Level 2 Award Leadership and Team Skills Assignment 1 2026 | ILM

STRUCTURED ANSWER QUESTIONS

Learner name – Rodgers Kunda

Learner registration number –

DEVELOPING YOURSELF AS A TEAM LEADER

Understand the roles and responsibilities of the team leader

A. Outline the role of the team leader (12 marks)

As a team leader, I provide guidance and instruction to a working group about a project or portfolio of projects. I oversee and delegate work, oversee progress towards goals, and coach team members as needed. As a team leader, I always serve as mentors for my team, even if they don’t have a manager title

As a leader always have all sorts of roles, from management titles to individual contributor positions. l sometimes also have project manager or program manager roles, which clearly indicate that l oversee and organizing work on daily bases. These are most of my focus on daily bases

• Organizing work
• Communicating goals
• Connecting work to context
• Delegating tasks
• Leading by example
• Allocating and managing resources
• Problem solving
• Managing project progress
• Reporting progress to stakeholders
• Coaching to improve team member skill sets
• Motivating team members to accomplish their goals
• Nurturing team member strengths and identifying areas for improvement
• Representing and advocating for team needs

(Fairholm, 2004)

1. Goal management

One of the most valuable things l do as a team lead is to answer the question: Why does this work matter? Every project supports a team or company goal—but oftentimes, goals are disconnected from daily work. When team members don’t understand what goals their work supports, they’re less motivated to get good work done.

As a good team leader, l provide context, so team members understand why our work matters and how it fits into the larger company vision. With this context, team members will effectively prioritizing tasks and ensuring they get their highest-impact work done at the right time

2. Moving work forward

Once my team understands what goals they’re supporting, they also need a clear way to visualize how they’re going to get there. As a leader, think of myself as the captain of the ship am responsible for orienting the crew towards our destination and figuring out exactly how we are going to get there.

There are three main elements to ensure work moves forward in an effective way:

• Clarify metrics. l can’t know if we are on the right track if we don’t have a clear sense of what we are working towards. So, before we get started, always set SMART goals to define how I will measure success and create measurable goals.
• Track progress. It’s good enough to know where we are going, l also need to know where we are in relation to our goal. Always make sure my team members have a clear way to visualize the project time line and see who’s doing what and by when.
• Communicate updates. As the team lead, my responsibility is to monitor progress and share updates with the project team and any relevant stakeholders. The best way to do this is with project status reports, which give my team a clear sense of whether our project is on track, at risk, or off track.

3. Communication

Like any leadership position, I need excellent communication skill. This includes communicating with team members about work, updating project stakeholders about progress, and coordinating with any cross-functional partners on behalf of the project team’s needs. Notably, as communication includes both verbal and nonverbal communication. In fact, a lot of communication comes through body language and facial expressions.

To achieve this, l normally include in my communication the following:

• face-to-face communication
• Asynchronous communication
• Nonverbal communication
• Building rapport
• Giving feedback
• Effective listening, like active listening
• Conflict resolution

Interpersonal skills like communication take time to develop. Not to worry if my communication isn’t as strong now. Way forward is learning how to build good rapport, always start with a communication plan. A communication plan is a blueprint of what should be communicated where, like what happens asynchronously in my project management tool and what is shared during our weekly team meetings.

Why it’s time to prioritize my emotional intelligence

4. Organization

As a Team leader am often a project manager, but even if aren’t a project manager, am still responsible for organizing my team’s work. As a team leader, am guiding my team towards an end objective or goal, and organization is a key element of getting there.

Think of organizing information like creating a single source of truth. My team needs to be able to count on me and trust that has the information they need.

The best way to set up a great organizational system for my entire team is to use a work management tool like Asana. Asana helps me track work, manage projects, and share progress towards my goals. When everyone understands exactly who’s doing what by when, they’re empowered to get their best work done.

5. Delegating

As a team leader l know that they can’t do everything by themselves. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and that’s a key facet of team leadership as well. Delegating is a key part of coaching and mentoring. Not only does delegating unblock my work, it also gives the team members opportunities to try new skill sets.

To delegate effectively, l must first understand each team member’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests. That way, l will know what l should send their way, and what new skills they’re most interested in learning. Keep in mind that the team members l delegate work to may do things differently than l would have, part of delegating is learning to let go and give the team members the reins.

