Summarize the following:
The entire team needs to be on track toward the same set of goals. Create a clear objective that the team can agree on and actively work toward. Explain in clear terms how the team's degree of success will be evaluated. Make sure that your objectives are challenging yet realistic. If your expectations are too high to meet, the morale of the team will drop. You will need to refer to the objectives you set throughout the lifespan of the team. When the team must make a decision, evaluate the options by determining which are most closely aligned to your overall goal. Work with your team to plan out the steps you will need to follow to achieve your group objective. Make sure that these steps are described in clear, precise terms so that everyone is on the same page. Each stepping stone in your plan should be necessary. Do not create a bloated plan filled with nonsensical steps simply for the sake of having an impressively large plan. Be in constant communication with your team and never allow them to feel uncomfortable about approaching you. Try to answer questions before or as soon as they arise. Keep your teammates informed about each new development and change as it happens. Leaving someone in the dark is a sure-fire way to make that individual confused and unproductive. Your team members should have a clear, precise understanding of how you think, make decisions, and measure performance. They also need to know how you expect them to work. Without knowledge on all these points, they would be unable to meet your expectations even if they wanted to do so. Your team needs to see that you are open to good advice and eager for their active involvement. Before making any major decision, talk it over with the team as a group and ask for their thoughts. When teammates feel listened to, they are more likely to lend their support to the final plan. Make sure that everyone has a chance to share ideas, concerns, and suggestions before taking any major step. Every team of people will have its own group dynamic unlike that of any other team. Watch for the patterns and habits of your team before making decisions that will affect the team as a whole. You should also look for patterns within the broader realm your team must work in, regardless of whether it is an industry, organization, or league. Only by having all of the facts can you make the wisest decisions. Quick action can demonstrate your ability to lead, but if those actions make matters worse, you will lose your team members' trust and confidence. Even though you should involve your team as much as possible in the decision-making process, ultimately, you are the leader. That means you'll need to make the final decision when all else is said and done. Aside from establishing your authority, there is an even greater practical reason for being the final decision-maker: you will probably have a greater idea of what is and isn't achievable with respect to the team's resources. Your team members can dream of the possibilities, but you need to be more grounded in reality.
Establish an objective. Construct a plan. Clear confusion before it develops. Ask for input. Look for patterns before making decisions. Make the final decision.