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Remember choosing teams in gym class? It was clear which team each person was assigned to and what his or her position and value was. Sometimes in the workplace a similar routine is necessary to ensure clarity regarding the value of individual team members. See what Chris Hogan has to say about it in the article below...

Who is part of your team? Do they know it? Do they feel that they have vital value to the team's success?

Whether it's a business team, sales team, or marriage "team," people need to be told and shown (and then reminded) that they individually are a vital part of the team.

I can remember taking over a mortgage banking division many years ago where the lesson was especially significant. We were going to have a daily staff meeting so that I could begin to build, manage, and grow the right culture and mindset. Along with a mortgage sales team, I had also inherited a mortgage processor and a receptionist, positions that are more administrative in nature as opposed to traditional sales roles. 

On the day before our first staff meeting, I told each of them that we would have a staff meeting at 8:30 in the morning. At 8:15 the next morning, I was setting up for the team meeting and as I greeted the processor and receptionist, they each said, "Have a good meeting!"

I instinctively said, "Thank you!"

Then it dawned on me... they were not planning to attend the meeting! I quickly turned around and said to them, "This is a whole team meeting, you all are coming, right?"

They both looked at me in shock. They went on to tell me that they had never been included in such meetings before.

I was ashamed. Even though I was doing a good thing by putting into place a practice I thought was vital to a good team, I had not specifically told them how vital each of them were to the team!

I then shared that when I said "team," that meant everyone! They both were surprised, but you could tell that they immediately felt valued.

They were a key part of our success over the coming years.

So what are the four tips?

#1 Build 

Whether you're building a team from the ground up or inheriting one, carefully hire and include appropriate team members. Consider whether there are some less "traditional" positions that might need to be included in the team. While people may have different roles on the team, don't portray some as more or less valuable to the team.

To read the rest of this article and find out the last three tips for making employees feel valued, subscribe to TwoTen magazine for free here.