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Alright now that I have annoyed you and yet hopefully also got your attention let me try and explain …… before I get hate mail and all those nasty posts on Facebook telling me how I don’t know anything etc.
It has been written through the ages that our lives and the people in them are merely looking glass reflections of us. Ever noticed how when you start to focus your attention on something you start to see it all over the place? I remember having shoulder problems and mysteriously and magically I started to attract a lot more shoulders problems in my practice then I had ever seen up to that point.
This “law of attraction” energy is also reflected in the people we attract into our lives including our team members. They are just reflections of us and our strengths and weaknesses. If we tend to procrastinate and not follow through on projects our team will be a reflection of that …… even if they don’t exhibit those character traits in every other part of their life.
So what can be done? Accepting responsibility for your team and the outcomes they do or do not manifest is step one. Once you acknowledge this and stop moping and beating yourself up you also realize the inherent power this knowledge provides you. If you created/manifested a “negative” outcome with your team you have the power to create/manifest a “positive” outcome by changing some things. POWERFUL KNOWLEDGE.
Here are the top 7 things to change right now to get things on track;
1/ OUTCOMES ASSESSMENTS – Have clearly defined outcomes that each member of the team must manifest in order to be great at their role. By doing this you can activate that desire that resides inside every person to be great at what they do and contribute optimally to humanity.
2/ ACCOUNTABILITY – Create accountability for the outcomes you want them to achieve. The second law of thermodynamics is the law of entropy. This law loosely states that things go to their least organized form if left to their own accord. Stated in human resource terms, people tend to take the path of least resistance if not given guidance and accountability. Create accountability for their sake and yours, and the sake of the people you serve and for god sake follow up!
3/ GOAL SETTING – Create meaningful goals that are aligned with your mission, purpose and values. When you do, people get excited about them and see how they can contribute to the bigger picture. Make sure the goals are S.M.A.R.T. ( Specific, Measurable, Aligned with your values, Realistic and Time Bound) On top of the 5 top goals, consider having a few bonus goals that are the sole responsibility of individual team members. This gives them mental ownership, grows their responsibility and autonomy and gives them personal incentive to perform.
4/ TEAM MEETINGS – Weekly team meetings of 30 to 60 minutes duration that alternate between training meetings (on the outcomes assessment you have created) and marketing/growth meetings. Ensure every meeting has an agenda that is STRICTLY followed. Start with the reciting of your mission statement and always end with a heartfelt testimonial to continually inspire your team to greatness. Find a way to make these fun and unique each week and watch how your team continues to stay on track and inspired. A recommended read for meetings, goal setting and creating your corporate structure is Verne Harnish’s Scaling Up.
5/ QUARTERLY REVIEWS – Reviewing each team member’s performance based on their outcomes assessment every 3 to 4 months in a rhythmic way ensures not only accountability but peak performance as well. We have a spreadsheet that we have used successfully for 2 decades that we can share with you if you reach out to [email protected].
6/ LEADERSHIP – Be the leader they want you to be and you know you can be. Lead by example and be prepared to serve them and the people in your practice at the highest level each day. You are a peak performer like a pro athlete or professional entertainer, so bring your game face each and every day and perform at your peak. I personally do my own morning ritual to start the day grounded and get into the right head and heart space. They say by reading an hour a day in your respective field will make you an expert in 7 years. Consider reading some leadership style books and implementing a new piece. There is a difference between reading and reading to lead. Check out this article on how to digest books ‘above your level.’ Read to Lead.
7/ CELEBRATE – Celebrate the achievements with both praise and real tangible rewards in the form of gifts or bonus financial rewards. I believe in rewarding your team mates for contributing to growth by always having incentive goals in place. I do not believe in giving a pay raise to an employee because they “stuck with you” another year. Recognition throughout the process will help keep the morale high; they say “children cry for it, grown men die for it.”
Manifesting a peak performing team is more of an art than a science and takes perseverance, creativity, compassion and leadership. However, the difference between an average team and a great team not only positively impacts the people you serve and the bottom line financially in your business but it also adds a great deal to your peace of mind and your quality of life …… not to mention it is a hell of a lot more fun to come to work every day.
Team is the fourth pillar in the “Practice From Within” Pillar.
Make sure you are building the inner foundation before seeking help with the external factors.
