Teamwork
Building a Strong Foundation for Small Business Success
October is NSW Small Business Month and this year’s theme is My Small Business, which encompasses the different aspects of being a small business owner. In this series of articles, our expert business coaches have each shared their ideas and insights on how to shape your business to be the best it can be.
In the world of small business, success is often defined by the strength of the team behind it. This article explores the power of teamwork, detailing advice on how to implement strategies that will enhance the cohesion and collaboration among your team members.
Smaller teams can feel the negative impact of disconnection more acutely, making it even more crucial to foster a strong sense of collaboration among employees. When your team members can work together seamlessly, daily operations can run efficiently, and unexpected issues can be resolved with ease.
MTC Australia business coach Shane McNulty explains that teamwork is what propels a small business forward.
“Without teamwork and a strong sense of common purpose small businesses end up struggling to achieve their maximum potential as individuals in the team are often working in slightly different directions or different ways not understanding the overall goals of the business.”
Here are five practical steps from Shane for taking your team to the next level:
1. Create a clear and shared vision –
A business’s vision and its goals must be clearly articulated and understood by all staff members. A shared vision unifies the team and provides a sense of purpose. As a first step, decide on the three all four key goals that you want your team to achieve.
2. Develop well-defined position descriptions –
Each team member should have a well-written position description outlining their objectives, accountability, and how their role contributes to the overall success of the business.
3. Communicate the business values and expected behaviours –
documented values should be established for the business, along with expected behaviours that all team members should follow to achieve the vision and goals of your business.
4. Foster a culture of regular and open communication –
This is an essential step following the creation of a clear vision and goals. Regular team meetings and individual check-ins will keep everyone aligned with the shared vision and goals of your business. Open and honest communication is key in this process too. When employees are able and welcome to flag issues or concerns early on, your teams can be well-positioned to find creative solutions together.
5. Offer regular feedback and meaningful support –
When team members are not meeting goals or supporting the business’s vision, constructive feedback is necessary. This feedback provides staff members with an opportunity to adapt and improve their behaviour to align with the team’s objectives.
The key benefits to you as a small business owner
- A more productive team: Teamwork enhances productivity, as collaboration often leads to innovative solutions and efficient processes.
- Collaborative meetings: Team members working together harmoniously result in more productive and meaningful meetings.
- Reduced conflict and politics: Effective teamwork minimises workplace conflicts and reduces time wasted on office politics and arguments.
- Improved trust and transparency: Teamwork fosters trust among employees and encourages transparency in the workplace.
- Competitive advantage: A well-functioning team gives your small business a competitive edge, enabling it to adapt to changes and challenges swiftly.
- Reduced staff turnover: When employees are part of a strong and collaborative team, they are more likely to stay with the company, reducing turnover costs.
Seeking assistance in building a strong team for your business?
Still deciding if Self-Employment Assistance is right for you?
Join us for our free interactive webinar, held every Thursday, 10am, via Zoom.
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Our track record of success
“I’ve really enjoyed mentoring sessions with Kathleen through the Self-Employment Assistance Program. The sessions helped me to voice out my business vision and plan, get feedback on my ideas, stay on track with my tasks and communicate new offers.
It is so important to have someone that keeps you accountable and listens to you as working for yourself can get overwhelming, especially at the start of the business endeavours. I would highly recommend the Self-Employment Assistance Program to any new business entrepreneurs.“
“MTC has provided me with a wide range of skills, abilities, and knowledge. Further, through their mentoring program, they have provided extremely valuable advice in many aspects of the business operations.
Finally, as I gained a Bus (Management) / LLB (Honours), I incorrectly assumed I would not learn anything new or of value. The course work, combined with the classes, were a great foundation for the establishment of my business, and the ongoing mentoring has provided guidance to keep me on track to reaching my personal set targets.”
“Being a Mum of 5, life can easily get in the way, especially when it comes to my business. I knew how to do some things but had no real business knowledge until I found MTC Australia.
With Workforce Australia’s Self-Employment Assistance, I learned how to operate my small business. The ongoing mentoring was also super helpful and has continued to drive my success. I had an amazing experience learning through MTC Australia and have come leaps and bounds ever since.”
“I have been delighted to have Simone Moss (Redfern) as my Industry and Skills Coach. In the short time I’ve had Simone’s assistance, I’ve become very aware of her amazing, and realistic, understanding of the nature of being a small (seed) business owner. Particularly one who has survived an unplanned, global pandemic, and the associated business challenges that came, unexpectedly, with Covid.
Thanks to Simone, I now have an MTC business mentor, and I am able to access other small business avenues of support and training, relevant to the nature of my business. Accolades of thanks to Simone and MTC Australia!”
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