ATLANTA AND BUFORD, GA… VoiceNation, a leading call center partner for thousands of businesses nationwide, offers “7 Tips for Creating A Strong Team” to business owners and managers.
According to Jay Reeder, President of VoiceNation, “A strong team is critical to the success of your organization, whether it is your customer service team or a project team. Developing a solid team that will meet your expectations, conquer challenges as a group, and produce results is an undertaking many business owners struggle with. But what they don’t realize is that building an effective team goes back to the foundation. Success begins with your staff. At VoiceNation, we are a people growth company. We intentionally focus on growing and developing our staff to nurture the inner potential of our organization as a whole.”
Below, the VoiceNation team shares seven tips for developing a team of aces:
Choose your team wisely. The team can make or break a project, so be sure to put together the “right” team. Choose individuals with a variety of skill-sets, those who compliment one another, and people who work well together. Look for individuals who have industry and product knowledge as well as good communication skills. Accountability, enthusiasm, creativity, and flexibility are also great qualities of team-oriented individuals.
Assign a Project Manager. The Project Manager (aka Team Leader) will probably wear many hats throughout the project lifecycle. This person’s main responsibilities are to provide project updates, keep the team on track, carry the project moving forward, and keep peace between all team members. This person might also assign responsibilities and track progress. A good Project Manager will provide support, insight, and motivation to all team members.
Equip your team. Give your team the tools they need to succeed. Making knowledge and resources available, as well as re-prioritizing their workload can help your team overcome the obstacles you have control over. Furthermore, continue to nurture the growth of your team. Experiences shape who we are and we all have room to grow personally, and professionally.
Participation is key to a successful brain storming session, so make sure you create a safe place for people to float ideas. Make your team feel comfortable and confident when giving suggestions. Build them up and show appreciation and respect for their contributions. Take heed – jumping the gun and shooting down ideas will immediately sabotage a meeting. Not only will your team be reluctant to share ideas, but also you’ll create hostility and put people in defense mode.
Build camaraderie. Everyone likes to know they’re doing a good job. So give your team a pat on the back and celebrate the big milestones. Consider taking your team out to lunch or moving the meeting outside on a sunny day. Fun always builds camaraderie. Doing things as a team, no matter how big or how small, strengthens relationships and promotes a team-oriented atmosphere.
Model and promote personal accountability. Teammates rely on one another in a number of different ways: Meeting deadlines; sharing the workload; working together towards a common goal; or simply showing up to a meeting on time. Accountability is about owning up to your obligation. It’s about being honest with yourself and with others. Therefore, a team that operates under personal accountability principles is much more likely to be effective, compared to a team that places blame and gets lost in negativity. One person’s negativity and lack of accountability can send the team into an endless flurry of the blame game. Accountability starts with you.
Get everyone on-board. It’s difficult to launch a product or new service if people within your organization don’t believe in it. Appoint one of your steering team members to be the Project Communicator. This person should educate staff, answer questions, and build enthusiasm before the launch. Following the rest of the steps above will also ensure that your team is on-board.
VoiceNation’s company culture is one that cultivates a positive workplace where staff is empowered and leadership and personal growth are promoted. A large part of the company’s culture revolves around the Employee Volunteer Program, which encourages staff to give back and get involved by helping others. Through the program, every VoiceNation staff member has an opportunity to volunteer on a monthly basis and work towards a cause they feel passionate about, on a local, national, and global scale. VoiceNation’s foundation is built on the belief that employee engagement and satisfaction go hand in hand with customer satisfaction. A strong, positive company culture that supports employees is key.
Learn more about creating a strong team by watching VoiceNation’s Business Tips video at http://youtu.be/0jI49r9ilbo.
About VoiceNation
VoiceNation is a leading provider of 24-hour live answering services and call center solutions. Named “Top Provider in Industry” by PC World, VoiceNation is positioned as a knowledge leader with innovations in pricing, service, and proprietary open source technology. Over 50,000 businesses worldwide, including Comedy Central, Delta, Dunkin’ Donuts, Rolls Royce, and StateFarm trust VoiceNation as their professional telephone answering service. Founded in 2002, VoiceNation is a privately-held company that invests heavy emphasis in staff development and community outreach opportunities.
To learn more about VoiceNation, visit http://www.voicenation.com.