As every successful entrepreneur knows, human capital is the greatest asset of any business. A dream team makes it possible to accomplish overall objectives, be more productive and ultimately more profitable. More importantly, a great team frees the business owner to concentrate on further growth.
One of the biggest complaints of business owners is that they cannot find qualified, competent help. Entrepreneurs asked to critique their own businesses point out how much more they could do if only they had more capable and enthusiastic employees who were also invested in the growth of the business.
The first step in finding your dream team is to realise that you get the staff you deserve. The people you attract are a mirror of where you are in your own life.
If you are a skilled business owner and a great leader you will attract great people to work for you. When you get to this level, it’s rarely necessary to look for people: They usually look for you. All too often the business owner is the weakest link in the chain of command.
Business owners complain that their sales team is not professional but often they refuse to provide adequate sales training or attractive incentives. Others think that if their employees would be more productive and make fewer mistakes, revenues and profits would increase. However, these same owners have no adequate systems to eliminate human error or maximise efficiency.
Then there are business owners who want to control everything and battle to delegate to their teams. They wonder why their staff cannot assume a greater leadership role and shoulder more responsibility.
Until business owners acknowledge their accountability for their teams, these complaints will continue and employees will remain stifled.
How well your team performs starts with you. Do you have clear goals that everyone buys into? Is there a training programme in place? Does everyone have an action plan?
Building Great Teams
Here are four factors that contribute to the success and synergy of a well-rounded team.
1. The power of vision
Before you place a recruitment advert, define a vision statement so your team can play by the same rules. Without one, a business is like a society with no culture.
A vision statement serves as a framework and guide for employees. It defines acceptable behaviour and forms the central theme or philosophy for customer service. It becomes a road map for executing every detail of the business from an agreed-upon premise.
Shared vision becomes the backbone of the business and the glue that keeps teams working cooperatively and successfully through any challenge in any environment. Teamwork fuelled by vision can make a company a wonderful place to work and learn.
2. SMART goals
Achievement depends on the underlying infrastructure of clearly defined and realistic goals. Goals offer direction to keep the team focused on the mission and vision of the business.
Goals should adhere to the acronym for S M A R T: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-oriented and set within a reasonable Time-frame.
3. Rules and action plans
Define boundaries and areas of responsibility so that your team members know their unique and specialised roles to prevent unnecessary overlap. Provide an action plan. Give each new employee a title, a written contract, a detailed job description and line of reporting.
4. Risk taking
Business teams are like trees – either growing or dying. Without some degree of healthy risk, it’s impossible for a team to flourish and push the limits of creativity and performance.
Furthermore, supporting your team with tools, training, technology and systems will free you up to operate your business remotely and concentrate on your next profitable venture.