It’s time to resign as Chief Employee!
Lockdown restrictions are easing and the economy is opening up again. But what does this mean for the many people out there who have faced redundancy or business closure over the last year, and are currently seeking employment? Or for those small businesses who are now looking to recruit staff as they rebuild their operations?
Well, the good news is that the April 2021 UK Report on Jobs, compiled for the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and KPMG says the data indicates a resurgence in the labour market, with the fastest increase in permanent placements since 2015.*
However, while the temptation may be there to rush out and hire the first candidate interviewed or accept the first job offered, some optimistic caution is advised.
There continue to be supply and demand mismatches and skills shortages in certain industries, for example IT, education and financial** and it remains as important as ever to ensure a solid recruitment process is followed and that the most suitable candidate for the job is hired.
Most suitable does not mean ‘the best on paper’, or ‘the most qualified’ or even the ‘most experienced’.
It means the candidate who most closely matches your company culture and who will be able to add the most passion and value to your business during their tenure there.
Employees should approach job opportunities with the same caution. It’s not the ‘best’ company you should work for, it should be the ‘best company FOR YOU’- one that aligns with your personal values and will offer you scope to grow and succeed.
Where employer and employee choices align is where Dream Teams are born.
“T.E.A.M means Together Everyone Achieves More.” –
Brad Sugars, Founder of ActionCOACH
So, how does a small business intentionally attract and build dream teams?
- Recognise that as a leader, you may be the weakest link. If you fail to equip your employees with the technology and skills they need to do their jobs effectively, your employees will fail you. If you keep tight control over all aspects of your business and refuse to delegate, your employees will never be able to assume more responsibility. If you scorn systems and ignore the impact of human error on your business, your employees will continue to make costly mistakes. End result – you become frustrated as a small business owner, and your employees become disillusioned. To build that Dream Team, you must be willing to acknowledge your mistakes and work on rectifying them alongside your employees.
- Build from the ground up. Building a Dream Team is much like building your business; lay a solid foundation and your business, your team and your clients will flourish and thrive. But if the organisational core is rotten, it’s likely the teamwork will be flawed and ineffective. In this case, simply shuffling people around will not solve the problem. You may have to dig deeper, reworking and refining your business vision. And then rebuilding the company structure from the ground up to suit that revised vision.
- Think of your business as a jigsaw puzzle. Individually, the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle have very little value, but collectively they come together seamlessly to fulfil an objective – the bigger picture. Understand each team member’s strengths and weaknesses. Then structure your teams so that the individual team members complement each other in terms of vision, planning, skills and creativity. This symbiotic approach will help close any gaps that may hamper productivity and effectiveness. It will also contribute to improved overall team engagement and individual satisfaction.
- Grow your membership. Stop looking to hire individuals with individual characteristics. Rather, look to increase your company membership by recruiting people who share the same ideals, culture, passion and ethics as encapsulated in your vision statement. Think about it, when you join a social club (golf, reading, rugby etc.), you are hoping to improve your game, learn new skills and then engage with people who share your interests and passion in a relaxed, encouraging environment. Why should work be any different?
- Understand the psychology. We are all human, after all, and as humans, we have unique personalities. Individual behavioural assessments, like the DISC personality profile used by ActionCOACH, help leaders to predict general behaviours under certain circumstances and how team members might work best together to accentuate strengths and support weaknesses. Understanding the personalities in your teams is vital for building a balanced Dream Team geared for higher performance.
Keys to a Winning Team
Recruiting your Dream team, however, is only the start. Here are 5 quick keys to nurturing a winner team:
- Strong Leadership. Remain invested in your employees and their well-being. Lead with passion and accountability.
- Set common goals. Clear goals offer direction and keep the team moving forward with focus and clarity.
- Have an action plan. Define what the objective is, create an action plan, and assign roles to each team member to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort or confusion of responsibilities.
- Expand the comfort zone. Allow your team to take a few healthy risks and grow by pushing their boundaries of creativity and performance.
- Don’t be exclusive. While it’s great to be part of a club, being too insular can stifle creativity and blue sky thinking. It is important to continue to interact with others in the company who may have their own contributions to make.
If you focus on smart recruitment practices and invest in your Dream Team, you will be ready to build a business that can work profitably without you.
It’s time to resign from your role as Chief Employee and start working on your business!
Want to learn more? Download our white paper on Dream Teams here.
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