Coaching, data and feedback can help your snow team solve problems to build a scalable and sustainable business.
The most complicated part of growing your team is coaching individual members through their own growth. One-on-one coaching to develop an individual’s performance is more of an art than a science. Not many leaders have this innate skill, but it can be learned. In good coaching, total understanding and trust is established between both parties, goals are set, performance is measured, improvement is encouraged, and feedback is provided.
Defined structure is an important part of a scalable and sustainable business. Determine if people are in the roles that fit not only their knowledge but their personalities. A behavioral assessment tool can help you determine who is wired from a personality standpoint to do a particular job; then, as a leader, you can assess their skillset.
But it’s not a one-way street. The team member’s perspective is a critical component of successful coaching. Rather than imposing your understanding and beliefs on them, you have to use their understanding and beliefs to encourage them to grow and evolve.
Consistency is key; you are looking for incremental change over a period of time, not an overnight 180° turn. It takes 21 purposeful actions to create a habit. Give it time.
Managing with data rather than with emotion is important to the success and sustainability of your business. Do not make decisions on a feeling alone.
There are many tools for managing data. The right system can be used to streamline and automate sales and operations management, and customer engagement; and it should include accounting integration. You should be able to evaluate performance in any of these areas against a predefined plan or budget. This will provide clear expectations and accountability.
Too much data can make you crazy if you try to evaluate every detail or respond to every instance. The key is to use data and tools to identify trends or averages, and manage to those. Make sure the system you choose will grow and expand with your team and business.
Meetings should be no more than 60 minutes on average to maintain focus and productivity.
One-on-one. The most important internal meetings are weekly or biweekly one-on-one discussions with direct reports. These meetings will help build a rapport to gain insight into an employee’s reality. Focus on their successes, challenges and leadership activities between meetings. This interaction should mostly be a listening exercise for the leader, although it also is an opportunity to ask questions and lay out action plans for overcoming
challenges.
Departmental. Department meetings are for a specific operational unit. The goal is to limit the audience to make the discussions relevant to all those who are attending, so dial in the messages and topics covered. Do not have meetings
just to have meetings. As the leader, it is your responsibility to carry knowledge and action items between these teams.
Company. Quarterly and annual whole-team meetings are opportunities to engage everyone in your organization; they should be held just after each quarter has closed. Use these meetings to review where you are and where you are going. Highlight successes and offer recognition while reviewing operational performance. Outline the plan for the upcoming period and lay out expectations.
As a leader, focusing on coaching, data and the right meetings will set the foundation for building a scalable, sustainable business driven by a team of professionals all rowing the boat in the same direction.
Learn more about building your snow team with these resources:
Snow Start Up download - Building a Great Team
Online Course - Building a Transformational Company Culture