9 ways to build a great team

How to build a great team.

One of your greatest assets as a small business owner is building a great team to support you and help you grow your business. So how do you find the right people to build a ‘dream team’? Here are 9 ways to build a great team:

1. Why

Find people who have a personal purpose and who know their own personal ‘why’. Individuals who are clear on their own why, are much more likely to be able to understand and relate to the company vision. As an employer, it’s also important for you to help your team fulfil their own personal goals.

2. Purpose

Give your people the opportunity to do purposeful work. Employees will work harder and produce better work when they are given the opportunity to work on things that are meaningful to them.

3. Values

Personal values and company values must align. Firstly, make sure your company values are clear, and that they are in alignment with your own values. Then find people who believe in the same things that you believe, and who are willing to work towards the same goals.

4. Trust

Put your trust in your people to do the job they were hired for. You will get better work out of your team when they know they can get on with their job without someone questioning every move or looking over their shoulder.

5. Ownership

Successful businesses are built on a foundation of everyone in the team feeling like they have a stake in the success of the business. Studies have shown that a feeling of ownership even outweighs physical ownership such as company shares.

6. Autonomy

Most employees have experienced how demotivating micro-managing can be. Giving your staff the freedom to make their own decisions can greatly improve productivity and employee satisfaction.

7. Communication

Clear and honest communication is cornerstone to building a great team. Make sure your team knows what is happening day to day. Keep them in the loop about future decisions and directions of the business. Even when things go awry, keep communication open and transparent.

8. Consistency

Consistency is so important for building trust. Employees need to know where they stand. They want a predictable and consistent experience around all issues in the workplace.

9. Recognition

It doesn’t take much to acknowledge hard work, great results or new ideas. The benefits to the business are huge. Feeling appreciated is a basic human need. Your team will enjoy working hard and will be happy to go the extra mile when they can count on their contribution being acknowledged.