The pain of leading a team
Haebom
Usually, when people around you hear you've become a team leader, section chief, or some kind of leader, they congratulate you. And, of course, you feel good about it. But from my own experience, I think there are also quite a lot of hardships that come with it. It's really not easy to maintain your leadership, achieve your goals, and look after your team members' mental well-being all at the same time. I believe that the team leader's main responsibilities boil down to two things: taking care of your team members, and taking care of yourself.
Supporting your team members
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Expressing your intentions with a simple and clear message
When your team members are having a hard time, straightforward and unambiguous messages are much more encouraging than complicated ones.
Tip: Try to speak and act in a way that shows you're tackling things together, saying things like, “Where are you stuck?” or “How can we solve this together?” Sometimes your team members might feel like they're being blamed for not doing well, so you need to reassure them that you're always there to help, and that asking for or receiving help will not affect their evaluations in any way.
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Respond flexibly to the needs of your team members
The situations and needs of your team members can change at any time. Keep checking what your team needs, and adjust your support accordingly. This can be done through various channels—like town halls, scrums, weekly meetings, or one-on-ones—using whatever method fits best.
Taking care of yourself
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Carve out time for yourself too
Leaders, too, need personal time—especially during tough periods. Set aside time just for yourself away from work and use it to unwind or take a break. Personally, I think it helps to openly set a Do Not Disturb mode during work hours every now and then, so you can take time to handle your own tasks.
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Clearly ask for the support you need
Leaders also sometimes need support. Clearly tell your team, colleagues, or supervisors what you need. Surprisingly, many people aren't as honest as you'd expect. Both the person asking and the person listening need to be open for this to work... but that's not always the case. Still, it's important to speak up about what you really need. Honesty is your best weapon.
Leadership isn't just about taking care of your team; it's also about protecting yourself. This ability becomes even more crucial when things get tough. So, as a leader, managing difficulties should apply to both your team and yourself—that's how you can build a stronger team.
I often hear people say that being honest isn't always the best approach, but I think that's because we sometimes can't tell honesty apart from rudeness. If honesty means you end up distanced from people, what about those who mess around or play tricks in those situations—will that ever work out for them in the long run? They might feel a sense of triumph or satisfaction for a while, but in the end, they're only hurting themselves... So I've learned it's better to be straightforward than vague. And I still believe that.
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I post articles related to IT 💻, economy 💰, and humanities 🎭.
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haebom@kakao.com
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I post articles related to IT 💻, economy 💰, and humanities 🎭.
If you are curious about my thoughts, perspectives or interests, please subscribe.
haebom@kakao.com