2+2=5 Team*WORKS

Reader Question:  I’m on a team where each person thinks they’re in charge. There’s no clear leader. What do we do?

Our Response: We have written several times about the importance of providing all team members with the opportunity to lead. Managers who provide team members with the opportunity to serve in different roles (leader, follower etc) allows team members to see the team from a different perspective, a new lens with which to understand the team environment. With that being said, there is without a doubt, a risk to allowing too many people to lead the team. 

A team does in fact need an indisputable, clearly defined leader who is responsible for taking the reigns in crisis mode. Otherwise, when the team finds itself in a “crisis” either everyone pushes in to be the leader, or no one is willing to take control. Make no mistake, sharing leadership responsibilities is a terrific strategy for a team, but it is a luxury for a team to provide all team members with the chance to lead in certain situations. This can help to identify individual strengths.

If there is no clear leader, take time to identify the individual to whom it comes most naturally. Of course, in business, leader is usually synonymous with manager. In business, a person’s title defines who is and who isn’t the leader. But that is a mistake. A leader is much different from a manager in the way that they interact with the team. (Refer to some of our older posts about leadership skills). No doubt the first year associate on the team could be the leader on a team of seasoned professionals.
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sgw/2329607771/