Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Inspire Your Team, and Everybody Wins

What does your team mean to your business? If your business is running optimally, your team is likely RUNNING your business! Having a team has allowed your business to expand, offer a wide variety of services, take on more clients, and bring in more income.

Having a team has allowed YOU to do your job as business owner - spend your time on marketing, networking, selling and growing your business, while your team handles the day-to-day tasks.

Your team has allowed you to have more time to spend away from the office and instead devote that time to your family, your interests, your SELF.

Your team means EVERYTHING to your business. Take the time to inspire, thank, and invest in them. Here are a few ways to do just that.

Inspiration is contagious. Pass it on. When YOU are inspired, and your business mission and goals are clearly defined, your passion will inspire others. Take time to restate your mission and discuss it with your team.

Draw up a short list of goals that you have for the business, and your personal goals. Define how each team member is important to this mission, and ask each team member to draw up his or her own short list of personal goals as they pertain to the mission.

Share Results. Give your team progress reports on a regular basis so they can measure their success and see the tangible results of their efforts.

Stay positive, even if goals have not been met one month - offer to help remove obstacles to success and cheer your team on toward meeting, and exceeding, the next month's goals.

A little thanks goes a long way. Take the time to express to individual team members - in person or in a hand-written note - just what their talents mean to you and your business. Recall one or two specific incidents in which they really went above and beyond for you, and thank them.

Throughout the year, make it a point to thank them for a job well done. Put team events on your calendar, like a team building day outside the office, an appreciation dinner, a holiday party, and a company outing. Calendar and acknowledge team member birthdays and other special days.

Help them bloom. Encourage your team members to expand on their talents. Invest in your team at whatever level you are able.

Offer to send them to conferences or workshops to help them learn the latest technologies, or help subsidize continuing education or certificate programs that would help them bring your business to the next level.

Take time today to appreciate your team by expressing an inspiring and encouraging outlook for your business and mission, by offering thanks, and creating a plan for investing in their growth. Your team members will appreciate your investment in them, and their new skills will pay you back in dividends.

By : Donna_Toothaker

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