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As a veteran performance coach who has worked with business owners for over 20 years, I have seen many business owners get frustrated when their startups aren’t growing as fast as they expected, or when growth seems to have stagnated. What I often see in common among these entrepreneurs is a lack of the following qualities: Team Player.
Your business will only grow as much as you grow as a team player. In my experience, I’ve found that cultivating the following five traits will help you become the team player that drives business growth:
1. Welcome and build on your team’s ideas
As a business founder, you may have strong desires to: Your vision You need your team members’ input to make your business a reality, but the success of your business doesn’t just depend on you. You need your team members’ input too. Their ideas can make the difference between a mediocre business performance and the success that takes your business to greater heights.
Create opportunities for team members to share their ideas. Brainstorming sessions, weekly meetings, and problem-solving sessions are rich forums for getting input from your team. Evaluate the ideas generated and find ways to implement those that show potential for achieving your business goals.
2. Coach your team
Google the study We have found that the best managers and leaders have coaching skills. However, most people confuse coaching with mentoring. Coaching and mentoring are not the same thing. Coaching is about unlocking the potential of your team. With coaching skills, you can do just that.
As a founder, you may also have expertise or experience that your team members lack, which means you’re more likely to coach or “tell” them how to do things than to lead them.
Coaching builds confidence, gives your team more responsibility, improves problem-solving skills, and builds loyalty. Coach your teamyour business will no longer be run by one person, but by teamwork. Not only will you have a higher performing team, but a higher value team too. A double win!
Related: Becoming a mentor: 4 easy ways to change your life
3. Pace yourself with your team
It’s time to get going! Many founders have a strong desire to make their dreams come true “yesterday” and get very frustrated when their team isn’t moving at the pace they want. At this point, ask yourself two important questions: Have I hired the right people? Have I consistently shared my vision and mission so that everyone has a clear understanding of where the company is headed?
I often tell my clients that it may not be possible for the entire team to move at the same ferocious pace as the founder, and that the founder may need to pump the brakes a bit to help the team keep pace. This is hard for many founders to accept, but reminding them that they are not a one-man army helps them be more flexible and fosters teamwork in their business.
I’m not advocating that you let your employees dictate the pace of your company. If you hire the right people and coach them regularly, they may not move at supersonic speed, but they’ll likely follow your directions and move at an above-average pace.
I always tell this story of an incident I witnessed while visiting a client’s restaurant for a follow-up session: The assistant manager was constantly pushing her direct reports to work at a ferocious pace. The manager would remind her assistant to delegate tasks to certain employees in advance and get them done within scattered time frames. This particular employee was known for being extremely meticulous in everything he did, but when forced to work at a pace beyond his capabilities, he was likely to produce very shoddy work.
The assistant manager ignored this important information, and on one occasion asked the employee to cut ingredients, nudging him over the shoulder to work faster. The over-the-top employee accidentally cut four fingers while trying to work faster, nearly losing them all. We heard terrified screams from the kitchen, and I rushed over with the manager. After the ambulance left with the injured employee, the manager called the assistant manager to a secluded spot and gently reminded him not to push the employee to work faster than he was capable.
The message? Sometimes it helps to slow down a bit so you can move with the whole team.
Related: Are you hiring a “team” player or someone who just wants to be on top?
4. Share recognition for the successes you achieve
Another important tip I give to startup founders is that sharing the recognition for the successes you achieve will make you a team player who will enjoy the continued growth of the business. Putting your team at the center of all your success will make them more motivated, loyal, and committed to achieving your company’s goals.
Related: Do you need a coach, consultant, or trainer? Here’s how to find out.
5. Talk to your team often
Get into the habit of consulting with your team members frequently. This can be when there is a problem to solve, an opportunity arises, or when you are planning the next steps and direction of your business. Don’t be that founder who hides information and only gives orders without involving your team.
When you put the tips above into practice, you’ll find that your team is united around your organizational goals and mission, and your company is better positioned to withstand any challenge. Your team will always find a way to win.
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