If you read leadership books you will quickly figure out the fact that there is a lot of focus that is put on management. This is not actually enough to be a really good leader. It is really important that you are patient and that you focus on your team members. One of the reasons why Charles Phillips role as president of Oracle was so successful and why the work he does at Infor is even better is the focus put on the team. If you understand the members of your team, there is a much higher possibility that you are going to be able to succeed and you will manage your entire team better.
The most common needs that your team members have include:
- Cohesion
It is very important that the team members feel safe, fairness and cohesion. Leaders will always create an environment that is safe. This is normally done by simply clarifying the roles in the group and why discussions take place. That is going to help the individual to feel valued, trusted and respected.
- Expressing Emotions
All your team members will need to be able to express emotions in an environment that is professional. We are naturally taught to suppress emotions. A true leader is going to always allow people to talk and express emotions. That is going to make the entire working environment more constructive.
- Creating Status
The best teams are those where a positive competition is created. Everyone loves recognition, independence and status. They are really strong motivators that lead to performance. A leader has to be able to make the people feel that they can succeed through KPIs, targets, goals and recognizing individual motivations and aspirations. Personal team members goals have to be aligned with team goals.
- Connection
Every individual will want to feel supported, connected and understood. Leaders always have to be sure that conversations are not one-way. They need to listen and put an emphasis on the individuals. If people are neglected, concerns will never be expressed. This can lead towards huge problems for the entire company.
- Progressing
Sometimes we see people that are a part of a team and that feel that things do not work towards the ultimate goal, even if this is incorrect. Every single leader that is successful is capable of measuring performance and can demonstrate progress.
- Presenting Vision At All Times
The last thing that we should highlight is that the best leaders are those that are going to present vision when the process is over, not just when it starts. Team members need to care about where the company is heading so this has to be expressed through showcasing vision.
It is really hard for any person to assess the needs that we highlighted above. However, this does not mean that it is not possible. You gain experience as you manage teams so be sure that you always focus on understanding the members. When you do this it is a certainty that good results are going to appear for the entire company.