Leading and Managing Teams

How does a manager acquire all the skills and knowledge required to facilitate all aspects of teamwork within an organisation?

A team could be described as a living organism which is constantly evolving. The evolution can be positive or negative. This is directly influenced by the person leading and managing the team and the environment.

An effective team relies on a leader who is able to facilitate the development of a positive culture within the team, develop challenging yet realistic team plans and be actively engaged in the management of the organisation.

Working at this level requires the ability to use a range of problem solving and decision making strategies within the often complex and diverse methods and procedures which support the framework of an organisation. This involves considerable discretion, discernment and good judgement.

The primary role of any manager is to support their team so that the team can be productive.

Support in this context may involve:

Facilitating team input into planning and decision making
Coaching and/or mentoring team members
Identifying the need for training and organising training
Clarifying expectations
Delegating tasks
Monitoring, observing, listening, giving feedback and advice
Ensuring the team has the resources to do the job
Liaising with other departments and senior management and being an advocate for the team
Dealing with problems that affect productivity
Promoting team harmony