Introduction

The purpose of this chapter is to introduce a range of ideas that will help the new and developing team leader or supervisor to become confident in working with others. This chapter offers a number of different models that may be used by team leaders as a tool for reflection and personal development.

The chapter starts by considering some of the characteristics of confident team leaders. This is followed by the presentation of the assertiveness model which offers a useful framework for exploring, understanding and developing individual behaviour. The concept of emotional intelligence was developed in the USA in the 1990s and this model is presented here because it offers a pragmatic approach to exploring the emotional side of leading and working in teams. This chapter includes a section on problem solving and provides a framework for tackling problems in the workplace. This is supported by a long case that demonstrates the application of problem-solving techniques to the type of problem that commonly arises in libraries and information services. Finally, the issue of the management of change is outlined and developed through a framework that explores individual responses to change.

Confident leadership and supervision

Confident supervisors and team leaders are people who are able to lead their teams: they know where they are going; they have a range of strategies for getting there; and are able to handle the people issues that inevitably arise in a clear and honest manner. These leaders and supervisors may not always know the ‘right answer’ or the ‘best approach’ to carrying out a task but they have the confidence and leadership skills to work with their team and others to identify and put into place the most appropriate set of actions. While confident team leaders still experience the types of problems and situations common to many teams, e.g. personality clashes, problems with disaffected and demotivated staff and high workloads, they will be pro-active in bringing these issues out into the open and attempting to solve them. An analysis of the ways in which confident supervisors and team leaders work produces the following list of common characteristics.