Great teams are necessary to build and sustain great companies. Average teams will never build or sustain great companies—only average companies or failing companies. It really is true that there is no “I” in “team.” I once rolled my eyes at that saying, too, but as I’ve reflected on our success, I’ve realized the truth of that statement.
Building a team begins with identifying and selecting talent. Selecting people who are passionate and committed to our higher mission—of providing care to families and enabling individuals to own businesses and create jobs—and then aligning their compensation and recognition around accomplishing a set of individual and shared goals allows everyone in the organization to be fully engaged. The team knows where we are going and what their contribution will be individually and as part of their department or as part of a project team to get us there. We all share core values of positive attitude, passion, and commitment: We work hard, we play hard, we have fun, and we move forward together.
3 Strategies to Build a Great Team for Scaling
- Look for expertise:
- If you’re hiring for a position that you haven’t hired before, consider the assistance of a search firm to help you evaluate what you’re looking for and what to expect as well as to serve as a conduit to the onboarding process. This initial investment up front can save you a lot of costly mis-hires and help you gain expertise on hiring the best for the position type.
- Network early:
- If you have the luxury of time to be proactive, start networking for positions that you will need in the next 12-18 months to have ample time to find great people. But, be careful – avoid treating getting a “name” from someone you trust as if you were getting a recommendation. Great interviewing skills and reference checking are always critical to protect the integrity of the company you’re trying to build.
- Choose titles with the future in mind:
- If you’re starting your business, it will be natural to have a smaller group serving many roles. But expectations of a Vice President of a $5 million company is different from one of a $100 million company. Bring in people at a lower level with the opportunity to progress, take on more responsibility and earn titles that accurately reflect their accountability as the enterprise grows.
Shelly Sun Berkowitz
“It’s paramount – no matter what business you’re in – to avoid treating the name you receive from someone as though it were a recommendation.”
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