Building a Better Storage Team

Think of a great example of a team. What words come to mind? Effective, productive, moving toward the same goal, in sync. When I think of a team, I imagine a college rowing team at sunrise gliding effortlessly across the smooth water as everyone is in sync pulling on their oars toward a common goal. Unfortunately, in work life the water is often shark infested, some people are pulling harder than others, some people are coasting, and right above your head is a sign that states “the beatings will continue until morale improves.” At times it is difficult to lead a team and it is just as difficult to be part of a team. However, with a few key strategies you can help your team start to overcome the turmoil and begin to smoothly glide across the water.

See Their True Colors

On the marketplace today there are hundreds of personality tests. Everyone has probably taken one or two at some point. Other than just being flat out fun to do, they actually provide some key insight into your personality, as well as, others personalities. For the workplace I would recommend the Hartman Color Code Personality test. You can find this test online and in a book. What I like about this test is that it breaks up your personality into two primary colors. In those colors it provides definitions of strengths, weakness, and information about how a person behaves in the workplace. For example, I am primarily a Red/Yellow. In the book it notes that I am very goal orientated, task orientated and I like to have fun. So a good way to motivate me would be to help me find success in accomplishing my goals. This is true! However, other personality colors do not find that same value in accomplishing goals, nevertheless they find value in things that I could care less about.

Not only does the color code test show you how your personality works but is also helps you know how to work and communicate with others from other color categories. This information is extremely valuable and it can be an entertaining team building exercise. Everyone gets a laugh and says “oh that’s so you” and it is a great chance for people to see a more vulnerable side of themselves exposed. That vulnerable side being exposed is okay because at the same time, everyone else’s weaknesses are being revealed on paper as well.

The Buy In

Two years ago I purchased a home, when I first looked at it I loved it. The home was a catastrophe. There were holes in the walls, doors kicked in, it smelled like death and gym socks, and they used the living room as a shop to repair their motorcycles. Everyone thought I was insane my realtor literally said “Im glad you see the vision because I don’t.” 

I had to work hard to get everyone to buy into my vision of the house. After a lot of blood, sweat, and swearing I was able to turn it around. Now after the project was finished it was easy to see the vision but before the work was done it was nearly impossible.

You need to get your team to buy into what you want to accomplish for the company. You don’t do this by showing them everything that needs to be done in the entire house. Your break it up into rooms, then into tasks. You begin by delegating tasks to people to complete them. Once they are done they begin to have a sense of ownership in what they have accomplished.

As they grow and develop give them more and more responsibility per delegation. Their “buy in” will begin to grow more and more. As they become more committed help sharpen their skills to become more effective in what they do. Soon they will be the ones helping others to “buy in” to your vision because they will see what you see.

Keep It Clear

If your companies organizational chart looks like the art my 3-year-old puts on the fridge, it’s time to have a talk. Clear and defined roles are essential to running a well established team. Nothing will bring a team down more than not knowing what roles and responsibilities each team member plays.

Not only will having a clear and defined role help your team, it will also help you hold them accountable to those roles. How can you hold your team accountable if they don’t have a standard to be held at? A valuable exercise would be to ask your employees what they see their roles and responsibilities as. Compare those to what you see them as. I would imagine there would be some discrepancy and an opportunity for coaching and mentoring.

Every member of your staff needs to have a title whether it is associate, associate manager, etc. Make them feel important. You might have been CEO for the last six companies you worked for and it’s just a title to you. Though, for someone else, that title might be extremely important, please don’t diminish it.

Meet Often

It’s important to foster a feeling of respect and communication in team meetings. This creates that comradery of individuals sharing stories from the trenches, laughing, and socializing.  Come prepared to these meetings and don’t waste people’s time. These meetings are an opportunity for you to teach and guide your team. More importantly it also allows time for your team to talk about issues, ideas, and frustrations they might be feeling.

Meetings are important and can be done in creative and productive ways. Team meetings do not have to be in a conference room. Try to mix things up a little. Go for a walking meeting, a lunch meeting, do a conference call, try a video call in Google Hangouts. Mix it up a little.

Communicate

The concept of communication covers the spectrum of nonverbal communication, commanding respect from your team, to emails and high fives. It is so easy and yet so paradoxically complex. To lead a successful team you need to learn how to communicate with authority so your team takes you seriously, respects you, and trust that you have their best welfare in mind. 

When you communicate with members of your team or even people who are above you, always choose to be the bigger person. No matter how good it might feel to yell, to punish, or to send that passive aggressive email, be the bigger person. It is extremely difficult to do, believe me, I understand the struggle. However, how can you expect your team to behave in a manner that you are not willing to do yourself?

Clear communication is the key to a strong team. In an attempt to walk the fine line between being perceived as strict and laid back leaders often avoid giving clear instructions.  Their instructions can often come across as suggestions. For example, “Jamy, when you get some time today can you do a lock check?” That’s hasn’t been communicated very clearly to Jamy and comes across to her as a suggestion with little priority.  Instead try “Jamy, I need you to get a lock check done by 2 today.” Now, the communication is clear and she can be held accountable to the assignment.

These three steps will help facilitate the building of your team. Not all teams are going to be made up of friends. Not all teams are going to get along or even like each other for that matter. However, when teamwork and leadership is done right none of that matters. The focus of the team is shifted because everyone is pulling on their oars and that fosters a fulfilling and meaningful purpose.