Ah, ready to know the miraculous #1 secret to consistently leading a service-based business to those coveted 7-figure annual revenues, without transforming yourself into a caffeine-fueled, sleep-deprived workaholic? Team
Piece of cake (chocolate for me please)! Just wave your magic wand and poof – assemble your own team of superheroes!
As a leader, you cannot do everything on your own, nor should you keep trying to. The faster you accept and adopt this philosophy, the faster you’ll gain momentum.
By assembling a talented, reliable and solution-oriented team, you can delegate responsibilities and ensure that tasks are efficiently managed without overburdening yourself or any individual on the team. Here are some key points to consider:
1) Hire the Right People: Invest time and effort in hiring individuals who not only possess the necessary skills and expertise but also align with your company’s values and vision. Look for team members who are self-motivated, proactive, and share your passion for delivering high-quality services.
If your goal is to grow the organization, having team members who are committed to growth is also paramount. Remember to hire for where you are going, not where you are.
2) Empower Your Team: Provide your team with the resources, training, and support they need to excel in their roles. Encourage autonomy and decision-making, empowering them to take ownership of their tasks and contribute to the company’s growth. Understand that micromanagement is as much a potential sign of the wrong talent, as it is leadership in resistance and/or avoidance.
Yes, you may need to read that last line again. If you find yourself in a constant state of micromanagement, it is time to evaluate how you are showing up as a leader, a mentor, and as a decision maker. Ask the following questions:
- What am I afraid of that makes me believe it is necessary to try and control this situation thru micromanagement?
- Do I trust this team member? Am I empowering this team member to show up fully in their role?
- Have I provided all the tools, resources and support to enable this team member to successfully deliver on the agreed upon deliverables? If the answer is yes…
- What am I avoiding in my leadership role, by continuing to micromanage the situation/team member?
3) Delegate Effectively: Once you have a capable team in place, delegate tasks and responsibilities according to each person’s strengths. Trust your team members to handle their assigned areas of expertise, freeing up your time to focus on strategic planning and big-picture initiatives. Notice this goes hand-in-hand with what is shared above under Empower Your Team.
4) Set Clear Expectations and Goals: Ensure that everyone on your team understands their roles and the objectives of the business. Set clear and measurable goals, so each team member knows what they are working towards and can align their efforts accordingly.
This is an area I see leaders go a little sideways with. It is important that each member of the team understand the overall organizational goals, as well as team goals and how their respective goals fit into the bigger picture. If you want a team who is in support of the overall company goals, be sure the vision is shared with them and each member understands how important their role is in the bigger picture.
5) Establish Efficient Processes: This is an important one as well. Work smarter. Take inventory of every area of the business. Where there are repeatable steps, create systems and include automation (with checks and balances to reduce potential errors). You’ll want to streamline workflows and implement efficient systems to enhance productivity and reduce unnecessary workload.
Ensure the use of trackers, checklists, reports and time for consistent evaluation is allocated on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, basis. Continuously look for ways to improve and optimize your business processes.
6) Promote Collaboration and Communication: Foster an environment of open communication and teamwork. Encourage collaboration among team members, which can lead to innovative solutions and improved service offerings.
This may also mean evaluating the use of meetings. Are they happening often enough? Are the meetings held in a productive manner? What can be done to optimize the time together? The result may be an increase in some meetings for a shorter duration and on the other side it may mean longer meetings less frequently for other purposes. Know that meetings are NOT a bad thing, when they are led effectively and efficiently with the right team members prepared and participating.
7) Prioritize Work-Life Rhythm: Lead by example and promote a healthy work-life rhythm for yourself and your team. Avoid glorifying overworking and ensure that everyone has time for personal well-being and rest. Why? Study after study has shown us that this leads to improved efficiency, productivity and better communication.
8) Recognize and Reward Performance: Acknowledge and reward your team members for their contributions and achievements. Recognition and incentives can boost motivation and loyalty within the team. If you haven’t heard about The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by Encouraging People, I highly recommend it.
9) Invest in Professional Development: YES, YES, YES…Support your team’s growth by offering opportunities for training and professional development. Continuously improving their skills will benefit your business and contribute to their job satisfaction.
There are so many options to support you with this – from books, to audibles, to workshops, seminars and more. Your investment in your team does not stop at the time of hire, or with compensation – consistently invest in them and watch your company continue to grow exponentially.
10) Monitor and Adjust: Regularly monitor your team’s performance and progress toward your revenue goals. Make data-driven decisions and adjust your strategies as needed to stay on track. Never miss an annual performance review for your team members.
I’ll let you in on a little nugget that I ALWAYS lead with in my performance reviews. I let the team member know there should not be any surprises in the annual review, and if they hear something they believe is the first time they are hearing it from me, to let me know as this means there is an area for me to strive to improve on as well. I want to be communicating effectively with them all year round, not just during a performance review 😉
Bottom-line, building a strong team is a critical component of achieving sustainable growth in your service-based business. With the right people in place, you can focus on strategic leadership, while your team handles day-to-day operations and contributes to the overall success of the company and ultimately secure More Money. More Free Time. More JOY for each of you!
Ready to up the ante and optimize your business faster? Grab a day/time that will work for you and let’s start talking to determine if we’re a good fit.