As a team lead, you take responsibility for the team and its results in addition to personnel responsibility. At the same time, you should not define your activities, role and responsibilities too broadly and possibly slip into "micro-management" of employees.
With this in mind, in this article we would like to introduce you to the most important responsibilities, requirements and activities of the Team Lead role – regardless of whether you work in an agile or scrum team, or in another knowledge work context.
Important to know: We assume a team lead role that empowers employees. By the way, you can also download the entire list of 21 points as a PDF at the end of the blog post.
So let's get started – here are the key responsibilities and activities of a Team Lead:
8 Responsibilities of the team lead
Responsibility #1 in the role of Team Lead: Clear objectives & a vision
A good team lead has the task of ensuring that all team members understand the overarching goals of the project and the company. And not only that – the best teams in the world even have an appealing vision that they work on with the greatest motivation. Clear objectives and a shared vision give the team direction and help the Direct Reports to set the right priorities independently.
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Questions for your self-reflection as a Team Lead:
- Do all team members know how their work affects the team and company goals?
- Do team members have enough context to be able to make decisions themselves?
Responsibility #2 in the role of Team Lead: Removing barriers & securing resources
Team Leads are there to remove obstacles that are blocking the team's productivity. Whether technical problems, a lack of resources or unclear requirements – a team lead actively intervenes to find solutions and keep the team operational. In the context of agile leadership, this is also referred to as servant leadership (Read more: Servant Leadership).
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Questions for your self-reflection as a Team Lead:
- When was the last time I asked my Direct Reports what hurdles are currently holding them back?
- What internal or external factors are blocking our performance as a team?
- How can we reduce coordination efforts and waiting times at interfaces with other teams?
Responsibility #3 in the role of Team Lead: Leading with a focus on strengths
Each team member brings different skills to the table. A good team lead assumes personnel responsibility by recognizing strengths and weaknesses and making targeted use of them. At the same time, he or she supports the personal and professional development of team members, e.g. through regular one-on-one feedback meetings or further training opportunities. It doesn't matter whether these are held digitally or virtually remotely or in person on site.
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Questions for your self-reflection as a Team Lead:
- What different strengths are there in my team and how can we make the most of them?
- How can I help team members to work on their weaknesses and create an environment in which the impact of weaknesses can be better cushioned?
- What development opportunities and wishes do the team members see? How can I support them in their development as a manager?
“During my 1:1s, it is way too hard to take notes while being focused on the employee.”
"Yes, 1:1 meetings with my employees should be my most important meeting – but I need more guidance for that."
Responsibility #4 in the role of Team Lead: Promoting communication and exemplifying conflict resolution
As a Team Lead, you are not only a key team member, but also the bridge between the team and management. You ensure that information is passed on clearly and in good time. You also promote communication within the team, for example through structured meetings or an open feedback culture. As a manager, you set an example of how conflicts can be resolved in a goal-oriented and respectful manner and support your direct reports in resolving conflicts as independently as possible.
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- In which situations did my team lack information? In which situations was information unevenly distributed within the team?
- How effective are our team meetings? Is there enough space and opportunities for all team members to contribute themselves and their ideas?
- How have I contributed to an open feedback culture and respectful solution finding in problematic situations or conflicts?
Responsibility #5 in the role of Team Lead: Taking responsibility for results
The success of the team is your responsibility as Team Lead. A good team lead creates the framework conditions for the team to deliver results and takes responsibility when things go wrong. Mistakes are analyzed in order to learn from them instead of blaming others. You create a safe framework that allows team members to take risks.
You also keep a close eye on relevant key figures, such as customer satisfaction measured in surveys, etc., in order to use them to manage the team.
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Questions for your self-reflection as a Team Lead:
- How do I show my team that I will ultimately take responsibility and protect them even for less than perfect results?
- How can I help ensure that mistakes are discussed openly and lessons are learned?
- How do I create a clear framework for team members so that they know which decisions and risks they can take on their own responsibility?
