Leading Your Team In Uncertain Times

In the absence of such certainty and clarity, there is a vacuum waiting to be filled. When a vacuum exists, if the key influencers are negative media reports or negative people, it simply breeds more negativity, uncertainty and team morale can worsen. Remember that the best way to predict the future for your business is to create it yourself!

Team Building On A Budget
Business owners and managers, it is time for you to step up and lead, inspire and motivate your team! Here are 7 effective team building strategies that you can implement on a budget:

1. It all starts with you!
   If you, as a business owner or manager, are negative, uncertain or doubtful about the future of your business, this will be reflected in your behaviour (eg. being indecisive). In turn, this will create uncertainty in yourself and your team and will set a negative example for your team. The first thing you need to do is to shift your focus from doom and gloom to opportunity and possibility. A quick way to do this is to keep your focus on what you want rather than what you don’t want or what could go wrong. Asking yourself the question: “How would I prefer to think, feel and act right now?” will assist with keeping you focused on what you want.
2. Reignite your passion for the business.
   Take an hour out of your week to revisit your vision, mission and key strategic objectives for the year ahead. If you have never thought about, clarified or written these down, now is the perfect time to get that clarity and passion! When you are truly passionate about what you do, you and your team will be more inspired to perform and any challenge will simply be an opportunity to create, innovate or re-invent (rather than an obstacle).
3. Engage your team in your vision.
   Treat your team to a vision session away from the office in an environment that will encourage ideas and creativity. It could be a fun picnic in a nearby park or at the local beach. Choose a quiet time during a pleasant day. Bring coloured markers, post-it notes and paper with you. Circulate the vision, mission and key strategic objectives prior to the session to get people focused and thinking. At the session, encourage brainstorming as to how best to achieve your vision, mission and key strategic objectives for the year. If you are a team of one, have the session with yourself in a similar creative environment. You may surprise yourself with the ideas you come up with.
4. Clarify your goals and targets.
   Once you and your team agree the best ways to achieve your vision, mission and key strategic objectives, ensure you and your team then have clear goals and targets that support the achievement of these. Remember once you and your team achieve a goal, reward yourselves, celebrate and then set more goals to keep yourself and your team focused and motivated. Without goals to motivate us, we become directionless, uncertain and can be more easily distracted by other people’s projects, negativity and demands.
5. Avoid negative influences that distract your team from your goals.
   Stop watching and reading the news, it thrives on negativity and panic. Some organisations have recently banned newspapers and TV at the workplace because they have decided to take charge of their business. As a result, the workplace has become a much more positive environment for their employees, their businesses have continued to grow, and they have retained their staff. Create a “can do” policy in your business. Again, show leadership rather than follow the herd!
6. Keep the focus on income generation.
   Regardless of the economic environment, lack of sufficient cash flow is the major reason for business failure. Ensure that you and your team have clear income generation targets and that your and their time is sufficiently focused on income generation. Taking enough action on income generating activities will help you to create greater certainty in your cash flow and in your team.
7. Get your team involved and show them that you appreciate them!
   Now is the time to really look after your team. Encourage your team to generate ideas and to innovate, and reward this positive behaviour. You could run a fun competition with your team, where the person who has the best idea that then generates most income for the business, receives a special reward. If the winning idea generates an additional $50,000 for your business, and the reward is valued at $1,000 or even $5,000, what a great return on your investment!

Remember if you want your business to thrive over the long term, look after your team today, and they will reward you with their loyalty!

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