A good team lead is hard to find.  Unfortunately, it is a struggle required when building a team of almost any size.  The good news is that the traits that make a good lead are easy to spot.  Once you find someone that possesses these make sure you keep them happy.

A Good Team Lead is a Communicator

As obvious as this may seem, it is also the most critical trait.  A Lead communicates with customers, management, and staff.  Although the Lead may want to “work” more and “meet” less, communication is always a big piece of their daily tasks.  Communication is not limited to one channel such as email, phone calls, or in person meetings.  A good lead can communicate successfully in any medium.  Communication through various means is critical to success.  Those they communicate with will utilize all of these channels.  However, written communication is the most important.  A good lead will leave a paper trail of discussions and decisions.

They Are Comfortable in Many Roles

A Lead is asked to take on multiple roles.  They will handle customer interaction, but also help design a solution, implement, and test.  When you have a good team lead the group works better together and stays focused.  Thus, you need to ask a broad range of questions in an interview.  Find out how the candidate thinks, test their ability to react and switch gears.  When reviewing existing staff to move into a lead role, look for people that stretch out to other groups and interact with more than their peers.

A Good Team Lead is a Team Player

Anyone that s placed in a leadership role will potentially focus on their career rather than the group.  A good team lead cannot fall into this trap.  They need to do the things that keep the team focused and working towards a common goal.  There is also a bit of a cheerleader aspect to such a lead.  They keep up morale and look for solutions rather than blame or excuses.

They Are in Synch with the Customer

The factor that might be the most important is being on the same page as the client.  A good team lead has the customer’s best interests in mind and understands their priorities.  This is a crucial piece of all the other attributes of a good Lead.  This quality helps communication, direction, and team management.  When a team lead is no the same page as the customer, the likelihood of project success goes up.  Coincidently, the frustration levels of those involved in the project good down.  Agreement between the implementors (personified by the lead) and the customers reduces overall friction and reduces the likelihood of scope drift.

There is more to a good team lead based on particular circumstances.  However, these attributes seem to be universal in my experience with people that have excelled in the role.