One of the most important shifts for you is to appreciate that leading a team is about giving way and letting others get on with it.

Keep in touch regularly. Keep your people informed and listen to them well. Ups and downs - if you do this, they will build their trust in you.

By creating a great team remember that they are all individuals too - they are real people who have differing needs from you. Appreciating that differentiates you as an exceptional team leader. There is an I in team!

The best time to choose a team is at the start. If you tolerate poor team members it is much, much harder to fix. So choose well. Recruit well. It's the best form of Team Building you can use.

This is a concerted effort of co-operative learning - all together, including you - admit your shortfalls and they will support you. Support them and they will grow!

And as part of that learning, review progress regularly; appreciate if someone is struggling and encourage ways to learn and move on. Review the end result too Using what's been learned for the next project.

As leader you have an important role to make sure that the job gets done. Yet you are allowed to be open with them - to share your concerns and fears. It is OK to be human and within that emotional bond, you will all become a stronger team.

How you handle things when they do go wrong is a vital component in how your team will evolve and how you will evolve as a team leader. The outcome will be positive or more fear and doubt. As Charles Lindbergh said:-

"What kind of man would live where there is no daring. I don't believe in taking foolish chances, but nothing can be accomplished without taking any chance at all"

It's OK to have fun. A team leader walks a fine line between over-familiarity and easy business relationships. But it can be done - watch for signals and respond accordingly. At the same time enable laughter and joy. It is a strong bond.

When the team work is over, or if key people move on, rejoice in what they take from the experience with you. Encourage them to use their experience of Team Building with their new people and do it for themselves.

Once you get on a roll and take all these on board, Team Building develops a self-sustaining momentum all of it's own...

? 2005 Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com. (Note to editors. Feel free to use this article, wherever you think it might be of value - it would be good if you could include a live link)...helping you, to help your people, to help your business grow...