What does it take to be a leader?
The key to being a leader – a good leader – is effective communication.
First off, it is essential to know exactly the role you play in a team or a project. All relationships are defined in dynamics of power distribution, which is based on what each part of the whole – a team – can bring to the table.
It is not necessary for a team member to have an authoritative role, but it is essential to play one’s part well.
Performing good quality work is part of that. Another part is to perform only one’s own work. Taking on too much work or other people’s work is a sure way to burnout and set team dynamics into a spiral. It is also just as dangerous to continually underperform, leaving others to pick up the slack. Team fatigue is certain to set in and the negative emotions left brewing due to a lack of fair work distribution are certain to create or exacerbate a negative work environment. Repeated offences will over time create a negative work culture which may be that much more difficult to resolve.
A leader must have a clear objective, a set of goals to meet the objective, and the know-how to reach that objective.
The soft skills required are of firm communication. The team leader must be able to listen well and communicate their ideas in return, thus building on the conversation. They need to keep things moving in a positive direction and know when to ebb and when to flow.
Understanding the needs and workflows of other team members will help the project leader build a well functioning team.
Someone in a supportive role should understand the former as well, however it is not essential. Performing work well and to deadline with plenty of communication in between is often enough.
Regardless of the role played in a team environment, diplomacy is paramount. Any relationship conflict whether at work or socially is rooted in a hurt feeling. Thus communicating ideas in a positive, warm, and diplomatic manner creates a positive work environment.
And if there is a concern, an open door policy along with a non-judgmental attitude helps resolve potential conflicts before they occur.
Lastly, it is also important to communicate ideas clearly. In order to achieve clarity one must ask the right questions, have well though responses (backed up by research), and plenty of patience.
By:
✘
𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮,
𝓐𝓙☙