- Which key figures can help us as a team to work together efficiently?
Responsibility #6 in the role of Team Lead: Establishing culture & values
Promoting a positive team culture is one of the key tasks of a team lead. An appreciative and cooperative atmosphere does not develop by itself – it needs active shaping. There are always situations in which tensions arise or individual members feel excluded, and this is where you need to intervene. As a manager, you are responsible for creating an environment in which trust prevails and everyone has the confidence to contribute their perspective.
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Questions for your self-reflection as a Team Lead:
- Do I actively promote exchange and cooperation within the team?
- Do I leave enough room for diversity in opinions and working styles?
- How do I deal with situations in which team members do not feel respected or valued?
Responsibility #7 in the role of Team Lead: Ensuring fairness
Ensuring fairness in the team is an important task for the team lead. There are always team members who speak up when they feel they are being treated unfairly and others who diligently complete their tasks but find it difficult to address unfair behavior. As a manager, you need to deal with these situations empathetically.
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Questions for your self-reflection as a Team Lead:
- Is the distribution of work in the team fair?
- Is performance sufficiently recognized and is lack of performance openly addressed?
- How can I ensure that team members can discuss their concerns about unfair behavior – or even unfair behavior on my part – with me without any obstacles?
Responsibility #8 in the role of Team Lead: Functional leadership
Monitoring professional excellence in the team is an essential activity of the team lead. You ensure that the right methods and tools are used. There are often complex challenges that the team cannot solve on its own, and this is where you are called upon to support them with your expertise or bring in the right experts to help. You ensure that the quality of the work results meets the highest standards at all times.
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Questions for your self-reflection as a Team Lead:
- Do I have a clear view of the professional or technical requirements and skills of the team?
- Do I support my team sufficiently in solving complex problems, or do I at least refer them to the right experts?
- Am I devoting sufficient resources and time to the professional development of the team?
With these responsibilities in mind, there are some activities that you will not be able to avoid in your job as a team lead.
5 Typical, everyday activities & tasks of a team lead
A Team Lead has a variety of tasks and activities that include both strategic and operational elements. These can be divided into the following categories:
1. Tasks & activities Team Lead: planning and prioritization
- Setting team goals: Definition and communication of clear goals that the team should achieve.
- Set priorities: Organize tasks according to importance and urgency and ensure that all direct reports set the right priorities.
2. Tasks & Activities Team Lead: coordination and resource management
- Distribution of tasks: Assigning tasks to the right team members based on their strengths and capacities.
- Ensure resources: Ensure that the team has the necessary tools, information and time to work efficiently.
3.Tasks & Activities Team Lead: meetings and communication
- Team meetings: Conduct regular updates and status meetings to monitor progress and identify obstacles.
- Coordination with other departments: Communication with other teams or management to exchange information or clarify dependencies.
4. Tasks & Activities Team Lead: mentoring and coaching
- Feedback discussions: Regular, constructive feedback sessions with team members to discuss their performance and identify development opportunities.
- Promotion of individual strengths: Identification of talents and targeted support for further development.
At this point, I would like to point out our one-on-one meeting tool Echometer. It helps team leads to develop their team members in regular one-on-one meetings. Here is an example template for a (virtual remote or on-site) one-to-one meeting. Have a look at our tool:
No small talk, no awkward pauses. 🥱 This 1:1 template simply always works.
- What achievement are you proud of that I may not have noticed?
- What small change would immediately improve your work?
- What would you like to take more time for at work?
...
5. Tasks & Activities Team Lead: problem solving and removing barriers
- Recognize and remove obstacles: Identifying problems that hinder the flow of work and initiating solutions, be it technical difficulties or organizational blockages.
- Process optimization: Continuous review and improvement of work processes to increase productivity.
With regard to this last point, I can highly recommend conducting agile retrospectives. Team retrospectives are a team meeting format in which the team comes together as a whole for 30 to 90 minutes to reflect on recent collaboration and derive improvement measures.
