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What does a great team leader look like in action?

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What does a great team leader look like in action? How does he/she relate to those around them?

We�ve said that a great team leader makes those around him better and more productive, but what else does he do? What does the relationship look like between a great team leader and his followers? A great leader is a:
� Peacemaker: The 2003 AMA survey found that the number one leadership challenge was getting people who have different agendas or goals to work together. A great leader needs to listen to differing viewpoints and then bring people to a consensus and a goal that they can work towards together.
� Infectious leader: A great leader is a motivator. The good news is that if you are enthusiastic about your job, it will spill over onto the people under you. Of course, the flip side to that is that your negative attitude is contagious as well�if you complain that your work is boring or meaningless, your subordinates have no motivation to try and excel.
� Ethical plumb line: The people under you will measure their ethics (as well as their job performance) by the standard you set. The AMA survey named ethical behavior as one of the top prerequisites to becoming an effective leader. People are looking to you to see how they should work.
� Bold leader: First Lady Rosalynn Carter said, �A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don�t necessarily want to go but ought to be.� At times, you will have to make a decision that the people under you criticize; at other times, you may need to constructively criticize others. Great leadership is not for the faint of heart.
� Vision caster: Can you articulate your goals and your vision in such a way that others jump on board? Where does your team need to go, and what will it take to get there? As noted above, the AMA survey named communication as the most important leadership skill. Can you communicate your vision?
� Man (or woman) of his word: Can your team depend on you? Can they trust you to be their advocate and friend as well as their leader? People will more readily follow someone that they know will do his part of the bargain.

A great leader is not in it for themselves, but rather, their role is to ensure that the team as a whole succeeds. When the team fails, the great leader takes responsibility, and when the team succeeds, he reflects credit onto those around him. A great leader determines the goal, articulates it clearly, equips the team to get there, and then takes the first step.

Next Page: What are the main obstacles to becoming a great team leader?

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