The main responsibility of a team leader is to guide a team so that it reaches its full potential. The team leader has more responsibility than anyone, because if he does not carry out his responsibilities, the whole team will suffer as a result. A successful team leader should understand the strengths and weaknesses of every team member so that tasks can be assigned accordingly.
One key responsibility for a leader is to lead by example. In other words, if the leader demands a high work ethic from his team members, he should follow his own advice. Team members are more likely to listen and accept constructive criticism if they see the leader demonstrating how it should be done himself.
Another vital responsibility for any leader is to create a long-term plan for a company. There might be a grand vision for where the company should be in five or 10 years, but to get there, the leader will need to create short-term benchmarks in order to keep the organization on track. Also, responsible team leaders should not be afraid to ask the hard questions. It is better to cause offense rather than to let a critical issue go unresolved. Strong leadership requires tough decision making that puts the interests of the organization above any one individual or project.
