What makes a good team leader?

Philippines
July 7, 2010 10:49am CST
My TL is this: 1. Thinks she is the most intelligent and that we can never be at her level. 2. Distrusts her staff. 3. Horse-kicking inside the office when she's angry. 4. Shouting on the phone. 5. Limits her staff's right to have a peaceful break. 6. Blame her staff even if it is very obvious that it is her or others fault. 7. Thinks that she is the only one who has common sense. Do you think she's a good team leader? What do you think are the characteristics of a good team leader?
1 person likes this
13 responses
@Boyetski (986)
• Philippines
7 Jul 10
Well I have been in a team building seminar a lot. And Team Leaders are those who donot necesary excel, instead TL's are those willing to handle people without hesitation and is not afraid to communicate with the right attitude. You cant be a leader if you are not respected enough. Gain respect first before you can lead. Thats what I believe is what it takes to be a good team leader.
• Philippines
7 Jul 10
I like it! "Gain respect first before you can lead." You have said it very well...
@rhodzptc (1317)
• Philippines
7 Jul 10
I hope those person who promoted them as a team leader have the same idealist as you do. But this people doesn't count it, in my company that I worked for those who have strong personality, fearless, and most especially those performer are the ones who had been promoted as team leader. They don't gain the respect of their members but their members do trust them. Awkward isn't it?
@Boyetski (986)
• Philippines
7 Jul 10
Well trust and respect sometime have a very thin line between them. If you trust your leader to lead you to success, means you respect his decision and stand by it. Sometimes you respect a leader but not really like them. Yeah I think it's really awkward.
@rhodzptc (1317)
• Philippines
7 Jul 10
Obviously not, why have you mentioned only the bad attitude of her and never mentioned any of her good deed. Asking if she's a good TL is no longer to answer if you already pre-judge her with your statement.
• Philippines
7 Jul 10
That is actually the point. My statement is a paradox of the truth. Why did she became a TL if she has that characteristics?
@megamatt (14292)
• United States
8 Jul 10
I think those are pretty good characteristics for a good team leader. I also would think that the best team leaders are the one's that you don't really think of them as above the team, but rather those who are able to lead the team. There are so many team leaders that put themselves above the team and thus increase their importance. However, that is not a good team leader by any means. I think those who are able to give the best example of what the team should do are in fact the best team leaders. Those who are able to right the ship when its been wrong, without being abrasive. They are not only able to take good feedback but to give good feedback as well to the tasks that the other team members. I have had my share of bad team leaders and my share of good team leaders. However, those who are good make the project seem like less work.
7 Jul 10
They sound to me either like someone who is under a lot of pressure or someone on a good old power trip. I think the qualities of a team leader should include- -the ability to lend a hand as well as lead the group -be enthusiastic, energetic, inspirational and have knowledge of the job in hand -be willing to take responsibility rather than pass the book -finally, help the team become a team rather than just a group of people
• Philippines
7 Jul 10
Yes you got the right term. "Power Trip". My TL is a bully. Using her authority to bully her staff.
• United States
7 Jul 10
first off a team leader has to know when to follow and to lead. Has to be humble and respect others and be willing to take full responsibility. You have to motivate and inspire others in a good way. Being a team leader can also mean certain people look up to you so you dont want to steer them the wrong way
• Philippines
7 Jul 10
"Has to be humble" - This is the exact opposite of my Team Leader. She is very proud of herself to the point that she is very annoying because what she was saying is not true anymore.
• Malaysia
9 Jul 10
Actually, we need a strong leaders that can stand up and give the teams the trust they want. In most teams, there are always good and bad workers and the team leader should be able to bring out the very best from everyone good or bad. Team leaders should give workers some space and the freedom to be creative. Buidling trust take times. It is not easy to be a perfect leader, but to be able to be the first one to say that you was wrong and did a misstake is a great leader. Besides, i think that a team leader should let workers do the area wher they are at their best.
• Philippines
8 Jul 10
haha i don't like your TL. How can she motivate her teammates to work hard and be the best they can be?
@sheen13 (567)
• India
8 Jul 10
No, according to me she is obviously not a good team leader. All these qualities mentionaed above shows that she is really proud of herself about being a team leader and it also shows that she is too over confident. And being too proud and over confident doesn't show any good characteristics of a team leader. I think that a team leader should have the following characters, first of all, the team leader should be intelligent enough to handle every matter. But he/she shouldn't discourage his/her staff that they cannot reach her level instead he/she should encourage their staff members. And the most important thing is "TRUST", if trust is not there between two people or members, then nothing is possible. And the team leader should not get tempered on others without any reason. Yea, if someone from his/her staff made any mistake, then he/she can make an advice, that what you did is wrong and you should try to correct it. And not only this a team leader should also have faith in oneself that he/she can do all these things.
@dearlene (78)
• Indonesia
8 Jul 10
I thing to be Team Leader you don't have to be the most intelligent in the team because the most important think is TL have to be smart which can make the solid team and can use everybody in team to do their job or can bring the best of their talent to show up in order to reach the team purpose or to reach the team destination, that is the most important think that can say the team leader success.
• Philippines
7 Jul 10
A leader should have humility, can work with a team as one with them (meaning with one goal, vision and mission), slow to anger and slow to speak so she or he can think better and can lead better. And a leader should be more sensitive to his people's needs. God bless.
@sinaj292 (602)
• India
8 Jul 10
i think that she may be a good leader...... here we need some more characteristics to a good team leader.... some of them are giving below. the first and the most important think is that one good leader should know how to co-ordinate the team mates......
@bodil4o (271)
• Bulgaria
7 Jul 10
I think she might become a good leader if you remove 2., 3., 4., 5., 7. So I would say no. To be a team leader one person should have just one feature: To understand other people needs, but it really depends on the whole team.
• India
8 Jul 10
The adjustment character and intelligence to identify each member's stuff makes a good team leader.