Creating An Ideal Team

I frequently ask professionals what they consider to be the difference between a great team member and a good team member, or in short, your ideal.

These are some free flowing answers that I am told:

 Do whatever it takes to get the job done
 Really listen to the needs of the owner
 Take pride in their work, and show a personal commitment to quality
 Are eager to learn as much as they can about the business they are in
 Get involved and don’t just stick to their assigned role
 Learn to understand and think like the owner so they can represent them when they are not there.
 Are always looking for ways to make things easier
 Anticipate, and don’t wait to be told what to do. They show initiative
 Reach out for responsibility
 Are team players
 Can be trusted with confidence
 Are honest, trustworthy and loyal
 Are open to constructive critiques on how to improve

All of this list can be summarised thus:

Great team members CARE.

Following on, two observations I have found is that, firstly, this list applies to all of us, from secretaries to senior management. Secondly, you’ll notice the list has nothing to do with technical skills.

Very rarely do I find that an ideal professional, is a great technician, with an ordinary attitude.

With the current professional skills shortage, in terms of number of available qualified staff, it is very easy to hire for skills only.

But maybe we should consider hiring for people with more the elements of energy, drive, enthusiasm, pride in their work, a personal commitment to excellence and a sincere desire to help.

For owners, just think, wouldn’t it be great to have a happy productive team around me so you don’t have to do it all by yourself?

So think about having a smaller happier team rather than just a large team.

Even an owner with a great secretary, who has the above attributes, is a highly desirable team.

So how do we build an ideal team?

Here are a few simple suggestions.

Firstly you might like to consider future recruiting via a simple structured recruitment program to avoid the hire and hope policy which is fraught with failure.

Everything from setting up your expectations with an ideal job description to ultimately your letter of appointment.

Consider hiring for attitude and training for skills.

Once we’ve crystallised our expectations in our initial meeting in our recruitment program, the next thing you might like to consider is giving feedback as to how our team are going. From my experience, most people really like to know how they are tracking, what their strengths are and what joint goals could be set for the future.

So consider a simple structure performance review process. These are easy to do and very rewarding for all concerned. They should be conducted on a 6 monthly time frame, and could be the basis of salary reviews and incentive bonuses.

From numerous surveys with team members on what people want from their jobs, out of 10 criteria, the following are generally rated the top 3:

1. Feeling “in on things”
2. Appreciation for the work done
3. Varied and interesting work

(Interestingly wage generally rates as the 5th most important, whereas the owners will mostly rate it as the most important)

So what is “feeling in on things”?

This is keeping your team informed either formally through meetings, or, informally, through casual conversation.

They might like to know:

1. Operationally what have we got on for this week, and, after reviewing last week, how could we have done it better.
2. From a company development perspective – how could we improve our service delivery & improve the company after addressing key frustrations
3. Where is the firm going – what plans, objectives & strategies are we going to do to get to where we want to be

All of these meetings should be structured, succinct and built on a culture of continuous improvement.

This gives your team a real purpose and in my opinion if they have that, chances are they are highly likely to excel.

Developing a plan to achieve new heights for your business

In 1910 two teams of men set out to be the first to reach the South Pole. One team was led by Scott the other Amundsen. Both had a plan. Both had the same objective. Both achieved the success of reaching their goal – one achieved the ultimate goal of being first. From Amundsen and Scott we learn the necessity of a plan and we also recognise that the content of that plan is critical to its success.

Planning is an essential element of business success. You will often hear that people have the Midas touch – “they just seem to be in the right place at the right time”. The fact is that neither luck nor any form of clairvoyance is a dependable element of business success. The real requirements are - key objectives that are realistic but will stretch you and your team and a strategic plan that allows you and your team to achieve the success.

The Planning Environment
If you would like to give your plan a 50% better chance of success the first step is to choose an environment that encourages clear thinking, escapes the frustrations of the office and everyday business concerns. Start with a room that has windows and then add views and peace and quiet. Into that room introduce your key executives or stakeholders.

Add a professional facilitator – who has some knowledge of your type of business. It is obvious that the strategic plan for a professional services group will likely have different insights and content than that of a manufacturing organisation.

Getting the Right Participation
If this is the first time the group has met to create a strategic plan it is very important to review where the business is now. Let the frustrations come to the surface for evaluation and discussion. Be open to recognising the weaknesses of the business but balance that by examining and writing down the strengths. Before your team can look to the future and be involved with blue sky thinking – the everyday agendas need to be put aside. If we are to set stretch goals or objectives – the knowledge of where we are now is essential.

The Time Frame
Most strategic plans encompass a 3 year time frame. They will contain objectives that are measurable. The first meeting and eventual plan will contain objectives for the entire plan but detailed strategies and tactics for the first 12 months.

The Objectives
While you may have in mind a singular objective - the fact is that most strategic plans will have a number of key objectives. A single plan may seek revenue or profit targets – look to a planned increased in team numbers such as in building a sales force or developing a franchise group. You may look to increasing location s or lifting partners in a professional services practise. Always keep in mind that the objectives must have stretch factor. Objectives that are impossible to reach will simply de-motivate your team while being able to pat everyone on the back through easy objectives will simply breed laziness rather than lift team spirit.

Living with the Plan
As an owner or chief executive you will ultimately be responsible for achieving the plan. It is important however to also set your own series of personal objectives. It is reasonable that the same be asked of the key stakeholders. We all need to strive continuously to grow. It was Gary Player who once said the more he practised the luckier he got – there is no doubt that the harder we work to overcome our weakness and better apply our strengths the more successful or “luckier” we will become.
Having developed the plan and involved yourself personally in it, you and your team need to “live it”. Start by reading it every day for 21 days straight. A good plan will be able to be read in 15 to 20 minutes. The plan should be like a well practised golf swing you know it so well that it becomes automatic to think and work to the plan.

Then monthly you need to meet with your key team members using the plan as the basis of judging your success and perhaps highlighting those areas that may not be “going according to plan”. A plan is a living dynamic instrument for your success. As such it may require amendments based on your experience – always look to align actual performance against the plan.

I urge you to think about the future of your business now. If you don’t have a strategic plan in place, begin immediately to assemble your team and create an opportunity and an environment for them to meet and create that plan.
Remember however that the plan is not just a “must have” document. As with Amundsen – it is a document that should have the right strategies and tactics to ensure true success.

Summit sponsors Excellence Awards

The most important and prestigious event in the calendar of Surveyors took place at the Westin Hotel Sydney on Friday 28th September. The Excellence in Surveying and Spatial Information Awards attracted a record 350 people to see the cream of the industry be recognised for outstanding achievement throughout the year. Summit Partners helped sponsor the evening. David Wolrige seen above with Greg Goodman, President of the Surveyors Association of NSW said, “It was a most exciting evening and I am particularly proud that like last year a number of the winners had been graduates of Summit’s coaching program”.