Team Building Melbourne has noted some key points on Developing People: Here are ten simple ways you can inspire people to be their best:
1. Be a good example. People watch what you do more than they listen to what you say. Be someone worth emulating.
2. Care about others. People don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care. Ask questions. Take a genuine interest in people.
3. Encouragement. Everyone goes through tough times. When you support people and encourage them through these times, you’ll be inspiring them to see the best in themselves and in the situation.
4. Be inspired yourself. Look for people, ideas, environments and knowledge that you find inspiring and motivating.
5. Share from your own experience. You have more to share than you realise. Mine the rich experiences of your life and share your wisdom from your unique point of view. You may be the only one who can touch someone with your inspiring message.
6. Be vulnerable. Be willing to share your failures as well as your successes. Others will relate to you. They’ll understand that they’re not the only ones with challenges.
7. Tell stories. Facts tell and stories sell. They inspire, too. We learn best from parables and we all need to develop our own inspiring stories.
8. Be a good communicator. Increasing your ability to communicate effectively is a critical element for you to inspire others. Watch how you speak and what you say. Invest in your communication skills.
9. Challenge people. Many of us have had teachers who at times seemed more like tormentors than mentors. They challenged us to do our best, and we were better for it. Practice "carefrontation"—the careful and caring confrontation of others.
10. Read. It may not follow that all readers are leaders, but certainly all leaders are readers. Stay informed. Share what you read with others. Tell people about books that have inspired you. Share the knowledge.
Teambuilding Australia - www.teambuildingaustralia.com.au
(Michael Angier- http://www.appleseeds.org/10-inspire_Angier.htm)
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Presentation Skills - Kill the Powerpoint...
Team Building Sydney has worked with over 1000 clients, seeing too many 'Death by Powerpoint' presentations. Here are ideas to help you...
Know the needs of your audience and match your contents to their needs. Know your material
thoroughly. Put what you have to say in a logical sequence. Ensure your speech will be
captivating to your audience as well as worth their time and attention.
Body language is important. Standing, walking or moving about with appropriate hand gesture or
facial expression is preferred to sitting down or standing still with head down and reading from a
prepared speech.
Do not over-dazzle your audience with excessive use of animation, sound clips, or gaudy colors
which are inappropriate for your topic. Do not torture your audience by putting a lengthy
document in tiny print on an overhead and reading it out to them.
Speak with conviction as if you really believe in what you are saying. Persuade your audience
effectively. The material you present orally should have the same ingredients as that which are
required for a written research paper, i.e. a logical progression.
Add humor whenever appropriate and possible. Keep audience interested throughout your entire
presentation. Remember that an interesting speech makes time fly, but a boring speech is always
too long to endure even if the presentation time is the same.
10Rule - This is a slideshow rule offered by Guy Kawasaki. This rule states that a powerpoint
slide should have no more than 10 slides, last no longer than 20 minutes and have no text less
than 30 point font. He says it doesn’t matter whether your idea will revolutionize the world, you
need to spell out the important nuggets in a few minutes minutes, a couple slides and a several
words a slide.
Be Entertaining - Speeches should be entertaining and informative. But unlike an e-mail or
article, people expect some appeal to there emotions. Simply reciting dry facts without any
passion or humor will make people less likely to pay attention.
Slow Down - Nervous and inexperienced speakers tend to talk way to fast. Consciously slow
your speech down and add pauses for emphasis.
Eye Contact - Match eye contact with everyone in the room. I’ve also heard from salespeople
that you shouldn’t focus all your attention on the decision maker since secretaries and assistants
in the room may hold persuasive sway over their boss.
15 Word Summary - Can you summarize your idea in fifteen words? If not, rewrite it and try
again. Speaking is an inefficient medium for communicating information, so know what the
important fifteen words are so they can be repeated. Why are you presenting?
Don’t Read - This one is a no brainer, but somehow Powerpoint makes people think they can get
away with it. If you don’t know your speech without cues, that doesn’t just make you more
distracting. It shows you don’t really understand your message, a huge blow to any confidence
the audience has in you.
