As a leader, one of the most critical decisions that you have to make is choosing the right people in your team and it’s knowing how to bring out the best from one another. This is especially true for starting entrepreneurs who may have the passion, desire, and vision of what they want to accomplish but not necessarily have the proper skill set to turn their vision into reality—that’s where building a strong team comes into play.

One of the things that Celebree CEO Richard Huffman prioritized as a leader is bringing people in who have already accomplished what we’re looking to achieve. Our team reflects a robust and diverse variety of backgrounds, expertise, and experience; but more importantly, the how-to when it comes to getting us successfully where we need to be in the coming years.

Active teamwork is vital towards creating a solid vision

In an interview with Social Geek Radio, our CEO shared that choosing the people to be part of your team is just the beginning. It’s important to know what you will do once they’re in. We look for core competencies during our hiring process and we evaluate potential assets based on the results. We establish a clear career path for everyone and provide resources on how to be accomplished. Once people get comfortable with their own success, we want to ensure that the enthusiasm remains and continues to fuel your work. Boredom is a hindrance not just to individual growth, but in collaborative growth as well.

It’s essential that your team is driven with purpose, recognizing a common goal and making sure everyone is actively engaged in order to not only create solutions and strategize, but to make sure that everybody can efficiently and intuitively participate in the entire process. Fostering a sense of involvement and partnership encourages members both to develop initiative and effectively communicate with the rest of the team.

Energize, even incentivize, your team to innovate—it can be anything from finding new ways to improve your product or service or boosting productivity. It can also mean optimizing what you already have, which helps better manage your available resources. 

Communication is key

Being a good leader means being a good communicator. This means sharing your goals and vision, both short- and long-term. Discuss with them what tools and methods are available for them to interact within and around the company. Help them understand what’s expected of them and how their roles fit into the overall picture. Allowing your team to visualize these gives them a better grasp of the company’s objectives and how essential their work is to accomplishing them.

The value of open, reliable channels of communication in a team cannot be overstated. Once your team fails to connect with each other, this will create problems not just with the workflow but also inadvertently cause trust issues. Teamwork significantly relies on effective communication. Equally important is learning how to listen and be willing to accommodate views, make adjustments, and apply those that best address issues accordingly. 

A harmonious working relationship among the team inspires confidence but also challenges them in coming up with decisive and unified plans and strategies. Always strive to promote an environment of support and equality to keep a vibrant workplace.

Teamwork is an ongoing process

A great team doesn’t only thrive in success but also in crisis. As much as we are committed to providing excellent service to our customers or doing the best for our shareholders, we should also invest in the success of each other because ultimately, we all emerge as winners. A few ways of keeping a healthy support system among your team are:

• Provide mentorship. Coach new hires and/or employees who are struggling with their work. Take initiative and help your team realize their full potential.
• Team-building opportunities. Consider the best time to hold your team-building exercises to avoid disruptions in productivity. Optimize your budget: should you rent a place or just keep it nice and simple at the office? Survey the team to find out what’s comfortable for everyone. 
• Seek outside perspectives. Teamwork doesn’t always have to be confined among those who work in the company. Consult with experts who can offer a fresh look into things, fully assess your organization, and provide unbiased feedback on your how you do things. Outside perspective can also mean soliciting advice from another valuable resource: your customers. Find out how you can continuously improve your products and services and brainstorm solutions with your team.