8 Responsibilities of Team Leaders

If you are leading a team, whether in a ministry or mission context, your team expects you to lead.

Even if you are new to leading, the responsibility for providing clear direction and leadership falls on you. Here are a few responsibilities that you should pay attention to as a leader.

8 Responsibilities of Team Leaders

1. Cultivating a Clear Vision – Leaders must know where they are going and how to get there. How are you discerning God’s direction for your team? How are you communicating the vision to others?
2. Creating a Simple Organization – A simple structure and organization will increase team effectiveness and allow you to replicate your team. To whom are you accountable? How will you hold your team members accountable? What is expected of each team member?
3. Choosing the Right Members – Identify the key qualities and competencies necessary for serving on your team before inviting anyone to join you. What will you expect of your team members? What qualifies someone to serve on your team? What character qualities of being are necessary? What behavioral competencies must be evidenced?
4. Cultivating a Learning Culture – Leaders are learners. How will you continue to develop yourself as a leader? How will you grow and develop your team members? In what ways will you encourage life-long learning and personal development?
5. Coaching the Key Players – Every player needs a coach! Who is coaching you? How are you developing your coaching skills? How are you coaching those around you?
6. Caring for Genuine Needs – Your team will never grow beyond your ability to meet genuine needs. How will your team care for the needs of members? How will you as the team leader ensure that needs are being addressed?
7. Curing the Major Problems – It’s not the problems that will defeat you – it’s not dealing with the problems. How will you address issues and conflicts on your team?
8. Checking on Forward Progress – Don’t be so focussed on the big picture that you fail to evaluate progress. How will you celebrate progress? How will you encourage ongoing pursuit of the team goal? How will you deal with failure and setbacks?