Teamwork is an important aspect in every business. Last weekend I had the experience of sailing on the America’s Cup Yacht Intrepid. I know that they sometimes use these type of boats for corporate outings to promote team building. It really became evident to me how this would be essential in sailing one of these boats to victory in The America’s Cup Race. Someone has to set the sails, hoist the sails, trim the sails, navigate, steer the boat, get weather updates, maintenance, repairs, etc.
Each task is performed separately, but they all have a collective effect on the outcome. In running a plumbing business there are many different tasks including: answering the phone, sales, dispatch, scheduling, service calls, payment processing, quality control, advertising & promotion, customer loyalty programs, etc. If each team member is doing the best they can and everything is running smooth then the outcome should be great! To improve company performance you can certainly take a look at the different tasks and determine where improvements need to be made.
Here are some thoughts to ponder…
Do your team members have the right attitude? This is very important. It has been said that “your attitude determines your altitude” How do you insure that your team members bring the right attitude to the job every day? Just one team member with the wrong attitude can have negative effects on the results. What are you doing in your business today to motivate your employees? Do you think you could do a better job to motivate your employees? What attitude do you have? Remember you are the captain of the ship and you set the example for everyone else.
I have been studying personal development for many years. One of the fundamental books that I often refer back to is “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. I highly recommend this book to anyone in business as a starting point and also as a reference that will continue to be very valuable. When you look at the things you can control, like your own attitude and make adjustments to that, it will definitely have a ripple effect on everyone else who surrounds you. When you let people know that their job is important and no matter how menial the task they do, that it is essential to the operation, that can make a big difference. When you do seemingly little things that don’t cost a lot, to let employees know that they are appreciated, that goes a long way. It is very obvious to me when I go into a business whether the employer treats the employees good or bad. It is always reflected in the attitude of the employees.
Take the time to see whats going on in your business and how you can make some improvements in the areas that need them. Do this on a regular basis and you will see the results you are getting will continue to improve.
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