It should be of no surprise to say that your team is absolutely essential to your small business. What separates a team that is successful from one that fails is the simple core principle of teamwork. Creating a team with synergy can be much more difficult than it seems. Here are four ways to improve teamwork in your small business.
An effective team is a team with a collective goal. If your team doesn’t know or understand the “why” behind their “what”, your team may become imbalanced. Use this acronym to help you evaluate your team’s goals as an owner.
S-Specific
Goals should be focused, well-defined, and easily understood.
M-Measurable
Goals should be concrete, the criteria should be set and known.
A-Achievable
Goals should be achievable in terms of the abilities and resources available to your team.
R-Relevant
Goals should be relevant to the mission of your company. If you don’t have a mission, set one.
T-Time-bound
Goals must be set within a time-frame.
According to Investopedia, one of the four main reasons small businesses fail is due to inadequate management. Hiring and staffing strong, knowledgeable managers on your team can create an environment that will thrive working together. If your management knows their team in and out, they should be able to recognize weaknesses and problem-solve to build a strong team. This includes assigning appropriate tasks and projects and creating effective communication opportunities between members of a team.
As a leader, knowing your team personally, intellectually, and individually is an overlooked key to success for any team. Head coach of the University of Kentucky’s Men’s Basketball team, John Calipari, writes in his bestselling book, Bounce Back: Overcoming Setbacks to Succeed in Business and in Life, “They knew we cared about them individually. I believe that gave them an even greater ability to care about each other – to be fully invested as teammates”.
Investing time in knowing your team in and out is essential in understanding their individual abilities and potential. According to Harvard Business Review, Adaptability is the greatest advantage to a business. This is especially true for small businesses that have constantly changing needs. Understanding your team can show you as an owner where there’s room for flexibility change.
Are you ready for a hard truth? You can’t do it all. There are problems you won’t be able to solve and tasks your team members won’t be able to adapt to complete. With ever-increasing demands for employers within the job market, finding a candidate to fill in the gaps may not be an option. Outsourcing your HR, bookkeeping, phone assistance, or administrative needs might be what your team ultimately needs to thrive.
