What Key Skills Do Top Team Managers Possess?

What does it take to be a good team manager?

Are you born with the skill, or can it be learned? Whether you manage a small team or a big business, how you lead is just as important as what you achieve.

The good news is that while some people may have a natural affinity for leadership, team management is a skill that can be developed over time. 

Whether you’re new to team management or looking to improve your skills, here’s how to take it to the next level in your business.

What Skills Do You Need For Team Management?

At the heart of team management is a set of core skills. While the specifics may vary depending on your industry and team composition, these fundamental skills are the foundation of leadership:

Communication

Clear, open, and consistent communication is the most important skill for any team manager. It’s about delivering messages, using active listening, and creating open dialogue within your team. And this goes beyond just verbal communication - written and nonverbal communication is just as crucial for effective team management.

Example

Sarah, a project manager at a marketing agency, introduced a daily 15-minute stand-up where team members shared their progress, plans, and any blockers. This simple habit massively improved team coordination and problem-solving as issues were identified and solved quickly.

Tip: Practice active listening by giving your full attention when team members speak, asking questions, and summarising what you’ve heard to ensure understanding.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to recognise, understand and manage your own emotions and those of others. A high EQ allows you to navigate complex people dynamics, build strong relationships, and create a positive team environment.

Example

When two team members were at odds over a project deadline, Mark, their manager, saw the underlying stress and frustration. Instead of taking sides, he facilitated a calm conversation, helped both parties to express their concerns, and found a solution that worked for both.

Tip: Check in with your team members on a personal level. Understanding their motivations, concerns, and aspirations will help you lead better and have a more engaged team.

Strategic Decision-making

As a team manager, you’ll be making decisions that impact your whole team. The ability to gather and analyse information, consider different perspectives, and make timely and informed decisions is key.

Example

Lisa, a product manager, had to decide whether to delay a product launch to add new features or stick to the original timeline. She gathered data on market demand, spoke to her team and stakeholders, and decided to stick to the original launch date, prioritising time-to-market over additional features.

Tip: Create a decision-making process. This could be steps like defining the problem, gathering information, identifying alternatives, weighing pros and cons, and making a choice. Having a process will help you make more consistent and confident decisions.

Confident Adaptability

Things change fast, so the ability to adapt to new situations, technologies, and ways of working is key. Adaptable managers can guide their teams through change and uncertainty and turn challenges into opportunities.

Example

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Alex, an operations manager, moved his team to remote work. He researched and implemented new collaboration tools, adjusted workflows, and established new norms of communication, and his team remained productive despite the sudden change.

Tip: Cultivate a growth mindset in yourself and your team. See challenges as opportunities to learn and improve, not insurmountable obstacles.

Humble Delegation

Delegation is more than just assigning tasks. It’s about understanding your team members’ strengths and weaknesses, providing the right level of support and autonomy, and growth and development through challenging assignments.

Example

Rachel, a sales manager, knew Tom on her team was good with data. She delegated the task of creating the team’s monthly performance report to him and gave him guidance and support. This freed up Rachel’s time and allowed Tom to develop new skills and take on more responsibility.

Tip: When delegating, clearly communicate the task’s objectives, any constraints or deadlines, and your expectations. Provide the resources and support but don’t micromanage. Trust your team members to deliver.

Key Team Management Strategies

These skills are great to have – but they only work when you have a strong, cohesive team. Team management is key to success and meeting goals in any organisation.

Here are some strategies to help you manage your team better:

Set Clear Goals and Objectives

One of the key aspects of team management is that everyone knows what they’re working towards and what’s expected of them. Clear goals and expectations provide direction and purpose and align individual efforts with team and organisational goals.

Example

James, a software development manager, used a goal-setting framework based on Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). At the start of each quarter, he worked with his team to set ambitious but achievable objectives and measurable key results. This clarified expectations and increased motivation as team members could see how their work contributed to the bigger picture.

Tips for setting clear goals and expectations:

• Involve team members in the goal-setting process to get buy-in and commitment.
• Make sure goals are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
• Review and discuss progress towards goals in team meetings.
• Be prepared to adjust goals if circumstances change significantly.

