Why is it important to me to be a leader?

Everyone expresses leadership and being on top of the world, but what are their reasons? Many say money, power,or control but the reason why I want to lead others is because I know what they need to do. I want to be a leader because that is the position where I feel the most comfortable. I trust myself as a leader because I want to help others improve and I want to make things as efficient at possible. I have been in leadership positions many times and that is where I shine as an individual and as a team player at the same time. I drop all bias' and attitudes and focus on everyone and how we can succeed as a team. I do not see myself as on top of a pedestal when placed in the leader position but as the tactical advisor and organizer of the group.

I become a totally different person when people are depending on me to guide them and push them forward. I feel comfortable in the leadership role because that is who I am. I work best when others put trust in me. I will do anything to protect the trust my team members put in me. They trust me to lead the group into the right direction for success and I can not let them down. That is another pressure that leaders face, the pressure of trust. When becoming a leader, you must remember that you are not a leader to make more money or have more power, but to protect and utilize the trust your team members put in you.

I read an article originally by Johanna Rothman, Agile's 2009 Conference Chair. She has been helping teams, managers and organizations move to agile approaches for their projects and project portfolios.

"Is there such a thing as team trust? If so, why do you need it?

When team members have interdependent commitments, you want them to trust each other. Daughter #2, who's a senior in high school has been working on several "teams" with other seniors this year, doesn't trust her team.

"I know that I'll have to take up the slack when they don't do what they said they would do," has been her slogan all year. If that's your approach, you don't have team trust.


In Solomon's Building Trust in Business, Politics, Relationships, and Life, he says that there are prerequisites to trust:

* Deliver what you promise to deliver
* Be consistent in your actions and reactions
* Make integrity a cornerstone of your work
* Be willing to discuss, influence, and negotiate.
* Trust in yourself and your colleagues


Whether or not you have a real team, how do you create a trusting relationship with each person? First, start with yourself.
Do you always deliver what you promise to deliver?

If you can't, why not? I've met many team leads who thought they could do the same amount of work as a team lead that they could do as an individual contributor without any overall commitment to the team.


Are you consistent in your actions and reactions?

Yes, you can become angry. No, you can't beat the table, say nasty thing to people or have other out-of-band reactions and still have trust.


Do you ever feel as if you have to swallow your professional integrity?

You might need to reframe what you think integrity is. Early in my career, I cared very much about the quality of the released product. I still care, and I realize that sometimes there are business decisions that trump actual quality. I now care very much about providing information about technical debt to the people who make the final decision.


Are you willing to discuss issues?

New team leads are particularly prone to "I would have done it this way, why didn't you?" syndrome. That's fine to say that to yourself. And, you need to discuss, influence, negotiate, and not tell people what to do.


Now, you can trust in yourself.

And, you can extend trust to your colleagues.
Trust is something people earn, by showing they are trustworthy. Prove yourself, to yourself, your team, your management. Then you can start building a trusting relationship with others."

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