It was John Donne who wrote ‘no man is an island’ and he could not have written more true a phrase, for it is definitely in teamwork that we truly see success. It does not matter whether you are a leader or the newest team member; both components help to make up a winning team and without one, the other would not function as well.
However, building up a winning team is not easy, so here are 7 essential steps that should be followed in the effort to build a winning team:
1. Vigorous recruitment process
The very first step in building up your team is obviously to make sure you hire the best people. This can be a very time-consuming process and unfortunately many HR departments rush it through, preferring to have someone in position, even if they’re the wrong person.
A vigorous recruitment process will ensure that you not only hire the people with the best potential to do the job well but also gives you time to assess if they will fit in with your company culture and the team members already in place. This is incredibly important when you’re trying to build a winning team!
2. Give your team members the training and development they need
So many companies are guilty of allowing their best team members to plateau and stagnate. Employees need constant development and this means training! If you allow them to plateau then they will either look to leave your company or simply only do the bare minimum they can get away with doing.
A high performing team will constantly be on the lookout to learn, develop, succeed and start the cycle over and over again. This will ensure they are always at the top of their game and able to stand up to the competition.
3. Strong leadership
It is good to be friendly with your team members but every team must have a clear leader. This might mean you get left out of certain group activities but you have to accept that this is part of being a leader. You must be respected and set a standard that you require each team member to live up to.
Without the clear separation between a leader and their team, lines can be blurred and respect can fade. You must always be the one in control, leading from the front and setting the team’s goals. Be the best leader you can be by being friendly, open and approachable but also by always keeping that line between you and your team firmly in place.
4. Be a good mentor
Part of being the best leader you can is to be a mentor. You have got to where you are by working hard and learning from those above you. You should therefore make every effort to inspire your team members as others inspired and mentored you.
Take time to work out which of your skills, learnings and mistakes can best help each of your team members and then make the effort to coach them individually as best you can. They will appreciate the effort and you will also learn a lot more about them as individuals, which can only help your team building process.
5. Take risks
No successful entrepreneur or business has ever got anywhere by playing it safe. You need to build a team of people who are not afraid to take a risk when it’s needed. If your team has been well prepared and knows you are fully behind them, they will make big plays and as such win big!
6. Give your team faith
The best teams become so because they are backed by their leader and as such, truly believe that they are the best. With your team believing they’re the best, it ensures they keep fighting and striving to stay at the top of their game.
Back your team, tell them you’re proud of them, and ensure they know how much you value their work and how essential they are to the running of the business. This will give them the faith they need to keep winning!
7. Instil a sense of team commitment
The most successful teams are built up of people who trust, respect and rely on one another. Successful teams are not made up of individuals, each with their own end game. Members must work together, for each other, so you need to make sure the characteristics and skills of your team members complement one another’s.
You need to build up a team of members who are prepared to fight for one another so that when all seems lost, the team comes together stronger. If you manage this, the team will always come out the other side winning!