Focus On Building A Positive Team Culture

A positive team culture can have a big impact on productivity, creativity, and job satisfaction. As a manager, you have a big role in shaping and maintaining your team’s culture.

Example:

Sarah, a marketing team leader, noticed her team was stressed and disconnected. She introduced “Fun Fridays,” where the last hour of work each Friday was dedicated to team-building activities, sharing successes, and informal socialising. This simple initiative lifted morale, improved communication, and created a more collaborative environment.

Strategies for promoting a positive team culture:

• Lead by example: show the values and behaviours you want to see in your team.
• Celebrate successes big and small.
• Encourage open communication and create a safe space to share ideas and concerns.
• Support work-life balance and show you care for your team members’ well-being.

Give Feedback and Offer Recognition

Feedback is a powerful tool for growth and improvement, and recognition is for motivation and engagement. Regular constructive feedback and genuine recognition can make a big difference in team performance and satisfaction.

Example

Mark, a sales manager, had a weekly one-on-one with each team member. During these sessions, he gave specific feedback on recent performance, discussed progress toward goals, and addressed any concerns. He also made sure to recognise exceptional efforts in team meetings. As a result, his team performed better, and employee satisfaction scores increased.

Tips for feedback and recognition:

• Make feedback specific, timely, and actionable.
• Balance constructive criticism with positive reinforcement.
• Tailor your approach to each team member’s preferences and personality.
• Recognise effort and progress, not just results.
• Encourage peer-to-peer recognition to create a supportive team environment.

Collaboration and Innovation

There’s no question – collaboration is a key way for teams to grow closer and achieve more. Studies show that teams who collaborate are more innovative and successful than those who don’t. 

As a leader, it’s important to foster a culture of collaboration within your team. This means creating opportunities for team members to work together, listening to their ideas, and encouraging open communication.

Example

Lisa, a product development manager, introduced cross-functional “innovation sprints” where team members from different departments worked together on new product ideas for a week. This resulted in several successful product launches and improved collaboration and knowledge sharing across the organisation.

Strategies for collaboration and innovation:

• Create opportunities for cross-functional collaboration.
• Have a system for collecting and evaluating ideas from team members.
• Encourage calculated risk-taking and see failures as learning opportunities.
• Provide resources and time for experimentation and thinking time.
• Use collaborative tools and technology to facilitate team growth – especially for remote or distributed teams.

Focus On Team Development

Continuous learning and development are important for individual growth and team success. By investing in your team’s development, you’ll improve their skills and increase engagement and retention – which, in turn, will make your job that much easier and fulfilling!

Example

Alex, an IT team leader, introduced a “skill-sharing” programme where team members could teach each other new skills or share knowledge about specific technologies. He also allocated a portion of the team’s budget for external training and certifications. This focus on learning improved the team’s capabilities, increased job satisfaction, and reduced turnover.

Tips for team development:

• Do skills assessments regularly to identify areas for improvement.
• Create individual development plans with each team member.
• Encourage knowledge sharing within the team.
• Provide mentoring or coaching opportunities.
• Support attendance at relevant conferences or workshops.
• Use online learning platforms for flexible, self-paced development.

Common Team Management Challenges

Even the best managers face challenges when managing a team. Being prepared for these and having a plan to overcome them is key to long-term success. Let’s look at some common team management challenges and how to address them.

Interpersonal Conflict

Conflict is a natural part of team dynamics, but if left unaddressed, it can kill productivity and morale. Conflict resolution is a key skill for any team manager – and how you handle it can make or break your team.

First, it’s important to understand the root cause of the conflict. Is it a clash of personalities? Miscommunication? Differences in work styles or approaches? Identifying the underlying issues will help you find a resolution.

One approach is to bring both parties together for an open and honest discussion. Encourage active listening and provide a safe space for everyone to express their concerns. As the manager, remain neutral and focus on finding a mutually beneficial solution.

If necessary, mediation from a third party may be needed. This could be an HR representative or an outside professional. The goal should always be to find a resolution that leads to improved communication and collaboration within the team.

