Team Leadership
Name
Institution
To: The Manager
From: Team Leader
Date: July 30, 2015
Subject: Ensuring Team Success
Team leadership can be a success if the leader used the best approach and if he took the time to understand the other team members. The best leadership approach is flexible and it accommodates changes. Leaders who use this approach are able to steer their teams in the right direction. Understanding the personalities of all the leaders is important as well. This is because it will enable the team leader to delegate tasks based on the strengths of all the members in the team.
Personality Types
Stacey’s personality type is ENFP. People with this personality type are enthusiastic and they have a lot of energy. They are important to a team because they are able to come up with new ideas and because of their possibilities to solve problems. They engage others to find creative ideas and they have the ability to see a bigger picture. They are change oriented and they will seek to find new ways of doing things. They are good for team morale because of their ability to excite others about new projects. In addition, they are willing to consider other perspectives and to engage in situations where everyone wins. Because of these features, they may not be able to focus on one particular suggestion and they tend to change their minds often (Hammer, 2010). This can work to the disadvantage of the team. It can annoy the other members and it can lead to project delays
Kia’s personality type is ISTP. Individuals with this personality type are characterized by their logical and practical nature, curiosity, and their ability to adapt to situations. They enjoy finding solutions to problems. They identify the best approach used to solve problems. They are observant and they are keen on learning how things work. They cherish their independence and freedom to choose. Individuals with this type of personality will often choose to hide or ignore their personal sentiments. Because of their quiet and analytical nature, such people find it hard to communicate. They resist interpersonal issues and this can lead to misinterpretation from others who are relational and more social. In addition, although their ability to focus and analyze a specific issue can be beneficial, it can also be problematic if the person chooses not to do other things.
Adam’s personality type is ENTP. People with this personality tend to be very energetic and enthusiastic. However, they are also logical and analytical. They will often choose to experiment on many things and they seek to understand everything around them. They will choose projects even if they do not know the outcome although they are usually hoping for the best. They are good communicators and they like influencing other people. The problem of working with such people is that they can come up with too many ideas, which they are not capable of delivering. Such people like change and will seek to introduce it even if it is not necessary.
My personality type is INTJ. Some of the characteristics of this type include being insightful, logical, determined, and conceptual. Such individuals are vision oriented. They are always looking for opportunities for improvement as well as any possibilities. They enjoy solving problems analytically. However, people with this personality type tend to ignore the contributions that other people make. They can appear cold and unfriendly, as they are not relationship oriented. They will choose to focus on the present task. When they do make friends, they often choose people who can engage them intellectually.
Leadership Approach and Application
The way a person leads has an effect on how the followers perform their work. Effective leaders are able to influence their followers to do their best and to realize their objectives. The leadership approach will also determine the sentiments of the followers and their satisfaction. Followers are satisfied and they find greater fulfillment when they find their worth in a group. The most appropriate leadership approach is one that considers the changing situations and responds accordingly. This approach will consider the different needs of the individuals and strive to find ways of meeting them. It is also necessary to consider how different individuals contribute towards improving the team. In every situation, a leader has to apply basic principles such as respect of other people. Some leaders are misunderstood because of their personalities. People with my personality type may appear as if they are alienating others because they are not as expressive or social.
Transformational leadership approach is characterized by a charismatic and visionary leader. Such leader encourages followers to engage in creative thinking when solving problems. Transformational leaders are not afraid of delegating tasks as they encourage every person to contribute towards the team. They apply critical thinking and they are flexible in their approach. They encourage, support, and empower their followers. They are not focused on self-interests but they share goals with the other members of the team. They inspire the team while at the same time gives them challenging problems (Northouse, 2009)
It is clear that the team comprises of individuals who complement each other’s strengths. Each member has individual strengths and weaknesses. I plan to capitalize on the strengths of every individual to overcome the weaknesses in the team. For instance, the fact that I am more of an introvert means that I will depend on Stacey and Adam for enthusiasm and excitement. This will go towards motivating the other team members. On the other hand, Stacey and Adam can get overly excited concerning their ideas. Therefore, it is necessary to find ways of controlling them. This will mean taking a tougher stand as a leader to ensure that the team is able to meet the deadlines it has established.
As a team leader, one of the most important qualities is the ability to communicate. However, this is one of my main limitations. This highlights the need to delegate tasks to the most suitable person. Understanding the personalities of all the people in the team positions me in a better place where I can determine the tasks that a person can handle best. For instance, ENTP personalities are good communicators. In addition, they have a way of influencing those around them. Therefore, Adam will be most suitable for handling all the team’s communication. Communicating the right message will lead to greater understanding and it can determine how we will perform in the project.
Individuals with INTJ and ISTP personalities are logical and curious. They are practical and insightful. In addition, they enjoy finding solutions to problems. Although every person in the team will participate in completing the project, Kia and I will be responsible for most of the research. We are in a better position to delve deeper into issues, examine them, and consider how they will help in accomplishing our objectives. We will present our findings to the team and brainstorm on the most suitable approaches to use.
I will lead my team successfully by recognizing that all the
people in the team are different in their personalities and strengths. I will
capitalize on these strengths for the benefit on the team. I will delegate
duties based on each person’s strengths. I will influence the members towards
realizing the set objectives and I will provide the vision for the team.
Understanding the differences in personalities is the initial step as this will
guide the directions I take.
References:
Hammer, L. A. (2010). Myer-Briggs type indicator team report. Retrieved from https://www.cpp.com/Pdfs/smp261248.pdf
Northouse, G. P. (2009). Leadership: Theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE
The Myers & Briggs Foundation (n. d.). MBTI basics. Retrieved from http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/