What you need to know when developing a team for your business.
If you run a small business it is essential that you focus your attention on how to create a team that is going to be effective from day one. In any small business, you will come to rely on your employees much more than in a large scale corporation because your team will be making up the core of your business; especially when growing at a rapid pace. When the time comes for you to start hiring and building a team, you need to keep these top tips in mind to build an effective team that will help you experience success as a small business:
Find people that believe in your values and mission
In the earliest stages of your business you are likely to have a series of goals, directions and values that are going to carry you throughout the beginning days of your company. You will also need other people that follow your vision and are able to understand the direction that you are taking the company in. If the employees you hire at the beginning are extremely passionate about your company, and are ready to help you carry out your values and mission, these will be the future ambassadors for your brand.
Keep in mind that the earliest people you are hiring on for your company are going to be people that train the next generation of employees. The employees that form your initial team may be the people that make up your senior management staff as you continue to scale. If an employee doesn’t seem like someone that suits your vision for the future or they are not somebody that fully understands your values as a small business, they may not be an effective employee over the long term or someone that is going to give you the maximum number of benefits for your future business. Someone that doesn’t quite get your vision for the future or that is less excited about your vision for the future could distract you from your goals.
Find self starters that can manage themselves
Skilled team members that take the initiative and that are ready to self manage themselves will be ready to take on the tasks that are important to scaling your company. As a small business you need to have versatile professionals that are capable of managing themselves. It’s likely that as your business scales you’ll be facing a series of challenges where you might not always be able to delegate or assist with projects as a business owner. Rather than your employees sitting around waiting for instructions, it is the self-starters and the employees that are able to work with very little supervision that will act as the greatest asset to your company.
Some of the best self-starters feel a sense of ownership by joining your company early on and they will always represent your brand as the future leaders and managers.
Find team players
People that work independently can be important but you will also need to find individuals that can work well in a group, coordinate with your employees and create a true sense of community. Small businesses are very fast paced environments and working with a team that can be tight knit often requires finding the employees that can feel excited about getting in on the ground floor. These can include people that get along with you as a business owner and other like minded professionals you could see yourself grabbing a coffee or after work drinks with.
When you create a social team and have a group of people that share similar values and mindsets, it can improve the culture of your brand and make morale in your company skyrocket as well. Be sure to find people that seem like great team players as you are hiring.
Focus on individual talents to build a diverse group
Finding well-rounded professionals is essential to building up your company and making sure that people can fulfill multiple roles. Having a focus on individual talents can make sure that you create a diverse group of people that have their own unique skills and expertise. It’s okay to hire someone that is extremely well-versed in marketing if you also have someone that is well versed in sales. Having employees that can head up various aspects of your business and fill in some of the gaps in your own expertise is important. If you recognise that you are performing poorly or inefficiently in one aspect of your business consider looking for a professional that is a true expert in the skills you need to improve.
Many small business owners find that it’s much easier for their business to scale when they hire HR professionals, accountants and business support experts because these employees will be trained in the latest standards. Rather than a business owner or another employee having to take on training programs, hiring someone that is an expert in these skills can arm your business with what is needed for you to press forward.
Don’t be afraid to look within your network
When building a team, you might find yourself looking for experts far and wide in your talent search. It can be more difficult to consider people far outside of your network, but if you use your own references, connections, family and friends you might find someone that is going to be ready to fit with your business early on. Personally referred candidates generally have more success with companies according to recruitment studies. Working with someone that already has a connection to you will make sure that there is almost an instant loyalty regarding your ideas and your company.
Don’t rush the hiring process
Every small business will face hiring crunches where they need assistance quickly. Building a winning team takes time however. Don’t rush the process of your interviews, don’t rush the process of your training. Make sure everyone is on board with your vision and focus on the elements that will build a great team before moving forward with any hire.
Stay tuned for more tips on small business team building in our future blogs!
If you need help developing a winning team, contact me today: tiba@tibaalkhalidy.com