Team Lead

I love reading on the subject of leadership and learning where my personality fits into this world.

Well the web definition says "A team leader or team lead is someone who provides guidance, instruction, direction, leadership to a group of individuals (the team) for the purpose of achieving a key result or group of aligned results"

Self-confidence and Self control is a key to a great leader. Building a team is just like playing Tetris. Giving the right shape to an existing entity and making it right fit to build a structure without any Gaps.

A Team Lead needs to understand who is the right fit in your Team and accordingly build up the structure.

As a team leader, you got to trust your members. You should know their strength and weakness, and how it would benefit the entire team. You should act as the representative of the team, not as the manager or owner of the company. You should also show respect on the decisions and suggestions of your team members. Talk to them and understand the kind of problems that they face and then give them the required knowledge and support to solve the issues.

Most of the times managers or team leaders just distribute the work amongst the team members and wait for them to deliver the end product. This approach needs to be changed. The Leads should also be involved in every stage of the project and provide your knowledge and skill set to create better products.

Never say "I had finished the project." But instead, recognize your team and say "My team has finished the project." "My team", meaning your team, the group of people with you. Also pass on the credit to the individual performance of the Team Mates. It's more professional to say "We would fix the problem." instead of "I would fix the problem." Especially if you are not the one who would actually fix the problem. However a team lead should have the willingness to assume full responsibility if the team makes a mistake.