Characteristics of an Effective Team Leader

Conflict arises from the differences, and when individuals come together in teams, their differences in terms of power, values, and attitudes contributes to creation of conflict. Without conflict, teams will not be challenged and will not perform at their optimum levels. When this becomes apparent, how should the team prepare themselves to face this challenge, and how should the team leader facilitate and resolve conflict? The purpose of this paper is to present the characteristics and traits of an effective team leader. We will also be discussing the different types of conflicts as well as the effective way of managing and resolving disputes among team members Discussion: Effective Team Leader Successful management requires more than just assigning tasks to the team. It calls for a leader who can inspire team members to achieve their full potential. People want to be guided by a person they respect; someone responsible and dependable and someone who has a clear sense of direction. More and more businesses are becoming international. Team members need to trust each other as well as trust each others expertise. They need to feel confident that the other members are doing their share, so that when the team finally pools their ideas together, a multifaceted solution results. Different countries have different cultures, ways of doing things and behaving. Leaders need to learn about these differences if they are to succeed. Being an effective team leader requires basic leadership skills. Leadership is becoming tougher and tougher and requires continued development. When times are especially tough, it is the purpose of the leader to cheer the team through it. It is the leaders job to remind the members of the team just what they are capable of getting done. The team leader is someone who provides guidance, instruction, direction, leadership to a group of other individuals for the purpose of achieving the team results. It is their job not only to ensure that the standards of their team are high and the tasks that have been assigned are being done, but also to ensure that the team spirit and morale of their team is kept. But good and effective team leader knowledgeable in managing conflict can result in benefits for a team. All leaders are not the same, but they share a common trait. They don’t lead in traditional â€Å"to-down† manner (Information. com). Tyrants can no longer effectively manage a diverse, highly-educated, flexible, and independent workforce. Business and team leadership in 21st is more a matter of influencing the culture within which work is done, in the pursuit of a shared goal. Inspiring teamwork is a skill that allows people the freedom to achieve new heights of accomplishment through effective use of the teams collective skills. In this way you allow people to fulfill their own destiny, their work becomes the vehicle that will allow them to achieve both their professional and their personal goals. A leader is not always the leader of a country or a ‘movement’. A leader can be in so many different walks of life, be it business, entertainment, sport, politics, charities etc. But, in whatever field, it seems there are these certain traits that characterize a good leader. True leadership is only developed by those who continually work and study to improve them. Even the so-called born leaders need to constantly work on self improvement.. Many of the studies of team leadership have employed a behavior oriented approach, derived from job analytic methods. In some of the earliest research on team leaders, McGrath (1962) outlined several functions the team leader should serve. Leaders perform a diagnostic function by monitoring team performance (and comparing it to accepted standards) and a remedial function by taking action to improve group performance. Leaders also perform a forecasting function by watching environmental conditions (and their potential effects on team performance) and a preventive function by attempting to avert the negative effects of a volatile environment. Zenger, Musselwhite, Hurson, and Perrin (1994) also took a functional approach to team leadership and used questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups to outline the practices and skills of successful team leaders. The team leader is typically a member of the team who provides guidance and support and has ultimate responsibility for the outcomes of the team. As such, the success of a team leader is often measured in terms of both the cohesiveness of the team as well as producing some tangible outcome. Interestingly, little systematic research has been conducted on the success factors underlying effective team leadership. In a separate article, â€Å"How to Be an Effective Team Leader† (Technology, 2004), it says that there are five characteristics of effective team leader (a) Coach, Don’t Demonstrate – demonstrating the task rather than to provide supportive direction, (b) Provide constructive criticism by communicating the good and the bad actions and providing clear suggestion to improve the assigned task, (c) Back off- show team members hey’ll get a fair chance to demonstrate what they can do without interference, (d) Try to be Positive – during hard time, regain team motivation by discussing with them what needs to be changed and listen to what they have to say, and lastly (e) Value your Group’s Ideas – consider each and every idea that your generate and encourage them to communicate their insights on a regular basis. Team Confl ict: Without a good team leader, the team could not function effectively and later on could lead to conflict between team members. The best way a good leader resolves conflicts is with communication, allowing everyone to