Guide for Future Small Group Leaders

Leading a small group of 3–4 people may seem simple, but in practice it comes with unique challenges and responsibilities. Research indicates that a leader’s management style can account for up to 70% of the variance in a team’s engagement – showing just how much influence a good (or bad) leader has on the group’s performance. One might even ask: does such a small team really need a leader? The answer is yes, for the same reasons an orchestra needs a conductor. Even if each team member knows their role well, only the leader sees the full picture and ensures all efforts play in harmony. Without coordination, even the best individuals may work at cross purposes. Regardless of whether you’re heading a tiny project team at a company, a group of volunteers in a nonprofit, or just a bunch of friends working toward a goal – effective leadership is the key to success.

In this guide (or rather a collection of good tips backed by examples), we’ll discuss what future leaders should know to lead small groups effectively. You’ll learn about the leader’s key duties, essential skills, everyday practical tips, and how to overcome typical challenges that arise in small teams. All in a friendly, blog-style tone – perfect for new leaders taking their first steps in this arena.

Key Responsibilities of a Leader

As the leader of a small group, you become the person who sets the direction and unifies the team’s efforts. Your main responsibilities can be summed up in four areas: defining the goal, facilitating communication, solving problems, and taking care of people. Let’s look at each in more detail:

• Setting Goals and Direction: First and foremost, the leader must ensure a clear goal is defined for the group – one that everyone understands and finds attainable. This gives each person a sense of purpose and sets a common course of action. To bring out the best in people, start with the “why” – why the team exists and what your work serves. Defining this why (the group’s mission) speaks to the heart, while defining the concrete what and how (your objectives and steps to achieve them) speaks to the mind. A clearly worded mission gives meaning to your efforts and unites people around a shared idea, while specific goals and tasks show exactly what needs to be done and who is responsible for what. Don’t leave these things to guesswork – make sure everyone on the team knows why they are working and what, exactly, you all aim to achieve in the near term. As Simon Sinek writes in his bestseller Start With Why, great leaders inspire others by starting with a clear purpose. When everyone understands the meaning behind the work, it’s easier to guide their efforts in the same direction.
• Facilitating Communication: Another vital duty is creating a team atmosphere that encourages open communication. As leader, you ensure all group members feel comfortable sharing ideas, asking questions, and voicing concerns. This means both encouraging honest input and modeling attentive listening – everyone listening to each other, not just to you. Your role is at times to be a discussion moderator: make sure one person doesn’t dominate and that everyone has a chance to speak. Pay attention to nonverbal cues and the tone of conversations – is someone feeling ignored or misunderstood? Google’s research into traits of effective managers (Project Oxygen) found that the most outstanding leaders are excellent communicators who listen actively and share information clearly. Following that example, practice active listening: ask follow-up questions, paraphrase your team members’ statements, and confirm you truly understand their perspective. Equally important is communicating your own thoughts clearly – be it in the form of an instruction or feedback. When communication in the group is open and respectful, many potential problems can be solved before they even arise.
• Resolving Conflicts: Even in a tight-knit small group, occasional misunderstandings or friction can occur – it’s completely natural when different personalities work together. Your job as leader is not to sweep conflicts under the rug, but to resolve them skillfully before they grow. Act as an impartial mediator: hear out each side’s viewpoint and help find a solution that focuses on the issue rather than personal grudges. The key is to remain calm and objective – when emotions run high, the leader should cool things down and steer the discussion back to a rational track. A crucial principle is “listen to understand, not just to respond.” In a tough conversation, try to truly put yourself in the other person’s shoes. If needed, let each participant in the dispute present their position without interruption, and have the other party summarize it in their own words – this reveals whether they genuinely understand each other. This approach often defuses tension because people feel heard. Once the core of the conflict is clear, focus on finding solutions that everyone can accept. Avoid pointing fingers; instead, as a team draw lessons for the future. When team members see that conflicts are resolved fairly and respectfully, it builds trust in you as a leader and prevents lasting divisions.
• Ensuring Team Members Feel Appreciated: Last but not least, the leader of a small group must look after the team’s morale. Nothing demotivates people like feeling unappreciated or ignored. So as leader, make an effort to recognize and acknowledge each member’s contributions – even small successes or improvements. Praise someone one-on-one for a job well done, give a public thank-you during a meeting, or even send a quick message: “Great work, I appreciate your effort!” – gestures like these truly matter. They not only boost individual spirits, but also signal to the whole group that each person’s work is important. Moreover, appreciating people tangibly improves results. Studies show that organizations which put a big emphasis on recognizing employees see on average a 21% increase in productivity. In other words, a team with a culture of appreciation works more efficiently – because people want to give their best when they feel valued. So remember to celebrate your collective wins (even the small ones, like completing a project phase or a successful client meeting) and sincerely praise your teammates’ efforts. Such a positive atmosphere can energize the entire group. As the famous saying goes, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Make each person on your team feel important and appreciated, and engagement will never be a problem.