Speeches are About Stories - If your presentation is going to be a longer one, explain your
points through short stories, quips and anecdotes. Great speakers know how to use a story to
create an emotional connection between ideas for the audience.
Project Your Voice - Nothing is worse than a speaker you can’t hear. Even in the high-tech
world of microphones and amplifiers, you need to be heard. Projecting your voice doesn’t mean
yelling, rather standing up straight and letting your voice resonate on the air in your lungs rather
than in the throat to produce a clearer sound.
“That’s a Good Question” - You can use statements like, “that’s a really good question,” or “I’m
glad you asked me that,” to buy yourself a few moments to organize your response. Will the other
people in the audience know you are using these filler sentences to reorder your thoughts?
Probably not. And even if they do, it still makes the presentation more smooth than um’s and ah’s
littering your answer.
For more ideas go to http://www.teambuildingaustralia.com.au
Know the needs of your audience and match your contents to their needs. Know your material
thoroughly. Put what you have to say in a logical sequence. Ensure your speech will be
captivating to your audience as well as worth their time and attention.
Body language is important. Standing, walking or moving about with appropriate hand gesture or
facial expression is preferred to sitting down or standing still with head down and reading from a
prepared speech.
Do not over-dazzle your audience with excessive use of animation, sound clips, or gaudy colors
which are inappropriate for your topic. Do not torture your audience by putting a lengthy
document in tiny print on an overhead and reading it out to them.
Speak with conviction as if you really believe in what you are saying. Persuade your audience
effectively. The material you present orally should have the same ingredients as that which are
required for a written research paper, i.e. a logical progression.
Add humor whenever appropriate and possible. Keep audience interested throughout your entire
presentation. Remember that an interesting speech makes time fly, but a boring speech is always
too long to endure even if the presentation time is the same.
10Rule - This is a slideshow rule offered by Guy Kawasaki. This rule states that a powerpoint
slide should have no more than 10 slides, last no longer than 20 minutes and have no text less
than 30 point font. He says it doesn’t matter whether your idea will revolutionize the world, you
need to spell out the important nuggets in a few minutes minutes, a couple slides and a several
words a slide.
Be Entertaining - Speeches should be entertaining and informative. But unlike an e-mail or
article, people expect some appeal to there emotions. Simply reciting dry facts without any
passion or humor will make people less likely to pay attention.
Slow Down - Nervous and inexperienced speakers tend to talk way to fast. Consciously slow
your speech down and add pauses for emphasis.
Eye Contact - Match eye contact with everyone in the room. I’ve also heard from salespeople
that you shouldn’t focus all your attention on the decision maker since secretaries and assistants
in the room may hold persuasive sway over their boss.
15 Word Summary - Can you summarize your idea in fifteen words? If not, rewrite it and try
again. Speaking is an inefficient medium for communicating information, so know what the
important fifteen words are so they can be repeated. Why are you presenting?
Don’t Read - This one is a no brainer, but somehow Powerpoint makes people think they can get
away with it. If you don’t know your speech without cues, that doesn’t just make you more
distracting. It shows you don’t really understand your message, a huge blow to any confidence
the audience has in you.
Speeches are About Stories - If your presentation is going to be a longer one, explain your
points through short stories, quips and anecdotes. Great speakers know how to use a story to
create an emotional connection between ideas for the audience.
Project Your Voice - Nothing is worse than a speaker you can’t hear. Even in the high-tech
world of microphones and amplifiers, you need to be heard. Projecting your voice doesn’t mean
yelling, rather standing up straight and letting your voice resonate on the air in your lungs rather
than in the throat to produce a clearer sound.
“That’s a Good Question” - You can use statements like, “that’s a really good question,” or “I’m
glad you asked me that,” to buy yourself a few moments to organize your response. Will the other
people in the audience know you are using these filler sentences to reorder your thoughts?
