To Infinity and Beyond
Your people know you and trust you. They want you to be successful. Wherever you take the business, they want to be there with you. How do you build a team with this level of loyalty in the graphic arts industry? How can you assemble this level of talent in your own business?
I talk about how to build loyal teams in my Deal Flow Guy column for Label and Narrow Web (LNW) magazine.
Assembling a loyal team in your graphic arts business starts at the top, with leadership and communication.
In my LNW column, I talk about men’s college and professional hockey. I describe how the top coaches work relentlessly to keep the lines of communication open when building their winning teams. For example, when the top ice hockey coaches are recruited to new teams, the first thing these coaches do is talk to their people. First, they talk to their family who will bear the brunt of relocating and starting over someplace new. Then they talk with their insiders, the coaching staff who will consider relocating. Many will bring their administrative team whom they rely on. Once the new job is official, these star coaches will contact recruits who want to go wherever the coach goes. And on and on.
The best leaders can’t do it alone. They surround themselves with people who help them be successful.
Just like coaching a winning hockey team, you must always look out for your players. In business, this not only means guiding your co-workers. It’s also those who surround you from other departments, other divisions, and even other companies.
One college hockey coach known for attracting the best people was Red Berenson. Red was the men’s head hockey coach for the University of Michigan Wolverines for 33 years. Everyone wanted to play under Red’s leadership, and he attracted talented players and coaching personnel to Ann Arbor. Here’s how Red and other great hockey coaches build their teams:
Develop your own brand of charisma. Start with the basics, like kindness, listening, being trustworthy and honest, remembering what it’s like to be on the other side of the table or just starting out.
Use appropriate eye contact and body language. Have you noticed how the most successful people are comfortable yet can control their bodies and emotions? This takes practice, discipline, and self-awareness. Work on your executive presence.
Be interesting. Have fun, laugh, and keep your brain active. Become a student of other people and enjoy finding out what’s unique about them.
Live with integrity. As I always say, integrity matters. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it.
Strive for emotional intelligence. Take responsibility for yourself. Invest in personal coaching. Learn to be honest with yourself.
Be fair. Unfairness destroys teams and individual morale. Be known for treating people right.
Be trustworthy. Would you follow someone you couldn’t trust? Me neither.
Be humble. Admit and learn from your mistakes. Practice humility.
Show compassion. We all make mistakes. We each can learn from one another. We can practice forgiveness by trying to do better ourselves.
Want to attract the best? Then be the best, no matter where your job rests on the organizational chart or where your business fits into the graphic arts industry. We each have an opportunity to build – and be deserving of – a loyal team that will follow us anywhere.
Reap Long-Term Rewards
Building a loyal team so you can sell your business more powerfully is a strategy worth investigating. In addition to evaluating your financials, potential buyers will be keenly interested in the quality of the people who are helping your business succeed.
If you haven’t yet thought about selling your business, check out our FREE download, Demystifying M&A Jargon.
Understanding the jargon used in mergers and acquisitions will put you in a stronger position when you choose a trusted advisor and begin to talk with prospective buyers. Let us know if you have any questions.
RECOMMENDED READING
Label and Narrow Web: Building a Team That Will Follow You Anywhere