Many business owners I talk to do little or nothing to develop their team members. Sure, they’ll train them to do their job, maybe give them a set of procedures to follow and then expect them to just get on with it. If that team member works out then great, if not then just get another one and repeat the cycle. Oh, and then there is the annual appraisal that they’ve been worrying about all year, where past mistakes are dredged up and praise, if any is given long after it was due. Sadly, for many businesses, that is all that is ever done to develop the team. Why? Because we told ourselves we were too busy to develop our greatest asset: The team.
Even if you have people who have been with you for years, this approach ignores the fact that your team members are human beings and have needs. Let’s explore what those basic human needs are and what you can do to meet them:
Certainty. Your team members need to know where they stand. Too often I hear of people being reminded that “there are plenty of people out there who can do your job”. By excluding certainty from their work environments, their predominant emotion becomes fear. Is fear really going to give you the best results from your team?
Uncertainty. Your team members also have a need for some variety, some adventure, something new. If every hour/day/week/month/year/decade is the same as the last then their lives become mediocre and they deliver mediocrity for you.
Significance. They need to feel important. Do you tell them they are important? That without them you don’t have a business? Or do you take the view that because nobody ever says that to you, why should you say it to anyone else? When they feel significant, they will deliver you significant results.
Recognition. Do you catch them doing things right? Or do you just catch them doing things wrong? Do you highlight their mistakes? Do you acknowledge all the amazing things they have been doing? Do you celebrate their achievements? When you are recognised for the amazing things you do, how much better do you deliver your results?
Growth. This means growth as people. Their development in themselves, their relationships with you, their co workers and their own family members. What books do you give them to read or audibles to listen to? What seminars do you send them on? Growing them as people will power your business forward.
Contribution. We all have a need to give. Does your business support a charity that your team can all take an interest in? Can they even support it themselves with sponsored events such as marathons, sky dives etc? If you make it easy for them to give, you will have a happier team.
At the end of the day, you have got the team that you deserve so ask yourself, is this the team that I actually want? If not then ask yourself: what can I do to deserve a better team? Start with developing you so that you come to deserve the best team and then you will have the best team. If you are not sure where to start then talk to a good coach. Remember that the clock is ticking fast for all of us and the sooner you start developing your team the quicker you will get better results.