Probably not. And even if they do, it still makes the presentation more smooth than um’s and ah’s
littering your answer.
For more ideas go to http://www.teambuildingaustralia.com.au
Presentation Skills - Kill the Powerpoint...
Know the needs of your audience and match your contents to their needs. Know your material
thoroughly. Put what you have to say in a logical sequence. Ensure your speech will be
captivating to your audience as well as worth their time and attention.
Body language is important. Standing, walking or moving about with appropriate hand gesture or
facial expression is preferred to sitting down or standing still with head down and reading from a
prepared speech.
Do not over-dazzle your audience with excessive use of animation, sound clips, or gaudy colors
which are inappropriate for your topic. Do not torture your audience by putting a lengthy
document in tiny print on an overhead and reading it out to them.
Speak with conviction as if you really believe in what you are saying. Persuade your audience
effectively. The material you present orally should have the same ingredients as that which are
required for a written research paper, i.e. a logical progression.
Add humor whenever appropriate and possible. Keep audience interested throughout your entire
presentation. Remember that an interesting speech makes time fly, but a boring speech is always
too long to endure even if the presentation time is the same.
10Rule - This is a slideshow rule offered by Guy Kawasaki. This rule states that a powerpoint
slide should have no more than 10 slides, last no longer than 20 minutes and have no text less
than 30 point font. He says it doesn’t matter whether your idea will revolutionize the world, you
need to spell out the important nuggets in a few minutes minutes, a couple slides and a several
words a slide.
Be Entertaining - Speeches should be entertaining and informative. But unlike an e-mail or
article, people expect some appeal to there emotions. Simply reciting dry facts without any
passion or humor will make people less likely to pay attention.
Slow Down - Nervous and inexperienced speakers tend to talk way to fast. Consciously slow
your speech down and add pauses for emphasis.
Eye Contact - Match eye contact with everyone in the room. I’ve also heard from salespeople
that you shouldn’t focus all your attention on the decision maker since secretaries and assistants
in the room may hold persuasive sway over their boss.
15 Word Summary - Can you summarize your idea in fifteen words? If not, rewrite it and try
again. Speaking is an inefficient medium for communicating information, so know what the
important fifteen words are so they can be repeated. Why are you presenting?
Don’t Read - This one is a no brainer, but somehow Powerpoint makes people think they can get
away with it. If you don’t know your speech without cues, that doesn’t just make you more
distracting. It shows you don’t really understand your message, a huge blow to any confidence
the audience has in you.
Speeches are About Stories - If your presentation is going to be a longer one, explain your
points through short stories, quips and anecdotes. Great speakers know how to use a story to
create an emotional connection between ideas for the audience.
Project Your Voice - Nothing is worse than a speaker you can’t hear. Even in the high-tech
world of microphones and amplifiers, you need to be heard. Projecting your voice doesn’t mean
yelling, rather standing up straight and letting your voice resonate on the air in your lungs rather
than in the throat to produce a clearer sound.
“That’s a Good Question” - You can use statements like, “that’s a really good question,” or “I’m
glad you asked me that,” to buy yourself a few moments to organize your response. Will the other
people in the audience know you are using these filler sentences to reorder your thoughts?
Probably not. And even if they do, it still makes the presentation more smooth than um’s and ah’s
littering your answer.
For more ideas go to http://www.teambuildingaustralia.com.au
thoroughly. Put what you have to say in a logical sequence. Ensure your speech will be
captivating to your audience as well as worth their time and attention.
Body language is important. Standing, walking or moving about with appropriate hand gesture or
facial expression is preferred to sitting down or standing still with head down and reading from a
prepared speech.
Do not over-dazzle your audience with excessive use of animation, sound clips, or gaudy colors
which are inappropriate for your topic. Do not torture your audience by putting a lengthy
document in tiny print on an overhead and reading it out to them.
Speak with conviction as if you really believe in what you are saying. Persuade your audience
effectively. The material you present orally should have the same ingredients as that which are
required for a written research paper, i.e. a logical progression.
