Leading and Empowering Teams

As a documentation project lead, I created content, led teams of writers, and made sure that the project work remained on track. I needed to make sure I had enough time to write content, while also giving writers the support they needed to be successful. In the process, I really honed my management skills. I have mentored writers, taught them how to use authoring tools and other software, and developed standards and guidelines to help the team succeed.

My approach to leading teams is collaborative. I enjoy discussing and brainstorming content strategy with my team and I strive to foster an environment where everyone can provide open, honest feedback. As a leader, my job is to help people grow and learn. My collaborative approach to leadership often works well, especially with people who are enthusiastic about the work, but I also need to be able to adapt when it doesn’t work. There is no one-size-fits-all approach that works in every situation.

Understanding Strengths and Weaknesses

When coaching people at different levels, it is especially important to understand each team member's needs, strengths, and weaknesses. I aim to give people challenging, interesting work, but I also need to be realistic about how I delegate tasks to make sure my projects are successful. I need to be able to gauge how much support each person needs and where they need help. Over time, the writer should be able to manage their work more independently. I have managed teams across the world, so good communication despite the time zone difference is also critical for success.

Below are examples of situations where I supported team members to foster professional growth.

Example 1 - Hidden Potential

I mentored a junior writer in India who really struggled at first. I thought he wasn’t interested in the work and that was the reason he kept missing deadlines, making mistakes, and failing to communicate. I worked with managers and others in his time zone to develop a comprehensive training plan and make sure he had a buddy in his office to help him stay focused. I taught him that when he missed deadlines, it could affect other people’s work. He was new to a large, global environment, so he needed to learn the importance of clear and timely communication. The extra help and coaching worked a lot better than anyone could have anticipated. The writer built a strong work ethic and became a very reliable member of the team.

Example 2 - Communication Failure

I worked with a writer who had a strong technical background. He set up a virtual machine and tested everything. Over time, he became very comfortable with talking to me and I could always trust him to be honest. The problem was that he avoided talking to others on the project team. When there was ambiguity or he needed clarification, he sent long emails. When the developers arranged a call with him, he froze and wouldn’t share his status or explain what he needed. People on the project team found him difficult to work with because of this. I coordinated with others to get him into situations where he would have to speak – first with people he knew well and eventually with larger groups to increase his confidence. I also explained to him in detail why he wasn’t getting the response he wanted with emails. When dealing with ambiguity, it is much more efficient to have a conversation. I explained that people don’t always have time to read long emails, and you could end up sending multiple back and forth emails before everyone is aligned. That situation could be resolved in 10 to 15 minutes with a conversation. In the end, he put in the effort to speak to people and this made him a much more effective team player.

Conclusion

When leading teams, a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works. I learn how each person works and how they learn best, and tailor my approach accordingly. I need to be strategic when assigning tasks to ensure that the project is successful, while also giving people the opportunity to learn and grow. As a leader, I sometimes also need to be tough and make hard choices.