Leaders carry the heavyweight of responsibility on their shoulders. If you are someone that leads a team, group or individual, the principals are always the same. Be honest, be inspiring, be accountable, be innovative, and be empowering. No one person is proficient at everything. Even the great Julius Caesar had Marcus Antonius (Mark Anthony) to count on in military endeavors. You, as a leader, need to trust in your team and count on them to lead tasks that they are better equipped to lead.
We can find many leadership styles from organization to organization. But what makes a great leader, you may ask. The answer is a leader that can inspire his/her team. Not only to do well but to go as far as to inspire each member of the team to want to lead themselves. Give the team the confidence and motivation to accomplish it’s given task and the continued drive to want to take on more challenging tasks. You can magnify the individual skill of each team member by making each a leader in their own right. When the team has to solve a complicated challenge the leader needs to be prepared to give power to other members that may be more qualified to complete a specific task. For example, have Steve step up to the plate if he is more qualified to handle a physical difficulty. Maybe the team has a financial problem, Rachel takes over and leads the team through the challenge. Give the individuals the confidence to do what they do best and the team as a whole will stand strong because of it.
Take no credit for the accomplishments of others. The greatest leaders should take no personnel credit when no credit is due. You as a leader should spotlight the accomplishments of others on your team and take the fault for the mistakes of others. The teams that advance the furthest are the teams that take the risks. Members shouldn’t be afraid to take a risk. If you grant your team the ability to take a risk and always assume responsibility for their failures you can preserve the team’s confidence. But be smart, give each member the chance to succeed in the task they are best at and steer them away from the task they are likely to fail at.
It is up to you to know where to place people then it is up to you to step back let them do what they do best and watch the team shine.
