Employees are the heart and soul of your business. After all, a business is only as strong and experienced as its team. The success of your business is in the hands of your people. They take hundreds – possibly thousands – of actions on your behalf every day, and if the sum total of all those actions is positive, you win.
If the overall result is a negative, you lose. Building a great team is both an art and science with many moving parts and pieces that when matched correctly create something exceptional.
“I’m often asked what it is that makes Virgin different. The simple answer is – our people. If it weren’t for a bunch of well trained, motivated and, above all, happy people doing their bit, we’d have never launched a record label, never mind a fleet of 747s.” – Sir Richard Branson
It takes leadership, dedication, and processes to build an exceptional team. It’s not for the faint of heart. But the benefit of working with a group of people who are there to support and move you forward to your vision is invaluable. You will witness productivity soar, quality of work increase, and accountability flourish as you work on strengthening your team.
1 – Focus on Roles and Define Expectations
The dynamics of your team can be defined by many factors, all of which determine their efficiency and effectiveness. One of the most important factors is defining employee roles. Crafting powerful job descriptions with key result areas not only helps in the interview process but also supports the ongoing growth of the employee. By allowing the employee to clearly understand expectations and encouraging them to focus on results rather than job duties they take ownership of their role.
2 – Communication, Communication, Communication
When I talk about the art and science of building an exceptional team this is where the “art” comes in. Communication has the power to influence and touch an employee’s heart and mind. As a leader you must understand that communication is a two-way process. To communicate powerfully you must:
· Be consistent on your values, organizational foundation and vision
· Stay honest, authentic and transparent
· Remain clear in your objectives
· Ensure your communication is understood at all levels by your team
· Listen … and then listen some more
· Solicit feedback
· Be Proactive
3 – Give Your Team A Chance To Get To Know Each Other
Study after study shows that teams who spend some time socializing and getting to know each other open up a new level of awareness and perform better overall. Which makes sense, after all it’s much harder to let down a friend than an anonymous co-worker who’s waiting on a document to complete a task.
I know you may be cringing right now because the last thing you want to do is organize some awkward and forced social gathering. The secret to making this tip on team building work is for it to be natural. David W. Ballard, head of APA’s Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program, discussed in a U.S. News & World Report interview five simple team-building activities that have shown to be successful time and time again. They are:
· Volunteering
· Physical Activities
· Field Trips
· Professional Development Activities
· Shared Meals
Overall, team building enables better communication, stronger employee and customer relationships with both employees and customers and ultimately increases productivity.
Do you need some help with reducing turnover and team collaboration? If so, schedule a complimentary call with me so you can finally get the dedicated employees and loyal customers you’ve been dreaming of.
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