Essential Leadership Skills

Effectively leading a small group requires not only carrying out the duties above, but also developing certain key skills in yourself as a leader. The good news is that none of these traits are innate – you can cultivate all of them through practice, learning, and conscious self-improvement. Here are four pillars of leadership competence to focus on:

• Communication: This is arguably the most important leadership skill, the foundation for all the others. It includes both clearly expressing your thoughts and actively listening to others. As a leader you must be able to convey your vision and day-to-day expectations in a simple, understandable way – so that no one is left unsure about what you mean. Avoid jargon and overly broad statements; instead, give concrete instructions and feedback. But communication isn’t a monologue – equally important (perhaps even more so) is listening. Practice active listening: when someone is speaking, focus on their words, maintain eye contact, ask clarifying questions. Show that you genuinely care about understanding their perspective. Dale Carnegie, in the classic book How to Win Friends and Influence People, emphasized that people love conversation partners who listen with sincere interest – it builds rapport and trust. Furthermore, communication isn’t just about words, but also tone of voice and body language. Strive to have your actions align with your words – if you preach openness, don’t fold your arms and dismiss questions; if you praise initiative, smile and show enthusiasm. Finally, remember to adapt your communication style to your audience. Different people prefer different forms of contact – some like face-to-face talks, others a detailed email. A good leader is flexible and communicates in a way that will be best understood. In summary, clear speaking, attentive listening, and empathetic communication are skills that will be your allies at every step of leading a group.
• Empathy: It’s often said that a leader should first and foremost be human. Empathy – the ability to put yourself in others’ shoes and understand their emotions and perspectives – is absolutely essential for building trust within a team. Remember: the members of your group are not “resources” or “cogs,” but people with feelings, ambitions, and problems – just like you. Try to get to know them as individuals. Ask from time to time how things are going outside of work; show understanding if someone is dealing with personal challenges. In a small group it’s easier to form close relationships than in a large team, which is an advantage – you can get to know each person better. Use that. Take a genuine interest in your people’s well-being and development. Importantly, empathy doesn’t mean leniency or avoiding tough conversations – it means conducting them with respect and understanding. If you need to correct someone or make an unpopular decision, do it in a way that acknowledges their perspective: explain the reasons and acknowledge the other person’s feelings. Google’s internal studies found that the very best managers display a sincere concern for their employees – they take interest in their professional and personal growth. This approach makes people want to follow the leader, because they feel the leader is walking alongside them, not looking down on them. Empathy is also invaluable in conflict resolution or motivating the team – you’ll find the right words and solutions more easily when you understand what your colleagues feel. If you sense you lack this skill, try a simple technique: during a conversation, mentally put yourself in the speaker’s position and ask yourself, “What might he/she be feeling now? What do they need?” That moment of reflection will help you respond in a more empathetic way. Remember – a leader serves the people first, then the tasks. When people feel that you understand and respect them, they will return the favor with loyalty and engagement. (And research bears this out: managers who truly know their employees’ strengths and care about them are 71% more likely to have engaged, energized team members.)
