“I hire the best people and get out of their way,” is a common leadership quote. It’s a smart approach and hiring good people is critical to a company’s success, however, good talent without strategic direction will likely not produce the results expected.
In an article from the New York Times, the writer explores six drivers for building a successful team including creating a clear map and having a shared scoreboard.
The author notes that “Leaders have to play a far more hands-on role to make sure the group works well together and remains focused on the right priorities.”
Employees need to know where they are going and how. Even the best talent can’t perform at their highest potential if they don’t understand how their work fits into the team’s or company’s goals. Managers must be very clear on direction and expected outcomes to ensure that employees are focused on the work that will help achieve goals.
In addition to defining priorities, there needs to be a way to measure progress and success. A shared scoreboard that helps managers and employees see the tasks at hand, visually understand how each person’s role contributes to the end goal and helps everyone to track progress is important. This scoreboard can provide the motivation and accountability needed to succeed.
Indeed recommends team strategic planning to help build collaboration and buy-in, and implement better processes or improve operations so everyone can be successful.
The article suggests that team strategic planning is important for several reasons:
- More innovative ideas: When discussing your strategic plan as a group, you get to learn everyone’s ideas and opinions. This can lead to more innovative thinking and a wider array of ideas to choose from.
- Enhanced collaboration: Getting your entire team involved can improve collaboration in the workplace. Asking everyone to contribute to the plan can help people feel like they are a valuable part of your team.
- Easier delegation of work: When every team member is involved in the planning process, they are more aware of the company’s expectations and goals. This can make it easier for people to understand their tasks and responsibilities and how they contribute to the overall objectives of their workplace.
At Truvelop, we work with managers to leverage data and improve the manager-employee relationship to drive performance and engagement. Developing a roadmap – clear set of goals – and providing a shared scorecard to track progress is an excellent way to engage employees and develop the strong manager-employee relationship that is critical to retention.
Building a dream team is only the first step. For that dream team to succeed, managers must engage them in understanding the strategic direction of the department or company.
Contact us today to learn more about our modern approach to performance management and development and how it solves for retention. Don’t just take our word for it, see what our Customers have to say.
