Today’s episode we’ll explore the health of your team. When was your last check-up? While monthly financials communicate the metrics of the business, it is important to remember that those metrics are created daily by individual members of your team. The check-up is completed by recognizing each individual’s health ensure those monthly and annual goals go well or can even improve.
Episode Notes
Consider these three steps that take the pulse of your team. As with any health check-up, timely attention (every 3-4 months) ensures health is where it needs to be.
Step #1: Begin with an anonymous survey that asks the following questions:
- Do you understand where the company is going and what you need to do every day?
- Do you see how you your role fits in to the team or business’s goals?
- Do you receive effective and timely feedback on your performance?
- What is the most irritating thing our company does to its customers?
- Why do you work here?
The answers to these questions will reveal some invaluable aspects of your leadership success (or lack thereof).
Step #2: Take it a step further
What you learn from those five questions will give you the information to drill deeper for answers that positively impact the team. Conduct focus groups with a cross section of the team (or biz). Share what you have learned from the surveys and ask their involvement to improve a specific issue. Some quick tips:
- Listen. Don’t defend. Your job is gather information. You will hear their perspective on what is working vs what is not. Remember – it’s their perspective so just listen, ask questions and try to understand why or how they think a certain way.
- Share something new or exciting happening in the business. Help them feel like real “insiders” to the business.
- Look for easy wins. Be open minded to the suggestions that mean a great deal to your team. If there isn’t a viable reason to say no, why not say yes? You can even try suggestions on a pilot approach as well. Your yes tells your team you are listening.
- Promise and deliver action. For those suggestions you consider, be honest with the group on how/when next steps can be expected. Then communicate to the group and larger organization the outcomes.
Step #3: Personal follow up
This final strategy is where the relationship will occur. Personal leadership requires interaction and the more we interact, the greater engagement (healthiness) occurs.
- Where possible, reach out to the individual members of your team and initiate conversation.
- Talk about the issues that are important to them and keep them posted on the team’s progress.
- Ask their opinions about solutions.
- Find out what each team member needs more of our less of from you.
I encourage you to try these three feedback steps with your team. Start those check-ups now so you cannot only hear those “everything looks good” words, but be healthy and thrive.
The doctor is in.