You Can't Play The Game and Win

"If you always do what you've always done,
you'll always get what you've always got."

- Henry Ford

 

I have heard it said many times, a company is nothing more than a group of individuals who come together to create or provide a service to the market. The key is assembling the right team of individuals that are greater than the sum of their parts and work well together to truly achieve greatness. It takes a team of intelligent, skilled, passionate and motivated people who want to work together to achieve synergy. One wrong person on the team can destroy this, and this is why it is so very important to hire the right people. I have always liked the mantra, hire slow and fire fast. Adding new members to the team is one of the most important and disruptive things a company can do. One new member and you have a new team.

A true leader understands the concept of synergy and can be compared to a musical conductor who assembles a team of individuals and provides inspiration, hope, and direction to accomplish amazing things.

This requires A Players in every position. My definition of an A Player is someone who is competent/skilled, but more importantly is committed to improving, learning and growing, and who is engaged with the team and the company, i.e., not in it just for themselves. (These people cost 50% more but they are 3 times more productive than the average employee.)

So first evaluate the team you have by these three criteria: Competent (Skill), Committed (Will) and Engaged (Thrill). I guarantee you will have now (or have had) at least one highly competent person who is so good that they don't think they need to learn anything new and is so disengaged that they poison every new initiative you try to launch.

Learn what it means to be a great coach and forget about all you have learned about managing people. Start coaching using the Weekly Coaching Scorecard and Weekly Coaching Conversations, and you can turn B Players into A Players, provide things for the employees to get engaged with, and begin now to Topgrade the C Players you have with A Players. Most C Players like the ones described above cannot be coached.

Check your ego at the door if you want to truly create a synergistic team.

Here are four things you can do to create synergy in your company:

1. Create and ingrain a shared vision, core values, purpose, and strategies. As the late Stephen Covey says, "Begin with the end in Mind." Having a foundation for your business and a clear direction where to take it is very important. Once people understand this, they can work together to get there in the true spirit of the organization. They have something to get engaged with.

2. Demonstrate clear servant leadership and begin coaching them. Focus on making them better. A Coach knows they cannot play the game, they know to win they have to make every player the best they can be. (Managers not only know they can play the game but feel they are the best at doing it.) Quit pleasing everyone by answering their questions all day. Serve them by asking them to tell you what they intend to do and then say "sounds great or let's discuss it". Nothing I know of will help them learn, become more empowered and confident. The bonus is they come and interrupt you less.

3. Through coaching develop trust, respect and passion in your team.
   Promote open and honest communication via 10-15 minute Weekly Coaching Conversations. Build a team that does not rely on or tolerate egos and standalone performers. Ensure every member feels valued and appreciated.

4. Build a positive environment where accountability for results, success and achievement are recognized and rewarded.
   Ensure that individuals are in the right positions doing the work they enjoy and are passionate about. Have fun every day.

Yes it takes time - but you take it a bite at a time. Block a couple of hours a week, commit to it (you can't "fit it in") and focus on your team. Over a few months you will be amazed at the change in the environment and your business. This work and focus will create a team that plays the game well and wins.

You will realize More Money, More Time and a Better Team and I think that is what we all wanted when we started or took over the business.