How building the right team ensures success

I talk a lot about the importance of building the right team, and it’s for good reason. When you have a great team that functions well together, there are so many benefits that come out of it. From greater creativity and innovation to more productivity and empowerment to stretch and grow, science continues showing healthy teams are critical to the success of any company.

In my experience, I’ve been able to build a team that feels like family, and it’s led to success for The Jim Allen Group, as well as my team’s success. I think back to my team, who I’ve had the great fortune to work alongside. I think about Harry Thorpe, who I’ve worked with for over 30 years. There’s Nancy Harner, who is not only a trusted advisor of mine but who is truly like family and who I knew I wanted on my team despite the fact she tried to retire. And Nicole Mengel joined my team after speaking her mind to me at our kids’ baseball practice. That list goes on.

As I spend a moment thinking about how successful The Jim Allen Group has been, I’m again reminded of how grateful I am. And I thought I would share the things to consider as you look at bringing a great team together for your business so you can experience the success they bring. Here’s what to consider.

I’m a big believer in hiring for talent, not for titles or even positions. That’s how I’ve ended up with many of my team members. It was because I sought them out to bring into my organization based on who they were and what I knew they could bring to the table. I’ve landed some of the top talent in the Triangle because of conversations we’ve had and the potential I see in them.

In fact, there is research that shows that rather than an education or degree, a person’s skills are a better indicator of what their job performance will be. If you’re hiring for talent, people will feel more willing to step into roles outside of their titles. It can help retain your team because it leads to greater satisfaction. It can even help your company scale even easier. All it takes is networking and finding the right people to help you grow.

Company culture can make or break a team, and when you have a great culture, your company can thrive. By focusing on what your company stands for and giving your team a mission they can align with, it gives your team the opportunity to want to be a part of something bigger. It also gives them the desire to push themselves harder.

There are a few ways you can ensure your company culture is what it needs to be. First, make sure your team knows what your mission, vision, company values, and goals are. You should be talking about them regularly, so it’s always top of mind for your team. Next, allow for open and honest communication. Make sure you’re quickly resolving conflicts, that everyone has a focus and knows what their tasks are, and that it’s a positive work environment. Lastly, make sure you’re constantly monitoring that culture and seeing what has changed so you can address it. Your culture should be a great way to help your company thrive, which is why it’s so important.

I wrote not long ago about how leadership is an act, not a title. When you give your team the chance to step up every day and consistently practice taking on a leadership role, it empowers them to make a huge impact on your company as well as their own capabilities. Often, it’s the extroverts who tend to be leaders in many companies — but anyone can lead, they just need the opportunity.

There are so many opportunities beyond being a manager where people can step up. Think about your day-to-day and what you could do to help someone get that experience. Maybe you task them with identifying a workplace issue and providing a solution. You could ask them to mentor a new member of the team; ask someone to step up and lead a meeting; or maybe they can provide training on something they’ve been learning about to boost their knowledge. Whatever you choose to do, it will go a long way toward helping them build confidence and feel more engaged the work and business.

Not only does keeping your employees happy reduces employee turnover, but a survey from the Pew Research Center shows that no opportunities for advancement and feeling disrespected were two of the major reasons people leave jobs. Giving your team opportunities to learn, grow, and develop is a great way to thank them for their work and to ensure you have the best, most effective team possible.

There are numerous ways you can create career development opportunities for your team. You could create a mentorship program that helps every team member think differently and develop personal connections. You could create knowledge sharing lunch and learns across departments. You could provide networking sessions and even provide a career development option within your team’s schedules to ensure they’re getting the career growth opportunities they need. Giving them opportunities is highly important in keeping them engaged and pushing your company toward success.

I’ve been fortunate to have such an amazing team on my side at The Jim Allen Group — but it took more than hiring people and forgetting about them. It took a commitment from me to make sure they were valued and had the tools they needed to succeed. I’m so grateful to them for what they’ve given me in return.

Jim Allen is a business leader and entrepreneur who has built one of the top-producing real estate groups in the Triangle. He is President of The Jim Allen Group, which is consistently named one of the top real estate teams in North Carolina and even North America.