9 Easy Steps to Build a Strong and Efficient Team

Every year, untold numbers of businesses are launched across the world, and the unfortunate truth is that most of them will fail. Why is it that some businesses thrive and grow, while most close-up shops within a few years?

There are many factors, including access to capital, understanding one’s marketplace, an ability to innovate, and—not to be underestimated—some good old-fashioned luck. But there is one factor that nearly all business owners can control that may directly determine long-term business success: hiring the right people and coalescing them into a successful and powerful team.

What Is the Purpose of a Team?

Behind any business success lies a great team. This formula applies to startups as much as it does to international behemoths. A team exists to allow an endeavour to grow, scale, and thrive in a way that would be literally impossible for one person to do.

A successful team starts with hiring the right people—those who value working toward a common goal, are goal-oriented and respect the hierarchical structure that most businesses require.

Once the right people are in place, the goal is to bring them together into a cohesive unit.

Why Is It Important to Build a Strong Team?

Even the most innovative entrepreneurs cannot scale from an idea to actualised success without the help of a team. There’s simply too much work for one person to do alone. As good as a business idea might be, it cannot be a proper business without a dynamic team working cohesively to execute a shared business plan.

Take, for example, a Cricket team. The purpose of a Cricket team is much the same as any business endeavour, the achievement of a common goal. Let’s say a Cricket team is fortunate enough to have the best player. Needless to say, Curry is an immensely talented individual, from his experience. But if you made Curry take on another Cricket team all by himself, he did lose miserably. While Curry is a great bowler and batsman, He is not particularly tall by Cricket standards, and certain skill sets—like running or wicketkeeping—have been better mastered by other players.

A business is no different. The business team you assemble should contain complementary skill sets such that the full group of people can accomplish tasks that you, as the team leader, could not do on your own. And consider your competition: your rival isn’t going to be one person. It’s going to be a fully realised company with its own corporate structure, its own company culture, and its own unique group of individuals whom themselves bring years of experience.

How to Build a Strong Team in 9 Steps

High-performing teams don’t materialise out of the ether. They require careful cultivation from a team leader with a strong sense of team values, goals, and a code of ethics. Without this leadership from the top, your employees are simply co-workers. It’s up to you to them as an actual team. Here are some steps toward making that happen.

1.??Establish expectations from day one. The phrase “nature abhors a vacuum” is a bit of a cliche, but it’s true. New employees and new team members tend to arrive as relatively blank slates open to an array of company cultures—but they will quickly start seeking cues for how to operate as a member of your company. Take advantage of this. Set ground rules, and let your expectations be known from the start not just in terms of sales goals or a five-year plan, but in terms of the type of team environment you are looking to establish. Do you want to create a culture of shared responsibility, shared problem-solving, and shared decision-making? If yes, then say so. An effective leader will?communicate?such values from the very start; this lets new team members understand what they are signing up for.

2.??Respect your team members as individuals. At work, you want your employees to be part of a team, but you must also have perspective: these are individuals with stories of their own. They got this far in life without your company, and they presumably have rich and varied lives when they leave work each day. It is important to not regard new team members as bodies who will perform tasks. A robust team environment blossoms when individuals are honoured and respected for their unique gifts and their ability to contribute toward your common goal.

3.??Engender connections within the team. While it’s critically important that you value and honour each individual member of the team, it’s also important that the team members themselves exhibit that same respect and care toward one another. Encourage individuals to not regard one another as a body that sits at the desk next to them, but as a business partner who will work toward a shared goal of business development, individual success, and achieving team goals.

4.??Practice emotional intelligence. Great leaders value the importance of emotional intelligence. In a nutshell, this means that their leadership style includes treating individuals as human beings, not living drones. Great leaders understand that not every person is motivated by the same thing. Some team players thrive on pursuing shared goals. Others seek healthy competition, either with an outside competitor or against another?sales team?in the same office. By embracing the realities of different work styles and different forms of motivation, an effective leader will treat people’s individual differences as an asset, not an obstacle.

5. Motivate with positivity. Great leaders also subscribe to the theory that “you get more flies with honey than vinegar.” In real-world terms, this means that it’s more effective to shape behaviour with positive reinforcement rather than negative reinforcement. Resist the urge the criticise team members mistakes. Instead, create a positive team environment by?citing events and behaviours that you particularly liked and encourage your team to bring more where that came from. Positive reinforcement is a far more productive manner of motivating team performance than shaming those who screwed up.

6.??Communicate, communicate, communicate. As humans, we all love to know where we stand. Are my colleagues happy with the work I am doing? Do I need to improve on something? Assume that people want to know. If they sense you are unhappy but aren’t saying anything, that can lead up to build up stress and even resentment, which will result in poor performance. Or if they think they are doing a great job but you as a boss aren’t satisfied, this can lead to unwelcome shock when you break the news that they have been underperforming. So, brush up on those communication skills;?effective communication?can keep working relationships strong for decades, while silence can break things apart very quickly.??

7.??Look for ways to reward good work. People love affirmation of their hard work. If you are fortunate enough to be able to give financial bonuses, this is a great way to show appreciation. If you are a startup with little cash on hand, think of other ways to show gratitude and trust. An easy way is to practice the art of delegating. If a team member shows great judgement, allow them to make some key decisions that you may have once reserved for yourself. If they are particularly responsible with money, give them authority to use the company credit card. Find a small way to show that you are paying close attention to your employees and that their efforts are appreciated. It will reflect well on you as a boss and help remind people that they are valued members of the team.

8.??Diversify. When it comes to building your business, your team should be as diverse as possible - different backgrounds, experiences, ages, and opinions. Hire with the goal of covering your blind spots and surround yourself with people who will inform the judgment calls you to make and the content you put out.

9.??Find a team you trust. Find a self-starter, someone who can make decisions on your behalf and who’s going to be a good ambassador for you and your business. Groom them to be collaborators by empowering them to make leadership decisions on their own. You are investing time and resources into this person, so consider their potential for longevity at your company or within your industry.