Team retrospectives play a key role in strengthening the team culture and creating an open feedback culture. Especially as a new manager, they can be a fantastic tool for initiating bottom-up changes in the team in a constructive and positive way. You can find more information on agile retrospectives here.
Now that you know the activities, tasks and responsibilities of a team lead, let's move on to the requirements of the team lead role.
If you wish, you can download the entire list with the 21 points as a PDF here. Just click on the button:
Leadership qualities: 8 requirements for a team lead
There are various requirements for the modern (Scrum) team lead, who must therefore have many leadership qualities. He or she must have a variety of skills and characteristics in order to lead the team effectively and successfully fulfill their responsibilities. The most important leadership skills requirements can be divided into the following categories:
1. Leadership qualities & Requirements Team Lead: leadership skills
- Strategic thinking: The ability to set long-term goals and align the team with them.
- decisiveness: Be able to make clear and well-founded decisions.
- Motivation: Inspiring the team and maintaining motivation even in difficult phases.
2. Leadership qualities & Requirements Team Lead: communication skills
- Clear communication: Passing on information transparently and comprehensibly.
- Empathy: Respond to the needs and concerns of Direct Reports and listen actively.
- Feedback culture: Giving and receiving regular, constructive feedback.
3. Leadership qualities & Requirements Team Lead: building trust and integrity
- Create trust: Establish an atmosphere of trust in which team members can communicate openly with each other.
- Role model function: Demonstrate an ethical, responsible attitude as a manager and act authentically.
4. Leadership qualities & Requirements Team Lead: adaptability and flexibility
- Fast reaction to changes: Be able to act flexibly and in a solution-oriented manner in a dynamic environment.
- Openness to new ideas: Willingness to continuously develop and adapt to new technologies and methods.
5. Leadership qualities & Requirements Team Lead: self-reflection
- Recognize mistakes and learn: The ability to reflect, recognize mistakes and learn from them.
- Personal development: Continuous improvement of own leadership skills and professional knowledge.
6. Leadership qualities & Requirements Team Lead: solution orientation
- Problem solving skills: Keeping a cool head in difficult situations and finding solutions.
- Creativity: Develop innovative approaches to overcoming challenges.
7. Leadership qualities & Requirements Team Lead: vision and objectives
- Clear vision: Develop an inspiring vision and align the team with it.
- Goal orientation: Make the company's long-term goals clear and align daily tasks with them.
8. Leadership qualities & Requirements Team Lead: technical expertise
- Specialist knowledge: Have relevant technical knowledge to support the team with complex challenges.
- Mentoring: Support the team in developing technical skills and expertise.
All right. If you can fully integrate this list of requirements, activities and responsibilities into your everyday life, congratulations: then you will most likely be an above-average team lead for your employees. However, it's not easy.
We therefore recommend implementing the principle of continuous improvement in both self-management and team management –, for example by conducting agile retrospectives. You can find more information on this topic here: "What is a retrospective" and Tips for team retrospectives.
“During my 1:1s, it is way too hard to take notes while being focused on the employee.”
"Yes, 1:1 meetings with my employees should be my most important meeting – but I need more guidance for that."
Conclusion: A wide range of tasks for the role of managers
A team lead is more than a manager – he or she is a coach, supporter, communicator and sometimes even a mediator for employees.
With a clear focus on goals, a strong communication culture and trust in the team, you can successfully fulfill your role as Team Lead with personnel responsibility. We wish you every success!
If you are still unsure, the digital online software tool Echometer can help you to introduce the most important leadership routines such as agile retrospectives and 1-to-1 meetings with your employees. You can find out more about the Echometer app here.
If you're interested, you can also play around with one of our templates for one-on-one meetings here and try it out with one of your team members free of charge soon:
No small talk, no awkward pauses. 🥱 This 1:1 template simply always works.
- What achievement are you proud of that I may not have noticed?
- What small change would immediately improve your work?
- What would you like to take more time for at work?
...
