What makes a good team leader? Being a leader is not about your job title or years of experience. It’s a mentality. It’s also the way you work and carry yourself. A leader is also a coach, a decision maker, and a visionary.
The way leaders behave and treat employees on their teams directly impacts company culture, employee engagement, and a company’s ability to retain and attract talent.
Not everyone is a born leader; like any expertise, leadership skills can be learned and honed. It is essential to know that a leader's effectiveness is also dependent on the amount of influence and support you get from people in your team.
You should never assume that people you work with will automatically follow your lead and respect your decisions just because you are in a leadership role. Your immediate supervisor already has your back because they hired you. You need to win over your peers, direct reports, and the wider team members.
Whether stepping into a leadership position from an individual contributor role or looking to progress in your career, here are 11 qualities of a good team leader, characteristics, and traits you can adopt.
1. Acknowledge, appreciate, and give credit
Great leaders publicly express appreciation and acknowledge their team for their contributions. When you show appreciation for team members’ contributions and provide positive feedback, you help encourage a positive work environment.
To inspire employees to give their best, they need to know that they are on the right track and that their work will be valued and appreciated. Find ways to celebrate your team’s achievements, even through a simple “well done”.
Do it consistently and deliberately. Praises for minor reasons, and frequent praises can come across as insincere and even demotivate others.
Related: A culture of employee recognition contributes to retention
2. Active listening
After resigning in 1985, the late Steve Jobs said he returned to Apple as a humbled and better leader – and former Apple CEO John Scully credited much of this to his newfound ability to listen.
While setting ground rules or implementing new approaches to various work processes is essential, taking a step back and listening to your team is also highly crucial. A good leader must stay attuned to what is going on with their team and company to make informed decisions.
To be a great leader is to be a great communicator – and great communicators listen. Good leaders are proactive and intuitive listeners. To be an active listener, you must never interject or interrupt, always maintain eye contact, and use visual cues like nodding to show you genuinely listen. Employees want to feel listened to, not patronised or, even worse, ignored.
Related: How leaders can gain better engagement with their teams
3. Communicate effectively
Communicating clearly, concisely, and tactfully is a crucial leadership skill. Communication involves more than just listening attentively to others and responding appropriately.
It also includes sharing valuable information, asking intelligent questions, soliciting input and new ideas, clarifying misunderstandings, and being clear about what you want. The best leaders also communicate to inspire confidence, drive motivation and energise their employees.
Related: How to deal with difficult conversations at work
4. Show commitment
No one likes to work for a non-committed leader or in a non-committed team. Your commitment as a leader can help foster team spirit that will differentiate an outstanding team from a mediocre one. A committed leader is more likely to gain their team’s trust. Importantly, showing commitment keeps team morale high.
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5. Embrace failure
Failure is part of success, and good leaders don’t shy away from failure – they use it as an opportunity for growth. Whether it’s a personal setback or a challenge within your team, understanding moments of failure is helpful as it encourages your team to improve and innovate.
Encourage your team to embrace failure by publicly acknowledging your setbacks and sharing how you grew from every situation.
Related: 5 interview questions to ask to tell a great candidate from a good one
6. Invest in your team’s future
A clear career progression plan is essential to employees. Along with planning your direct reports’ career paths in the company, a good leader also creates leadership opportunities for their direct reports. Leaders need to invest in their team by rewarding good work with appreciation, respect and opportunities for growth.
Creating entry-level, low-risk leadership opportunities empowers team members and allows them to practise leadership without too much pressure. Challenge them with high expectations, encourage them to be creative, and show innovation. Communicate clear goals and deadlines to your team, and give them the autonomy and authority to decide how the work gets done.
These opportunities can be as simple as leading a meeting or team-building activities, which can help build vital confidence in your team. From these activities, they can also get feedback from you about their leadership capabilities.
Related: How to boost employee engagement – in the office or at home
7. Lead with empathy
Empathy is a complex skill to quantify. Being empathetic is to be able to see and understand situations from various viewpoints of employees of different seniority in the company, and comprehend the consequences of their decisions on everyone in the company. It also means that the leader can look beyond to inspire, encourage and strategies in ways that will motivate employees at all levels.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the role empathy plays in an organisation. It emphasised the importance of compassionate leadership and showed how building open and sincere relationships between managers and their reports directly impact workplace culture. Compassionate leadership creates a psychologically safe workplace where employees are not afraid to discuss difficult topics.
