There are a lot of factors to the success of a business. One of the largest factors is the productivity and well being of the team that is running and facilitating the business. All business owners want to have a great team stacked with staff who are achieving their best and giving the business their best efforts. But, not all business owners have the perfect teams that take their businesses to the next level. In fact, many businesses have one or two team members who give their job their all with a handful of team members that clock in and clock out with no extra effort outside of what is directly expected of them. So, how do we build and train people to become high performing and passionate teams?
I often hear of business owners who have employees who are “only doing what it takes to get by” or “just coming for the paycheck.” These are the business owners who have put their heart and soul into their businesses and watch the people they hired not work like it is their own business – they watch the people they hired treat their business like a place of employment, not a place worth fighting for. Believe it or not, as a business owner, you can do something about the way that your employees relate to the work that they are doing. These cyclical problems have more to do with the way you are leading your team than they do with the types of people you are hiring.
In no particular order, you can change the way your employees come into work by:
- Caring for them – Studies show that people are more likely to contribute and stay if they feel that they are cared for and that they belong in the team.
- Communicate your expectations clearly – If you want your employees to go above and beyond their job requirements, change their job requirements to fit what you are expecting.
- Balance of ownership – Remember that some of your employees might be dragging their feet because the working environment you have created allows them to. Also remember that not all people have a burning desire to work hard – be careful not to blame yourself for how each and everyone of your employees relates to work. Some of them may simply not want to go above and beyond.
- Have accountability for the mistakes that you make – Employees appreciate an employer who owns up to their mistakes and receives feedback from their employees.
- Give consistent praise & recognition.
- Create a growth culture where people are constantly looking to grow, learn and develop.
- Put the right people on the bus, in the right seats on the bus – Allow your employees to work well within their strengths and grow within their limitations.
Before you begin this journey of creating a growth culture and working with your employees to progress your business, be sure to communicate your intentions with your current team. Get feedback from your employees and outside sources on where you could improve the culture for your employees to thrive. Ask someone on your team that you trust about something you could change to help your employees and your business thrive. Take that piece of feedback and implement it for two weeks and see what happens with your employees. What else could you do differently? Who else could you ask to help you see the gaps in your leadership?
As you make changes to your leadership style and company culture, remember to have grace for yourself and your employees. You are all trying something new and it will not go without hiccups or uncomfortability. Inspire your employees to embrace change and failure and watch your business flourish.