Anyone with experience running or participating in a Dev team sprint knows the complexity and stress of the process. Every team member must understand their role and execute it with precision. Team leader needs to know how to take control and delegate to get the most out of their team members. While virtual meeting branding & customization can help with team cohesion, a successful sprint depends on much more than appearances, especially during remote sessions.
Effective leadership depends on several factors. According to experienced DevOps leaders, leadership rest on four pillars.
1. Encouraging an Environment of Trust
The environment matters when running team projects or exercises. Team members must feel comfortable expressing opinions or ideas without fearing ridicule or neglect.
Team leaders need to encourage collaboration. Every team member should feel supported. When members feel alone, they struggle, and the project struggles. All members should feel comfortable presenting struggles to the group for help. When team members trust each other, they want to support each other and the project.
2. Using the Right Tools
Many companies still incorporate a Zoom Virtual Office, allowing team members to work remotely. If a business wants its development team to excel in a remote setting, it must provide all the necessary tools.
If a company requires specific levels of security to access certain areas of the digital operation, all team members need appropriate permissions. Also, each member might need company computers. It is best for an organization to meet with development leads to discuss the needs of the team.
Leaders need to communicate with their teams to understand the challenges they may face. Speak to individual members and ask if there is anything they need from you or the company to support their job or make a specific task easier.
3. Honing Communication Skills
Leaders must possess excellent communication skills. Poor communication often leads to miscommunication, which can cause conflict within teams.
Team leaders need to know how to give orders, but they also need to understand the significance of listening. Leading a productive and innovative team without listening to and communicating needs is impossible.
Team members must feel safe to offer feedback or make requests. Leaders must feel confident that they can ask something of their team and receive honest feedback.
4. Knowing Your Team
It is not enough for a team leader to know team members’ names. A leader must understand the capabilities of each team member. A leader must also acknowledge when team members are not performing at their best or are incapable of performing for whatever reason.
Knowing the capabilities of team members means a leader can better assign tasks. It also means the leader can have more confidence in project timelines and execution.
Virtual backgrounds for Google Meet or Zoom can help create a cohesive remote environment, but it does not eliminate the need for effective leadership. Real leaders know how to encourage their teams, acquire the right tools, communicate project goals, and understand the talents and specialties of each member. If you want more ideas for improving your leadership skills, consider talking to a leadership professional.