Disjointed Culture from Remote or Distributed Teams

With the rise of remote work, many managers find themselves leading teams in different locations and time zones. This presents challenges in communication, collaboration, and team cohesion.

Fortunately, there are ways to bridge these gaps and create a cohesive culture within your remote or distributed team. It starts with establishing clear communication channels, setting expectations for response times, and ensuring everyone has the necessary technology and tools to effectively work together.

Regular virtual meetings and check-ins are an effective way to foster a strong team culture. This allows team members to connect face-to-face, even if it's through a screen, and promotes open communication. Try implementing team-building activities such as virtual happy hours or online games to help build camaraderie and strengthen relationships among team members.

It's also important for managers to be mindful of potential cultural differences within a remote or distributed team. Take the time to educate yourself on different cultures and customs in order to understand and respect your team members' backgrounds. This can help prevent misunderstandings and promote a more inclusive environment.

Underperforming Team Members

When a team member consistently doesn’t meet expectations, it can impact the whole team’s performance and morale. Address underperformance quickly and effectively:

• Get to the root of the underperformance (skill gap, personal issues, lack of motivation, etc.)
• Provide clear and specific feedback on what needs to improve
• Set measurable goals for improvement
• Offer support, resources, or training
• Document all conversations and agreements
• Recognise and celebrate small wins
• Be prepared to make tough decisions if there’s no improvement with support

Micromanaging and Autonomy

Finding the right balance between direction and autonomy is hard. Too much control can stifle creativity and motivation, and too little can lead to misalignment and inefficiency. 

The key is to communicate expectations and provide guidance while still allowing team members the freedom to make decisions and take ownership of their work. This can be achieved through:

• Clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and expectations
• Providing regular check-ins or progress updates
• Encouraging open communication for feedback and suggestions
• Allowing flexibility in how tasks are completed
• Trusting team members to make decisions within their area of expertise
• Offering support and resources when needed
• Recognizing and rewarding autonomy that leads to positive results

Tools and Techniques

It’s a digital world – and many of the tools you use every day for personal tasks can be used for your team too. Here are some examples:

Project Management Tools

Project management tools help teams organise tasks, track progress, and collaborate. They provide a central place to manage workflows, deadlines, and resources. While they are no substitute for good communication, they can help streamline processes and reduce confusion.

Here are some popular options:

• Trello: Great for visual project management using boards and cards
• Asana: Flexible views (list, board, timeline) and robust task management
• Basecamp: Simple and easy to use for project tracking and communication
• Jira: For software development teams with advanced planning and tracking capabilities

Communication Tools

Communication is the foundation of good team management. Modern communication tools offer multiple channels for instant messaging, video conferencing, and file sharing.

Popular ones:

• Slack: Great for team chat with robust integrations and customisation options
• Microsoft Teams: Integrates well with other Microsoft tools and has comprehensive communication features
• Zoom: Reliable for video conferencing, especially for larger teams or client meetings

Performance Tracking Tools

These tools help managers track individual and team performance, set goals, and provide timely feedback. They can streamline performance reviews and help identify areas for improvement or recognition.

Team Building

Not a digital tool, but team-building activities are a key technique for bonding, communication, and morale. Especially useful for new teams or after big changes.

Ideas for team building:

• Problem-solving challenges or escape rooms (virtual or in-person)
• Volunteer activities or community service projects
• Skill-sharing workshops or “lunch and learn” sessions
• Social events like team dinners or game nights

Start Your Journey to Mastering Team Management Today

Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to team management. What works for one team won’t work for another. The key is to understand your team’s dynamics, strengths, and challenges and adapt accordingly.

As you continue on your team management journey, we recommend:

• Review your management style and how it’s impacting your team
• Ask for feedback from your team members and peers
• Be open to new ideas and approaches
• Invest in yourself as a leader

At ActionCOACH, we believe team management is key to business success. That’s why we offer a range of services to help managers and business owners develop their leadership skills and build high-performing teams.

Whether you want to fine-tune your management, overcome specific challenges, or transform your team’s performance, we can help.

Are you a strong leader who wants to make a difference? Download our free e-book to see how your leadership skills could make a difference to thousands of teams across the UK.

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