Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Office 365, but all the opinions are my own.
Your small business is ready to expand. Exciting, right?
But do you know how to put together a team of employees who will catapult your business to success?
Growing your business can be a scary process. Words like “daunting”, “intimidating”, and “overwhelming” come to mind. I know from personal experience. That’s why I love the idea of mentors and mastermind groups (a hot topic since it’s a new year and we’re focusing on our business goals for 2017).
A great way to supplement or fill in the gaps when you don’t have access to a group or mentor is listening to expert interviews and webcasts. I thought the timing on Office Small Business Academy webcast featuring Les McKeown was excellent!
If you missed it, you can REGISTER HERE and watch the replay.
In this Office Small Business Academy webcast, host Carol Roth and special guests Les McKeown and Jovana Teodorovic share tips for hiring a team that will take your business to the next level!
Les McKeown on Leadership Styles
Les’ insight is based on years of experience. Here’s what I learned from his segment of the webcast.
The 4 leadership styles, and why it’s important to know them:
According to Les, a great company has a balance of Visionaries, Operators, Processors, and Synergists. He calls this the VOPS model.
If you’re at an early stage of your business, you probably only have Visionaries and Operators. (As host Carol Roth put it, “Santa and the elves.”)
For your business to really grow and thrive, though, you need to hire processors and synergists. As your business grows, sometimes the visionary (“Santa”) gets carried away. He needs someone practical to bring him down to earth. Sometimes, even though the elves are great at getting their jobs done, they don’t get along. That’s why you need processors—people who are very practical and strategic—and synergists—people who help the team work together.
For more details on this, I would recommend heading over to Les’s website and taking the leadership style quiz.
How to build a highly effective team:
One thing that stood out to me: you don’t need to hire a team full of superstars! That alone takes a lot of stress out of the hiring process. Don’t worry about attracting the #1 best (fill in the blank) in the field.
Simply focus on identifying, achieving, and maintaining a balance of the 4 leadership types.
Jovana Teodorovic on Creating a Great Company Culture
Rover.com’s rapid growth and Jovana’s enthusiasm for her company are incredibly inspiring! Here are the tips that resonated with me.
How YOUR small company can compete with the big dogs:
Jovana and her co-workers gush about Rover.com’s company culture: it’s supportive, fosters a great sense of community, and employees leave work every day feeling energized and excited about their job!
That’s #goals right there.
She explains that you can achieve that goal by hiring based on culture as well as hiring for function. (That requires getting really good at interviewing… something I need to work on!)
So you found the perfect person, but your small business can’t compensate them as well as the big dogs can? Learn to “sell yourself”. What are the best qualities of your company, things that big companies can’t offer?
How to make your team feel valued and satisfied:
Jovana highlights the importance of regular recognition. This is something that’s SO easy to put into practice. Don’t take employees for granted: if they’re doing an amazing job, tell them!
My thoughts?
I think it all boils down to a few things:
- Carefully choose dedicated people based on your business’s needs (leadership-wise, culture-wise, AND function-wise).
- Welcome your new employees and treat them right.
- Make sure your team is on the same page and keep them informed.
Les’s insights on building a team that balances and compensates for your strengths and weaknesses is enlightening. As “the boss” it’s empowering to know that we don’t have to do and know everything. And Jovana’s peak into Rover.com’s company culture was inspiring.
I know I feel empowered to build my team after watching the webcast. Hopefully, after watching this webcast, you feel ready to take the next steps in growing your business!
Register now and receive a link to watch the Small Business Academy REPLAY.
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Melissa Stewart is the founder of SheOwnsIt.com. She is a Purveyor of Possibility, Entrepreneur Advocate and Coffee Addict. She believes that behind every successful woman is her story. What’s your story?