• Decision-Making: Many new leaders fear this aspect – after all, the responsibility for making key decisions, even tough ones, falls on you. The good news is that decisiveness can be trained. First of all, gather information, but don’t fall into the trap of over-analyzing everything (analysis paralysis). Set yourself a time frame: how long can you spend on discussion and fact-finding before a decision must be made. In small groups, decisions often happen faster than in corporate committees – that’s your agility advantage. Use it, but don’t act recklessly. Consider your options, anticipate possible consequences, and take into account your team’s opinions. A good leader consults others because they know they don’t have a monopoly on knowledge – plus involving people in the decision process increases their acceptance of the final call. At the end of the day, however, you have to take responsibility for choosing a direction. Don’t be afraid of it – your people expect you to lead, and indecision frustrates them more than a decision that later needs adjustment. If you make a mistake, so be it – it happens to everyone. What’s important is to draw conclusions and make corrections. By doing so, you also show that you are a learning leader, which earns respect. When making decisions, it can help to balance two values: effectiveness vs. consensus. Sometimes it’s worth striving for unanimity (when a decision requires everyone’s full buy-in to succeed), and other times it’s better to decide on your own and move on (when an issue is urgent or opinions are extremely split and deadlock is blocking action). Recognize which situation you’re in. In a small team, many decisions are operational – here, try to be decisive and consistent. Your colleagues need to know that if there’s a problem, you won’t hesitate to make a call or escalate the issue if necessary. Practice this skill on small things, and over time you’ll gain confidence even with the big decisions.
• Motivation and Inspiration: A leader is not just a task manager for the group, but also a kind of coach and team cheerleader in one. Your job is to inspire people to give their all and to sustain their motivation, especially in moments of doubt. How to do this in practice? First, lead by example with your attitude. If you expect commitment and enthusiasm from the team, show yourself to be committed and enthusiastic about the work. Positive energy can be contagious – both the good kind and the bad. A leader who constantly complains or is apathetic will quickly dampen the spirits of even a young, motivated team. Conversely, a leader full of passion can ignite a spirit of competition and creativity even in an average crew. Second, provide support and give your people the resources they need to get the job done. Often it’s obstacles, not lack of will, that cause progress to stall – e.g. when people don’t have clear instructions, the right tools, or the skills for a task. A good leader anticipates such barriers and removes them, so the team can shine. It’s worth mentioning the coaching approach to leadership. Instead of just issuing orders, coach your people – ask what they’re struggling with, what would help them, how they themselves propose to solve a problem. In fact, Google’s internal research showed that being a good coach for the team was the #1 behavior that distinguished their most effective leaders. The best leaders spend time with each team member to show how something can be done better, they offer constructive praise and feedback, point out growth opportunities, and give encouragement in tough moments. In a small group you have the advantage of really getting to know each person’s strengths and ambitions. Use that to motivate individually – some people get a bigger boost from public recognition in front of the team, others from a quiet one-on-one chat and reassurance that you believe in them. For another person, giving them a slightly more ambitious task will make them feel your growing trust and spur them on. Inspire through vision as well – remind the team from time to time why what you’re doing is important. Refer to your mission (if it’s, say, a social project) or to the higher goals of the organization. People want to feel their work matters. When they see an exciting goal ahead and feel that the leader is also fired up by it, they’ll follow you even to the end of the earth. Also, don’t forget to celebrate successes – after a project or event goes well, have a little get-together or team outing, share the results and congratulate each other. That builds a sense of pride and unity in the team, which is the best fuel for the future.

