Today we are talking about how to properly train your team. I think it’s one of those things that happens when you start out as an entrepreneur and you need to start getting some help.
First of all, I highly recommend that you get help. Check out this video to see why a team can be so beneficial to your business and to learn how to get started.
It’s one of those business upgrades that you need to make as soon as you can. As soon as you’re making money. Get somebody on board to help you.
How to Start Building Your Business Team
Now, there are a couple of different ways to do this, but some of the things that I find that are really important are like, could I just assign somebody a task.
Being able to simply ask someone “Hey, I need you to do this, this, this, this, and this.” And then have them follow through and do it. Sure, there’s a certain amount of that that happens inside creating and setting up our business. But some of the things that can be really helpful that we often forget when I’m training, our team is number one.
Overall Outcome
We forget what’s the overall outcome. What are the ways of being that they are helping to keep inside the business.
You guys know, I love to talk about our seven essences and our ways of being. And I think when you look at bringing on team, you want to make sure that the tasks, the actions that the people on your team are fulfilling are inside of their higher essences and ways of being otherwise, they’re going to get grouchy and they’re not going to last.
So that’s why those outcomes are really important.
Now it may be that our overall company’s outcome is to empower entrepreneurs, to get their businesses online so they can grow amazing communities and make money and live the life that they love while doing it. So if that’s part of the outcomes you want to help your team member understand which part of that outcome that they’re doing. Help to identify what is the outcome of the roles and the tests, and how does it live in line with the overall company outcome?
So for example, you guys know that my husband is on the team and owns part of the company. We’re partners in every way, shape and form. But sometimes, unfortunately Lazy old Meredith is like, “Hey, I just need you to do this one task.” And I forget to remind him what it is that he’s working towards overall. Now he’s really clear on his overall outcome to make everything look beautiful. To make the work look quality, to make sure that things have an overall visual appeal, so that it’s more attractive – so that it aligns with attracting a bigger community and looking professional and having the levels and standards that we need.
So that’s part of where his stuff that he does is in alignment with our overall outcome. So much of it is he likes to make things look great. He’s an artist, he’s a creative, he’s got all these visual skills that I just don’t have. So it’s important to have that clear for your people and training them to fill those areas.
Standard Operating Procedures
The other thing is to create what we call an SOP – standard operating procedure.
One of the things that you can understand on how to train your people is to understand your team members and their learning styles.
So for example, I’m an auditory processor and a kinesthetic. So I like to hear the process and then I like to do the process, and then I understand it. So you want to find out what processes or how your team members want to have these things communicated to them.
Some people would just like to never talk to you, read a checklist and have the SOP in a visual. Be sure if you do this that your SOP is just really well written. Now, some people might want to watch a video. So I recommend that you create a video of the task. The doing, why it is important that we do it in this way, etc. Is it important that it happens in a certain order?
Some people might really like to have the freedom to do it this way. I know my husband and I don’t think in the same order of things.
So the other day I was teaching my team how to create an SOP. And I was like, “You know what? He might do this this way.” Determine where does the freedom lie inside of what they can do in terms of getting the tasks done. Remember to include what the things are that are important, that must be included.
So I’m gonna say this one again.
What are the things and the tasks that are important, that must be included.
Whether it’s for brand appeal, whether it’s for consistency, whether it’s because it makes the customer service experience important, and the more people know what they’re doing and how it relates to the overall business.
And why that one part of it is important. The more they understand, they can keep fulfilling that need. And when you share why it’s important, your team members feel like, “Oh, they trust me with this information. They understand.” And how much freedom can you give them?
So one of the other things you can train somebody, if it’s really important, is to give them an SOP with the step-by-step in order. And then you can say, and once you feel comfortable with this, this document’s yours, you’re accountable for it. If there are changes to Facebook, if there are changes to my customer service system, if there are changes, et cetera, and you’re the one that’s dealing with this on a regular basis, feel free to change it, feel free to make this process your own.
Limits of Authority for Making Choices, Changes or Adjustments
Another thing that can be really helpful is for the team to understand the limit to their authority in making choices, changes, and adjustments without having to come to you or another member for permission.
One of the things that happens is if you’re working on a team where everything has to be approved, or everything has to be justified, then the team member that you’ve hired may not feel like you value the expertise that you hired them for. Especially if you hired an expert, you’re not necessarily saying, I want you to do my funnel this way, because you’re my funnel expert. And I know this better than you, even though I hired the expert.
Even when you hire outsource people, consider them on your team. If you’re hiring, hiring people that are employees or subcontractors that are working for you regularly creating that sense of trust is so important. When you’re looking to bring people on you want to make sure that people have that sense of trust and value. This is who I am and what I bring to the table.
Let me say that again.
They trust and value who I am and what I bring to the table.
I want you to ask yourself that question, when looking at bringing on and hiring a team, how do I show them that?
A great way to do that is, finding out who they are, how they want to work, and what makes this working relationship work. Communication is the key to all of these things.
So those are some of my tips. Those are the things that I highly recommend checking with them to understand how they best want to learn so that you can create SOP, standard operating procedures, in a way that works for them.
Then once they get the task, let them own it, let them have the opportunity and the freedom to recreate those processes in a way that works for them, as long as they’re getting the job done and done right. Having that understanding of where they have the authority and the understanding of being on the team to make those types of calls like, “Hey, I don’t think this system is working for us. I think we should change systems. It’s the same budget.”
What are the constraints or the limits in which they need to reach out to somebody else in the company, you, the CEO or leader of the company or somebody else in the company to help them understand what they can and can’t do without having somebody else come into the conversation. It gives them the freedom and that sense that they can trust me and they value that I know what I’m doing.
So those are my hints and tips on how to properly train a team. There’s all kinds of other things involved, but seriously, the most important thing is that we are creating relationships. Hopefully we’re creating long-term relationships so that these people are with our company for many many years.
The other thing that you can establish is what does it look like? How often can you expect to have increases, raises, bonuses. Maybe look at it just like when you are raising all of my prices for your clients.
As a sidebar, you should consider raising your prices on a regular basis with your clients as well. That also gives you the ability to give raises and price increases to your team members or bonuses or gifts or something that says, “Hey, I love you. And I’m so happy you’re on my team.”
Remember that creating your perfect team will not happen overnight. If you follow these simple guidelines you will set yourself up to begin the process of an amazing supportive team for your business.
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