Team Building 101

When I was a kid and just starting to drive, I would jump at the opportunity to get in my first car and just drive. I wouldn’t have a clue where I was going, but I was looking cool doing it. With the cost of petrol today, I plan out my route to do my errands and meetings before heading out, That way, I can work smart to save time and money.

How does this relate to building you team you might ask? You must plan the day so you and your team’s time is not wasted and you get the most out of the day. When you call a meeting, make sure there is a good reason to call one. You should have an agenda on paper on what needs to be covered. Make sure the team is healthy and find out what their needs are and how can you help provide the necessary tools for them to do their job. Leonard Nimoy, Actor and best known for his role as Spock in the original Star Trek said; "The miracle is this - the more we share, the more we have." Make sure you share your visions, dreams and goals with your team.

Other thoughts are:

Continually develop your team for success. You could recommend reading or listening to motivational books in their down time. Today, books on a mp3 player are easily available. One of my favorite books and inspiration for this article and others is The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork by John Maxwell.

Whenever you offer up or implement a new policy and or procedure, get the buy in from the team. Answer any questions they have and make sure they know what is expected of them.

As a leader, you must be constantly reading to ensure you have the tools and mindset to help make the team run smoothly. If the engine in your care was running rough or firing on two less cylinders, you would take it to a car garage and have it repaired? It's no different with your team. To ensure team success, make sure they are running on all success cylinders.

Wayne Bailey is a Distributor with SendOutCards. He has recognized tremendous growth in his personal and business relationships by implementing the strategies he talks about in his articles. You can email Wayne at wayne_bailey642@hotmail.com or visit: www.sendoutcards.com/waynebailey.