It is not easy to gain the trust and respect of your staff when you become a team leader. In this article I will be writing about how a team leader can gain the respect of their team.

1. Fun

People spend a great deal of their life at work. It is important, as a team leader, that you make their time at work as an enjoyable experience as possible. All of work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Each member of the team needs to be aware of when is the right time to be able to have a laugh and a joke and when it isn't. As long as all of the work gets completed and as long as other teams are not affected, there is certainly nothing wrong with a bit of frivolity from time to time.

2. Strong leadership

A team leader needs to be decisive and strong. They should be quick in dealing with any disputes and potential strife. A team leader who does not act swiftly will soon be seen as weak and vulnerable.

3. Offer rewards

It is essential that the members of the team are rewarded for their positive achievements. This leads to increase productivity as well as a level of competitiveness. A reward such as to be able to leave an hour earlier on a Friday always goes down well.

4. Lead from the front

A team leader should lead from the front. There is no point in just delegating all of the work and then start talking to a friend on the phone, while your team are expected to get on with the tasks etc. You will be amazed how many team leaders make this mistake. If the team see that you are working hard then they will work hard as well.

5. Honest and fair

A team leader should be fair and honest to each member of the team. They should treat everybody the same and therefore not have favorites.