Do you often feel like both you and your team members are frustrated by reoccurring issues, constant confusion, missed marks, and ongoing communication difficulties? If so, then it’s probably time to do some careful internal assessments. Ask yourself this critical question: Have you given your team the blueprint for success? Vista’s blueprint for a team’s success focuses on three key areas: Tools, training, and expectations (TTE). In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at each of these areas.
Proper tools are a fundamental part of success for each team member. Without the necessary tools, production lags and frustration runs rampant. Think of this way: Would you expect your mechanic to change a tire with a screwdriver?
Of course not! So, you can’t expect your team to function well without the tools they need to do their job. If they are trying to work on a computer that “freezes” every 30 minutes or use a software program that has not been updated in five years, they have not been given the tools they need to succeed. Every single team member should be provided with current, functional equipment, updated software programs and a comfortable work environment. Their workstations should include quality headsets (if they are in a department that spends a great deal of time on the phone), ergonomic chairs and keyboards, and access to a good quality copier/scanner. Giving your team the tools they need to do their jobs well will increase both productivity and morale. You will have conveyed to them that their jobs are a vital part of the firm’s success.
Next, every team member should be given the training they need to do their jobs well. Team members should be effectively trained on all software programs used, soft skills, and any tasks specific to their positions. Training should never be considered a “one and done” task.
Of course new team members will receive training as part of their onboarding process, but training should be ongoing for every single team member at your firm. Provide recurring training opportunities for your team. Institute weekly or monthly lunch and learn sessions that focus on key areas from which your team could benefit. Encourage your team to participate in continuing education. Growth, knowledge, and development should be an integral part of your firm’s culture. If you promote or hire a new team member into a leadership position, ensure they’re given leadership training. This will serve to set them up for success and provide them with the tools they need to do their jobs well. Often, we think of providing ongoing education to team members in higher level positions, but training is EVERYONE’s business. Each team member should be encouraged to grow and expand their knowledge of their job role.
Setting expectations is a foundational element of employee engagement. Expectations, or the lack thereof, have the power to make or break a team member’s engagement and productivity. You can’t expect your team to know what success should look like if you haven’t provided them with clear expectations.
Expectations should, of course, be realistic and attainable. Team members who are reprimanded for missing a mark they didn’t even know existed can feel confused, upset, powerless, and like they have been treated unfairly. On the other hand, when a team member understands the expectations set for them, they experience a greater sense of job satisfaction and ownership. That means expectations can have a direct correlation to your bottom line by mitigating turnover and increasing productivity.
Every firm leader wants team members who are committed to the firm. The benefits of a committed, dedicated, motivated, and loyal team are boundless. When a new team member feels like you are invested in them and their future, they will be more dedicated to their job and have increased loyalty to the firm. They’ll know what they’re aiming for and be able to self-audit their progress.
We need to create measurements of success for our team members from the very beginning. These key performance indicators (KPIs) should be enforced objectively. Make sure the expectations are reasonable and can be accomplished. Be sure to COMMUNICATE them clearly. Don’t just set weekly or monthly KPIs. Establish additional metrics for time periods like 60 days, 90 days, and annually. Use these KPIs to effectively evaluate a team member’s productivity. Be careful though! If a team member misses the mark, use it as a learning opportunity, not a criticism. KPIs and related reports help the team member know what he or she is doing right as well as things that can be improved.
If you, as a leader, can confidently say you have given your team the tools to do their job well, the training on those tools and all aspects of their job, and you have set proper expectations, what happens if your team is still not performing up to par?
Team members who have been given the proper tools, training, and expectations but still are not performing either CANNOT or WILL NOT, and each is an issue. It comes down to competency and willingness. If a team member cannot perform up to par, they may need additional training or a modified job role. Those who will not perform despite being set up for success make for an easier solution…they are not team members that belong on the team! It’s time to free up their future!
Team members thrive when they know what they need to do, they’ve been trained on how to do it, and they’ve been given the proper tools. This is the simple recipe for success.
As you look around your firm and identify team members who may not be performing at their best, ask yourself if you as a leader have set them up for success. It’s never too late to right the ship, and doing so starts with leaders taking a close look at themselves and ensuring they have set the team up for success now and into the future.
