In a short essay, describe two of the four specific leadership roles that team leaders play

What will be an ideal response?

Answer: (any two of the following)

Team leaders function as liaisons with external constituencies. These may include upper management, other organizational work teams, customers, or suppliers. The leader represents the team to other constituencies, secures needed resources, clarifies others' expectations of the team, gathers information from the outside, and shares that information with team members.

Team leaders also function as troubleshooters. When the team has problems and asks for assistance, team leaders sit in on meetings and try to help resolve the problems. Troubleshooting may involve technical or operational issues, although in many cases the team members may know more about the tasks being done than the team leader. The leader is most likely to contribute by asking penetrating questions, helping the team talk through and clarify problems, and getting needed resources to tackle problems.

Team leaders often function as conflict managers. They help identify issues such as the source of the conflict, who is involved, the issues, the resolution options available, and the advantages and disadvantages of each. By getting team members to address questions such as these, the leader minimizes the disruptive aspects of intrateam conflicts.

Team leaders function as coaches. As a coach, a team leader's primary job is to get workers to perform at the highest possible level. Team leaders clarify expectations and roles, teach, offer support, and do whatever else is necessary to help team members keep their work performance high.