Tips and Best Practices

Aside from general duties and skills, it’s helpful to know a few practical tips from real life that will help you effectively lead a small group day-to-day. Here’s a handful of proven methods and best practices:

• Plan Regular Meetings: Even in a tiny three-person team, communication won’t always happen “automatically” – someone might forget to mention something, someone else might assume “everyone knows.” To prevent this, establish a cadence of regular team meetings. It could be a short weekly recap every Monday or a quick daily check-in each morning – the format depends on your needs. What’s important is having a consistent opportunity to sync up, where you discuss progress, work plans, and any potential issues. Be careful, though – meetings are a double-edged sword. Run poorly, they can become a tedious waste of time. So give each meeting a clear purpose and agenda. If there’s nothing to discuss – cancel it or cut it short. Meetings “just for the sake of meeting” can kill enthusiasm. But when managed well, they keep everyone in the information loop and allow you to catch problems right away. (Fun fact: in Agile methodology, many teams use daily stand-ups – short morning meetings where everyone literally stands (to keep it brief) and each person answers two questions: What did I do yesterday? and What do I plan to do today? This practice maintains a steady work rhythm and visibility of progress – it immediately shows where there are blockers and who might help whom. You can adapt a similar solution in your group, tailoring it to your context.) Regardless of frequency, the regularity of meetings builds a habit of communication and gives everyone the sense that there will always be a chance to raise important topics instead of bottling up unspoken frustrations.
• Create a Positive Team Culture: In a small group, the work culture forms quickly – each person has a big impact on it. As leader, you set the tone of that culture from day one. It’s worth consciously ensuring it’s a culture of collaboration, trust, and openness. Encourage sharing knowledge and mutual help instead of internal competition. Foster an atmosphere where people aren’t afraid to make mistakes – treat slip-ups as lessons, not occasions for shame. A crucial element is building trust among team members. Without trust, a team quickly falls into chaos and conflict – Patrick Lencioni, in his famous book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, identifies lack of trust as the first and fundamental factor in the breakdown of any group. How do you build trust? Paradoxically, one of the most effective ways is through the leader’s authenticity. Studies show that actions like a leader admitting their own mistakes and clearly communicating the intentions behind their decisions, as well as being consistent in keeping promises, have the greatest impact on building trust in a team. People who see that their leader is human too – able to say “I don’t know” or “that was my fault” – become convinced they can be honest with you and don’t have to pretend to be infallible. In fact, when you acknowledge you’ve made a mistake, you don’t erode trust – you strengthen it. Likewise, when you walk the talk and honor your commitments, people learn they can rely on you. Therefore, be open: talk about the values that guide you and lead by example with integrity. A positive culture also means celebrating successes (even small ones, as mentioned) and team bonding. Try to occasionally organize something that brings the group together outside of just work – even a casual coffee outing after finishing a project, or a short fun activity at the start of a meeting (for example, everyone shares an interesting tidbit from their weekend). These things build a camaraderie that will pay off in tougher times. Remember that “culture eats strategy for breakfast” – even the best plan will fail in a toxic atmosphere. So nurture your little team culture from day one.
• Be Open to Feedback: The fact that you’re the leader doesn’t mean you have a monopoly on being right or that you don’t make mistakes. Every leader – especially a new one – should regularly ask their people: “What can I do better as your leader? What am I doing that’s hindering or helping you?” This might sound a bit like asking passengers how to drive the bus, but in reality it’s a sign of confidence and leader maturity. By inviting feedback from your team, you gain invaluable insights that help you learn and improve faster in your role. You also show that you value your teammates’ opinions and aren’t putting yourself on a pedestal. Of course, it’s important that your people feel safe giving even critical remarks. You might set up an anonymous survey every few months, or simply cultivate an environment where honest two-way conversations are natural. Once you receive feedback – thank them for it (even if it’s hard to swallow!) and consider what you can do about it. You don’t have to cater to every whim of the team, but it’s wise to pick up on recurring suggestions and address them. For example, if you hear from a few folks that you’re not available enough, think about scheduling regular “open office hours” for the team. If you learn that your tone sometimes comes off as too harsh – work on how you phrase instructions. The goal is to establish a two-way feedback channel: you give feedback to your people, and they give it to you. This openness strengthens the team. People see that the leader, too, is willing to improve – and that builds respect and trust. As leadership coach Kim Scott points out, “Asking for feedback doesn’t make you weaker – it makes you more effective.” In fact, one study found that the more you ask for feedback, the more effective you are as a leader. So act with the humility of a learner: constantly ask, listen, and refine your leadership style together with your team.

Typical Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Leading a small group, while full of advantages (closeness, flexibility, minimal bureaucracy), is not without its challenges. Here are a few common problems a small-team leader might encounter – and some suggestions on how to deal with them:

