As an executive leader, you’ve probably set several people in leadership roles to help better-structure your company. A lot of good can come out of leadership, but it can also come with a mountain of problems. In this post, you will learn why you should focus on the team instead of leadership and you will learn a few tips on how to do so effectively.
Why Teams Should Be Your Main Focus
Working as a team has been proven to be the best way to create and sell a product or service. This is because everyone can come together with their ideas and skill sets to improve the business. More often than not, executive leaders may put a person in a leadership position who would rather go with the “my way or the highway” mentality. This means that they will shoot down ideas that they didn’t think of, or they might even run their department in a way that stifles employee creativity and production.
On the other hand, some companies tend to find that their leaders are doing a lot of the work, which can lead to stress that can make production go down in their respective departments. There are many reasons why focusing on teamwork can make your business even better than it already is. To begin, teamwork fosters a sense of shared values, especially in a mission-driven workplace. It also makes companies more transparent to their employees, making it easier to share ideas and feedback without someone getting offended or angered. Lastly, teamwork is better because people can be recognized on an individual basis, rather than the department head being rewarded for the work of someone in the team.
Tips to Focus on Team Work
There are several ways you can shift the focus of a department of your company from an individual to high-performance teams. To start, be transparent with your team about the projects your company is working on. Don’t keep secrets, and welcome any and all feedback. A lot of individuals are worried that their feedback will get them in trouble, but sharing it needs to be encouraged among employees. A good way to be transparent is to focus on the goals, priorities and expectations of your company and employees.
Another way to make this happen is to have interactive meetings. Instead of piling in the conference room, head to a coffee shop or plan some activities with your team. This will create comradery and generate trust. You can also plan retreats where you get away from the office to build trust and talk about the direction of your company or business. Finally, award employees where it is deserved. Make sure that each employee is recognized for their contribution, especially if it made your product or service better for the customer. This will increase employee happiness. We use a variety of channels from digital communication to local events and those global and virtual, connecting our teams around the world.
Interested to hear your insights and experiences.
-Todd
Todd Ringleman
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