Building the team of people who can effectively execute
the company strategy and reach the desired objectives is no small feat,
no matter what the size of the organization. The leadership challenge for
business owners and executives is to build a solid team that can work together
collaboratively, build on strengths rather than focus on improving deficiencies,
and achieve clear measurable results quickly.
This context in which this can occur is dictated
by four factors.
- First is a clear and focused business strategy.
- Second, there will be an emphasis on implementation
of the strategy
- Third, the organizational culture must be performance
based
- Fourth, the organizational structure will be more
flat than hierarchal in nature.
Attention on these four elements ensures the ability
to be proactively responsive to the forces of the marketplace.
Growing a business always rests on more than the
efforts of one or two people. The business owner will need to include adding
to staff for expansion in order to service customers. Failing to add the
right members to the team, and not utilizing them to the best of their abilities
once they are on board are among the pitfalls to avoid.
As coaches the most common team complaints we hear
relate to performance, loyalties and personalities. Many small businesses
fall into the trap of running the business like a family, where paternalism
rules, and relationships become like those of parents and children. Employees
don't grow and mature, and everyone is trapped.
This is the first hurdle that must be overcome. Employers
must shift from babysitting to creating a culture of collaboration and holding
people accountable for results. For many business owners and executives
who have functioned very well in hierarchal, self-oriented business models
that prevail, this represents a profound change in their way of thinking
and operating.
Instead of presiding over the status quo and seeking
predictable results, they must articulate a new vision and create shared,
understood goals that lead to creative entrepreneurial results. Rather than
relying on traditional organizational structures, they must find new patterns
of relationships, networks and interactions. Equating success with knowing
must shift to an attitude of learning and questioning. they must learn to
encourage inquiry and sharpen their listening skills, instead of listening
reactively. The culture of the organization that works collaboratively empowers
people on the job, acknowledges their talents and abilities, and provides
an environment where high performance can flourish.
Only once a commitment has been made to begin creating
the proper environment for a team to work can the real work of building
a solid business team begin.
Team building is a combination of staff development
and evolving the manager into being a coach.
A plan that is broad and inclusive creates a Fast
Company of stakeholders committed to the overall success.
Two routes can be taken to build a winning team;
Manager to Coach program and, concurrent or following; Staff
Development as a profit center.
Contact us about your team building challenges for a free assessment.
520-331-1956 to schedule a presentation