express themselves, be open to criticism, and processes the ability to encourage compromise and negotiation. Conflict in teams is a significant contributor to poor performance, but seldom is it dealt with effectively. This section will help with a basic understanding of conflict and how to deal with it (Teambuilding. Inc, 2001-2007). Conflict. This is a word that causes most of us a great degree of discomfort, anger, frustration, sadness, and pain. Conflict arises from the clash of perceptions, goals, or values in an arena where people care about the outcome (Alessandra, 1993, p. 92). If the management of that conflict is not effective, it can totally disrupt the entire group process. The dictionary defines conflict as a struggle to resist or overcome; contest of opposing forces or powers; strife; battle. A state or condition of opposition; antagonism; discord. A painful tension set up by a cla sh between opposed and contradictory impulses. No matter how hard we try to avoid it, conflict periodically enters our lives. In the workplace, a simple disagreement between team members, if unresolved, may escalate into avoidance, inability to work together, verbal assaults, and resentment. In the worst cases, it may also lead to hostility and eventual separation from the organization. Many people and organizations view conflict as a negative, or something to be avoided. Yet conflict, differences, or disagreements are a natural result of people working together. Also, without conflict, teams can become complacent and not perform at optimum levels. The challenge then becomes, how should the team be prepared for this stage of their existence, and how should the team leader facilitate through it? (Cappozzoli (1995) and Alessandra (1993)) In some articles from the web, causes of conflict were itemized into eight possible causes. These are (a) perceived breach of faith and trust between individuals, (b) unresolved disagreement, (c) miscommunication leading to unclear expectation, (d) personal clashes, (e) differences in acquired values, (f) underlying stress and tension, (g) ego problem, and lastly (h) combination of the above (Teambuilding. Inc, 2001-2007). According to Cappozzoli (1995) and Alessandra (1993) some common sources of group conflict are: 1) values of team members, 2) attitudes of team members 3) goals / expectations – the processes and expected outcomes 4) roles and responsibilities of team members 5) limited resources 6) personalities 7) interdependency and 8) increased interaction (frequency). On the other hand, Thompson, Aranda and Robbins defined two types of conflict â€Å"A-Type; emotional† and†C-Type; cognitive†, Type-A, emotional conflict, involves interpersonal friction not related to the task and is considered harmful conflict, but Type C, task-oriented conflict, revolves around discussion and debates about the task itself, and can promote productivity. In our book (Langton, 2004), it was summarized into three variables communication, structures, and personal variables. It says that one of the sources of conflict is communication through semantic difficulties, misunderstandings, and â€Å"noise† in the communication channel. But communication is certainly not the source of all conflict. These are structures and personal variables as well. The structures includes the variables such as group size, degree of specialization in the task assigned to group members, jurisdictional clarity, member-goal compatibility, leadership styles, rewards systems, and degree of dependency between group. Personal variables, on the other hand, include the individual value system that each person has, and the personality characteristics that account for individual idiosyncrasies and difference (Langton, 2004, pp. 87-189). Other version of why conflict arises is coming from Stulburg (1987) Five-P’s of Conflict management :(a) Perceptions: People associate conflict with negative responses such as anger, fear, tension, and anxiety. Rarely do we perceive any benefits from being involved in a dispute. Our negative perceptions impact our approach in resolving conflict as we strive to eliminate the source of these negative feel ings. (b) Problems: Anyone can be involved in a conflict, and the amount of time, money, and equipment needed for resolution will vary according to its complexity. c) Processes: There are different ways to go about resolving disputes: Suppress the conflict, give in, fight, litigate, mediate, etc. (d). Principles: We determine the priorities of all resolution processes on the basis of an analysis of our fundamental values regarding efficiency, participation, fairness, compliance, etc. (e) Practices: Power, self-interest, and unique situations are all factors relating to why people resolve disputes the way they do. Stulberg proposed these patterns as an aid for formal mediators, but anyone dealing with conflict can benefit from understanding the elements common to disagreements. Furthermore, Conflict arises from the clash of perceptions, goals, or values in an arena where people care about the outcome (Alessandra, 1993, p. 92). If the management of that conflict is not effective, it can totally disrupt the entire group process. However the old saying that which does not kill us will make us stronger illustrates how successfully managed conflict can benefit the group. Conflict in work teams is not necessarily destructive. It can lead to new ideas and approaches to organizational processes, and increased interest in dealing with problems. Conflict, in this sense, can be considered positive, as it facilitates (a)the surfacing of important issues and provides opportunities for people to develop their communication and interpersonal skills, (b) motivating team to examine a problem they would