GF Issue 54

6 KEYTAKEAWAYS FOR BUILDINGADREAMTEAM 1 Show strong leadership. This means more than just giving direction; it means encouraging people to use and hone their individual strengths to benefit the team and the business. 2 Set common goals. Everyone on the team should be united in working towards the same objectives. This will help to motivate and inspire everyone. 3 Establish clear rules of the game. Everyone should know the rules and how they apply in any given situation. This will create a sense of order and fairness. 4 Develop an action plan. Every team member should have a clear strategy for how they will contribute to achieving the team’s goals to keep everyone on the same track and motivated. 5 Support risk-taking. Encourage team members to come up with new ideas and take risks. This will help to foster innovation and creativity. 6 Promote involvement and inclusion. Give everyone on the team a chance to have their say and contribute to the business. This will help to create a sense of belonging and ownership. 3 Rules of the game Each employee should know the business rules and how they apply in any given situation. If anyone breaks a rule without a good, clearly defined reason, this should be called out. The ideal situation in a winning team is that you never have to call anyone out. A loose-tight culture works best here, with tightly defined boundaries and the ability for team members to bring their strengths to the table and play with a deal of freedom within those boundaries. Remember, there’s often more than one way of achieving something and it can be more motivating for team members to choose their own way. A common saying is treat others how you would like to be treated. When it comes to creating a winning team, you should be communicating with your colleagues in the way in which they like to be communicated with, not how you prefer to do it. It actually sounds sensible now you hear it, right? So, how do you know what each person prefers? One way to help people figure out how best to make their own rules and decisions for the good of the team is to encourage everyone to take a personality- communication profile test – you may have taken a DISC profiling survey at some point in your career, but there are others available. As a leader, you should be taking part in this with your team as a group process. For best results, try using an independent moderator who is trained in delivering these sessions. Other ways to set the rules of the game for your team include documenting work processes, which require specific actions so employees can refer to them at any given time, or setting minimum company standards for things like attitude, attire for client meetings and appropriate language. Then as the leader, you must always – and without exception – follow these processes or exceed these standards. 4 Action plan Plans are key to a successful team and a successful business. Every team member needs not just a 90-day set of objectives, but a longer- term plan regarding their role and how they contribute to achieving the wider company goals. What smaller steps does each LESSONS IN LEADERSHI P 76 GLOBAL FRANCHISE | ISSUE 8.2