other team members.
According to Tracy Byham, CEO of global leadership company DDI, you risk more than unspent potential: “Your high-potential leaders may get burned out. Even the most talented people aren’t equipped to deal with every problem. Involving more people on the project can help you identify potential to produce better and more innovative results.”
Allow room for continuous learning
Leaders work best when they can make mistakes, learn from them, and improve for the better. This is the same case for your team. You have to give them the space to make mistakes and find learning opportunities. If you constantly micro-manage them and demand perfection, you are creating a environment of negativity and poor performers.
Give your team some breathing room and you’ll be surprised at the different ways they stand up and shine.
Here’s what top leaders are reading for inspiration.
Be open about what ‘leadership’ looks like
Leadership isn’t black and white — there’s a lot of grey too. There might be people on your team who don’t aspire to a leadership role, but who still hold a lot of influence among your team and are respected for the work they deliver.
Tracy says, “Everyone has the ability to lead to varying levels, which means it can be developed in your entire team. While not everyone may be destined for the C-suite, most people have the capability to lead specific projects or expand their role in some way.”
Steer away from labels when reviewing your team and make sure you’re picking up on their potential — not their weaknesses.
And lastly, make sure you communicate!
Part of giving your team autonomy is providing them with the tools to communicate proactively and effectively — without your delegation.
In my experience of working with and for Flock, it’s the perfect platform for developing cohesive, collaborative teams that take ownership over their individual and team goals.
And for most of us, ownership = leadership.
Inspired to build your team of leaders? Do share your experience in the comments below.
Authored by Kushal Saini Kakkar who believes that leaders aren’t born, although they can be created overnight. Also, a content marketing maven at Flock.
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