The job of a Team Leader may vary depending on the type of team he/she leads. In general, team leaders are responsible for managing day-to-day planning, implementation and problem-solving to ensure their team achieves their daily goals in production or service. For instance, team leaders in a call center setting monitor calls of agents and coach them to improve performance. Those who are employed in manufacturing companies supervise production staff.
Education/Experience Requirements
A successful candidate must possess a bachelor’s degree or several years of experience as a manager or supervisor in a relevant field. Educational requirements may vary widely, but team leaders are often given the position as a promotion after years of service for the company.
Skills
Leadership and motivational skills, interpersonal skills, good written and verbal communication skills, decision-making and analytical skills, advanced computer skills and ability to work well under pressure individually and as part of a team. Team leaders must also be responsible, calm and are able to plan and prioritize his/her work and other people’s daily activities.
Specific work elements
Handling staff scheduling, monitoring team’s performance to ensure they meet daily goals, verifying individual performance by using tracking systems; coaching team members to improve performance; motivating team members; leading and attending scheduled training programs; identifying individual shortcomings of team members and helping them through customized coaching; reporting team development and activities to high-level managers or human resources; hiring and promoting team members; helping with customer service; and submitting ideas to increase productivity of his/her team, among others.
