Leading a team to success is one of the most rewarding experiences in the workplace, but as managers and HR professionals know, it comes with a unique set of challenges. Beyond handling daily tasks, running meetings, and setting KPIs, today’s team leaders must master the art of guiding a diverse group through a rapidly changing business landscape.
With so many responsibilities, what are the key areas to focus on? And how do you know you’re doing a good job?
Reflecting on your own experiences, you can likely remember both effective leadership styles and, regrettably, some less effective (or even downright terrible) ones. So what makes a good team leader in 2024?
What challenges do team leaders face in 2024?
Being a team leader has always had its challenges, but in the modern workplace, it has become even more complex. Some unique challenges of leading a team in 2024 include:
Managing hybrid teams
Managing a team that includes both remote and in-person members can be a challenging task. It’s essential to strike a balance between the different needs and working styles of each group to foster effective communication, collaboration, and overall team cohesion.
Some strategies for managing a hybrid team include making use of communication tools such as video conferencing, chat platforms, and project management software to keep all team members connected and informed, setting clear expectations around working hours, and encouraging team bonding through virtual activities to ensure everyone feels included, regardless of their physical location.
Adapting to Gen Z workers
It’s important to understand and accommodate the preferences, motivations, and working styles of all your workers, but when it comes to the newer generation, it might seem like you’re speaking another language.
Gen Z workers are known to highly value flexible work arrangements, such as remote work options and flexible work hours. Ensuring your team is able to maintain a healthy work-life balance is essential. As is prioritising employee well-being and providing mental health support. Gen Z workers also tend to be highly ambitious and value opportunities for career advancement, skill development, and continuous learning. So make sure you’re providing opportunities for career advancement to keep your Gen Z workers engaged and motivated.
Embracing technology
In 2024, staying up-to-date with the fast-paced advancements in technology is critical for businesses to remain competitive. To keep up with technology advancements as a team leader, it’s important to stay informed and adapt to the changing digital landscape.
Some actions you can take to stay abreast of technological change include investing in continuous learning and training to ensure your team is equipped with digital skills, embracing digital tools for team collaboration and communication, and fostering a culture of innovation within your team by encouraging creative thinking and experimentation with new technologies.
6 skills every team leader should master
There are many skills that make a great team leader, but these are a good place to start. Let us break it down for you into six key skill areas:
1. Clear communication
A good team leader must be a good communicator. This means they speak clearly about their ideas, but are also equally skilled in listening to members of their team. Listening and communicating effectively will help foster a collaborative environment and make sure everyone understands their role in the team.
2. Setting goals
As the leader, you must have a clear set of goals and a compelling vision that is communicated to the team. The leader must also provide everyone with the steps needed to achieve them.
3. Empathy
As Jacinda Ardern and today’s modern leaders have shown us, demonstrating empathy and care for the people you are representing is not a weakness, but a strength – one that helps to build trust. Possessing these qualities and characteristics also encourages positive sentiments among the team, and will make conflict resolution easier to navigate.
4. Decisiveness
Making informed decisions, and often doing so quickly, is a skill that a team leader in an organisation will have to use on a regular basis. Make sure you practice this – it will help you to feel empowered, and take pressure and doubts away from your team.
5. Honesty and integrity
The responsibility of a good team leader is to pave the way for the group. Leading with honesty and integrity strengthens the group’s trust, and also inspires confidence.
6. Motivating and inspiring
Perhaps one of the most challenging skills is being able to continuously be the driving force to engage and motivate the diverse members of your team, and inspire them. It’s essential to achieving team goals, yet one of the trickiest to master.
Now you know that a team leader requires this diverse set of skills. But mastering them is easier said than done! So how do you know you’re doing a good job?
What impact does being a good team leader have on the workplace?
Once you’ve identified and practiced key leadership skills, it’s important to recognise signs that show you’re using them effectively. Three signs to look for include:
Team morale and job satisfaction
Ask for feedback or regularly check in with your team to find out about their experiences. Are they feeling positive about the work? Do they understand the task and feel motivated to get things done? Positive feedback and high levels of engagement are strong indicators that you’re on the right track.
Reaching goals
Is your team working towards the goals and vision you’ve set out for them? Remember to fine tune the approach along the way. Being adaptable as a team leader is important, as is giving feedback and praise when KPIs are met.
Conflict resolution
If you’re able to handle conflicts constructively, tension will be resolved quickly and the members of your team will show their satisfaction. Effective leaders pay attention to issues and work to fix them quickly.
Being a good team leader in 2024 requires effective communication, setting clear goals and a compelling vision, and demonstrating empathy and decisiveness. A leader must also embody honesty and integrity while motivating and inspiring their team. By mastering these key areas, a team leader can guide their team towards success, create a positive work environment, and contribute to the business’s overall goals. The signs to look for that show you’re doing the job effectively in your project or organisation are high team morale, reaching goals, and resolving conflict constructively and quickly.
Become an effective leader with Herrmann
Whether you’re stepping into a leadership role for the first time or seeking to refine your skills, understanding these core responsibilities and strategies is crucial to becoming an effective and respected leader. Together with Herrmann, you will better understand and confidently embrace the role of a team leader, to achieve the leadership approach that will work best for you, with our free eBook on Inclusive Leadership – download now and get started today.
