Is Your Team Working FOR You…or WITH You?
How to achieve entrepreneur goals faster by creating company culture.
Going into business for yourself and becoming an entrepreneur is an exciting and challenging time. The dream of sitting in your own office, sipping lattes, calmly ordering supplies online, all while your business runs smoothly, and, of course, bringing in a steady stream of profits seems like an ideal workday.
However, once you leave that 9–5 job and start your own business, there is little time for latte-sipping. More like latte gulping as you rush out the door for your next business meeting or head off to extinguish yet another ‘fire’ threatening to crush your success.
This is especially true when you yourself are trying to be everything your company needs. Accountant, lawyer, receptionist, product manager, customer service agent, marketer…the list goes on and on and will quickly lead to burnout and strip the joy of being an entrepreneur away from your life.
That is why most entrepreneurs realize quickly they need a team to accomplish all their business goals but hiring and creating a team that flourishes is not an easy task. After all, you don’t want to end up with a revolving door of people who come and go or who don’t match your company culture.
That leads to constantly having to re-hire and train new staff which in turn slows your company’s progress towards your goals. Not to mention the people who work for you, are merely there for a paycheck as there is no community to thrive in.
So how do you create a team that works WITH you not just FOR you?
It begins by creating a company culture that your team relates to and wants to get behind. This is often an aspect of entrepreneurship that numerous entrepreneurs neglect to focus on as they are often swamped with a million business details at a time. However, your company culture determines how decisions are made, and followed through, all the way from the CEO down to ground-level employees.
The following actionable tips will help you get your company culture established so that you can build a team that works WITH you towards success.
Define Your Company’s Core Values
Your company’s core values are the entire foundation upon which your company will build and cannot be neglected or pushed behind any other focus or goal. They are the heart and soul of your organization’s identity, they do not change over time, and they allow your company to connect with its target audience while interconnecting everyone within the organization no matter their role.
Core values are not where you wish to see your company in the future or what you want to accomplish. They are the aspects of your company that already exist. They are your organizations’ strengths on which you can build a successful company.
For example, if one of your company’s core values is transparency, be sure to extend that value into all aspects of your organization from the top down. This means a no bull*** attitude. No beating around the bush. Everyone from the CEO to the janitor should fully understand that core value and act upon it which, in turn, builds loyalty and trustworthiness around your company as clients, consumers, employees, and partners fully understand what to expect.
Establish a Clear Company Mission
Many entrepreneurs start out focusing on the sole mission of turning a profit. And obviously, that is a goal every business should have as without it the company would quickly go bankrupt…but what are your company’s broader goals? What is the true mission behind the company?
Your mission statement is not the same as your vision or your core values. Your vision is where you want to company to go into the future, your core values are the foundation, and your mission represents what you want your company to strive for on a daily basis.
Begin with establishing keywords that you want your company to represent to itself, its employees, and the public. Words such as equality, honesty, sustainability, quality, etc., are not just words to work by…they are guides that can help you and your team make more intentional decisions towards the long-term goals.
An example of this is having a mission that includes providing outstanding customer service. With the mission clearly outlined, your entire team will be more focused on that goal leading to more ideas and projects that will allow the company to maintain that mission.
Open the Doors of Communication
In a work environment, often the doors to board meetings between CEOs and investors are shut tight to protect the interest of the company. However, this does not mean your team should never have the chance to speak their mind.
Allowing your team the opportunity to openly communicate greatly boosts production as everyone, no matter their position, feels their thoughts and ideas are valued and appreciated. This can create a boost in overall performance as each team member becomes a valuable asset to the company mission.
Similarly, if you do not communicate your and your company’s expectations and keep your team in the loop regarding project status, team members quickly feel disengaged, undervalued, and directionless. An employee who feels unappreciated quickly loses interest in maintaining the company’s core values which, in turn, harms your overall mission and goals.
Setting up an anonymous feedback system is a popular tool within numerous organizations, but it is also important to check in regularly with employees on a one-on-one basis. This may take time but in the long run, the time spent communicating openly with your team will lead to a higher production rate and increase your overall success.
Lead by Example
After establishing your core values and company mission, it is essential for yourself to also follow them. If one of your core values is a high-energy work atmosphere, your team cannot witness you sitting back and relaxing while everyone else does all the hard work. You are the lead member no matter how distanced you may be from some employees, therefore, you must set the example for all others to follow.
Leading by example also sets the standard for how you wish your employees to conduct themselves in the work environment. For example, if you consistently push off your personal work onto others, you can expect your team to do the same by passing off their responsibilities to someone else. Eventually, the flow of work will become interrupted and nothing will be accomplished.
By acting and doing as you wish your team to do, you will also build a level of trust in the company on which your employees can count on for both stability and consistency.
In Conclusion
It is essential to engage with your employees to create a working atmosphere that encourages communication, understanding, and appreciation of the core values. This allows each and every team member to feel appreciated and valued reducing the dreaded swinging door of employees coming and going and it allows your company to grow a company culture that promotes growth for everyone.
