Business Management

Leaders are often metaphorically compared to eagles. Rightfully so; because like eagles leaders posses a keen since of vision and have a tremendous strength of character. However, the misnomer is when leaders assume they should be found alone like most eagles. The sighting of a noble leader may be rare; however a good leader should never be alone. When a leader acts as a lone ranger, taking all the responsibility upon himself; it is neither good for him or for the people. Both he and the people will eventually wear out.
The power of team leadership in business is that there is more strength in numbers. TEAM when taken as an acronym means Together Everyone Achieves More. Team leadership manifests the backbone of leadership – empowerment. Through training followers to become leaders, the leadership is replicated.
The replication of leadership in a group allows for more productivity in the same amount of time. For example when a leader is tasked with solving problems that his people are having, he may be able to meet with three people in an hour. However, if he has trained three of his people to be additional problem solvers, together they can see twelve people in the same hour. That is a four hundred percent increase in productivity.
The core discipline in leadership is problem solving. The leader is responsible for providing strategies that overcome the obstacles that seek to impede progress toward the goal. When team leadership is employed the burden of the obstacle is dispersed and the power for productivity is increased.
There are 3 steps to producing powerful team leadership.
Step 1Create a New Identity
The leader must begin by changing his priorities with the team. He must no longer allow himself to be burdened with lower level problems; but must reserve himself to be available only for the most difficult problems. This is one the critical differences between progressive organizations and stagnate groups. When the pattern is set that the leader will solve everything, the members of the group are stifled; and are crippled from developing their potential.
Step 2Develop a Training Culture
The leader must teach all his people all the principles and strategies he employs in making decisions and solving problems (fearful leaders are always scared of giving away trade secrets for fear of being replaced). It is important that he teaches his people to share with their peers their learning for reinforcement (this is critical to develop a culture of training). Open sharing is necessary to promote team because it builds trust. It is secrecy that breeds contempt and conspiracy.
Step 3Initiate New Leaders
The final step is for the leader to empower his most initiated people to the role of problem solver. The new leaders would be responsible for solving all other problems in order to reserve the most difficult problems for the primary leader. The replication process of team leadership makes it uniquely powerful because of its inherent succession plan; thereby eliminating the break in continuity of leadership should the primary leader be absent or displaced.
Leadership is a powerful tool; it must be in order to get the team to overcome all its obstacles. Therefore, its power should not be horded by one person. Absolute power corrupts the best of intentions. However, the power of leadership dispersed throughout a team and harnessed by the unity of mission is the best medium for use of this power in business.