Most people around me congratulate me when I say I have become a team leader, section leader, or leader. And it actually feels good. However, from personal experience, I think there are many areas where I suffer. It is not easy to maintain leadership, achieve goals, and take care of the mental health of the members. I think there are two main things a team leader has to do. Take care of the members and yourself.
Support your team members
Express your intentions with a concise and clear message
When your team is struggling, a simple, clear message is more powerful than a complex one.
Tip: Speak directly and work through the problem together, such as asking, “Where are you stuck?” or “How can I help you solve this problem?” This can easily be perceived as, “Are you reprimanding me for not doing well?” So, let them know that you are there to help them at any time and that this will not affect their evaluation.
Respond flexibly to team members' needs
The situation and needs of team members can change continuously. Continuously check what team members need and modify the support method accordingly. In cases like this, you can proceed through various channels and methods such as town hall/scrum/weekly meeting/1on1.
Support yourself
Make time for yourself too
Even leaders need time for themselves during difficult times. Make time for yourself, separate from work, and use that time to de-stress or relax. Personally, I think you should set a public do-not-disturb mode during work. That way, you can have time to take care of your own work.
Make it clear what support you need
Even leaders sometimes need support. Ask your team, colleagues, and boss for the support you need. In fact, sometimes they are not honest. This requires both the receiver and the speaker to be open... but this is often not the case. Nevertheless, it is good to be clear about what you need. Honesty is the best weapon.
Leadership requires the ability to protect not only your team members but also yourself. This becomes even more important during difficult times. Therefore, as a leader, pain management should apply to both your team members and yourself, and through this, you can create a stronger team.
I often hear that being honest is not always a good thing, but I think this is because we can't tell the difference between honesty and rudeness. If we are separated by being honest, will those who play around or use tricks in that situation really be good in the long run? Even if they feel superior or satisfied for a while, they will eventually sink themselves... I'm learning that it's better to be honest than to play around ambiguously. Continue.
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