Add humor whenever appropriate and possible. Keep audience interested throughout your entire
presentation. Remember that an interesting speech makes time fly, but a boring speech is always
too long to endure even if the presentation time is the same.
10Rule - This is a slideshow rule offered by Guy Kawasaki. This rule states that a powerpoint
slide should have no more than 10 slides, last no longer than 20 minutes and have no text less
than 30 point font. He says it doesn’t matter whether your idea will revolutionize the world, you
need to spell out the important nuggets in a few minutes minutes, a couple slides and a several
words a slide.
Be Entertaining - Speeches should be entertaining and informative. But unlike an e-mail or
article, people expect some appeal to there emotions. Simply reciting dry facts without any
passion or humor will make people less likely to pay attention.
Slow Down - Nervous and inexperienced speakers tend to talk way to fast. Consciously slow
your speech down and add pauses for emphasis.
Eye Contact - Match eye contact with everyone in the room. I’ve also heard from salespeople
that you shouldn’t focus all your attention on the decision maker since secretaries and assistants
in the room may hold persuasive sway over their boss.
15 Word Summary - Can you summarize your idea in fifteen words? If not, rewrite it and try
again. Speaking is an inefficient medium for communicating information, so know what the
important fifteen words are so they can be repeated. Why are you presenting?
Don’t Read - This one is a no brainer, but somehow Powerpoint makes people think they can get
away with it. If you don’t know your speech without cues, that doesn’t just make you more
distracting. It shows you don’t really understand your message, a huge blow to any confidence
the audience has in you.
Speeches are About Stories - If your presentation is going to be a longer one, explain your
points through short stories, quips and anecdotes. Great speakers know how to use a story to
create an emotional connection between ideas for the audience.
Project Your Voice - Nothing is worse than a speaker you can’t hear. Even in the high-tech
world of microphones and amplifiers, you need to be heard. Projecting your voice doesn’t mean
yelling, rather standing up straight and letting your voice resonate on the air in your lungs rather
than in the throat to produce a clearer sound.
“That’s a Good Question” - You can use statements like, “that’s a really good question,” or “I’m
glad you asked me that,” to buy yourself a few moments to organize your response. Will the other
people in the audience know you are using these filler sentences to reorder your thoughts?
Probably not. And even if they do, it still makes the presentation more smooth than um’s and ah’s
littering your answer.
For more ideas go to http://www.teambuildingaustralia.com.au
Presentation Skills - Kill the Powerpoint...
Know the needs of your audience and match your contents to their needs. Know your material
thoroughly. Put what you have to say in a logical sequence. Ensure your speech will be
captivating to your audience as well as worth their time and attention.
Body language is important. Standing, walking or moving about with appropriate hand gesture or
facial expression is preferred to sitting down or standing still with head down and reading from a
prepared speech.
Do not over-dazzle your audience with excessive use of animation, sound clips, or gaudy colors
which are inappropriate for your topic. Do not torture your audience by putting a lengthy
document in tiny print on an overhead and reading it out to them.
Speak with conviction as if you really believe in what you are saying. Persuade your audience
effectively. The material you present orally should have the same ingredients as that which are
required for a written research paper, i.e. a logical progression.
Add humor whenever appropriate and possible. Keep audience interested throughout your entire
presentation. Remember that an interesting speech makes time fly, but a boring speech is always
too long to endure even if the presentation time is the same.
10Rule - This is a slideshow rule offered by Guy Kawasaki. This rule states that a powerpoint
slide should have no more than 10 slides, last no longer than 20 minutes and have no text less
than 30 point font. He says it doesn’t matter whether your idea will revolutionize the world, you
need to spell out the important nuggets in a few minutes minutes, a couple slides and a several
words a slide.
Be Entertaining - Speeches should be entertaining and informative. But unlike an e-mail or
article, people expect some appeal to there emotions. Simply reciting dry facts without any
passion or humor will make people less likely to pay attention.
