If you are leading a software development team it is a good idea to provide to provide an environment in which each member of the team feels safe, valued and important. It takes a lot of skill to lead teams without resorting to command and control style of managing the team. Providing the team a safe environment in which it is OK to experiment a little and be able to learn from failing is crucial to encourage creativity and innovation within the team. When leading a team in this way you can act as the facilitator and ensure that the bad elements of teamwork do not start to impact the team dynamics. You can be the sounding board, the oracle, the voice of reason, the mentor, the confidant, by doing this you encourage the team to flourish which leads to success.
As a leader you also need to give the team a clear direction of what you expect the team to deliver, this can change as time passes however, this should always be transparent and visible to the team. Ask yourself as the leader what do you want from the team? What is your ultimate goal and then explain that to the team along with your preferred priorities. Then step back and watch the team self-form around the problem to provide you with a solution.
The principles behind the the agile manifesto has some useful tips for leading and working in teams.
Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great Performances - J. Richard Hackman - 2002
As a leader you also need to give the team a clear direction of what you expect the team to deliver, this can change as time passes however, this should always be transparent and visible to the team. Ask yourself as the leader what do you want from the team? What is your ultimate goal and then explain that to the team along with your preferred priorities. Then step back and watch the team self-form around the problem to provide you with a solution.
The principles behind the the agile manifesto has some useful tips for leading and working in teams.
"Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done."
"The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation."
"At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly."J Richard Hackman provides the following five tips for leading teams.
- Teams must be real. People have to know who is on the team and who is not. It’s the leader’s job to make that clear.
- Teams need a compelling direction. Members need to know, and agree on, what they’re supposed to be doing together. Unless a leader articulates a clear direction, there is a real risk that different members will pursue different agendas.
- Teams need enabling structures. Teams that have poorly designed tasks, the wrong number or mix of members, or fuzzy and unenforced norms of conduct invariably get into trouble.
- Teams need a supportive organization. The organizational context—including the reward system, the human resource system, and the information system—must facilitate teamwork.
- Teams need expert coaching. Most executive coaches focus on individual performance, which does not significantly improve teamwork. Teams need coaching as a group in team processes—especially at the beginning, midpoint, and end of a team project.
Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great Performances - J. Richard Hackman - 2002
Hi John,
ReplyDeleteThese are some great points and I agree to them. I've led a team and now I've spent time wondering why and how I did well with it. There are skills I can't even put my finger on...
One point I'd like to add is that becoming a great team lead also has to do with knowing yourself well, understanding how you relate to other people, and then how other people relate to each other. It's my observation about people I've seen to be good leads.
Helena
Thank you Helena for your kind words.
DeleteI agree with you that understanding yourself and being able to reflect inwards is critical to be able to become a good leader. At the workshop I did at Lets Test I talked about the importance of self-reflection. Maybe I need to write a follow on post to this one now about reflective skills!