No matter how much we know, and how great we are at our jobs, we can’t do everything ourselves and certainly can’t be everywhere at once.
That’s why you must have a team around you that not only gets the job done and carries out your company’s message and intention, but also actually wants to be there for the company.
Building a team of all stars – and retaining those people for the long run – is always a work in progress. Here are 5 strategies and suggestions I apply to my team – through years of learning and experience – that I think will help you in your own businesses:
#1: Meet Regularly and Get to Know Each Team Member
Chances are that you have some employees working remotely/virtually. That’s even more reason to meet on a regular basis.
Meeting regularly, whether in person or by video conference, allows for better collaboration, communication and respect. When you do meet, make an effort to ask about their personal lives. In our daily grind to meet deadlines and grow our businesses, we often forget to show genuine interest and care in each team member. This is how you distance yourself from your team and possibly lose them to competitors down the road.
At our team meetings, we often ask each person to share something about themselves, such as a recent trip or how their family is doing. We also have a time where we pray for each other’s needs. It’s important to be able to talk to team members and get to know them individually.
#2: Practice What You Preach
If you expect your team to put in their time every day, you should, too, as the owner. You must lead by example. If you expect your team members to always be on time, and also be approachable for your clients, for example, you should as well!
This not only encourages team togetherness and unity, but also shows your dedication and helps your team have faith in you. Yes, it’s truly a two-way street where you must also prove to them that you will also put in the work and care for them.
#3: Reward Your Staff
Speaking of caring for them, it’s important to not take your team’s hard work and progress for granted. When it comes to retaining your staff and recognizing their talents, it’s key to reward them along the way.
This can be a raise, some extra paid time off or simply a one-on-one sit down thanking them for all they do. You’ll be surprised at how much a simple gesture of kindness will mean to your team members. It’s the little things in life!
#4: Constantly Train Your Team
You can’t expect your team to perform without the proper training – an ongoing process.
For my team, it’s about consistently sharing valuable resources, such as QuickBooks or Excel tips and tricks, in our regular meetings. For your business, that will likely mean something else. But, the point is that you bring substance to each meeting to grab their attention and ultimately help them do their jobs better.
#5: Take Ownership
Take ownership of the issues your team faces and work out solutions. For my team, this can come down to software not working right or log in issues. Make sure you follow up quickly to resolve it, tell them that you care about them and have the tools in place to fix the issue. In turn, this will make a major difference in your team helping solve your clients’ issues, too.
Let Us Know What Your Team Is All About!
Of course, these are just some of the team building strategies that have helped me with my staff. We would love to know what has worked for you as well.
Contact us today to let us know, and start applying some of Sound Business Service’s team strategies to your business in order to build the all-star team you desire.