The hiring process is not a one-way street. If you are in the hiring process, remember that while you are looking for the right employee for the job, employees are looking for the right boss to work for. Building a great team is not just about hiring the right people, it is an ongoing process of cultivating relationships, casting vision, and championing the strengths of your employees.
Below are 3 team building strategies for you to consider.
- Know your team’s individual strengths
Expecting everyone on your team to be good at everything will produce nothing but mediocrity. Take the time to learn your team’s individual strengths, this will allow you to effectively delegate tasks to the right people. Not only will this give you and your business better results, but it will also give your employees success and a feeling of true accomplishment. If your team is small enough, a great way to discover their potential is to implement a Strengths Finder test. Once the results are in, you will have a much clearer and deeper understanding of who your employees are and how to best utilize their talents. Also, if your team is unaware of their strengths, this test will serve as an empowering and enlightening experience for them.
- Don’t expect your team to read your mind
If you work with the same team long enough, they will begin to naturally know what you want, before you ask. But when it comes to building a new team or a large team, you must be clear, concise, and consistent in your expectations. You can’t expect a new team member to have the same understanding or information as a seasoned team member. If you want things done a certain way, you need to make your team aware of that from the beginning. Also, it’s important to extend grace to new team members who are adjusting to the culture of your workplace. “Your way” may not be the way they are used to and their previous boss may have trained them in a completely opposite way. A good leader sets their team up for success and is humble enough to consider new approaches, if their way isn’t working.
- Show your team that you have their back
If you want to build a team of loyal and passionate employees, show them that you are worthy of their loyalty. Talented people will not waste their time and skills to follow a leader who undermines or undervalues them. If your team doesn’t believe that you have their best interest in mind, they will not believe in your vision for the company or support your endeavors. In fact, they will most likely be looking for a new job. While it is important to put the customer first, it shouldn’t be at the expense of your team. The fastest way to lose employee support is by throwing them under the bus. If there is a conflict between an employee and a customer, give your employee the benefit of the doubt and get to the truth of the situation of as quickly as possible. Be discreet in your disciplinary actions and make it a point to preserve the dignity of your employees.
Environment matters
Part of being a good leader is creating a work environment where your employees can thrive. If you are in the market for a new office building or are considering new office space solutions, contact YourOffice. YourOffice offers you a wide choice of office and workspace solutions: flexible office space, team office space and virtual office packages. You’ll have access to a complete array of office support and concierge services as well as state-of-the-art business technology.
