Equipping Your Team for Growth
As your business grows, your team will need to grow as well. Growing your team presents some unique challenges, though! Simply bringing people in to cover various tasks will take the pressure off for a bit, but it won’t bring you the sustainable growth you’re looking for.
The standard practice of hiring is simple: write a job description, find someone that fits that job description, and hire them. Ideally, after their onboarding period is done, they will start to move straight into that job description and take tasks off your plate.
Unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world. People don’t always fit every point of the job descriptions that we write, and sometimes our businesses go in directions that we can’t anticipate. One of my favorite phrases is, “New Level, New Devil” – and that’s because it’s true!
But the question remains: how can you build and equip your team to handle the growth that you’re working toward? Your job description, hiring practices, and onboarding university provide a vital foundation, but we need to go deeper than that.
Finding Their Zone of Genius
Most likely, you first found each of your team members because they responded to a specific job ad with a job description. They looked at what you needed, researched your company a bit, and decided that they could fill the role you have open.
After going through the interviewing, vetting, and hiring process, you onboarded your new team member and thought they would be able to jump right in. As you work with them, however, you may come to find that their true zone of genius – the things they’re amazing at and love to do – lie elsewhere.
At that point, you’re left with a choice: do you keep your team member within the “box” of their job description (whether that’s what will drive your business forward or not), or do you dig a bit deeper and find ways for them to operate within the space they love?
Obviously, the first choice is easier on the front end, but digging a bit deeper will often bring you a stronger culture and more opportunities for growth. So, how do you do it?
Levels of Communication
I have found that keeping channels of communication open with my team is key to developing them into the rockstars I want them to be. I have systems set up to keep clear boundaries around this, but I’ve found that it’s an essential aspect of growing a profitable business.
On a daily basis, my team has access to me through Slack and email. This allows them to contact me with anything that comes up, but it also allows me to respond to them at times that work for me. If they need to hop on Zoom with me, they can easily contact my Executive Assistant. She serves as the gatekeeper to my schedule and triages the importance of any requests; if something truly is urgent, she’ll secure some time in my schedule and coordinate the call.
I also have weekly meetings with each member of my Admin and Marketing Teams. This allows us to solidify our strategies, assign tasks, and stay up to date on everything that’s happening. I also have department coordinators that stay in touch daily with their teams; likewise, they stay in consistent touch with me.
On a monthly basis, I have longer strategy calls with my Marketing Team and a check-in call with my entire coaching team. This is a chance for us to meet, catch up, and make sure that we are all on the same track. It also gives my team members a chance to innovate and collaborate in ways that they might not otherwise.
And of course, I have quarterly reviews with every team member. This is a time for us to communicate on a deeper level, but it’s also an opportunity for me to find out what each team members loves (and doesn’t so much love) about their roles – and whether adjusting their job description would help them work more consistently within their zone of genius.
Growth and Profitability
Empowering your team members to do what they love and excel at will not only help increase your team’s satisfaction with their jobs, it will also be key to increasing your profitability.
When your team is able to work within their zone of genius, they will not only enjoy their job more (resulting in higher retention and job satisfaction), they will also be far more involved in helping you drive your business forward.
An engaged team wants to help you grow. To them, their job is more than just a paycheck – they have a vested interest in your growth and profitability. They will be willing to help you build the right systems. They’ll be excited to help you give amazing service to your clients.
And when you reach your goals and achieve new wins, they’ll be there to celebrate with you and amplify your success!
If you’re looking for ways to develop your team and help them work within their zone of genius, we’re here to help! We offer a range of solutions to meet your needs and budget, from our monthly membership and Boot Camp group coaching program to 1:1 Coaching and Strategy Sessions. Our goal is to help you build a profitable business with the right systems and the rockstar team that will help you grow!