About this Unit of Competency
BSBLDR411 - Demonstrate leadership in the workplace
This unit, BSBLDR411 Demonstrate Leadership in the Workplace, covers the skills and knowledge required to lead teams and individuals by modelling high standards of conduct to reflect the organisation’s standards and values.
The unit applies to individuals who are making the transition from being a team member to taking responsibility for the work and performance of others and providing the first level of leadership within the organisation. These leaders have a strong influence on the work culture, values and ethics of the teams they supervise.
Andy works as a team leader at Green Leaf Café, which is located in inner Brisbane and specialises in indigenous vegetarian ‘bush tucker’. The café has a permanent team of five staff, including three chefs and two produce growers. There are also 15 casual staff who include part-time students. They rent a large garden plot from which they source most of their produce. They also have an arrangement to source indigenous food ingredients, organic milk and cheese from boutique farmers outside Brisbane. It is a busy, sometimes hectic, work environment.
Andy’s duties include:
- Supervising front-of-house staff
- Maintaining Green Leaf Café policies, procedures and standards
- Managing her team’s performance, including appraisals and professional development
- Promoting a positive and supportive work culture based around teamwork
Let’s begin by asking Andy three questions about her role.
I like to start by making sure that I understand exactly what the organisation expects of me. I do this by reading through the organisation's documents, such as their policies, procedures, code of conduct, and other documents. These will help me get a feel for the organisation and its values. It’s also vital to have a copy of your position description to know exactly what is expected of your role.
Once I have familiarized myself with the organisation's expectations, I make sure that I consider these in everything I do. I can’t expect my team to follow the rules and maintain standards if I don’t do it myself. Leading by example also provides staff with something to model their own behaviour on. If they don’t know the standard, they can’t live up to it.
I always try to involve my team in the decision-making process. Any decisions have to be within organisational guidelines, but including the team helps them to feel that they are part of the organisation and that they are heard. It also helps them feel that they are part of any changes or decisions, rather than changes being something that is ‘done to them’. Team members are more likely to accept decisions and take ownership of them if they have been part of the process.
