AC 1.1: Outline the role of the team leader
When looking at Tuckman’s model of team development, a team leader’s main role is to get their team through all of the stages as soon as possible to ensure that they are at least within the ‘norming’ stage of the wheel. From the moment a team is formed, an effective team leader would be to identify what tasks need to be completed while also establishing boundaries and rules. A team leader would have to lead by example while also being able to understand their colleagues to consider how they work best.
Once a team is formed, there will be a ‘storming’ stage and a team leader is tasked with ensuring that conflict between sub-groups is dealt with efficiently and appropriately. There can be a ‘blame culture’ in the ‘storming’ phase and a team leader must be able to deal with challenges that face any new team when first formed.
The role of a team leader, as a minimum, is to lead their team into the ‘norming’ stage which is where cohesion begins to develop and the team leader can set standards and norms to approaching tasks. Their role is to create a ‘high-performance team’, which would mean leading their team into the ‘performing’ stage of the wheel.
A team leader needs to be able to address problems rather than suppress any issues that exist within an environment and from doing this a team leader can ensure commitment and a positive culture to preside in their respective teams. If a team leader can provide the vision then they will gain commitment from their team. Once a team leader knows the capabilities of each member it will be easier to set the standards for their respective team.
AC 1.2: List the responsibilities of the team leader within the team
Using Adair’s 3 Circle Model, the ultimate responsibility of a team leader is to balance the three circles to ensure an effective team performance. The three circles are: task needs, team needs and individual needs, and a team leader needs to be effective in managing...