Are you suffering from a revolving door of team churn? Do you have a terminally mediocre team, but haven't done anything about it? Are you constantly getting tied up with minutiae because you don't trust your team to do things right?
If this is what your daily work life looks like, it's time to look in the mirror and prepare yourself for a serious wake-up call. Teams aren't mediocre by accident, and they don't experience continual churn as a random occurrence. It's not a fun realization that your ability to build a top-notch team needs some work. On the other hand, it's this type of realization that will help you move in the right direction.
When you are feeling like you're the source of everything and the weight of your company falls on your shoulders, life can get miserable quickly. This level of stress is not only bad for you, but causes you, your team, and your company to run at less-than-optimal efficiency.
The good news is that even if your team (whether built or inherited by you) is a complete disaster, you can turn things around. The end picture is a happier life for you and your team, and a constant set of high-achieving results. How can this happen? It's all about having a team that operates with the "it" factor.
How you define "it"
Imagine a team that doesn't need micromanaging. A team that comes up with excellent solutions to problems that cripple other organizations. A team that enjoys being around one another in general, and works together toward common goals and objectives. Does this sound like a pipe dream or some strangely exciting utopia that is far from reach? I have it, and I can tell you that it makes me look forward to coming to work every single day.
The picture of the highly effective hard-charging "it" factor team starts with you defining your team picture and the behavior you want everyone on your team to exhibit. As an example, for my team, I look for people who are cohesive, focused on teamwork, skilled at communicating openly, goal oriented, aggressive, proactive, and continual learners. The result is that people on my team are always staying on top of industry trends, continually sharpening their axes, holding each other accountable for their parts of projects, exhibiting a friendly demeanor and positive attitude, and above all focusing on a clearly defined set of goals.
If you're getting ready to build a team from scratch, setting the stage for an "it" factor team is going to be easier. Like most of us, though, you're probably in a situation where you have an existing team that needs a bit of fine tuning, while at the same time building up your team with new hires. If this is the case, you'll need to focus on your existing team first, or you'll risk compounding existing problems.
Lay out the future picture for your team and find out if your existing team members want to be part of it. It's OK if you lose people on your team because they aren't willing to jump on board.
Next, take a hard look at the needs of your team. You may find that you either have to realign roles or simply get rid of some people. Craft the box first and find the best people to get the work done. It's rarely pleasant to let someone go, but any short team pain that's caused while the work load is being redistributed will be more than compensated for when you fill each of your boxes with the right people. Don't expect the realignment of roles, team members, and attitudes to change overnight. It will happen quickly, though, if you've been very clear about your future picture and continually manage toward it.
It's what's under the hood that matters
What is your philosophy when it comes to hiring? Are you looking for impeccable higher education credentials and a long list of industry experience and nothing else matters? It sounds crazy to illustrate it that way, but I've seen lots of companies and managers follow this approach when building teams.
When I set forth with my future team picture, I began looking for people who stood apart not just based on their education or experience, but what was under the hood. Everyone that makes it through to an interview with you should have at least a basic level of aptitude to get the job done. What set someone apart is their attitude, desire, problem-solving skills, passion to succeed, an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and learning new skills, and the ability to work well in a team dynamic.
Whenever I interview someone, I guarantee that the interview is a little different from most others. I make sure I ask a few questions that throw the applicant off their "script" and watch as their true personality emerges. In addition, these questions allow me to observe their ability to think on their feet.
When you have an existing team, leverage their instinct and turn them into good interviewers as well. Keep in mind that your existing team has the most to gain or lose depending on your ability to hire well. Our team approach is to conduct the first interview (after the applicant has made it through HR screening) with me and the manager on the team who will be working the closest with this position. After whittling down the applicant pool to a handful of qualified applicants, the whole team conducts a group interview without me. The purpose is to evaluate how the applicants conduct themselves among our team, further evaluate some of their skill sets, and dig into their ability to work within a multifaceted cross-functional team.
The next step involves our team "selling" me on who should receive the job offer. The result is that we have a team with minimal churn, and people who hit the ground running with the right attitude to reduce the length of the learning curve. Our team has grown year over year as the business needs have warranted, and we've yet to make a bad hire.
Once you have your team in place, the key is to manage them the right way. A team, comprised of people with the "it" factor, will excel if you set a clear set of goals and point team members in the right direction. Your job is to do whatever it takes to clear roadblocks from their path and be the conductor of the train. The next step is to beam with pride and joy as your team continually breaks through new levels of achievement and your work life becomes much more enjoyable and productive.
Sean Cheyney is the VP of marketing and business development for AccuQuote.
On Twitter? Follow Cheyney at @scheyney. Follow iMedia Connection at @iMediaTweet.
