Lately I was getting a feeling that the my core is not working and that the companies and project are not growing.
To put an end to this feeling and confusion once for all I decided to talk to my team in a very casual setting and straight from the heart.
1) TRUST IN THE TEAM
What started as a very lively talk full of smiles and laughter turned into a very serious one. My core team told me a shocking thing when I started asked them silly questions projects and company growth.
They said every thing is going well and projects are on time and goals are being met, except that they feel that I don’t trust them enough and I should trust them a lot more.
2) HELP, GUIDANCE and MORE TRAINING
What came next was obvious to every one but disillusioned me. There is a lack in training.
This was actually good, because they wanted to learn, but not so good because our office library has a host of books, videos and also I have lynda.com online video library subscription for anyone to learn form. I also take up training sessions myself on some marketing topics which I feel the team needs help on.
But then I understood, there are a lot of thing that are holding them back and it is my responsibility to help my team to overcome these mental, strategical and tactical obstacles. May be just giving some resources was not enough. I will also have to create a culture of learning and growing as an individual. Every individual as a different need and there should be a system to help that individual as per their needs.
I was taking some training sessions but that was not enough again. I was helping them only half way which is making them even more uneasy and they are not able to achieve their true potential.
I think a well written, step by step, properly scheduled along with the daily work schedule training might help. The books, video training will be helpful as continuation learning tools.
3) CULTURE PROMOTING “DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES” ATTITUDE
I really appreciate my team from being transparent with me. Following the intense discussion and I started thinking for the solution and here are some which I intend to implement as soon as possible.
What were the proposed solutions
I must have clear and written expectation from my employees
There must me clearly written, discussed projects with milestones and expectations in terms of deadlines and results
If my employees feel they do not understand fully what has been discussed and what is expected of them they are allowed to do the wrong things but they will have to do something. they cannot just sit and not do anything on pretext of not understanding the expectations. Once they write down what what ever wrong or right they have understand, they have full right to present it in front of me or any other senior person for discussion and getting the expectations and understanding corrected. but the employee must make all efforts to get the expectations, project description corrected.
I will personally give leadership and other strategic and tactical training. These training will be total immersion based and I will post the schedule in advance do that all employees will get time to set their timetable and work schedule.