EXPERT OPINION


BEING P TEAMART OF A GREAT


CFD Strategic Solutions director Clive Daley delivers the third


instalment of his monthly solutions, talking about what it means to be part of a high-performing team.


H


ave you heard the saying “you have the team you deserve”? I take this to mean that it is down to us all to


ensure we are part of a great team. We should take responsibility for how well our teams perform, whether we are leading it, or a valuable member of it.


Choosing a great attitude Our attitude affects those who we work with and impacts the overall team. This is easy to forget and needs a conscious effort, as even a sullen mood can affect the atmosphere. Take the Red Arrows for example, I met David Montenegro who was Red one (the pilot at the front of the nine- plane formation from 2014 to 2017) who said that he always wanted and needed to be positive, as it was critical that the other pilots had confidence to execute the performances they do. He had a great attitude. So, every day choose your attitude, I don’t mean fake it – although I do believe you can purposely brighten your spirits at times when you are a bit low – but make a conscious choice every day to be motivated, bright, focused, pleasant or engaged.


I know of one business that, for a bit of fun, got everyone to write on a board the attitude they had all chosen for the day. Everyone could then hold themselves accountable to have that attitude for the rest of the day. I worked with a client last year where delivery was everything, I chose to be


14 DIY WEEK 22 MARCH 2019


“optimistic”, so when a challenge or issue hit the desk I was in the right frame of mind to find a solution and transform any issue into a great result. Encourage everyone you work with to choose a great attitude and create a positive atmosphere in your business, leave your troubles or frustrations of everyday life outside of the workplace and have an amazing day.


Coaching within the team I love the fact that some companies have started to see their team leaders as coaches more than managers. They are adopting an approach with an emphasis on sharing knowledge and encourage ongoing learning, and it is very refreshing. Coaching is not just for managers, it is for everyone in the team where you can help a colleague. Look for opportunities where a coaching approach can help, whether that be for a new starter, someone struggling with their work or when there are new challenges or changes…and let’s face it, there is a lot of change in retail right now, so this is


very relevant. Here are some tips: Help the person you are coaching identify their own strengths and skills that demonstrate they can complete a task, often it is all about confidence. Give them examples of how you approached similar challenges that delivered a great result. Ask them how they would tackle a task or problem rather than give them the answer, they will learn more that way, and be there in support. Note, if you are working with or managing a team of millennials (born 81-96), or post millennials also called generation Z (97+), they are very motivated by their personal development so coaching is critical to engage and retain them.


Being a passionate team “Where


is your passion…be


passionate,” I have heard leaders shout in the past. We all know you cannot be passionate about something just because you are told to or being incentivised with freebies, cash incentives or even cake, and if


some of these tactics do work, they don’t for very long. To have passion running through the team everyone needs to believe in the mission, the purpose of the business. I find those missions that are centred on delivering value for the end consumer and delivering customer satisfaction to be the most effective. If yours is currently undefined or it is just to make money, then I would advise a rethink. Just think when you are making money what will you all say then, we need to make more? So, define a strong and clear sense of purpose, develop a powerful pitch so that everyone in the team is able to confidently and passionately, with excitement, talk about your business and where you are going. This will engage anyone who interacts with


you, customers,


and investors. I met Garry Ridge, CEO of WD40, last year who spoke passionately about his business; he says “Purpose, driven, passionate people who are guided by values create amazing outcomes.”


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