What are the best practices for aligning your account team with your practice's culture and values?

The key is in communicating them, but also in living them. So often mission, vision, and values are just words on a poster. When they are lived, and become part of the fabric of the organization, they will be seen in all that employees, including account managers, do.

Aligning an account team with a practice's culture and values ensures unified goals, consistent service delivery, and a strong representation of the company's ethos. Here are some best practices for achieving this alignment: Clearly Define and Communicate Core Values Lead by Example Hire and Onboard Based on Cultural Fit Regular Training and Development Encourage Open Communication Recognize and Reward Behaviors in Line with Values Feedback Mechanisms Empower Team Members Regular Team-building Activities Flexible Work Environment that Encourages Values Consistency in Policies and Practices Regularly Evaluate and Adapt

Every company, organization and thus teams contain the "DNA" of their leaders. It is a must to Walk the Talk, be the role model.

Here are a few thing's that I have found very helpful when running our 72 offices in the US. Pride in property: No matter what role you play in yhe organization keep it clean. Own it. If you see a problem and can fix it easily. Do it. Commitment: If you say you are going to do something, Do it. Even if it costs you extra time or a dreaded apology for owning up to a mistake. Understand we are all human and mistakes happen. Own them and learn but always fulfill your commitment. Ownership: if you are wearing company branded materials or even speaking about the organization. Be the absolute best you can be but be truthful. It's ok to say. I'm not sure. But always and immediately follow up with. But I can find out. Be Honest.

Gotta ask the following questions in order to assess in a better way: - Decision-making: How are decisions made? Is it top-down, collaborative, or something else? - Conflict resolution: How does your team handle conflict? Is it open and constructive, or avoided or passive-aggressive? - Collaboration: How well does your team work together? Is there trust and mutual respect? Recognition and feedback: How does your team recognize and celebrate achievements? How is feedback given and received?

One thing I've found helpful over the years is orientation and training during the onboarding process. As much as we have the skills and experience for the jobs, we acknowledge the fact that working cultures are different. Therefore to ensure smooth integration into a team, orientation is key. This minimizes conflicts and enhances productivity at all levels hence contributing positively to the team's end goals.

I've always felt that good, solid communication from the on-boarding stage right until junior manager position is critical. Lead from the front, empower people and let them get on with it - this means do NOT micro-manage! Build a culture of 'it's ok to make mistakes' while learning from them so as not to repeat them.

Need to be careful with the approach though ot to crate the team so homogeneous in their values that it eliminates the possibility of alternative views and minor reports.

New team member will not know the culture and vision of the company unless directly given to them and questioned on them over the coarse of a few weeks and seen them practiced. Don't expect miracles but placing them with a mentor that have a proven track record will greatly improve their knowledge and abilities in utilizing company core values and beliefs and putting them in to action. Remember they are new. You can't be a master without being a student first.

Encourage mentorship programs, shadowing experiences, and coaching during client interactions. It's really important to send your team to industry events and conferences to learn from experts, network with peers, and discover new best practices. Encourage participation and achievement by offering rewards for completing training programs or exceeding targets.

I worked with our teams on a system we designed and named it "PMS" personal monitoring system. It didn't have grades or numbers on effectiveness. It's basic. O Outstanding P Proficient N Needs some guidance. This was a weekly audit on key aspects of the job requirements. If their were N's a mentor with an O in that area was assigned and and coached. That way the entire team got to work with each other over time. No one ever had straight O's as a reward every 6 months incentives where given out. Usually mid to large ticket items or larger gift cards. With continued improvement and traceable results. Employees don't want pizza. They want gifts and cash.

This begins with building relationships through one on one coaching. When there is respect and empathy, trust will be part of the foundation. That’s really important. In this environment of trust and respect, employees feel empowered. That gives them confidence and purpose when representing their company to customers.

By using the PMS system stated in my previous contribution this question is answered by uniting the team to better itself as a whole rather than have tiers of different skill sets and attributes. A team is only as strong as its weakest link.

Always make sure when you encourage your team member, you do that in front of the whole team. And when criticise, always do that alone. That's how you build your trust on your team members and they'd always support you professionally by going extra mile!

Absolutely listen to all team members and give credit where credit is due. Perspective and insight from everyone can change a company down falls is to win falls.

Darwin once said that It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change! Companies that successfully adapt to changing market trends, consumer preferences, and technological advancements thrive, while those clinging to outdated practices struggle. People who learn new skills, adjust to life changes, and embrace new experiences tend to fare better than those resistant to change.

While trying to Allign a team member to the organization practice and culture, team members need to be given examples on what the cultural attribute is ?, why that attribute is important for the organization, how the attribute is embedded in the policies of the organization that is visible signs of that attribute being present everywhere guiding the organization while taking decisions and living the values and then understand from team members on what their thoughts are to preserve the culture and values and finally a pledge that they are going to live the values...