Working for a team leader who does not listen to team needs can make your job extremely frustrating. Here are some tips for communicating your needs to the team leader. The tips are presented under the themes of objectives, work assignments, and feedback.
OBJECTIVES
Does your team leader give the team objectives that are useful and easy to follow? If not, encourage your team leader to research SMART objectives, or goals that are specific, measured, achievable, realistic, and timed. You can’t expect immediate results, but your leader can improve goal-setting over time.
WORK ASSIGNMENTS
If you are a highly-contributing member of the team, you might be able to make a good case for more flexibility in work assignments. You have to communicate to the team leader what types of assignments will help you to stay motivated, especially if you are burned out from carrying too much of the team workload.
FEEDBACK
As an individual, you need feedback on your work. Other team members also need individual feedback. The whole team needs group feedback. If your team leader or manager is not adept at providing feedback, you can directly request this type of support. Try to approach this matter from the perspective of helping the team to function better. Logically, your manager should not argue with that suggestion.
As an employee, you have a right to receive support from the people who make decisions regarding your position (i.e. compensation, performance, and work assignments). Learning how to speak directly to your manager or team leader and have your needs met (at least in part) is an area to focus on professionally.
If you don’t speak up, you will continue to be unhappy in that aspect of your job. As an employee, it is only fair to be direct with your boss regarding your work in the same way that you expect his or her feedback.
By Audra Bianca
