Level up the whole team
No matter what services you provide or what products you sell, everything starts and ends with your staff. If the team is not up to snuff your business is sure to suffer. On the other hand, if you built your company of nothing but ace individuals, then it is sure to succeed. Of course, sometimes your employees need some tweaking to find that right fit. There are seven different signs it might just be time to start developing your people and adjust how everyone works together.
Lack of Motivation
Do you see a reduction in not only quality of work but output? If this is the case, it might just be a lack of motivation. There are many ways to go about correcting this issue. On one side the quick and easy method is to go about removing the individual who is lacking and bring in someone else to fill the role. That is a bit drastic and often, when extensive training is needed, bringing a new employee into the thick of things and bringing them up to speed, is far to labor intensive and time constraining. So, unless the position is fillable by anyone, this isn’t an available option. You might see a lack of motivation from an entire sector of your business. If this is the case, then you know there is something wrong with this area of your company, and you need to go about adjusting how you look at this area of the business. Ultimately you need to find a way to motivate them. One way is to provide additional bonuses if they reach a certain level of sales, calls answered, customer service feedback ratings or anything else. It’s incredible what a tired horse can do when you dangle that carrot right in front of its head.
Poor Communication
Do you receive the same information from two different sources, or are you tired of giving instructions to one team member only to find a different team member is doing precisely the opposite? Well if this is the case, there is a lack of communication, and you must do something about it. Larger offices are a bit more tricky to ensure complete communication outside of an email service with everyone receiving mass emails. Having meetings at work to keep everyone up to speed on what is going on is essential. With a smaller business, you can have everyone in on the conference, while with a large company you’ll have to do this by division or section. You want to make sure there is a specific chain of instructions, which you can pass on to one person, who must then relay it to the next in line (like a phone chain of old).
Lack of Innovation
Have you ever done something over and over again you can’t stand it anymore? If so you know what it feels like to have a lack of innovation. When there is a lack of change, it is time to begin developing your people. Often you don’t know what is going on with the employees and what they have to deal with on a day to day basis. Because of this, you don’t know what is causing this lack of innovation, which often ties directly to a lack of motivation. Call ahead a meeting to discuss the different issues the team is having and allow them to voice their concerns or ideas for adjusting the way the company functions.
Your Team Looks at New Opportunities at a Threat
Occasionally you probably have a new job opening or position you need to fill, and you open it up to the current employees to apply for the job. Other times you might have a new idea for an exciting business venture for the company, and you extend the information to your team. However, for whatever reason, you might see this new opportunity scares the individuals in the group. That is a sure sign it is time to develop your people further. Although it is good to know what is going on at all times and feel confident with the current job, just sitting back and doing the same old thing every single day isn’t going to work. You need to coach your team into never being afraid of these new opportunities. You need to develop team members who look forward to a new challenge. After all, it is these go-getters who are more likely to succeed in the world of business than those who sit by the wayside. Part of this might be due to a lack of confidence on the teams part or they are frightened of letting you down. Have you ever seen a movie where an entire group of people opposes taking on a difficult challenge, but then a brave individual stands up in front of them all (usually on a desk, chair or soapbox) and gives one of the most heartfelt, invigorating, and uplifting speeches you’ve ever heard? What happens then? The team who once doubted is ready to take on the task. Maybe it’s time for you to find your soapbox and do the same.
Company Culture Has Changed
Over time just about everything evolves. People change their habits, you adjust what you like to eat, what you wear and the music you listen to (well, most people do). The same applies to business. Over time your company culture changes. There are going to be some people who are not able to change with the company. If this is the case, you need to talk to them and see if they can evolve or let them go in search of someone who can adapt to the company.
Increased Uncertainty
With the modern economy, it is easy to become uncertain about what is going to happen with the business and what all is going to take place. That is just human nature, but it is also a sign you need to develop your people further. Your employees should have confidence in what services you’re able to provide.
Lack of Business Metrics
Sometimes your employees don’t know where to turn to find the necessary information. That might be new leads and new business ventures. Well, this is connected partially with confidence. If the employees are feeling confident, they are more likely to be able to dive head first and dig for these leads. However, if this is not the case you need to start developing your people and mold them more into go-getters, instructing them to get out there and find what they need to and seek out the information they don’t have.
There are many signs your current people need a bit of a makeover. It may take some molding, but with the right attention to detail, you’ll have the perfect staff, dedicated to your business. That is why when you see these seven signs you need to step in and take actions. By doing so, you’ll improve productivity, boost employee competence, and increase the bottom line.