have overlooked; (c) forcing them to re-examine a solution and be more innovative; and lastly (d) increasing team interest and energy, thus reinforcing solidarity and cohesiveness. On the other hand, conflict becomes negative when it is left to escalate to the point where people begin to feel defeated, and a combative climate of distrust and suspicion develops (A. F. Bowditch, 1997)Nelson (Nelson, 1995) cautions that negative conflict can (a) destroy a team quickly, and often arises from poor planning, (b) leading to crucial information being withheld and to work patterns being disrupted, (c) diverting team’s energy towards destructive ends, and (d) undermining their credibility in the eyes of outsiders and clients. Some high potential areas from which negative conflict issues commonly arise: (a) administrative issues, (b) people resources, (c) cost overruns, (d) schedules, and lastly (e) responsibilities. Team members can and should attempt to avoid negative conflict to occurring. With this information, negative conflict will therefore result to possible productivity and motivational loss to all employees. An effective charter covers areas such as the team’s purpose, goals, methods, resources, boundaries, commitments, and process checks. Properly constructed, it can provide a basis to work through the normal issues encountered by new teams and help them deal more effectively with the conflicts that are certain to arise (Thompson, Aranda, Robbins et al 253). In addition to the charter, the team should develop a good set of ground rules to guide the expectations for interaction of the group and the resolution of any conflict in the team. The ground rules should be clear and agreed upon everyone on the team. There are lots of more going on beneath the surface – with the organization, between and within teams and within individuals. The first step is to clarify the causes of the conflict. In other to identify these, some questions such as; Are there unclear accountabilities? Are there mismatched expectations? Are leaders clear at communicating what they expect? And have leaders provided the appropriate resources and sources to meet the expected organizational goal? should be considered. In ICRA Learning Resources(Fuente : Oomkes and Team, 1992) , it reviews the stages of conflict as (a) Nervousness – debate begins to get heated and opponents take different position, (b) Neurosis – views become fixed, opponents become the â€Å"enemy†. To â€Å"give in†at this stage means loss of face. Threats are made. ; and lastly (c) Combat- enemies becomes faceless, threats are often carried out, coalistion form, fighting may become physical. Conflict Resolution Nevertheless, if conflict arises, there are methods or key principles in resolving conflicts (a) take shared responsibility for the conflict, (b) recognize and appreciate differences among people, (c) preserve individual dignity, (d) listen carefully and with empathy, listen to understand, communicate, don’t debate, (e) be calm, don’t give in to emotional outburst or reactions, (f) vulnerability is the key to successful resolution, therefore open up and share your feeling, (g) don’t assume people are being difficult intentionally, (h) choose a safe place or person with whom you can vent and clarify the issue for yourself, (i) generate solutions and find agreement, and lastly, (j) follow up to assure resolution and modify as necessary (Conflict). Effectively managing conflict allows teams to stay focused on their goals. When it comes to teamwork, a persons ability to build relationships, work with others, and communicate effectively can be more important than his or her technical expertise (Dawson, 2005) Rayeski and Bryant (E. , 1994) recommended that we use Team Resolution process when conflict arises. Conflict should first be handled on an informal basis between the individual involved. This, they say, allow time for resolution or self-correction by the individual. But if this doesn’t solve the conflict, a mediator can be brought in to help resolve the situation. If resolution is not achieved the dispute should be openly discussed in a team meeting. A formal discipline process needs to occur, if resolution is not achieved after being addressed at the team level. The escalation process of the Team Resolution is as follows : a) collaboration –handling the new problem person to person(one on one)-Handle the new problem person-to-person. Use as many facts as possible and relate the issue to customer, team, or organizational needs. Be open and honest and conduct the session in a private setting. Document the concerns or issues, the dates, and the resolution, if any, and have both parties sign it. (b) mediation one on one with mediator, If collaboration did not work or was inappropriate, handle the problem with a mediator. The mediator must be trained in conflict resolution, understand policy and ethics, be trusted by the team, and have the ability to remain neutral. Gather facts and talk over the issue with the people involved. Bring up as many facts as possible and relate the issue to customer, team, or organizational needs. Be open and honest and conduct the mediation session in private. Document it and have all parties sign. A mediation is a process by which the conflicting sides call on a third party to help resolve their conflict. However, it is not the same as arbitration. Mediation can only occur if both parties are wiling to find a solution and if the mediator is respected by both of them. The role of mediator is then to make them aware of their shared interests. The conflicting parties keep control of the decision making process. c) team counselling handle the conflict at a team meeting; put the problem on the next agenda and invite the necessary individuals. The conflict is now a definite issue to the team. Collaboration and/or Mediation could not be done, were not appropriate, or did not work. Handle the conflict at a team meeting; put the problem on the next agenda and invite the necessary individuals. Again, bring up the facts, relate the issue to customer, team, or organizational needs. Be open and honest, discuss it in a private setting, document it, and have all parties sign it. Anyone on the team can put an issue or problem on the team agenda, however, this step should be used only after Collaboration, and Mediation has been ruled out. Another method approach to conflict management is Endelburgs 4 Rs Method as presented below: 1) Reasons- The causes or reasons for the conflict are explored and openly, yet respectfully discussed. 