"No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it." -Andrew Carnegie.
No one is born a leader; it takes a lot to become a good one. Leading a team, whether it’s 2 or more than 100 members, is never easy. Grouping individuals with unique personalities can frequently result in conflicts and misunderstandings, affecting the overall team's performance. Even a single person from the team can bring the team down. If you are a team leader, you are doing a job of responsibility and accountability.
Sometimes, being a team leader can be tiring to bring each member on the same page. However, you may motivate your team to achieve outstanding professional objectives with a bit of tact. It's one thing to get people on the same page, but it's another to get them to work together to achieve the common objectives of the team. A team is always recognized for the results in the IT industry. And results can be evaluated based on productivity and efficiency.
Efficiency is a performance level specifying a process employing the fewest inputs to produce the most outstanding possible outputs. However, the average measurement of manufacturing efficiency is productivity, and the ratio of outputs to factors used in the production line can be used to describe it. No matter how effective your team is, there are always methods to improve it and reach new heights in terms of efficiency and productivity.
In this article, the most practical ways have been explained that you can use as a leader.
1. Set and track realistic goals
"When you set a goal, your brain opens up a task list." -Mel Robbins
Setting goals is considered the first step to get success. It is applicable everywhere, not just on any team. We all need goals to keep our eyes on. As a team leader, you must take a step back and consider the precise project you intend your team to concentrate on. Establish important objectives and take into account your team's ability to carry them out. To track the team's progress, ensure you have well-defined procedures and consider HR workflow software.
A team leader's major mistake is setting goals without proper research. Such huge goals to be accomplished within a short duration can demotivate team members. Remember to keep the goals realistic in the interim. Even promptly, a single massive project could be too much to handle. To simplify, you can divide the big task into small activities. It is a universal fact that we do more minor activities more efficiently than huge ones. You will find this way as it gives measurable progress and inspires team members to work toward the end goal.
2. Know your team and distribute tasks democratically
"A team is more than a collection of people. It is a process of give and take." -Barbara Glacel
The distribution of tasks is another big challenge in front of team leaders. You can start by knowing your team members. If the team is small, this is easy. In the case of a large team, you can conduct surveys to understand their potential, passion, and other essential features. You should continuously distribute the tasks accordingly. To ensure high productivity, you can assign work according to its importance and deadline. As an IT team leader, you must simultaneously help them comprehend the caliber of the work you require. Then, be sure to clarify what outcome you are aiming for. Finally, let them work as freely as possible by removing all obstacles in their path.
3. Give constructive feedback
"We all need people who will give us feedback. That's how we improve." -Bill Gates
If an employee doesn't recognize their inefficiency, there is no chance of improving it. Here comes the role of a good team leader; they tell members their scope of improvement. For this reason, giving and receiving constructive criticism is crucial to improving team productivity. After offering someone comments, inquire about what you can do to help them improve. Maybe they would prefer a little more guidance on specific tasks or somewhat more creative freedom. Encouraging open communication makes it easier for partnerships to form in the future.
Employees work best when motivated to work—most often a financial one. They want their efforts to be acknowledged, so they demand more from their bosses than just a "virtual pat on the back." Many businesses use incentive programs to keep employees motivated. If a member is financially satisfied with whatever he is getting from the company, he will work with more passion. According to a recent survey, 85% of employees felt more motivated to perform better when they got rewarded.
4. Meetings are a better alternative for high productivity.
The IT managers or team leaders who often organize meetings are good, so their team will be. A meeting opens the scope for the exchange of knowledge and information. A goal-oriented plan for a productive meeting be created, the proper people should be engaged, and discussions should conclude with concrete resolutions. Never be afraid to attempt anything new.
As an illustration, hold a standing or strolling meeting. Your health will improve, even if there isn't an instant gain in team output. Currently, most IT companies have shifted towards remote working schemes, and virtual meetings can be organized in this case.
5. Focus on a wholesome workplace
"People are more productive working at home than people would have expected. Some people thought that everything was just going to fall apart, and it hasn't." –Mark Zuckerberg
Every individual or team member executes at their highest level when given the flexibility to accomplish tasks in their own way. Most employees lose interest when their managers or employers micromanage them, making members feel like robots. Give them a detailed explanation of their job duties and your expectations. Get out of their way so they can work independently.
Be personable at the same time so that members of your team won't hesitate to ask questions when they have them. A team leader should always show complete faith in the members, encouraging people to perform to the best of their skills by boosting their self-confidence. Infrastructure and work conditions are critical factors in increasing team productivity and efficiency. According to the latest report, the workplace's physical environment significantly impacts how people feel, think, and perform.
As a result, many businesses are careful while designing the interiors of their offices. They include natural elements like plants and flowers, bright lighting, cozy furniture arrangements, and bright lighting. Along with the physical surroundings, the office environment impacts team productivity. An organization's total production and efficiency can negatively impact a domineering leader, patronizing workers, and office politics.
6. Enhance productivity by communicating effectively
"Start with good people, lay out the rules, communicate with your employees, motivate them and reward them. If you do all those things effectively, you can't miss." -Lee Iacocca
Acquiring a standard communication system is one of the keys to functioning more effectively. Nearly half of US workers prefer to contact their colleagues online, which increases productivity, which lends weight to this concept. A team messenger is the best form of communication for your business. Depending on its requirements, each team can determine the optimal solution. Your team's universe will be the only place you won't get side-tracked by conversations with family or friends.
7. Bring your team members under one roof
"It is interdependence that creates strength, not isolation." - Kambiz Mostofizadeh
Without a central location to manage tasks, teamwork may become disorganized and confusing. Similarly, collaboration software is crucial if your coworkers operate remotely or in several workplaces. The issue is that it's simple to get confused about where all the project information is, who is carrying out the duties, how far along they are, and how much work is still to be done.
Your staff won't be drawn into lengthy meetings and emails if you have a real-time planning tool available from anywhere. You can organize all the activities in one simple-to-manage, web-based application with the help of applications such as Zoho or HRMS portal.
8. Evaluate everything
“Evaluation is creation.” -Friedrich Nietzsche
You cannot enhance anything if you cannot measure it. So, pay attention to the metrics that are important to your team. Quality check is one of the critical job responsibilities of a team leader. It would be best if you kept in mind that enhancing internal communication has lasting benefits. However, you should be aware of the midway results as a manager.
If you're unhappy with them, try using different team communication improvement strategies. If you see a favorable trend, scale back your efforts otherwise. Productivity never happens by chance, and it needs time and genuine interest. You must never stop monitoring your business's workflow to increase your team's productivity.
9. Be a leader who creates leaders
"Leaders don't create followers, they create more leaders." -Tom Peters
A team leader takes another member with him; in doing so, he creates future leaders. You can help your team members grow. You can make employees feel responsible for the results of their work. Or, you can involve them in planning and decision-making. It would help if you always support employee self-regulation and initiative.
10. Always stay unbiased
Ethics are required everywhere. As a team leader, you are supposed to take decisions neutrally. There are good chances that one member is working with you for a long time; you might feel like favoring him, which can ruin your reputation. A team leader is for all; keep this in mind.
The Final Say
For a team to be effective, team members must be gathered and united. To make your teams as productive as possible, you need a well-balanced mixture of different ingredients.
In general, there isn't just one approach to enable your teams to become more effective; instead, you may build the basis of a productive atmosphere through tiny, regular activities. If you give your employees ongoing assistance, feedback, and encouragement, your productivity will soar.
