Happy Friday!
To close out the week — here’s a quick Q&A with some helpful answers I've given about team culture and productivity for my private coaching clients recently.
If your team lacks enthusiasm and you know their performance isn’t where it should be…
Then I guarantee this can help you.
Q: “How can I create a better team culture?”
Answer:
Communication is key... just like in your marriage.
Don’t assume your team or partner clearly understands your vision... your priorities... your schedule... your problems... or your concerns.
Don’t hold things in.
And with team members... don’t assume they know when they are underperforming...
You need to set clear expectations... and you need to let them know immediately when expectations have not been met.
One of the best pieces of advice I received about team members was from my friend Matt Smith who told me:
“If someone is genuinely surprised that they are in trouble – or worse, if they are being fired – then it is your fault as a manager for not communicating expectations and performance issues.”
You must have the small difficult conversations before performance becomes a major issue.
Here’s some great advice on team building shared from my client Daniel Schreiber... who recently watched this presentation at an E-Com event:
How to build a happy, top performing team by Savannah Sachs, CEO of Tula:
- start with a great onboarding experience
- make sure team is clear on vision, strategy, and top priorities of business
- have team understand culture (culture survey every 6 months)
- Hire for culture add, not just culture fit
- Weekly all-hands meeting
Q: Craig, I’m already pumped up in my business... But I feel like I’m the only one... What about building Team Morale?
Answer:
Three things that have really helped our team build morale and connection:
1. I share three success stories each week at the start of our team meetings.
2. After that, we can go around and have each team member share one personal and one professional win from the previous week. (Bonus points if they’re able to shout out another team member who helped them!)
3. I have been sending a weekly team email every Wednesday morning for 544 weeks in a row... yes, 544 weeks.
I don't send over the Christmas break, but other than that, every week.
And in the email I'm brutally honest about the past week's revenue (all numbers are shared)... and during good times everyone gets praise, and during bad times I tell them what mistake I made and how the team is helping me fix it.
Q: Craig, I’m frustrated with our team meetings. It seems clear to me on what to do next, but my team isn’t following through.
Answer:
You need to ask this “#1 Question" at the end of every meeting...
Who does what by when?
Put this up on a white board so that everyone can see it.
Write up every task and assign an owner with a deadline date.
Get verbal confirmation – before the meeting ends – from each task owner that they understand the assignment and will hit the deadline.
Then send out a summary email to the meeting attendees with a summary of the details.
And then contact each “task owner” individually to confirm and ask if they have any problems.
Q: “Craig, your 1-on-1 meeting structure has really helped. Any other suggestions on how to become a better leader?”
Answer:
My friend Verne Harnish shared this with me... and it will really help you.
The Caring Challenge by ZogSports -- Mike Mortellaro, COO of ZogSports wrote a blog challenging every leader to ask themselves five questions about their team:
1. Have I asked about their dreams and career aspirations?
2. Do I know what they want to learn professionally and outside of work?
3. What do they do for fun and am I challenging them to make space for those activities?
4. Would I be comfortable chatting with their parents about the work environment I've created?
5. Would I want my own child's manager to care for my kid the same way I care for my team?
Simple… yet powerful.
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So there you go, a few quick tactics that are sure to give your team (and your leadership) the boost they need.
None of these are groundbreaking ideas… but they’re things most people forget to think about.
When you make the tiny extra effort to apply these strategies in your business…
The results will speak for themselves.
I hope you have a great weekend!
Success Loves Speed,
Craig
