 |
| http://tracktrainingservices.co.uk |
Leading a new team can have its challenges, especially for a leader who has never been part of a team or have had to form one. I believe an effective leader, one who encourages employees to offer suggestions and be part of decision making should find it more easily to lead a team. It’s important for a leader to understand they are also a member of the team. The amount of leadership required is determined based on the type of team, i.e. a functional team requires more leadership than a self-directed team, (Daft, 2014, p. 294). There would be a shift in leadership style based on the type of team, a leader would need to utilize a different set of traits depending on the situation.
A leader needs to look at the team as a whole, as a working unit which is not the same as leading merely a group of employees. There are factors which can cause dysfunction in any team which the leader needs to be able to identify and prevent so the team will be able to work together, collaborate, and achieve set goals. Daft (2014, p. 298) list 5 reasons why a team can become dysfunctional.
•“Lack of trust”:
Leaders need to ensure open communication is active.
•“Fear of conflict”:
This is something which can hold any team back, it prevents “…constructive passionate debate”, (The HR Specialist, 2012). People can be affected by the something called Abilene paradox, these are who agree with everything, even if it contradicts what they have agreed upon with a different group of people, as they want to please others, (Daft, 2014, p. 182, para 5). Leaders need to be able to recognize this in order to prevent.
•“Lack of commitment”:
This can be an indication the team may consist of the wrong people, however, this may be a case where there is a lack of empowerment and motivation. Clear expectations and goals may also be missing. Team members need to know and understand what is expected of them.
•“Avoidance of accountability”:
Similar to commitment, empowerment and motivation can help to prevent this as well. Clear expectations need to be communicated and follow-up is imperative.
•“Inattention to results”:
This can involve team members who have their own agenda which differs from the group’s goals.
For smaller teams, leaders will need to rely more heavily on their communication and people skills to ensure the team remains effective.
References
•“Lack of trust”:
Leaders need to ensure open communication is active.
•“Fear of conflict”:
This is something which can hold any team back, it prevents “…constructive passionate debate”, (The HR Specialist, 2012). People can be affected by the something called Abilene paradox, these are who agree with everything, even if it contradicts what they have agreed upon with a different group of people, as they want to please others, (Daft, 2014, p. 182, para 5). Leaders need to be able to recognize this in order to prevent.
•“Lack of commitment”:
This can be an indication the team may consist of the wrong people, however, this may be a case where there is a lack of empowerment and motivation. Clear expectations and goals may also be missing. Team members need to know and understand what is expected of them.
•“Avoidance of accountability”:
Similar to commitment, empowerment and motivation can help to prevent this as well. Clear expectations need to be communicated and follow-up is imperative.
•“Inattention to results”:
This can involve team members who have their own agenda which differs from the group’s goals.
For smaller teams, leaders will need to rely more heavily on their communication and people skills to ensure the team remains effective.
References
Daft, R. L. (2014). The leadership experience (Sixth ed.). Australia: Cengage Learning
No comments:
Post a Comment