The 4 Tips To Vital Value

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 a 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.

2. Tell

Never assume that people know what they mean to the team; tell them. This should begin with having clear job responsibilities, but team members need to understand how their roles fit into the overall success (or perhaps failure) of the team, as well as how they individually as a person (not just their role, but their personality, qualities, etc.) bring value to the team

3. Show

Talk is cheap, but sometimes actions aren’t even that expensive. When teams are successful, there should be rewards – whether it’s something as simple as coffee and donuts or as engrained as profit sharing, people need to feel that they are valued. Goal parties, employee of the week – the list is endless how you can show individuals and teams that they have value.

4. Repeat

As leaders, we have the ability to help people feel valued and appreciated. We need to use that power on many occasions, not just the incredible ones.

The Bottom Line:

No one gets anywhere by themselves, especially not to places of feeling vital and valued to the team mission. Build the team, tell them, show them, and remind them of their vital value. It can make all the difference to the mission and their connection to the cause.