5 things I can do to improve as a team leader.

After reading the article: “The five practices of exemplary leadership” by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner which was written more than 10 years ago in 2003.  This really sets me thinking, how applicable the practices are and at the same time really admire their foresight on how the new leaders do to lead the new team that’s evolving now in the workplace.

In summary, the 5 practices are:

1.    Model the Way

 Leaders must have beliefs they stand up for; and must be clear about their guiding principles.  However they cannot impose their values on others and expect commitment.  Then the leaders need to align actions with what they believe in.  In short: Walking the Talk.

 

 2.    Inspire a Shared Vision

 Leaders have the ability to be forward looking.  They are driven by their clear image of possibility and what the organisation can become.  They cannot force commitment, thus they have to inspire, transferring ‘my’ vision to ‘our’ vision.

 

 3.    Challenge the Process

 Leaders accept challenges.  Leaders challenge the process by searching for opportunities, by experimenting, taking risks and learning from mistakes.  They do fear failures; they get up and start all over again.

 

4.    Enable Others to Act

 A leader cannot do things alone.  In a leader’s speech, ‘I’ is very seldom used, ‘we’ is used more often.  Leaders create trusting climate, involving every team member and making them feel important.  Make the team members feel capable.

 

5.    Encourage the Heart

 A lot times, team members may become frustrated, disenchanted and exhausted.  Leaders encourage by recognizing contributions and celebrating values and victories.  Genuine acts of caring uplift spirits and draw people together.  Let team members know: “we’re all in this together”.

 

Drawing from the insights of the article, there are 5 things I can do to improve as a team leader:

1:  Model the Way

I will exemplify behaviours and characteristics that will encourage team members.  I will model the qualities that I would like to see in the team members.  If I want team members to be punctual, I will have to be punctual at all times.

In my last workplace, I have a manager who wanted all her subordinates to follow the 1 hour lunch rule.  However she frequently takes more than 1 hour, sometimes 2 hour lunch break.  When we asked her why, she replied that it’s because she’s the boss.  So, it becomes hard for her to manage the team, and the turnover rate is high.

2: Inspire a Shared Vision

I believe that every person can make a difference in the workplace.  Sometimes we are so caught up with getting results that we lose sight of our vision.  I will reflect back on my past, how I have arrived at where I am now.  Using my past experiences, when they bring desired result, I will share with the team members, making the vision attainable and letting them see the possibilities in the future.

In one of my last company in the financial futures brokering industry, the CEO was a very inspiring leader.  Through a number of company’s meetings, he will highlight to us how important excellent customer service is.  He had this vision of the company in the top 3 in the industry; in terms of volume, number of customers and also the top company that any customer will want to be associated with.  His passion and enthusiasm really inspired all of us to work towards that goal.

3: Challenge the Process

I will look for ways to innovate and improve the process if I find them outdated and cumbersome.  I will take risk, even though knowing that I may face mistakes and failures.  I will accept the mistakes, taking them as learning opportunities.

In the last company I mentioned above, a VVIP client was very unhappy with our procedure of sending confirmation of trades done at the end of day, around 5 pm.  This is too late for them to do reconciliation (the client is a French company based in Tokyo).   They were threatening to close the account with us.  As a manager, I took the challenge, decided to send confirmation from the floor; instead of relying on the settlements department (which everyone else in the industry is doing).  This worked wonders, the client stopped complaining, and soon competitors in the industry heard of this and followed suit.

4: Enable Others to Act

I will involve team members more.  As we have shared vision, team members and I will collaborate and let them know they have a stake in achieving the vision.  Good relationships are built on mutual trust and confidence.

In the last company where I worked as a Project Lead, in charge of 3 call centres, I empowered everyone to have a say in what and how training should be done.  I will train on customer service, inform them of the company’s code of conduct and the client’s house rules and expectations.  Then I will let team lead train on the daily operations.  The call centre agents can call me to suggest and feedback on what is lacking or required.

5: Encourage the Heart

I will always remind myself to be caring towards the team members.  A simple gesture often work wonders.  I will also encourage them to take an active role in contributing ideas and plans.  When they present their ideas and plans, I will show appreciation.

The last company where I worked as a Project Lead, all 3 call centres were at different locations.  As the company never organise any team building activities, feedback from the call centre agents that they have only heard names of other call centres, but have never seen them.  So following suggestion from a team member, I decided to have a dinner get-together. It was a success, the members felt appreciated and new relationship were established.  The best part of this, no one has to pay for the dinner, the company decided to foot the bill.  Because of this act, staff felt appreciated.