Yes, you can, if you are self motivated and an inspiring leader. You can, because you love what you are doing and you are doing what you want to do. Somewhere along the way you made a decision. You managed the “things” within your control; and got to know yourself, your dreams, and desires. You paid the price to make your dreams a reality by mastering self-discipline and personal leadership. Now you are in a position to inspire others to be results oriented and self-motivated during these trying times.

As you know, this is not the case with some team leaders. Many team leaders are not in control of their own lives. They are not motivated or inspiring or more importantly, results oriented. They may not be aware of the importance of said qualities in a leader. It is virtually impossible to give to others, if you don’t have it to give.

If you are this type of team leaders, you must to take an inside-out approach toward self improvement. Begin by taking stock of your personal attributes. Find out what inspires you and use it to motivate yourself in a positive direction. Make every effort to achieve the results you desire.

A leader no longer directs people but develops self-motivated individuals. A leader doesn’t micro manage; instead he/she builds a team that can manage on its own and one that has influential work ethics.

A leader wears many hats. He/she can play an administrative role or function as a part-time psychologist. A leader is the “guardian” of the bottom-line, an enthusiast, a team builder, and a good listener. A leader credits others for a job well done; and offers praise and recognition for outstanding effort and solid results.

An effective team consists of many characteristics. A team must have a purpose and that purpose is defined by the mission. The team mission is a summary of the team’s objectives. It is a statement that serves to direct and motivate the team in pursuit of its goals.

The team’s mission is driven by the organization’s vision. The organization’s vision provides a “big picture” perspective that serves to align people, ideas, and attitudes. It must, however, be communicated to team members in such a way that they are inspired to be part of it. To be successful, the team must align its purpose or mission with the organization’s vision.

Each team member must participate in the development of effective team goals. By doing so, team members will know exactly what is expected of them; and can commit to working closely with one another in pursuit of the team’s overall goals.

Within the team, members must establish a high degree of communication, trust, support and cohesiveness. The team must be flexible and choose effective problem solving methods that will facilitate sound decision-making. It is no longer effective for a team leader to use authority in the decision making process. It has been proven that a consultative or consensus approach to decision making is much more effective and allows for greater freedom for team members.

However, there must be more than just freedom. There should always be an element of fun as part of the team culture. There are many ways to do this. Give your team a name that will echo the team’s mission. The name may also, reflect the characteristics of the members.

Team members must know how to conduct effective meetings by:

• having an agenda
• setting the ground rules
• stipulating the objectives
• following appropriate procedures
• allocating individual roles and responsibilities

Review and establish effective methods for action planning, monitoring, communication, evaluation and follow up. Each member should also demonstrate appropriate personal, interpersonal and group task behaviors.

Team members must be empowered and trusted so they will perform their job to the best of their ability. They will be more action-oriented and committed to implementing the plan. A leader is there to coach the members, not to direct them. There will be failures; however, with each failure one learns a valuable lesson.

A good leader must demonstrate the appropriate behaviors that stimulate team morale, encourage individual participation, and offer a chance to lead. In the end, you will move forward with confidence along side your strong results oriented and self motivated team.

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