How to lead a new Team?

Hello Readers...!!

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Let's be back on the topic. Whether you are fortunate enough to get a team in your own organisation, these tips are still helpful for you. If you have got a new team in a new organisation then these would be more helpful for you.

1. Listen to your team

The day you get a new team, your duty is to understand what are their powers and pain points; because you have to manage both. Their powers are your power now and you should know their pain points too as those are the things which you can solve to get everyone to trust your leadership abilities.

To figure these out you have to go on one-on-one meetings with everyone, which is feasible for a small team of 4-7 people but what to do when you have got a team of more than 30 people. Don't worry I have covered that too for you -

Go on one-on-one meeting with your DRs( Direct Reportees) and after these few discussions, you would have got a rough picture of the problems and powers. Now next task is either

A) float an anonymous survey to all the team members with an option to put their names.

B) Bring everyone on common meeting and let everyone fill this form there in meeting. (Little boring option though)

You will get the fair idea and never miss to meet the person who has revealed their identity because they are the bolder and honest one; who will always tell you the ground truth.

2. Establish Trust and Transparency

Be open and honest with your team by sharing your strengths, what they can learn from you or how you can help them plus set the clear picture "what you are hoping to achieve in next month, quarter and an year, share the plan with them". The sooner you will share this plan the faster you are on your path to success.

Trust is a two-way street, show them that you trust their abilities and they will learn to trust your leadership.

3. Engage with your Team

Whether via off-sites or having a normal coffee break with the team members now and then; focus to get to know them beyond their work and KPIs. The more you will understand a person as a human you will understand their strengths, weaknesses and aspirations. This will help you to effective delegation and create a better sense of belonging. Remember sailing in the direction of river's flow is easier than opposite, your task is to figure out the flow and bringing everyone in same direction with least resistance possible.

4. Promote Open Communication

Set this as a ritual, frequent 1-on-1s with team, where you will set up clear expectations and share clear feedback. Your duty is to create a safe space for everyone to share their ideas, concerns and feedback. If you love to code, you can create regular meetings with team where you can share your knowledge with everyone and tell anyone do the same.

5. Review ongoing Programs/Projects

This is something very important and you should not feel ashamed of asking all the reports which were generated before you have joined the team on this role or taken charge. Read them carefully and modify the process if anything needs to be modified. All ongoing programs are now yours and if there is something wrong you should correct it. That is a part of owning the team.

6. Be Flexible and Adaptable

Be prepared to change your strategies and plans based on highly changing circumstances. Remain open for new ideas and feedback. Everyone in your team brings diversified experiences and there is no harm in learning from anyone in your team.

7. Celebrate Milestones and Achievements

Keep noting the progress of individuals and team that will help you to recognising the individual's or team's achievement, big or small. Never miss to celebrate them because that is the fuel of motivation in team. I have seen in various teams that celebrating milestones and rewarding achievements keep team's motivation high.

8. Last but not the least

If anything good happens that is because of the person who worked on it or does well and when anything wrong happen it is because of you, as you are the head who is heading the team. If you could not foresee something that is your fault, not of those whom you have delegated. It doesn't mean you should not tell them their mistakes but remember in front of your seniors it's your mistake and you should not put that blame on your subordinates.

Own everything!

Closing this article with positive hopes that you will become a great leader and lead the projects and team with love and care.

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