• Personality Conflicts: The smaller the group, the more clearly differences in personalities can emerge. Sometimes two strong (and very different) characters may clash at every turn, or someone with a dominant style might unintentionally overshadow quieter colleagues. Such frictions can poison the atmosphere if left unaddressed. As leader, act as the moderator of relationships. From the start, it’s good to establish some “ground rules” for the team – that you respect differences of opinion, critique ideas not people, and give each other space to speak. If a personality clash flares up, encourage an open dialogue between the parties. Sit down together and talk about what behaviors or situations are bothering each person. Sometimes simply naming and acknowledging personality differences can be cleansing – people realize that certain behaviors aren’t meant as personal slights but stem from different styles. Try to find common ground – for example, remind everyone of the shared project goal that should unite you beyond any divisions. If necessary, mediate the discussion, ensuring each person is heard. You can use your empathy: help each person see the other’s perspective (e.g. “Look, Kasia isn’t attacking you personally; she’s pointing out a communication style that she finds chaotic – maybe you two can agree on some discussion rules?”). When the tension dies down, it’s useful to turn the conflict into something constructive – e.g. agree on how to communicate next time to avoid similar friction. A compromise works well here: let each side adjust their approach a bit. As leader, make sure that after it’s all over there are no hard feelings – maybe have the team members acknowledge each other’s points of view and move on. In a small group, everyone has to work with everyone daily, so it’s your job to look after the relationships. Sometimes it’s also worth talking to the feuding individuals one-on-one – not to gossip about the other, but to better understand their motivations and perhaps coach them privately on possible solutions (e.g. “I noticed Marek reacts poorly when interrupted – let’s try not to cut him off, and if he cuts you off, I’ll make sure you get your time to respond, okay?”). The worst thing you can do is ignore a personality conflict hoping they’ll “work it out themselves.” Your team is watching – if you avoid the issue, you’re sending a signal that negative behaviors are tolerated. Instead, model a constructive approach: yes, we’re different, but we respect those differences and even use them as a strength rather than a weakness.
• Managing Workload: In a small team it often happens that everyone does a bit of everything. This can be an advantage (more flexibility and learning opportunities), but it also has a dark side – it’s easy for work to be distributed unevenly and for some people to become overworked. As leader, you must be attuned to who has how much on their plate. Strive to divide tasks fairly and monitor that no one is overloaded. Regularly talk with your team about their workload – ask if they can manage everything, or if they need help or less on their plate. If you see someone carrying too much, help them prioritize tasks or delegate some of their work to someone else. Conversely, if someone seems to have too little to do, make sure that’s really the case (sometimes less assertive folks won’t openly say they can take more on). A good practice is smart delegation – assign tasks in a way that the right people are doing the right tasks, aligned with their skills and potential. If Anna is great at graphic design, let her focus on visuals; if Paul is an analyst at heart, have him handle the Excel budget. That way everyone is doing what they’re best at, and the work moves forward efficiently. Of course, it’s not always so straightforward – sometimes everyone has to roll up their sleeves for some shared, mundane work (like manually packing event swag bags). In those cases, make sure everyone pitches in equally, including you. A leader who isn’t afraid to take on the grunt work themselves earns respect and sets an example for the rest. Another challenge in managing workload is saying no to new tasks coming from outside. A small team has limited capacity – if your scope of work starts ballooning dangerously, it’s your role to say “stop” or renegotiate priorities with higher-ups/clients. Protect your team from overcommitment, because overwork will quickly destroy morale and quality. It’s better to do fewer projects well than to spread yourselves too thin and botch everything. In summary: monitor, adjust, and react. Your people need to see that you care about their work–life balance. Sometimes a short meeting asking “who is swamped this week and who has bandwidth?” can resolve issues – one person says “I have too much,” another “I’m free to help,” and problem solved. As leader, create space for those conversations and be ready to make decisions to balance the load across the team.
• Communication Misunderstandings: Despite your best efforts, every group has the occasional communication slip-up. Someone misinterprets something, someone else leaves out an important detail, a rumor doesn’t match reality – and suddenly there’s confusion. In a small team, lack of information flow can be especially damaging, because each person is often the sole source of knowledge in their area. That’s why it’s the leader’s job to minimize misunderstandings. First and foremost, set up clear channels of communication: decide where you record decisions (e.g. a shared document or a post-meeting email summary), how you contact each other for urgent matters (phone call? chat app?), and how for less urgent ones (email? task in Asana?). Informational chaos is often the root of mistakes, so having order in communication is key. However, if despite all this a miscommunication happens – don’t look for someone to blame, focus on fixing the situation. For example, if you discover two people were working in parallel on the same task not realizing it, take it as a lesson: why did that happen? Maybe an update was missing in the last meeting? Or perhaps your task-tracking tool wasn’t kept current? Identify the systematic cause and introduce safeguards (e.g. “From now on, let’s immediately post all new tasks on our task board so it’s visible who’s doing what.”). When people have different memories of what was agreed, a good habit is to summarize decisions in writing. After each important discussion, send a brief note like: “To recap, we agreed on X and Y, with deadlines …, and Person A responsible for … If I missed or misstated anything, let me know.” This simple step catches misalignments in understanding before you move into execution. When there’s a difference of opinions on how to proceed (which isn’t necessarily a personality conflict, just a normal substantive disagreement), encourage constructive debate based on facts and ideas. As leader, ensure the conversation doesn’t devolve into a personal argument – keep it on the topic: “Let’s focus on the problem, not on who’s right.” If the discussion stalls, summarize the points made and try to find common elements. Sometimes a misunderstanding is simply due to terminology – make sure everyone is talking about the same thing (e.g. one person’s “project” might mean something different to another). Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification: “What do you mean by …?” What’s obvious to you may not be to others, and vice versa. As leader, model the attitude that “there are no stupid questions” – it’s better to ask three times and have clarity than to act on false assumptions. When you do manage to straighten out a miscommunication, think about how to prevent similar issues in the future – maybe you need to improve the info flow or refine a procedure. Each such situation is a chance to improve your team’s communication going forward. In short: clarity above all. In a small team where communication is rapid and frequent, it’s easy to take things for granted – a good leader makes sure everyone truly has a shared understanding of the goals, decisions, and plans.

