Peter Bromberg's List: selfmanagedteams

"To move inside the work group, the traditional leader announces to subordinate staff members that they are being delegated the authority to manage a defined area of responsibility or to make a decision. The team has the responsibility and authority for reaching consensus decisions that everyone can support. The leader makes it clear he or she will act as the team's facilitator to coordinate the work, but will not make any independent decisions related to the delegated responsibility area. He or she notes that the team will be held accountable for the outcome of its decisions and actions. As a team leader experiences success and recognizes the benefits of this process, he or she will define more areas for collective responsibility and decision-making and spend more and more time inside of the group. "

The most important single factor in becoming a successful self-managed team leader is a servant attitude. To have such an attitude, one must have or develop a sincere desire to assist the work group to accomplish its responsibility by bringing out the best qualities and contribution of each team member. This is something that cannot be taught. It requires an inner sense security, self-worth and self-control along with a desire to see others succeed. It is the cornerstone to successfully fulfilling such roles as teaching, coaching or pastoring.

The team leader's orientation should be "How can I help create a working environment where my fellow team members are willing to exert themselves to meet personal and team goals?" The leader's mission is to free up team members to act collectively to use their intellect, creativity, diversity, talents and skills to manage defined areas of team responsibility and to develop and carry out action plans that capture the commitment and enthusiasm of everyone.

Some of the characteristics that are often said of effective team leaders by team members are as follows:

* The team leader is a fellow worker and friend, not a supervisor;
* leads by example, not by g