Ronald Reagan once said, “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.”

Whether you are leading a country or spearheading a small community project, leadership is about inspiring others to do better. It’s not an easy task. In fact, there are plenty of challenges that come with being one. However, the rewards far outweigh them.

There are various ways to be a better project leader. If you are in charge of a team about to carry out a project, then keep the following things in mind. This way, you and your team will accomplish more.

Here are 5 Ways You Can Be a Better Project Leader:

Lead by example

Think about the traits you seek in your team members. Think about what you expect them to do and how you expect them to be. Now, evaluate yourself. Do you also embody those traits and behavior?

Remember that you are the role model. People look up to you to behave a certain way because what you do will directly impact the performance of your team. So always lead by example. Believe in yourself without stepping on others. Practice humility at all times.

Understand the project fully

Whether you are organizing a food drive or a cleaning the community park, understand your project fully. When leaders begin to establish unrealistic deadlines or expectations, team members begin to lose their trust. They begin to think that someone who doesn’t get it is leading them.

Be the person that puts everyone on the same page. Be the leader who puts things in perspective, understands the possible risks and provides realistic solutions.

Delegate, delegate, delegate

This project may be something you are very passionate about. However, don’t let that passion turn into control. Remember that you have a team of like-minded people who also want to get things done as much as you do.

The secret is to delegate those tasks. Don’t try and do everything yourself. Otherwise, the quality of your work declines and the toxicity within your group rises. Keep in mind that you have a group of people ready to work with you. It’s just a matter of knowing who gets what.

Assess members’ individual strengths

Each of your team members is particularly good in something. The next step is to assign them with a task that they can comfortably and efficiently handle. For example, letting an introvert do the coordination isn’t going to help. Perhaps you might reconsider putting that person in charge of logistics and inventory.

That’s why we highly recommend spending time with your team outside of the project. This allows you to get to know them better and see how they can make the most contribution.

Practice accountability

It’s easier to put the blame on others than be accountable for it. There will be moments when mistakes will be made and misunderstanding will occur. What matters is that your team knows you have their backs.

Pointing fingers never get anything done. When you practice accountability, you are able to teach your team a lesson as well as pick yourselves up faster from it.