Strong teams have the power to create strong results. When you have a team behind you that is great, you can take on so much more than you ever could do alone. When it comes to who is working with you— and for you— it’s important to think about what you can do to increase the overall strength of your team. What kind of opportunities and aspects can you introduce into your team environment to strengthen your business this year? 

Picking the ‘team player’ is only part of what it takes to create a great team. Ask any notable business owner or NBA coach, and they will quickly tell you that the team plays well together when each person opts-in to the overall vision of the team or business. When it comes to your real estate business, there is no question that your team will influence and affect your results. The team dynamic has the power to determine how fast and efficiently the company reaches goals and objectives. 

Take this as an example of how important the players on your team can be. Let’s say it’s me and my five most athletic colleagues vs. Kobe and Stephen Curry. It would be valid to guess that we probably won’t score any points in a pickup game (maybe, if we are lucky— two or three, actually). The number of players on the team is less important than the quality. You could have an army of individuals, and unless they are top-shelf, you will struggle to make any progress. 
So, the question comes down to, ‘How does one improve the dynamic of a team?’ Here are seven ways you can increase the performance, and quality, of your team in 2017.

"When It Comes To The Strength of Your Business, It’s About The Little Things: 7 Small Acts To Make A Team Mindset Stronger"

Always Present A Challenge

Rare is it for someone to push themselves to their full ability without coaching. You may have noticed the difference in your gym routine when you workout with a trainer or a friend. The added motivation of someone watching, critiquing, and pushing you makes you put more into your time at the gym. You also can choose to challenge those around you by setting big goals for them to achieve. Add that extra rep. Call that business contact one more time. Add in another deal. Keep challenging yourself and challenging your team. 

Empower Individuals 

It’s harder to delegate someone else to make decisions than to making the decision yourself, but to build a strong team, you will need to empower individuals to do the job. They won’t always be right. The task won’t always be done the way that you might have done it. Still, when you empower someone else, you will most likely be surprised at what is possible when you allow others to take part of the control of your company. This is a process I am still learning, because it can be difficult to 'let go' sometimes.

Setting boundaries is an important topic to address. Let your team know what you expect and be clear about what you want. Property management is a prime example of boundary setting. You don’t need to be personally involved and control all of the decisions. Let someone else do this for you. Set a team member up with the limit to spend $150 on a maintenance repair without requiring your approval. When the individual proves himself or herself, you have the option of increasing authority and limits. 

Say ‘Thanks’ Often 

We forget to say thank you as often as we should. We might think it or think people know that we appreciate them without saying anything, but it’s important in a team environment to verbalize the good things to your team. Say it email, in meetings, in a letter— any way you can to let someone know that they matter.

Share Plans And Achievements

When a team is a cohesive unit, they are stronger. To keep the team ‘together’— share the goals, plans, and future achievements that you envision for your business. When you share your goals, be completely transparent. Show how each person involved will help reach the goals set out. 

Connect With Your Team 

We all get busy; too busy. Meetings can be a drag, but connecting with your team is more than just beneficial, it is necessary. Let your team know that they are part of something bigger and that their contribution matters. Incorporate emails, annual meetings, or online tools to bring your group together.

Exercise Freedom

Micro-managing is out, and employee empowerment is in. Give your team members freedom by offering goals and tasks that they can work on and allow them to figure out how to get things done. 

Summary

Try out these tips in your business and see what happens. At the end of the day, as the business owner, it’s your job to figure out what drives your group. You will have to take the time to look at each one's core strengths and determine what motivates each person. This will allow you to be a more effective leader and build better relationships.