Alexander,
There are two schools of thought – one that says leaders are born and one that says that leaders are made. Regardless of your opinion, I agree with your assessment that you need to be capable to be a leader. If you wanted to be a leader, what steps would you recommend to help somebody achieve that goal?
Dr. Jamie Morley
You dont need to encompass all the skills for being a leader, you need to have the confidence to surround yourself with others who possess skills that you may not have.
I disagree, anyone who wants to become a leader, and means it, is capable. They have to want it and take the steps to become it.
My answer to the question is that anyone can be trained to be a team leader, but only if they have the desire to be team leader.
Edward,
Very insightful response! I agree that experience is a great teacher. One of my favorite books is called “Flight of the Buffalo.†The book compares the leadership strategies of Buffalo and Geese. Buffalo herds have one leader and when the herd is in danger the buffalos surround the leader. Unfortunately, if the leader gets killed, the herd scatters and is decimated because none of the other buffalo were ever trained to be the leader. Geese fly in a V formation. Every goose is taught how to be at the front of the V and lead the flock. If the leader is hurt, injured, or tired, another goose takes the lead role. Organizations are very similar. As you suggest, having people observe and participate in other roles before becoming the leader is excellent training for the job.
Dr. Jamie Morley
Beth,
There are two schools of thought – one that says leaders are born and one that says that leaders are made. Regardless of your opinion, I agree with your assessment that being a team leader is special. There is a great quote by Russell Ewing that sums it up. “A boss creates fear, a leader confidence. A boss fixes blame, a leader corrects mistakes. A boss knows all, a leader asks questions.â€
Dr. Jamie Morley
In a team setting I believe that you will have people that are natural leaders and others that are satisfied with being the support. There are certain people that have the ability to influence others and attract attention in a group setting. As to the question "Do you believe that anybody can be trained to be a Team Leader? I think leaders can be trained, but true leaders have learned how to managed people through years of experience, witnessing the results after making decisions on a project, and dealing with many personalities throughout their career.
Unfortunately I do not think everyone can be a true team leader. I think anyone can work in a Managerial position but to be a true team leader that takes so much more than skill:) To encompass all the levels of being a team leader is special.
Paula,
Wonderful! Best of luck to you.
Dr. Jamie Morley
Such great advice. I will try this. Thank you.
Paula,
Drawing on past experiences is important. Especially for young managers, leading by example is crucial to earning respect of the more experienced employees. There is one piece of advice I always give to young managers. Don’t be afraid to ask your experienced team members for guidance. A manager does not need to know everything. Sometimes, new managers feel that asking their employees questions makes them look weak. In reality, it shows that you are comfortable in your role and have respect for all opinions.
Dr. Jamie Morley
I believe that time and experience makes Team Leaders. Also, we learn leadership skills from others in our lives. Presently at my job I am in a new position as a team leader and have met some resistance. I find that the employees that do not like change are the ones that resist the most. Any ideas?
Ranee,
I agree with you that people can receive training to bring out or strengthen their leadership qualities. People can also be taught the fundamentals of management and supervision, as well as how to follow and implement policies and procedures. What training do you think would be required to create a great leader that would inspire his or her team members?
Dr. Jamie Morley
I do believe that anyone can be trained to be a leader, the issue would be determining the method of teaching needed to train the individual.
Thomas,
I agree with your assessment. Much like athletes, anybody can be taught the mechanics of a sport, but it takes a person with innate talents and gifts to excel. Management is the same way. One of my favorite books is called “Flight of the Buffalo.†The book compares the leadership strategies of Buffalo and Geese. Buffalo herds have one leader and when the herd is in danger the buffalos surround the leader. Unfortunately, if the leader gets killed, the herd scatters and is decimated because none of the other buffalo were ever trained to be the leader. Geese fly in a V formation. Every goose is taught how to be at the front of the V and lead the flock. If the leader is hurt, injured, or tired, another goose takes the lead role. Organizations are very similar. The best managers and leaders should always be “training their replacement†as opposed to guarding information.
I appreciate your reference to the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. It is a great reference that I hope some of your collegues will read.
Dr. Jamie Morley
I do believe that anybody can be trained to be a Team Leader, but not everybody will be effective as a Team Leader. There are many various characteristics of a Team Leader that need to be considered, and no one leader will be effective in all circumstances. A person who is effective in leading a team in a crisis or catastrophy may not be very effective during a time of peace or a static environment. I recall reading John Maxwell's book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and finding many of the points in his book very striking and true. For instance, the Law of Process is useful for many leaders for it demonstrates that many good outcomes are predicated on the many important steps that preceed the outcome. The Law of Momentum focuses on the energy that follows achievements and successes of a team and while I do believe that anybody can be taught leadership skills, there are many intangible qualities that may make a Team Leader more, or less, effective. These qualities may include rhetorical devices, listening skills, critical thinking skills, time management skills, and communication skills. Many of these qualities take long-term development and include many habits incorporated over many years of learning and growing. Therefore, while I do believe that anybody can be trained to be a Team Leader, it usually takes some additional special qualities to be a Team Leader who is consistently effective and efficient. One of these qualities is true humility, for many times a haughty leader does not have many followers due to his or her annoying and/or repulsive personality of self-loathing.
Kathleen,
There are two schools of thought – one that says leaders are born and one that says that leaders are made. There is a great quote by Russell Ewing that sums it up. “A boss creates fear, a leader confidence. A boss fixes blame, a leader corrects mistakes. A boss knows all, a leader asks questions.†Sometimes, people are thrust into a leadership role whether they want to or not. Based on what you have learned in the class, what types of actions should a people in that situation do to ensure that they are the best leader possible?
Dr. Jamie Morley
I don't think that everyone can be trained to be a leader. All people have certain talents and leading is one of them.
I do believe that people who have the natural direction to be a leader can be trained in being a better leader and learn to refine their natural ability. Their talents can be developed with the right training.
Cindy,
There are two schools of thought – one that says leaders are born and one that says that leaders are made. There is a great quote by Russell Ewing that sums it up. “A boss creates fear, a leader confidence. A boss fixes blame, a leader corrects mistakes. A boss knows all, a leader asks questions.†Sometimes, people are trust into a leadership role whether they want to or not. Based on what you have learned in the class, what types of actions should a people in that situation do to ensure that they are the best leader possible?
Dr. Jamie Morley
Noreen,
Good insights! Often times, I make the determination about whether to select the leaders or let them self-select based on a couple of criteria. First, how long is the assignment? If it is a long duration, like an entire semester, it is more critical to select people that have a propensity to lead or are willing to take your direction. Another factor is how much time you have to mentor the person. If it is not a leadership course, and the curriculum is already jam packed with learning objectives, you may not have the time or ability to coach a new leader like you would like. Lastly, I look at the result if the team does not succeed. If the team’s project impacts part of a grade vs. an entire course grade or impacts a small project at work as opposed to one that has major financial implications, I am more inclined to allow leaders to try and fail and try again. As the leader, you need to know that you have the time to mentor and train new leaders if you give them a higher stakes project. If not, it is likely to impact the morale of the other team members.
Dr. Jamie Morley