Example from Real Life

To illustrate these tips, let’s look at a short real-life story. Meet Sara – a young leader who for the first time led a small group of volunteers organizing a local charity event. Her team was only 4 people, but the task was sizeable: plan a family festival from scratch in two months to raise funds for a local hospice.

At the start, Sara did something that proved to be a bullseye: she called a kickoff meeting where, together with the group, they set a clear goal – for example, how many attendees they aimed to attract and how much money to raise for the cause. This “why” behind their work (helping the hospice) united everyone and gave a sense of mission. Next, Sara took care to divide roles according to the volunteers’ strengths – one person handled social media (because she was great at marketing), another managed equipment logistics, another took charge of reaching out to sponsors, and Sara coordinated the whole.

During the preparations, challenges inevitably arose. A conflict emerged – Kasia and Marek got into an argument over the concept for the festival attractions (each had a strong but different vision). Sara reacted immediately: she set up an extra meeting with just the three of them and asked each to calmly present their ideas along with reasons. She mostly listened, asking some clarifying questions. When emotions cooled, it turned out both proposals had their merits – so they decided to combine the ideas, incorporating elements of both A and B instead of choosing one. Kasia and Marek appreciated that Sara didn’t side with either of them, but rather helped find a solution where no one felt like the loser.

Meanwhile, a workload crisis hit – as the event date neared, suddenly a bunch of tasks piled up and everyone felt overwhelmed. Sara gathered the team for a quick “crisis meeting”: together they laid out everything left to do and re-grouped the tasks so each person could focus on the top priorities. They postponed or simplified less critical things (for example, they dropped one minor attraction that wasn’t crucial, so as not to stretch themselves too thin). This allowed them to avoid panic and burnout.

On the festival day, everything went almost according to plan. After the event – which turned out to be a big success in terms of turnout and funds raised – Sara did something that further boosted the group’s morale: she publicly thanked her team on stage, to the applause of the attendees, highlighting each person’s contribution. The volunteers positively beamed with pride. Later, in a more private setting, she threw them a small pizza party to celebrate their success together. She even handed each of them a written thank-you note. The result? Those same people all volunteered for the next edition of the event, saying that working with Sara is a pleasure – they felt like they formed a real team and that their work had meaning.

Sara’s story shows that even without a lot of experience, by applying the principles described above (clear goals, good communication, quick problem-solving, appreciating people), you can lead a small group to great results.

Conclusion

Leading a small group can be an incredibly rewarding experience. You have a unique opportunity to get to know your teammates more closely, to make a direct impact on your shared success, and to develop your own leadership style in a friendly, intimate setting. However, remember that being a leader is a journey – no one becomes a perfect leader overnight. Over time, you’ll encounter various situations and challenges, but each of them is a chance to learn something new. The key is to be aware of your responsibilities and to continuously hone your skills.

Let’s briefly recap the most important advice: set clear goals, communicate openly and honestly, resolve conflicts before they spiral out of control, and show appreciation to your people as often as possible. Cultivate in yourself the ability to listen and empathize; be decisive, but also ready to admit mistakes when needed. Inspire by your own example, and don’t be afraid to ask for feedback – even the best leaders are still learning. Create an atmosphere where everyone feels part of the team and can speak up about their ideas and problems. When difficulties arise – and they certainly will – approach them proactively: instead of despairing, ask “What is this teaching us?” and move forward wiser from the experience.

In the end, it’s worth drawing on the wisdom of those who have studied and written about the secrets of leadership. Keep learning – among recommended reads for beginner leaders are books like the aforementioned The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni (a great fable-style story about building a team on trust), The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, or Start With Why by Simon Sinek. Each will give you new inspiration and tools to become an even better leader. However, no matter how many books you read, the most important thing is practice and authenticity. Lead your small group in a way that is true to yourself – using the tips above but giving them your own, human touch. If you stay attentive to your people, bold in action, and open to learning, your team will surely appreciate it, and your shared work will yield amazing results. Good luck on your leadership journey!