Roles are positions that are assigned to individuals within an organisation. The team leader’s role is to ensure the smooth running of a department so organisational objectives are met.
The role of team leaders can differ from business to business, however the majority of team leader roles would include:
- Creating an effective plan that will be put into place for the team to achieve their goal
- Communicating clear instructions to their team
- Monitoring and managing team members’ assigned tasks
- Reporting to management on their teams’ progress
- Managing day-to-day operations that are relevant to the task in hand
- Developing their team
Responsibilities are specific tasks that are required of the individual in order to carry out their role. For a team leader, these can be broken down into responsibilities to their team and responsibilities to their manager which would include:
| Responsibilities to their Team | Responsibilities to their Manager |
|---|---|
| Ensuring the team are aware of what is required of them | Achieving predetermined objectives |
| Equipping the team with the necessary tools, support and training to perform well in their roles | Compliance to legal constraints and organisational policies and procedures when carrying out their duties |
| Monitoring their progress and providing feedback on performance | Leading their team in an effective way to achieve organisational objectives |
| Regular updates on any issues which may affect them | Working collaboratively with their manager to achieve objectives |
| Maintaining confidentially when dealing with sensitive issues | Treating the manager with respect and professionalism |
| Protecting their health, safety and security in the workplace | Ensuring that the manager is kept informed |
| Recognising their individual career and development needs | Supporting the manager’s decisions |
Table 2 Responsibilities of a team leader towards different groups within a business