2) Reactions. Team members look at their own reactions to the conflict. If those reactions are destructive, rather than constructive, individuals can self-correct and take the necessary steps to recommit to team success. 3) Results. If the conflict is not resolved, what might happen? How might the team work together to resolve the conflict in a constructive manner? 4) Resolution. Which approach to conflict resolution could be used to effectively resolve the conflict? (Engleburg, 2003). On the other hand, ICRA Learning Resources also suggested Ways of Dealing with conflict: (a) Ignoring the conflict and living with consequences; (b) going into confrontation and fighting; (c) giving in, freely or under pressure; (d) negotiation –this is the best method when both parties stand to gain something, when both have some power and when they are interdependent; (e) calling in respected intermediaries as mediators; and lastly (f) referring to arbitration: this disempowers the team and may weaken it; always try to solve the conflict within the team first. Arbitration is done by an outside authority figure. They are called in to decide how conflict is to be solved. This is usually based on facts and the conflict parties’ rights. It is formal process. The conflicting parties relinquish all control on decision making process. This process is needed when some of the conflicting parties feel they stand to gain because of their rights concerning the issue and when other methods have failed. However, arbitration by outsiders have some disadvantages: (a) time may be wasted waiting for a suitable arbitration to become available; (b) someone form outside the team will only be concerned with the facts. They are not likely to know the deeper emotional factors, and lastly (c) communication can become strained within the team and members could take â€Å"side† which makes agreement difficult to reach. Leadership demands a delicate balance between sensitivity and authority, between the whole and the parts, between loose and tight leadership styles, between functional expertise and cross-functional excellence (width of knowledge), internal (creating value for organization and employees) and external (creating value for investors, customers, and society). † (Kotelnikov, 2008, p. 27) Understanding and appreciating the various viewpoints involved in conflict are key factors in its resolution. The best way a good leader resolves conflicts is with communication, allowing everyone to express themselves, be open to criticism, and processes the ability to encourage compromise and negotiation. Another way leadership skills are amplified is by the leader’s behaviour when problems arise and how conflict is handled. One minute the team leader may be a referee, the next minute, the role changes to coach, all in all, the group is looking for the leader to handle the conflict fairly. Maintaining the groups cohesiveness is an indirect reflection of the teams leader and conflicts can determine the effectiveness a leader has on the group. The ideal leader will â€Å"make people believe they have benefited from the conflict when â€Å"(1) a new solution is implemented, the problem is solved, and it is unlikely to emerge again, and (2) work relationships have been strengthened and people believe they can work together productively in the future. † (Bateman Snell, 2004, p. 443) Recommendation: Based on the above information, it is recommended that an effective leader is required to be a coach, provide a positive criticism, back off if necessary, try to be positive and values group ideas. An effective leader should also be able to be resolve and address conflicts within his team members. Not all conflicts are destructive, if resolved effectively it can lead to personal and professional growth. Team resolution process recommended by Rayeski and Bryant is a formal discipline process which an effective leader can use if resolution is not achieved after being addressed at the team level. Conclusion/ Remarks Leaders are people who write down goals and strive to achieve them. They understand the importance of goal setting and the example that they are teaching by doing this. We often hear the words â€Å"Great leaders are made, not born†. There are many well-educated and motivated people who lack the knowledge of how to lead people. You can test the effectiveness of a leader once conflict arises in his organization. An effective leader should be able to identify, manage, inspire and resolve the dispute to regain the stability of his organization. Thus, this is why leadership is a very challenging task. A good team leader should be able to articulate and communicate the team’s rules, goals and expected duties clearly and persuasively, while also being able to be diplomatic in the face of any conflict. By correctly positioning the individual member strengths and compensating for weaknesses, the leader can bring the team into a productive balance and harmony.