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Leaping into the Leadership Role

February 28, 2000

"You've just been asked to serve as a project leader for your workplace team.  Without any leadership experience, how do you make the leap from team member one day to team leader the next?

Here are some suggestions offered by Rae Cook, president of Gorin Communications in Wilmington, Delaware on how to make the transition.

* Involve your team members.  Ask for opinions and let people know what you, as the leader, are going to do with their ideas.

* Stick to a particular process.  Create a particular process to follow when looking for solutions to problems or implementing projects.

* Test for 'buy in.' New leaders often make the mistake of continuing forward with a plan of action without checking to see is the team is agreeable.

* Get commitments.  In assigning duties, ask people what they want to commit to, and make sure they follow through.

* Learn to hear everything - especially unspoken messages.  In a team environment, there is a big difference between listening as a peer and as a leader.

* Maintain good relations with your supervisor.  Always keep in mind that your supervisor is being evaluated just as you are.  Package information in such a way that your supervisory can present it to higher-ups to show how effectively the team is working (Goodwin-Neuhaus, 1998, p.1)."

Reference: Goodwin-Neuhaus, A.  (1998, June 22). Leaping into the Leadership Role.  Teamwork: Your Personal Guide to Working Successfully with People.

Are you ready to leap into a leadership role?

* Teamwork: Your Personal Guide to Working Successfully with People is available on loan at the OSU Leadership Center.  A listing of all the Leadership Center's resources is available on our website www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~leaders

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Created: 2009-01-02, Updated: 2009-01-12