If l has trouble delegating work, try creating an Eisenhower Matrix. Or when in doubt, I follow this easy four step process:

• Identify work that can be delegated.
• Clarify urgency and importance so team members can prioritize work.
• Provide any required training.
• Trust, but verify.

6. Problem-solving

No project goes off without a hitch. That’s why as am always making sure am good problem solver who is able to think on their feet. To do this, l practice using context to prioritize most important work and identify which problems need to be solved first to make the best decision for my team.

If l have a new problem to solve, l tries answering the following questions:

• How is my team going to approach the work?
• What’s most important?
• What do they have to focus on?
• How will this decision impact my team?

7. Time management

As a Team leader am master time manager, have a great sense of how to prioritize work. To develop my time management skills, try implementing some time management strategies and tools to get the most out of my day. Am also encouraging my team members to do the same and shop around for a time management strategy that works best for them.

If am not sure where to begin, always try this:

• The GTD method, which focuses on cataloguing information in an external tool so I can use my brainpower for high-impact work.
• Time blocking, which focuses on grouping similar tasks to work on all at once and scheduling those time blocks in my calendar.
• The Pomodoro Technique, which establishes a set of sprints and breaks to help me maximize my productivity and focus.
• The Pareto principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, which helps me get 80% of my work done with 20% of effort.
• The eat the frog method, which states that to get my best work done, l should tackle my biggest task (my frog) at the very beginning of the day.

8. Workload management

As a team leader, am ultimately responsible for helping my team accomplish their goals. Part of this is making sure work is progressing on track and no one is getting close to burnout. During team meetings always ask team members how they’re feeling about their workload and if there’s anything they need to deprioritize, defer, or delegate.

As the team leader, should have a sense of what my team members have on their plates. But this isn’t something l can always keep in my head, especially as my team grows. Instead, try using a workload management tool to keep track of what each team member is working on. This is especially important if my team members are working across projects and have work that l don’t necessarily know about. If everything is in one place, l can quickly see what’s on their plate and prevent overwork.

9. Team building

As a Team leader aren’t just the organizational masterminds behind a group of people, am also responsible for encouraging and motivating my team. To be an effective leader, spend time on team building and make sure everyone feels like a part of the team.

Team building starts with ensuring everyone understands the team goals so l can move together towards the final deliverable, but it doesn’t end there. To build an effective team:

• Check in on a weekly or daily basis, depending on how long the project runs for.
• Evaluate team performance and cheer your team members on.
• Spend some time on team building games.
• Try icebreaker questionsto get to know your team better.

10. Mentoring and coaching

A big part of a team leader’s role is to provide coaching, training, and mentoring where applicable. My team members may be new to this type of initiative, or they may have questions about how to complete a particular task. If l knows how to solve their problem, l can provide coaching as needed, if not, direct them to the best person to answer their question.

Even if an individual contributor instead of a people manager, as a team leader am responsible for supporting and encouraging my project team members. Invest in my leadership skills and build emotional intelligence so I can support my team members when they need it.

Keep everything organized with project management

l can’t do work effectively if l doesn’t have a clear way to communicate and share information with my team members. To increase visibility across the team, l tries project management tools. Give team members the clarity they need to stay in sync, collaborate effectively, and get their best work done.

B. List the responsibilities of the team leader within the team (8 marks)

The main responsibilities as a team are as follows:

• Create an inspiring team environment with an open communication culture.
• Set clear team goals.
• Delegate tasks and set deadlines.
• Oversee day-to-day operation.
• Monitor team performance and report on metrics.
• Motivate team members.
• Discover training needs and provide coaching.
• Recognize high performance and reward accomplishments
• Encourage creativity and risk-taking
• Suggest and organize team building activities

(Barna, 2013)

C. Outline the limits of the team leader’s authority and their accountability (12 marks)

In general terms, Authority is all about power. Responsibility is the commitment to fulfilling work. Accountability refers to the Responsibility to answer for duty. These terms hold deep meaning and are equally vital in management. These terms showcase the basic etiquette of management.

Accountability comprises four core components:

Participation:

Evaluation:

Transparency:

Feedback mechanisms.

