14 Feb 8 Ways I Show My Team Love (That Are Also Free)
I unabashedly love the people on my team, and I try to show my team love on a regular basis. After all, without them, I wouldn’t have a company.
They think I’m OK, too. When two people separately told me that they’re happy to see my name come up on caller ID, I knew I was doing something right.
8 Ways I Show My Team Love
Ok, not all of these are free, but seven are. The other one is low-cost – close enough!
I put them FIRST
One of my favorite books is “Setting the Table” by Danny Meyer. Danny is a legend in the restaurant world for his fervent belief that hospitability is a key component to the dining experience.
His approach is simple: His staff comes first. Customers come second. If you take care of your staff, they will take care of your customers.
My company is proof that this philosophy works. I always have my team’s backs – and they know it. With that kind of support, they feel more confident, and the quality of their work shows.
I do my best to weed out bad/difficult clients
Sometimes it’s hard to tell if a client is going to be fabulous or difficult. If they turn out to be the latter, I help my team manage the client. I put myself in the line of fire. I take it on the chin so they don’t have to.
And then we talk about whether or not to fire the client. And yes, we do fire clients.
I ask how they are
Yes, that sounds elementary, but it’s amazing how strong relationships become when you take an interest in someone’s life. I have a weekly one-on-one call with each member of my team, and I always leave time to talk about their personal lives.
I also go one step further and take notes so I can ask follow up questions the next time we talk: “How is vacation-planning going? Was your first book club meeting a big success? Did you find a new caterer yet?”
I’m a curious person by nature, so this is easy for me. If you’re more reserved, start with a simple, “How are you?”
I “do unto others”
Treating others as you wish to be treated is my golden rule. This is an especially important rule to follow during a crisis or emergency.
People get sick. Kids get sick. Cars break down. Spouses act like jerks. People move. Family members die. It’s life.
I give my team the space they need to deal with “real” life. Work is only part of their lives.
I give them the benefit of the doubt
I am very good at jumping to conclusions, which doesn’t do anyone good. It just causes more stress.
I have learned to suspend judgement. Instead, I ask my team member what’s up, and I listen to their answer. Then I talk, and we work together on a solution. It’s so much better this way.
I trust them
Everyone on my team is experienced, and they have the glowing references to prove that they are awesome. They know what needs to be done, and they do it.
I guess you could say I’m a macro-manager. I don’t look over their shoulders. If they need help, they know they can come to me. I actually tell them this on a regular basis – never assume they know or remember!
I encourage laughter
All calls with my team include a lot of laughing. Laughing is very good for the soul, but it’s also great for your health.
Laughter is proven to:
- lower blood pressure
- reduce stress
- support your immune system
- improve cardiac health
- release endorphins (aka, the body’s natural painkillers)
I surprise them
The idea of sending my team gifts during the holidays, on their birthdays or for work anniversaries is just way too much pressure. So, I never have.
Last fall, I decided I wanted to do something special for them. A team member died suddenly over the summer, and I just wanted everyone to know how much I appreciated them. Everyone got a t-shirt with a funny or whimsical saying on it from this company.
They were so touched that it honestly surprised me. It didn’t cost much, but my gosh, it will pay dividends for years to come.
PS – Building a strong company culture – which all of these tips can help do – an actually help your marketing. Read more here.
Photo by Kaboompics.com from Pexels
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