Four Ways to Build A Magically Effective Business Team
Guest post written by Jordan Maney. Visit Jordan’s Website
When you have a team to manage you can make yourself dizzy trying to delegate, plan, and execute on tasks and projects. When you’re so busy managing the details of your business it can be easy to forget to manage your people; not just what they’re working on but how they work with each other.
To get the best out of your team, you’ve got to actually know them and build a workplace environment that helps them grow. So how can you get started?
Focus On Their Strengths
The Gallup StrengthsFinder Assessment is an excellent way to discover what your team’s individual strengths are. If one team member has higher execution strengths and the other more relationship strengths then you can begin to plan their tasks and projects around that. If you cater to their strengths instead of simply dropping things into their laps you’ll recognize how seamless things can be.
Once you’ve established their individual strengths it’s important to see how each of your team members “fit.” Think of a jigsaw puzzle. What can one do that the other cannot? How can the unique mix of strengths and personality lead to a healthy work dynamic? When your team members feel like they are in a position where they can deliver their best work, everything moves more smoothly.
Foster Collaboration (Not Necessarily Community)
This isn’t Olive Garden. Your team doesn’t have to act as a family so don’t force that narrative. But you do want to encourage collaboration. You do this through clear communication and creating opportunities for the team to work together.
Build this muscle by starting with smaller projects and having team members assess one another. How do they respond to each other’s feedback? This will really be bolstered if you’ve done the final step.
“This isn’t Olive Garden. Your team doesn’t have to act as a family so don’t force that narrative.”
Facilitate Autonomy
Your employees are their own people. They’re not fodder for you to play with. You’ve got to trust them as much as they’ve got to trust you. Trust is a practice you can build through radical candor and clear communication. Set up an office hours time for them to check in with you about how they’re feeling or schedule regular one on one meetings. Front has an amazing template for how to do that. Once you’ve got a better idea of your people you can begin to lean on them more.
Don’t Hide From Conflict, Communicate
Creating clear channels of communication will also help when conflict resolution and mediation is needed. It won’t always be sunshine and rainbows but knowing that there’s room to communicate your needs, demonstrate trust, and get the freedom necessary to complete projects will bolster the relationships amongst staff.
Managing a team is a beautiful responsibility that boils down to one thing — you have to honor your people. Take care of them and they’ll take care of you!
