How to lead a team effectively: 7 best practices

When you think of an effective leader, who comes to mind? Your last boss, who held weekly team meetings to check in with their small group of employees? Or perhaps a parental figure who consistently proved their dedication in supporting, motivating and encouraging you to be your very best.

Whomever you imagine, they likely embodied key leadership practices and skills that inspired growth and achievement in many aspects of their team’s lives. If you want to master effective leadership for your team, learning those same skills should help you reach your goals—and in turn, your team should develop leadership skills of their own.

Here is a list of seven key traits and practices that are often essential to effective leadership.

What you’ll learn:

• Different work environments may call for different leadership styles, but certain characteristics are often universally shared among those in leadership roles.
• Strong communication skills are essential for effective leadership. A leader should clearly define tasks, processes and expectations while also facilitating open communication with team members.
• Effective leaders motivate their team members by helping them see the big picture and overarching goals while also helping them develop leadership qualities themselves.
• Allowing team members to work independently without micromanaging them can help foster outside-the-box thinking and collaboration.
• Strong leaders give praise when it’s due while creating a work environment where team members feel valued and supported.

In truth, there’s no one best way to effectively lead a team. Each team and work environment will have different needs that necessitate different leadership styles. Even so, effective leaders often share similar traits. It’s these traits that usually allow leaders to better empower and engage employees, keeping them motivated, happy, efficient and productive.

Here are seven types of valuable leadership skills that may help you be a better team leader:

An effective leader is one who communicates well with their team on a regular basis. You should be able to clearly communicate how a task or project should be done and why it’s valuable for the business. This can help your team members stay motivated and invested in their work while building transparency, which fosters trust in your leadership. Plus, encouraging regular, open communication may help avoid unnecessary delays and keep you apprised of project progress and how the team is performing.

Strive to ensure your team feels comfortable coming to you with questions and concerns. Make sure you’re available and easy to reach when they need you, such as through email, text, a Zoom call or stopping by your office. Holding weekly one-on-one meetings with each of your team members is one way to maintain regular communication. Accessibility often shows your team members they can rely on you when they face a challenge or hardship.

The best leaders help their team members grow and reach their full potential. As their leader, you typically have the responsibility to work one-on-one with each member to help them foster a growth mindset and advance in their role, providing opportunities that align with their strengths and goals. Great ways to do this include: 

• Empowering them and building their confidence
• Encouraging self-sufficiency
• Focusing on their strengths
• Considering their own ideas and aspirations
• Understanding that each team member is unique and may respond differently to the same leadership approach
• Helping them see the big picture by focusing on goals rather than tasks
• Including stretch assignments that increase skills and grow responsibilities
• Delegating some leadership responsibilities to enhance their authority and decision-making

It’s also important for leaders to diversify their teams to fill skill gaps. Identifying these skill sets and creating and developing leaders in those areas is one way to ensure all areas are covered. Tapping new talent pools can help narrow these skills gaps, create new leaders, drive innovation and create lasting value.

Having a worthy vision may help unite your team members and encourage them to work together to accomplish a goal instead of being fragmented and working toward individual goals across a project. When your team members work toward a common goal, whether it’s the overarching business mission or the success of a unique project, they’re more likely to develop a team mentality and help each other succeed in reaching that goal, improving efficiency. Building a successful team and recognizing its accomplishments as a unit may strengthen that team mentality and further motivate team members to work harder together.

Strong leaders typically grant their team members a certain amount of autonomy without micromanaging them. If your team is only able to act when given a direct order or instruction, the environment may become stale, and team members may lack innovation and problem-solving skills. Consider giving your team members some level of autonomy relating to their strengths to overcome obstacles or new challenges. You’re sure to witness more innovation, collaboration and improved output. This enhanced level of independence and responsibility can also boost confidence, engagement and pride in their work.

Recognizing and praising achievements may inspire your team to perform better and work harder. On both an individual and team level, workers who know that their efforts are seen and appreciated usually have a higher sense of loyalty, appreciation and dedication toward the business. Sincere praise may help prevent burnout, maintain motivation and develop genuine trust in your leadership.

A good team leader should also cultivate a safe and supportive company culture. This doesn’t just refer to actual safety concerns and physical hazards—your team members should feel safe in placing their trust and confidence in you and each other. When individuals feel supported and comfortable, they’re more likely to go above and beyond to accomplish goals for the business. They may also enjoy their work more, which may combat burnout and improve morale and productivity.

Key steps leaders can take to create a sense of safety and support include:

• Providing sufficient resources
• Removing project obstacles
• Communicating clearly
• Staying level-headed under pressure
• Working alongside their team
• Accepting accountability

The true test of a great leader is how well they lead their team during times of crisis and hardship. Whether it’s an impending economic downturn, working through a busy season or changes within the organization, being able to adapt and guide your team can often make or break you and your team’s success. When change is coming or you’re facing big challenges, fostering communication and support for your team is essential.

Be explicitly clear about how the business is responding to any given situation and how it may affect the team at the group and individual levels. When engaging your team members during uncertain times, it’s important to provide ample resources and guidance to support them through the transition. Have frequent meetings to monitor how your team members are doing and inform them of their and the business’s performance. Leading with honesty, transparency and genuine concern for your team members will almost always earn their trust and respect, so they’ll follow you with confidence through whatever comes your way. 

Effective leadership often imparts values and skills that extend beyond the workplace, enriching employees’ personal lives. Traits like confidence, pride, discipline and teamwork are often invaluable in achieving personal milestones and wellness. Plus, employees who experience fulfillment, security and even contentment with work are more likely to take that joy with them outside of work, improving their quality of life and performance on and off the clock.

Learn more about Capital One’s business products and services that can help support you, your team and your business.