What makes a successful team leader & how to become one?

Effective leadership is crucial for the success of any team, however being a successful leader requires a level of management of your own strengths to inspire and empower your team to achieve excellence and apply their strengths to their role.

Therefore, diving into the characteristics of a good leader, required to build relationships when progressing within a business, ensures that your leadership style equates to being an authoritative role model for the rest of your team members.

What leadership qualities make a good leader?

Harnessing your leadership style within your management role will help to solve problems within the company with ease. When considering what makes a good leader there are several leadership skills that we, at Distinctions Coaching, believe should be developed in order to turn good leaders into exceptional leaders. The following list is what we consider to be important qualities that great leaders should possess in order to be better leaders striving for continuous improvement for both themselves and their teams.

Visionary leadership

One of the key distinctions of a successful team leader is the ability to envision a clear path forward for both team members and the organisation as a whole. A visionary leader is someone who can see beyond the immediate tasks and articulate a compelling vision for the team. This involves setting long-term goals, communicating a shared desire for the future of the company and allowing employees to see their importance in the team within the big picture of the organisation as a whole. As well as aligning team members towards a common purpose to point them in the right direction and allow them to develop as an individual within the team by cultivating the business environment.

Distinctions Coaching emphasises the importance of harnessing a visionary mindset, through coaching sessions, aspiring leaders can learn to develop a clear vision for their team and effectively communicate this vision to inspire and motivate their team members whilst practising the art of active listening to embrace new ideas conjured by the team, further motivating them to increase their engagement levels within the business.

Effective communication

Whether you are communicating with your senior or junior members of staff, good communication skills will have a drastic impact across the board. Therefore this needs to be implemented from the top down within your company’s hierarchical structure, making it the cornerstone of successful leadership. A team leader must be adept at conveying ideas, providing feedback, and fostering open dialogue within the team whilst also building trust and facilitating effective collaboration.

Communicating effectively within the organisation will have a direct impact on the work environment and aid in the creation of a team culture that faces challenges and overcomes them together, allowing good ideas to be put forward in a safe and non-judgmental environment. This increases self-confidence within the team’s work and aids with relationship building.

However, naturally within the workplace, some conflict will occur within the team, generally due to differing opinions surrounding the business. Navigating these circumstances can be challenging, as the Karpman drama triangle explains, which further highlights the importance of understanding the intricacies of effective communication.

Emotional intelligence

Leaders who are highly emotionally intelligent can understand and manage their emotions whilst empathising with the feelings of others. This skill is invaluable in building strong relationships within the team and resolving conflicts effectively, as mentioned above when discussing effective communication within a team environment..

Distinctions Coaching places a strong emphasis on emotional intelligence development; through personalised coaching sessions as leaders can enhance their self-awareness and learn to navigate complex emotional situations.

Tailored coaching using the Enneagram assessment tool allows you to expand your emotional intelligence by understanding more about yourself and your co-workers using a series of information provided for each personality type established within the Enneagram. It’s an incredibly powerful tool used at Distinctions Coaching throughout the coaching process to expand upon your leadership skill set and balance your own emotions when considering your business development.

Appreciation advocacy

Great leaders are not only adept at publicly expressing appreciation but excel in their ability to empower and uplift every member of their team. They go beyond simple acknowledgement by actively recognising, and highlighting, the unique skills that each individual brings to the business. This personalised approach not only celebrates individual efforts but also fosters a sense of significance and purpose, propelling them to continue their personal strive for achievement.

To inspire employees to consistently give their best, leaders should be consistently reassuring them that they are on the right path and that their hard work is genuinely valued and appreciated. This empowerment is crucial for promoting a culture where employees feel confident in their abilities and are motivated to contribute their best efforts to form the foundation of collective success for the organisation as a whole.

Empowering team members is not just about formal recognition programs; it also involves informal and spontaneous expressions of praise. Even a simple “well done” in a team meeting or a personalised note can be a powerful motivator, instilling a sense of confidence and pride over their work, within individuals.

Celebrating team achievements, regardless of their scale, encourages this behaviour from all team members and resonates throughout the workforce. Leaders should actively seek opportunities to acknowledge and commemorate successes, creating a culture where achievements are not just recognised but also serve as examples of what can be accomplished through collaboration and shared effort.

However, leaders must strike a balance when expressing praise to ensure it contributes to the empowerment of team members. Consistency is vital, but it should be coupled with sincerity and relevance. Frequent and generic praises may come across as insincere and, counterintuitively, demotivate team members. Leaders, therefore, need to be discerning in their acknowledgement, ensuring that praise is merited and aligns with the values and goals of the team. This deliberate approach to recognition not only celebrates achievements but also empowers every team member, creating a positive feedback loop that encourages ongoing commitment to the company.

Adaptability

In the ever changing landscape of modern society, adaptability is a key trait of successful leaders in order to navigate change and embrace uncertainty. As the struggle with the universal struggle with the pandemic taught us, having the ability to be adaptable to differing circumstances, both externally and internally that are affecting the order of business, requires a flexible mindset that is resilient and open to learning new ways of working. Therefore, our job at Distinctions coaching is to ensure that you, as a leader, are equipped with the appropriate tools to adapt accordingly.

Adaptability allows the development of your leadership skills to encompass the informed decision making process with ease when faced with dynamic situations and confidently lead your team through periods of transition with confidence.

Accountability and responsibility

Successful team leaders take ownership of their decisions and actions, holding themselves and their team members accountable for results and demonstrate responsibility across all areas of the business. This creates a culture of high performance and a shared commitment to achieving goals, motivating employees to collaborate and take pride in their accomplishments as well as their failures to promote a healthy, learning and developmental environment.

Distinctions Coaching emphasises the importance of accountability and responsibility. Coaches work with leaders to set clear expectations, establish metrics for success, and create a culture where accountability is a shared value.

How to become a successful team leader?

Becoming a successful team leader is a journey that requires continuous learning and growth. Distinctions Coaching offers a unique approach to leadership development, focusing on key qualities that set successful leaders apart. Whether it’s cultivating visionary leadership, developing emotional intelligence or fostering adaptability, Distinctions Coaching provides the tools and guidance needed to thrive in leadership roles.

Hiring an executive coach can be the linchpin of success when highlighting potential issues within your team or ironing out your business strategy. Investing in high-quality education when it comes to your own success can encourage you to enhance your own self-awareness capabilities to recognise harmful patterns by improving your emotional intelligence and therefore become an exceptional leader for your team to draw inspiration from.

To find out more about how you can take your leadership skills to the next level, get in touch with Joanna at Distinctions Coaching today.