Building a Strong Team for Your Small Business
“Those who build great companies understand that the ultimate throttle on growth for any great company is not markets, or technology, or competition, or products. It is one thing above all others: the ability to get and keep enough of the right people. The management team” — James Collins, Good to Great
The team you build your small business is imperative for its ultimate long-term success. To start off with yourself and a few contractors can most certainly work for a while, but if you really want to scale and enjoy the bigger success you dream about, finding those passionate people, encouraging their input and creativity, and showcasing their efforts in a motivating way will start you down the right path.
Unusual Ways to Build a Strong Team
After you’ve picked the right people (listen to Elon Musk on this topic, he is an expert at choosing the best of the best), here are a few methods to keep office spirits up, create strong positive bonds between each team member, and set your company up for great success.
Offer generous vacation and work-from-home time
Some of this depends on the type of business you have, but for positions that rely on a computer, for the most part, a lot of work can theoretically be completed from wherever the worker wants. So allowing this freedom can make people enjoy coming to the office, and perhaps even get more work done in an environment of their choosing.
Unlimited vacation time has been tried by major companies like Netflix and has worked quite well. If your workers have the dedication to the company, giving this level of responsibility can have a great positive effect on people, creating better self-monitoring and a sense of ownership – they become the boss of themselves.
Give appreciation for innovation and high performance
When employees bring great ideas to the table, especially new innovative (maybe money-saving) techniques or products, show them appreciation, not just in your office, but in front of the company when appropriate. This positive feedback not only encourages that employee but others as well.
Encourage leadership of this new idea
Giving that person ownership to execute their idea or product can be very empowering, and if it becomes successful award them with a bonus or the like. Be careful not to give one person repeated public appreciation – this can cause a rift in your once strong team!
Meet with industry thought leaders
Motivation can come from learning new things, and a great way to do this is set up a lunch with a thought leader that your employees look up to. From predicting new trends, understanding problems at a greater depth, and making more efficient solutions, your team will be refreshed to keep learning, developing their career, and adding value to your growing business.
Encourage office pranks…
Make sure this isn’t anything destructive or insulting! But making the work environment fun with an edge of unpredictability will create a greater bond between co-workers, improve creative thinking, and get everyone looking forward to the workday!
Implement some, if not all, of these tips, your team will be inseparable and your small business will be flourishing. When you’re ready to take it to the next level, WCM is here to assist with the financial burden!
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