It’s not always easy to get everyone on the same page. How do you turn your individual employees into a team?
There is no “I” in “team,” as the saying famously goes. But it is possible to spell ME from it, and if some employees are doing that, your store may not be operating as effectively as it could. Teamwork is beneficial for your customers, your bottom line, and for all employees as well.
It can be difficult for a group of people, all doing different jobs, to seamlessly mesh into a team all on their own. It takes a number of steps and it’s always ongoing, but the results are worth it. Try some of these tips.
Start at the beginning
Identify team players during the hiring process. You want a combination of go-getter plus a willingness to work with others for the greater good of the organization. Look for people who, when describing previous positions, use “we” along with “I” or “me.” As how they resolved issues, and if they worked with others on the outcome.
Ask questions they might not be expecting, and see if they listen and actually answer them. For example, if you ask, “At your last job, how did the group deal with an issue?” and the answer is, “I did this,” you might have a warning flag. Tell potential candidates how they’re expected to fit into the dealership, and see how they react. If they’re picturing their desk as an independent country, you might want to look elsewhere.
The entire dealership is the team
You may not have jurisdiction over the office staff, or parts and service, but they’re a vital part of the overall dealership team and should be treated as such. Every couple of months, schedule a meeting with the other departments, either one-on-one with the manager or as a group – and perhaps occasionally holding a larger meeting with everyone involved.
When employees think of the dealership as separate, unrelated departments, they may not realize how their actions can affect others. For example, a salesperson who’s only looking at the deal might not consider the impact of handing the PDI to service during the typical Monday morning rush. Likewise, service shouldn’t think of the sales orders as “just another PDI,” but as a vital early step in satisfying and retaining a new customer. Or accounting might know a way to streamline up the financing process, but doesn’t know if a suggestion from another department would be appropriate.
Be cautious with “team-building” exercises
These organized events can be successful in some instances, but not everyone wants to spend a weekend rock-climbing or axe-throwing with their coworkers. Read the room before you look into arranging an event. It’s important for everyone to get along as much as possible, but people don’t have to be best-buddies in order to function well as a team.
Don’t micromanage the group
Your task is to guide and direct the group, but the idea behind a team is that people work together to solve issues and move forward together. Of course, you need to step in and fix things now if a problem requires an immediate solution, but beyond that, let the group work it out while you keep an eye on things.
In any group, there will be people with different strengths. Take advantage of that; if someone has an issue, bring over the person who has the answer. You want group members to work amongst themselves, not just come directly to you each time. And when someone does a task on time and everything is as it should be, but the process to get to the finish isn’t exactly how you would have done it, let it go. The goal is the end result, not the journey to get there.
Recognize good work
A common complaint among employees is that their bosses don’t always acknowledge what they’re doing. Just a simple comment – “You really did a great job on that tough sale!” – can go a long way. That can be even more important with a team, where the individuals might not always see the bigger picture of what has been accomplished. Understanding how they all came together to make something work, and getting recognition for it, will pave the way for more successes as a team.