Do team leaders get to act differently just because they’re team leaders? Nope. One of the things you should remember is that your team will pay more attention to what you do than what you say.

Remember when you were growing up and your Mom said, “Do as I say, not as I do.” That is a death trap for a team leader. If you manage your team using the “as I say” approach, you will soon find yourself with a dysfunctional team that’s low in motivation and morale. Requiring employees to behave differently than what you demonstrate is like asking them to row upstream without a paddle. It just won’t work. [Read more...]