Tag: team

The best way to build a team

The best way to build a team is to surround yourself with people who have similar values as you (integrity, work ethic, respect, optimism, etc), but who do things differently than you.

Being a person of integrity means to do what you feel is right with the information at hand (even when nobody is looking), to be able to admit when you’re wrong, and to keep your promises. It’s usually “easier” to be a person of integrity if you don’t care what people think about you…if you believe an action is right, even if it’s not popular, you should do it instead of going with the flow.

If everyone is always learning/growing, the team will go much further than if they have to rely on one person to come up with all of the ideas. Learning/growing is part of work ethic, as is the willingness and ability to work dutifully for yourself, your team, and your clients.

If everyone respects each other, even when they disagree, they will be more open/receptive to hearing out the other team member’s opinion. You want different perspectives. You want people to be able to voice their opinion without fear of being ostracized. You don’t want everyone to believe the same thing, otherwise you might have a blind spot to a weakness in your team.

If everyone is optimistic, it doesn’t mean that everything is always good. But it does mean that you can find some good in any situation. Failure will make you stronger, give you experience, and teach you lessons better than success can. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. No matter how bad things get, they can get better if you take action to make them better. We don’t want any victims here. No victim mindset. No “woe is me.” If you don’t like your situation, it’s up to you to change it. Nobody should care about your life more than you, so if you want things to get better, you need to be the one to take control.

Strive to be the captain, not the MVP.

Strive to be the captain of your team, not the MVP.
“If everyone would strive to be captain of their team as opposed to the MVP, there would be a lot better teams.” – Derek Jones

“If everyone would strive to be captain of their team as opposed to the MVP, there would be a lot better teams.”

How true is this? Instead of trying to be the superstar, trying to be the center of attention, trying to go viral, trying to produce highlight reels, trying to get recognition from others…just work on being the best teammate you can be.

Respect others, care for them, and do things the right way. Everything you do, do intentionally. Take pride in your work. Share credit with your teammates and take accountability for your faults. Be positive. Communicate clearly to those you work with. Always try to improve – not just yourself, but your team as well. The more you can be a team player, even if that means that you lose out on some of the glory, the better your team success will be.

What type of players do you have on your team?

What type of players do you have and your team? Grade each player/team member. Do you have A players, B players, C, D, or F? An A player has all the attributes you want. They have a good work ethic, are ambitious, speak and act with integrity, are always willing to help the team, have a good attitude, and are always looking to learn or improve. A B player might be missing one of those attributes or might have a lower level of several of those attributes. A C player will be missing multiple attributes. You should seriously consider whether or not to keep a C player on your team. Are they willing to work hard to become an A or B player? If not, better to cut the cord and let them go. D and F players should not be on your team, as they are just dragging everyone else down and making them work harder.

There is the saying that when a flower doesn’t bloom (or a tree doesn’t grow), it’s not the flower/tree’s fault, it’s the environment. That is true of flowers and also in business. You need to have the right environment around for your best players to blossom and to become the best versions of themselves. But at the same time, not every flower/tree/plant is meant to survive in every environment. For example, you aren’t going to see a cactus thrive in Alaska or a palm tree in Antarctica. Sometimes you cannot change the environment. Or at least, you shouldn’t change the environment to suit the needs of the extreme outliers in your company. Some people will succeed and others you may need to let go. Don’t change your environment for C, D, or F players. You will drive out your A and B players. Don’t cater to the weak spots on your team. They need to step up their game and take responsibility.

Count your blessings

“The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.” – Eric Hoffer…how true this is. How quickly we forget about all the help that we have received along the way to where we are now. Never forget that life is a team sport. You would not be where you are today if not for your teammates – your family, friends, teachers, co-workers, and acquaintances.

Building a business

when you are building a team, try to go from “I do it” to “we do it” to “they do it.” This is when you are a true business owner. Before that, you are merely self-employed.

“I Do It.” – At first, you probably will have to do everything. You’re the CEO, COO, CFO, Sales Manager, Salesman, Director of IT, and janitor.

“We Do It.” – Eventually, you’ll hire people to help you, delegating some responsibilities, but you will still be working in the business as well.

“They Do It.” – Finally, you need to get to the point where you can remove yourself from the business and it will still run.

If you have to be present for the business to run, you own a job. You don’t own a business yet.