The Roles & Responsibilities of Team Managers
In a business environment, teams consist of employees who work toward a shared objective. Teams can be comprised of people from the same department, such as all customer service personnel. They can also be made up of a diverse group of people, such as one representative from all areas of the organization. Teams can be set up permanently or can shift from project to project. In order to work together effectively, teams need a manager who is able to lead them to achieve their goal.
The core team manager roles and responsibilities are to help the employees complete their tasks so the business meets its targets. Operations they oversee may include:
- Managing team and project budget
- Planning and setting goals for the team
- Conducting performance evaluations of employees
- Supporting employees with training and development activities
- Monitoring team performance to ensure objectives are met
The team manager oversees everything her team does and provides upper management with a summary of the team’s development. For example, if your business has a night shift team, the team manager’s role would be to supervise the team during their shift and report the progress of operations to you on a regular basis.
One of the key responsibilities of a team manager is to remove any barriers that keep the team from completing their tasks. Team members may have conflicts with one another regarding business activities, and it’s the role of the team manager to help employees resolve their issues in a professional manner. In addition, if something is getting in the way of the team completing their duties, it is the manager’s job to help work around the roadblock.
For example, if a cleaning crew runs into an issue such as running out of garbage bags in the middle of their shift, the manager’s role is to provide them with additional bags. In addition, the manager needs to increase the supply of garbage bags for each shift so the cleaning crew has enough to complete their work.
As in the role of a team manager in sports, a supervisor in business is required to help her team gain the skills they need to do the job effectively. Providing on-the-job training and educational opportunities helps colleagues to build on their strengths and improve their weaknesses, which improves the team as a whole.
Knowledge and training can be related to specific elements of the job, such as learning to use a new computer program or piece of machinery. It can also involve building skills such as oral and written communication or conflict resolution. Ensuring employees have the tools they need to effectively do their job is also part of team manager roles and responsibilities.
Members of a team share a common objective. It’s important for them to get along with one another so they can collaborate effectively to accomplish the team’s goal. Similar to the role of a team manager in football, a team manager in business needs to ensure members of her team work well together.
Team managers engage employees in trust-building exercises and bonding activities so they can feel comfortable and safe with one another. Taking the team out for social activities is also an important aspect of overseeing a team. This helps employees to learn more about the people with whom they work and see them in a new environment.
In order to be successful, a team manager needs to have strong leadership skills. Motivating teams and helping them to strive for excellence is an important trait. Team managers also need advanced communication skills so they can express complex ideas and diffuse stressful situations. Being able to think on their feet is also a valuable requirement, as the business environment can fluctuate quickly. Team managers need to be able to pivot their team and objectives in order to meet the business’s changing goals.