     Limits of Authority

• Familiarise myself with the concept of limits of authority. This refers to the restrictions placed on employees regarding the decisions they can make and actions they can take.
• Recognise that an individual’s level within a company hierarchyusually affects their limit of authority. Higher-ranking employees generally have more authority to make decisions than those lower down.

(Rus, 2012)

• Understand that the purposeof these limits is to maintain control within a business, ensure decisions made are accountable, and avoid potential misuse of authority.
• Learn how to make accurate decisions within your limit of authority, such as resolving general enquiries, applying company policies, and proceeding with routine tasks.
• Be aware that going beyond my given authority may require approval or authorisation from a superior. Make sure you understand the protocol for seeking such approval.
• Recognise situations where a decision or action exceeds your authority. For example, issuing refunds, offering discounts, or making commitments on behalf of the company may need to be escalated.
• Understand the importance of effective communication when escalating issues within an organisational hierarchy. Keep people informed about the issue, why it’s important, and what’s being done to resolve it.
• Practise courtesy and discretion when escalating issues to a superior. Demonstrate respect for colleagues’ roles and responsibilities.
• Be prepared to justify the need for escalation. If an issue falls outside my authority, be ready to explain why it requires higher-level attention.

This means accountability is achieved when goals exist, ownership is delegated, transparent evaluation occurs, complete transparency ensues, and regular feedback exists and there are

5 c of leadership namely: Common Purpose, Clear Expectations, Communication and Alignment, Coaching and Collaboration, and Consequences and Results.

Here are some examples: Example: The CEO has the authority to make decisions and direct the actions of their employees because of their position and role in the organization. A manager may be responsible for their team’s performance and meeting deadlines.

Lastly my limits am placing on my goals. Employees want to follow open and honest leaders, but far too many leaders hide their vulnerable and human side. As a result, they lose the trust of their employees. Instead, I share my concerns and worries, my weaknesses and mistakes.

(Senior, 1997)

D. Give an example of a situation that would need to be referred to someone with senior authority (8 marks)

In any organization, there are times when a team leader needs to consult with someone with senior authority. For example, if as team leader am working on a project and hits a roadblock, l may need to consult with other managers or another senior member of the organization to find a solution.

Other example of a problem that occurred as a team leader was when a member of my team was not working as they should. For instance, they may be slacking off, not contributing, handing in assignments past the deadline or not turning up for work and always hiding.  Although l should be the first to highlight the problem with the staff member, it may be appropriate to notify my boss of what is happening if the problem persists. Disciplinary action may need to be taken. What’s more, l doesn’t want to be blamed for landing myself as team leader for not reporting the person’s actions. Ensure my superiors are always aware of staff performance within my team.

Another time at which l referred to someone higher in the organization is when a task or project is too much for my team to handle. My team may not have the necessary skill set or enough expertise, or it may simply be that there aren’t enough members to complete the job on time. Instead of struggling through without the required workforce, I always tell my boss of the situation. This prevents problems later down the line, l doesn’t want my team to be responsible for missed deadlines or poor customer service, as this will negatively impact my reputation within the firm.

Additionally, if as a team leader am unsure about how to handle a situation, will need to seek guidance from someone with more experience. In these cases, consulting with someone with senior authority can help to ensure that projects are completed successfully and that as a team leader will make the best decisions for my teams

Other situation would be that something happens beyond my realm or responsibility or something new that has never been discussed before has come up and I feel don’t have the authority to deal with it within my team. So basically, as a low-level management, l will always pass the buck onto a higher authority.

(Peabody, 1962)

Be able to seek FEEDBACK ON THEIR WORKPLACE PERFORMANCE TO IDENTIFY STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

E. Gather feedback from others on your own performance from different sources as a team leader/potential team leader. (12 marks)

It is important for team leaders to obtain feedback on their own performance from a variety of sources. This feedback can help team leaders identify areas in which they need to improve and make changes to my leadership style. Additionally, receiving feedback from multiple sources can help me to ensure that as a team leader are getting an accurate picture of the performance.

One way to obtain feedback is to ask team members for their honest opinions. This can be done informally, through conversations or surveys. Additionally, team leaders can solicit feedback from their supervisors or other senior members of the organization. Formal performance reviews are another excellent source of feedback and can provide valuable insights into a team leader’s strengths and weaknesses. By taking the time to obtain feedback from a variety of sources, team leaders can improve their effectiveness and better support their team

(Braddy, 2014.)

