5 Keys To Effective Team Management

by Mark Dreistadt | May 9, 2012 | Consulting, Leadership

Effective management and effective team leadership are skills that are developed through training and experience. If you want to manage people and lead your team effectively, there are five basic principles you need to understand:

Every member of your team has personal goals and motivations. By understanding the things that excite your team, and providing opportunity and stimulus in those areas, you will ensure their deep commitment to your organization.

Every team member has fears and dislikes. Everyone has things they don’t want to happen. You need to know what they are and do your very best to protect them from the things that will hold them back.

Every team member has strengths. There are things that each member of your team is really good at doing. You need to recognize these gifts and release them to do the things they do well.

Every team member has limitations. Recognize that everyone is not good at everything. Managing effectively involves creating organizational structures to support weaknesses and reinforce strengths.

Every team member makes a choice. If you really want to see great productivity, you need to gain commitment from individual members of your team. You need to have a conversation that opens the door that says, “Will you make the commitment to make this happen?” Once they commit — you are partners in the success of the project.

Effective team management hinges on developing commitment. We all have goals and motivations, fears and dislikes, as well as strengths and limitations. But commitment focuses all these attributes to ensure the most effective and productive environment. When a team is committed in unity to a common cause, there is no limit to what you and your team can do for the Kingdom of God.