5 Rules to Successful Team Leadership

I was setting up the conference room for the meeting with my new project team. I was nervous but determined. It was my first time as project manager, over an important project, spanning over eight months nonetheless. But I was confident I was going to do a good job, because I had done my preparations well.

However, I hadn’t led a team before and it was the first big responsibility in my career. My previous experiences with leadership mostly consisted of taking charge in school projects. And then, I did most of the work myself. Different work ethics and grade objectives made me not trust my teammates to do a good enough job.

As a control freak, how would I perform as a project manager? Where delegation is a necessity for project success.

I knew I couldn’t lead my project team like I had led my school projects. Therefore, I went into that meeting with a plan.

After the meeting, the client manager, who was senior to me, said she felt safe. She was confident the project would be a success with me as the manager.

And the project was a success. Of course, I made some mistakes but I learned from them. As I think back to my first project, and all the projects I’ve managed since, there are several guiding principles I’ve lived by.

Whether you’re a project manager or a small business owner these guidelines will help you manage your team.

The 5 guiding principles that made me a successful team leader are:  

1. Clarity; be clear and precise. Structure and organize the project thoroughly. I value making it clear to everyone in the team what their tasks and responsibilities are. It leaves no room for misinterpretations or conflicts.
2. Engagement; be a positive force. I always bring positive energy to every situation and try to excite my team.
3. Trust; trust your team and they will trust you. Build trust by listening and validating your team members. I also put trust in my team. Trust that they are good people who want to do a good job.
4. Guide; don’t rule. Give your team room and responsibility to explore their tasks on their own. But always provide thorough guidelines and be there to guide them when they are unsure of what to do.
5. Empathy; listen to the individuals in your team. Empathize with them and show them you care. Communication is key to understanding each other and that starts with empathy.

With these five principles as your foundation, you will lead your project team, your employees, and your business to success.