A project leader is objectively the most important part of any project team. Without a great, witty leader, the team is destined to fall apart and the project won’t produce the desired results. Even though the art of leading a team sounds “fun”, it’s a tricky job to handle; there’s a reason why the leader is the most important person. When a leader or manager makes a mistake, the entire team and the project might have to suffer the consequences. Now that you know why leaders have to be “almost” perfect, let’s see how you achieve that goal in reality.
Give breathing room to your team members
While pushing people towards achieving milestones on time is a great idea, you don’t have to stay on top of them at all times. With pressure from tight deadlines or the urge to prove their leadership’s worth, some leaders tend to micromanage their team and keep checking their progress again and again, without giving them any breathing room. Some even force their employees to work on weekends — which is not recommended at all. Such behavior will make your teammates fed up with you and they won’t stay motivated to work with you for long. Make sure you’re giving them personal space and enough breathing room. You might even allow them to take a break from the traditional office every now and then, and instead either work from home or co-working spaces, their choice. If your work is too hectic and you can’t manage all the responsibilities when it comes to training or managing your team members, you can always seek PEO services and hand them this responsibility.
Get your team to finish tasks on time
While forcing your teammates to be more productive isn’t right, giving them more freedom than you should isn’t recommended as well. Make sure you’re enforcing rules and regulations in a polite, but leader-y manner. You need to identify and take care of bad eggs from the team; then take necessary measures to take care of them and make sure tasks are being completed on time.
Work on your communication skills
Communication is arguably the most important soft skill that one can learn, and it’s even more important when we’re talking about leaders and project managers. Work on your communication skills and streamline the way you talk to your team, as well as your clients & stakeholders. Remember, you’re the bridge between your clients and the team. Be a good bridge and convey every important piece of information correctly.
Understand that not every employee is equally skilled
While empowering every teammate to learn more and be their best is a good thing, don’t try to milk unrealistic expectations from them. Keep in mind that every employee has their IQ level and skillset; you can’t expect to receive the same results from every team member. Understand and learn the specialties of each of your employees and set realistic expectations from them.
Develop problem-solving skills
While a great mind and problem-solving skills are considered to be God-gifted, you can also train your brain to improve them. Remember, when you’re assigned a new project, you’re also assigned a bunch of problems that you’ll need to solve throughout the project. A great leader will cater to the need of the hour and develop a problem-solving mindset to overcome any problem that crosses their way.
Equip your team with the right tools
A bad leader tries to save money by limiting the usage of productivity tools; while a great one makes the most out of such tools to benefit their teammates and move ahead. Skipping out on modern work tools is a no-go in today’s modern, fast-paced world. Make sure you have equipped your team with the right tools and pieces of software they need to perform at their peak productivity levels. Tools like remote access software, residential proxies, and big file transfer systems are crucial for productivity nowadays. Don’t lag behind in utilizing these tools.
Final word
A leader is essentially the most important person in a team. But this reputed position comes with a unique set of challenges and problems that leaders have to overcome. Being a leader isn’t easy, but there are ways you can work on your leadership skills and be a better version of yourself. By using the tips mentioned above, you can make sure you’re on the right track in leading your team to success.
