I have been in the working world for nearly 40 years, so I feel like I have pretty much seen it all in terms of teams in the workplace: some good, some bad, and some downright dysfunctional! I am happy to say that the team for which I work now—The LMC Group / LMCPays—is the best team in the world!
You may ask why this is, since that statement is certainly a bold one. The LMC Group is a small company, still growing, so there are elements about that dynamic that contribute to our outstanding team. Since we are small, everyone knows each other and we all care about the company’s mission, the quality of our work, the growth and success of each member, and of course the success of the company itself. We all feel that we have a lot invested. LMC is “our” company and every perception of our company reflects on all of us, so therein lies the level of caring that exists for The LMC Group in general and all of our fellow team members.
There also has been a concerted effort to crosstrain employees in their coworkers’ jobs. Learning exactly what is needed to get each of our jobs done further bonds the team and makes each of us a more valuable contributor. My primary job is business development but collectively, the entire team has contributed to our growth. When you have a true belief in a company and you value the team and the services we provide, speaking to people about the company is easy!
Trust – Just like a marriage, a team without trust is a failure. In the case of The LMC Group, trust starts at the top. There is a high level of transparency from our leadership team, and I encourage this for all teams. Managers should be honest with the members of their departments. Set specific goals, encourage teamwork, encourage success, and discourage a cutthroat atmosphere. Give feedback—good or bad, all feedback adds value.
Conflict – Unfortunately there will always be conflict in the workplace, but to keep this to a minimum, an open, honest dialogue is essential. This starts with regular team meetings where everything will be communicated: new ideas, contests, activities, feedback from manager to team and from team members to their colleagues and managers. If there is conflict, it can often be resolved during a team meeting, but if not, the manager will need to bring the conflicted members of the team aside to discuss the issues and develop a resolution that will work for all parties. Communication is the key. If the team trusts one another and management, it will be easier to communicate and resolve an issue when it arises and not after it festers. Nip these conflicts in the bud!
Commitment – How committed is your team? Are they committed only to their own success or to that of their team members? I have worked in many recruitment / sales teams where the atmosphere is often competitive to the point of causing resentment among the team members. This makes for a dysfunctional team, and it’s up to the leader to make sure that the commitment to the success of the company is the most important goal. Be happy for your coworkers’ successes! Strive to be successful too. All of these successes are to the benefit of the company and the individuals. At The LMC Group, it’s our culture to encourage each other. We have an internal Facebook group where we give kudos to each other for the successes that we see each other reach. It’s a fun, positive way to strengthen our team.
Accountability – It’s very important that everyone on the team is held accountable for his or her actions, even management. This goes back to the transparency and communication that is so important in the cohesiveness of the team. If a team member has a success but reached that success with the help of others, be sure to acknowledge the people who assisted. If a team member makes a mistake, the manager needs to address it, but use the mistake as a learning tool. Everyone makes mistakes, and the best outcome is the lesson. At LMC, these lessons are sometimes tough, but our management team is always honest with feedback and expectations. Even a difficult message is always delivered with a positive spin and encouragement.
Results – When all these behaviors are implemented, the results will be magical! At The LMC Group, the positivity, strong communication, encouragement, and commitment starts from the top down and has resulted in the best team in the world [have I mentioned that already?]. And a strong, cohesive team results in a healthy, profitable company.
GO TEAM!