F. interpret and give a summary of feedback gathered and use this feedback to list areas for improvement (32 marks)

After obtaining feedback, it is important to take the time to analyze the feedback and identify areas for improvement. This process can be aided by creating a list of specific goals that team leaders want to work on. Once these goals are identified, team leaders can develop action plans for how to improve in each area. Additionally, team leaders may want to set up a meeting with their supervisor or another senior member of the organization to discuss the feedback and get additional guidance on how to improve.

By taking the time to analyze feedback and identify areas for improvement, as a team leader this makes positive changes that will benefit both them my team. Additionally, this process can help team leader to build trust with their team members and create a more positive working environment.

(Kane, 2012)

G. Prepare an action plan to address areas needing improvement in own performance as a team leader/potential team leader

After analyzing the feedback and identifying areas for improvement, as a team leader always prepare an action plan to address the weaknesses. This action plan should be specific and realistic and should include a timeline for completion. The action plan should be reviewed regularly to ensure that progress is being made.

One way to develop an effective action plan is to start by setting small, achievable goals. Once these goals are met, as a team leaders can then move on to tackling larger issues. Additionally, it is important to involve team members in the process of creating an action plan. This involvement can help ensure that team members buy into the plan and are invested in its success. By taking the time to develop an action plan, as a team leaders can make positive changes that will benefit the team.

ACTION PLAN

(Silzer, 2016. )

(28 marks)

References

Barna, G., 2013. The power of team leadership: Achieving success through shared responsibility. WaterBrook..

Braddy, P. G. J. F. J. a. Y. F., 2014.. Leader behaviors and career derailment potential: A multi-analytic method examination of rating source and self–other agreement. The Leadership Quarterly,. Volume 25(2), ., pp. pp.373-390.

Fairholm, M., 2004. New sciences outline for leadership development. Leadership & Organization Development. pp. pp.369-383.

Kane, T. a. S. D., 2012. Gathering Feedback for Teaching: Combining High-Quality Observations with Student Surveys and Achievement Gains. Research Paper. MET Project. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation..

Peabody, R., 1962. Perceptions of organizational authority: A comparative analysis. Administrative Science Quarterly,. pp. pp.463-482..

Rus, D. v. K. D. a. W. B., 2012. Leader power and self-serving behavior: The moderating role of accountability. The leadership quarterly. pp. pp.13-26.

Senior, B., 1997. Team roles and team performance: is there ‘really’ a link? Journal of occupational and organizational psychology,. pp. pp.241-258..

Silzer, R. C. A. R. C. a. S. J., 2016. . IO practice in action: Solving the leadership potential identification challenge in organizations. Industrial and Organizational Psychology,. Volume 9(4),, pp. pp.814-830..

Bibliography

Barna, G., 2013. The power of team leadership: Achieving success through shared responsibility. WaterBrook..

Braddy, P. G. J. F. J. a. Y. F., 2014.. Leader behaviors and career derailment potential: A multi-analytic method examination of rating source and self–other agreement. The Leadership Quarterly,. Volume 25(2), ., pp. pp.373-390.

Fairholm, M., 2004. New sciences outline for leadership development. Leadership & Organization Development. pp. pp.369-383.

Kane, T. a. S. D., 2012. Gathering Feedback for Teaching: Combining High-Quality Observations with Student Surveys and Achievement Gains. Research Paper. MET Project. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation..

Peabody, R., 1962. Perceptions of organizational authority: A comparative analysis. Administrative Science Quarterly,. pp. pp.463-482..

Rus, D. v. K. D. a. W. B., 2012. Leader power and self-serving behavior: The moderating role of accountability. The leadership quarterly. pp. pp.13-26.

Senior, B., 1997. Team roles and team performance: is there ‘really’ a link? Journal of occupational and organizational psychology,. pp. pp.241-258..

Silzer, R. C. A. R. C. a. S. J., 2016. . IO practice in action: Solving the leadership potential identification challenge in organizations. Industrial and Organizational Psychology,. Volume 9(4),, pp. pp.814-830..

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