Despite the number of years, and teams I have led, since my first team leader experience, there are a few memories that come back as though they happened yesterday. I recall the feeling of satisfaction that came with my promotion to team leader. I was determined that we were going to be the best. And I was pretty clueless as to how to do that.

The transition from individual contributor to team leader / manager is a big step which requires new skills and, more significantly, looking at relationships differently. Ironically, few companies ensure that new team leaders develop the skills and habits they need to consistently deliver superior performance.