Leading People
You start a business because you have a great idea to bring to market. You don’t start one to have dozens, maybe hundreds of people working for you. But if things go well then at some point you are likely to find yourself with a team around you; perhaps you already have. So how do you get the best from your people?
DELEGATE EFFECTIVELY
The change starts with you. As a business leader your first priority is setting and delivering your vision. You need to make time for this which means delegating day-to-day activities to trusted members of your team. Successful delegation is not easy; it requires careful planning, capable staff, clear goals, and holding to account. It also requires you to step back and allow your team space to grow and take ownership & responsibility for themselves.
CLEAR DIRECTION
To operate effectively your business will need a suitable structure and clearly defined roles. Use a job description to set out responsibilities and provide a framework for reviewing performance. This relatively simple document is an essential tool for ensuring expectations are aligned, yet surprisingly many SMEs don’t have up-to-date job descriptions in place. You should regularly check in with your staff to evaluate performance and realign goals & expectations. Implement and follow clearly defined HR policies that reflect current employment legislation. This is a specialist area so an expert and pragmatic outsourced HR firm is a vital partner for your business.
IDENTIFYING AND DEVELOPING TALENT
Developing people into the right roles is key to a strong team. This is achieved through a mix of training, mentoring, coaching and reviewing performance. Carefully selected external expertise can add significant value here. Recruiting talent from outside the business can also enhance the team. Use effective recruitment & selection techniques to ensure you hire the right staff.
SHARE PLANS AND PROGRESS
Share your business plan with the team. Provide regular updates on progress and celebrate success together. Make the business plan personal by linking individual and department goals to the overall vision. This will galvanize your team creating committed players rather than spectators.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
- What do I spend my time doing: a) working in my business or b) leading my business?
- How could I delegate tasks to free up my time?
- How clear are staff job descriptions and goals?
- Do I measure and communicate individual performance with my team effectively enough?
- What is my succession plan?
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