Engaging Your Team Fosters Success
Deborah Sweeney is CEO of MyCorporation.com.
It has long been said that it takes a village to raise a child and likewise in the working world, it takes a team to run a business. Each individual team member makes a contribution that highlights their expertise in the field and works together as a group to constantly push the business to bigger and better heights. In order to get and stay on the right track to success, there must be a steady flow of communication between team leaders and members to handle any questions or concerns that come up, stay organized on what the team is working on and brainstorm ideas together.
One of the great things about staying connected with your team today is that no matter whether they're in the office or work outside of the company (as telecommuters or strategic partners), there are so many ways to engage with your team that there isn't an excuse for not being able to communicate together effectively anymore. Whether it's by email or snail mail, here are my tips on how to keep in touch with your team both in-house and outside of the office.
Say "Good Morning!"
Writing a quick salutation in an email is always a nice way to start off the day, but making a stop at a team member's desk when you get in every morning to say hey lends a thoughtful and personalized touch to the act. Be sure to make the rounds when you stop at one desk and visit everyone else in your department, or if you're a CEO, all of the departments, so as not to leave anyone out.
Send Tips The Team Would Like
You probably know what certain members of your team enjoy hearing about by now so if you notice an article online that they may enjoy reading or be able to pick up some tips from, send it their way! Add in a quick line on "thought you might enjoy this" if you would rather not have them think you're stepping on their toes or attempting to micromanage their workload.
Mail Out Thank You Notes
For partners and firms that work alongside your business, mailing over a handwritten thank you helps keep thoughts about you and your business at the front of their minds and encourages them to do their very best for you. And for tremendous jobs well done, don't be afraid to go all out with flowers or Edible Arrangements either!
Stay Checked In
When it comes to new affiliates and partners, it's important to check in on a regular basis to make sure that they're happy with the relationship together and to use the emails as a way to voice any constructive feedback or brainstorm and get creative about cross promotions and partnership expansions together. Be sure to hit "reply all" so that you don't wind up leaving anyone out of the loop!
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of BusinessNewsDaily.