Related: Why should someone be led by you?
8. Demonstrate integrity
A leader with integrity draws on their values to guide their decisions, behaviour and dealings with others. They have clear convictions about what is right and wrong and are respected for being genuine, principled, ethical and consistent. They have a strong sense of character, keep their promises, and communicate openly, honestly and directly with others.
9. Act objectively
A successful team leader is an objective leader who can understand various points of an argument or discussion while reaching goal-oriented solutions. Objective leaders can also access external factors to reach fair decisions that sit well with the whole team. Team members will also know that decisions are fair and just rather than based on preferences or other factors.
Related: How to manage a remote team effectively
10. Lead by example
As a leader, the best way to build credibility and gain the respect of others is to set exemplary examples. Demonstrate the behaviour that you want people to follow. If you demand a lot from your team, you should also be willing to set high standards for yourself. Aligning your words and actions will help build trust and make your team more inclined to follow your example.
11. Share their vision
Having a strong company vision and effectively communicating that vision can help employee engagement remain high and drive the organisation forward. A leader with a vision clearly knows where they want to go, how to get there, and what success looks like.
Be sure to articulate your vision clearly and passionately, ensuring your team understands how their efforts contribute to higher-level goals. Working toward your vision with persistence, tenacity, and enthusiasm will inspire others to do the same.
Share your vision early and often, and set clear team goals that support this. If team members approach you for advice, give your input and don’t be afraid to make the hard decisions. The more decisive and transparent you are, the easier it is for employees to contribute to your vision.
FAQs: What makes a great leader?
What makes a good team leader?
A good team leader possesses a combination of qualities, such as effective communication skills, strong ethics, empathy, technical expertise, and the ability to inspire employees. They create a positive work environment, maintain team morale, and establish healthy working relationships with their team members.
How can I develop my leadership skills to become a successful team leader?
Developing leadership skills involves ongoing learning, self-awareness, and a growth mindset. You can improve by seeking formal training, learning from other team leaders, and continuously working on emotional intelligence, problem-solving, and organisational skills. Engaging in honest feedback and actively working on your weaknesses will also help you grow as a leader.
How can a team leader contribute to a positive work environment?
A team leader can contribute to a positive work environment by acknowledging and appreciating team members" contributions, demonstrating a positive attitude, providing clear direction, and creating open lines of communication. They should also ensure that team members feel supported and heard, which will lead to stronger relationships and employee engagement.
What is the role of a team leader in fostering team dynamics?
A team leader plays a crucial role in fostering team dynamics by understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each team member, delegating tasks effectively, and managing emerging conflicts. They should also promote collaboration and ensure that everyone is on the same page to accomplish the team"s goals.
How important are communication skills for team leadership?
Communication is one of the most essential team leadership skills, as it helps leaders convey their vision, provide feedback, and ensure that team members understand their roles and responsibilities. Good communication skills also enable leaders to listen actively, ask intelligent questions, and make informed decisions based on team members" input.
Can anyone become a good team leader?
While some people may have a natural aptitude for leadership, most leadership skills can be learned and honed over time. With a commitment to learning and an ongoing desire to improve, anyone can develop the qualities needed to become a good team leader.
How can a team leader lead by example?
A team leader can lead by example by demonstrating the behaviour they expect from their team members, aligning their words with their actions, and maintaining a high standard of ethics and professionalism. This approach helps build trust and credibility with the team and makes team members more inclined to follow the leaders' guidance.
What role does emotional intelligence play in effective team leadership?
Emotional intelligence is one of the most vital team leadership qualities, as it allows leaders to understand and manage their own emotions and those of their team members. This understanding helps leaders navigate complex team dynamics, make informed decisions, and build stronger relationships with their team members.
How does a team leader's technical expertise impact their ability to lead effectively?
While technical expertise is not the only factor that determines a leader's effectiveness, it does play a role in their ability to understand the tasks and challenges their team faces. A strong understanding of the relevant business processes and technical skills can help a team leader provide direction, make informed decisions, and better support their team members.
