Effective team leaders exhibit certain habits and behavioral qualities that inspire their teams to produce their best work.

Here are five habits all effective team leaders have:

Habit #1: Effective team leaders focus on their team more than themselves.

They are willing to put the team’s success above their own. Coming from a place of selfless service, the effective team leader consciously finds ways to uplift the team and its individual members in need.

Habit #2: Effective team leaders create a space where people can trust one another.

They go first in difficult discussions, which often leaves them vulnerable. Exhibiting courage, they bring difficult behavioral issues to the surface. Unwilling to engage in office politics or posturing, they consistently call out passive-aggressive behavior and people’s fear of conflict.

Habit #3: Effective team leaders focus on strengths, not weaknesses.

They understand that the purpose of an organization is to capitalize on the strengths of its employees instead of focusing on improving individual weakness. Team leaders that play to team member’s strengths build more powerful teams.

Habit #4: Effective team leaders push for a higher standard.

They keep themselves and their team accountable for their actions and behaviors. This profound level of accountability becomes infectious and team members begin holding each other to the same high standard.

Habit #5: Effective team leaders drive toward results and keep their team focused on the end picture.

Transcending personality conflicts and petty behavioral problems within the team, they keep everyone focused on what matters most: The results the team is committed to achieving.

You can’t pick and choose from the above list of habits. To be an effective team leader, you must adopt all five habits.

Related posts:

1. The First Stop Toward Building an Effective Team
2. Seven Great Reasons to Invest in Team Building
3. Five Habits of the Effective Executive