Slow Down - Nervous and inexperienced speakers tend to talk way to fast. Consciously slow
your speech down and add pauses for emphasis.
Eye Contact - Match eye contact with everyone in the room. I’ve also heard from salespeople
that you shouldn’t focus all your attention on the decision maker since secretaries and assistants
in the room may hold persuasive sway over their boss.
15 Word Summary - Can you summarize your idea in fifteen words? If not, rewrite it and try
again. Speaking is an inefficient medium for communicating information, so know what the
important fifteen words are so they can be repeated. Why are you presenting?
Don’t Read - This one is a no brainer, but somehow Powerpoint makes people think they can get
away with it. If you don’t know your speech without cues, that doesn’t just make you more
distracting. It shows you don’t really understand your message, a huge blow to any confidence
the audience has in you.
Speeches are About Stories - If your presentation is going to be a longer one, explain your
points through short stories, quips and anecdotes. Great speakers know how to use a story to
create an emotional connection between ideas for the audience.
Project Your Voice - Nothing is worse than a speaker you can’t hear. Even in the high-tech
world of microphones and amplifiers, you need to be heard. Projecting your voice doesn’t mean
yelling, rather standing up straight and letting your voice resonate on the air in your lungs rather
than in the throat to produce a clearer sound.
“That’s a Good Question” - You can use statements like, “that’s a really good question,” or “I’m
glad you asked me that,” to buy yourself a few moments to organize your response. Will the other
people in the audience know you are using these filler sentences to reorder your thoughts?
Probably not. And even if they do, it still makes the presentation more smooth than um’s and ah’s
littering your answer.
For more ideas go to http://www.teambuildingaustralia.com.au
Team Players in your team...
Having good team players is key to great teams. No matter what other fancy stuff we do in the name of team building, if your team members are not good team players, managing the team will be quite a struggle.
How can good team players be developed?
Team players are usually the people that are known for sharing and hard work. This alone will not be sufficient as people also want to see their career progress and be recognized. Then how do you focus people towards the team goals? Being a team player often involves doing the right thing by not always having your self benefit in mind. Again, in this age of fast forward on careers and achievement, I cannot see how most people will accept this line. The question of "what is in it for me?" must be answered. Team goals and objectives must be set. There is no compromise for this because there is no need for the team if not for the project. Now, for the team members. They must have their personal development goals also set. In some organizations, employee development plan is part of the people development process. In fact, people placement into projects are very much influenced by the employee development plans. If this has already happened and the team members are in line for career progress through this team assignment, then half the battle is won. If this is not how they were assigned, then the project manager or the team leader can discuss with the team members on what are their development and career progression goals. Many a time, it is possible that by contributing to the project success, the team members would also make progress. The fact that you even bothered to find out what are their personal development goals, you would already have created a positive impression with the team members. Just this alone could make a difference in your team building events. There will be times when the project goals and the team members' plans are not in a similar direction. First thing you must do is to decide whether skill-wise this person fits into the team requirements. If not, do yourself and the team a favor and get a replacement for this person. You might also be doing this person a favor. However, if it is not a skill mismatch, then understand this person's aspirations and see if it is possible to assign some activities that will achieve these. Again, it will be a win-win-win-win situation for you, the team, the team members and especially the project which after all is what it is all about. Just caring enough for the individual will make the person contribute more to the project. If despite all this, the team members still think that this project or team is not where they want to be in, then there is one other suggestion. It is not always that we can choose exactly what we want to do. But then, it is not always that we know what are the possibilities in our lives. Maybe, this is the opportunity that will bring something different that could lead to new possibilities. Suggest that they look for new skills and experiences that will become part of their resume for the next job. Remind them of Napoleon Hill's " Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit." This is not hype! How can it be hype if Napoleon Hill's books are as popular now as they were years ago? But if the project or team leader thinks it is hype, then this is a difficult step for the leader. As someone said " I don't care how much you know until I know how much you care". I think one of the secrets in team building is caring not only for the project but also for each of the team members.
Team players are usually the people that are known for sharing and hard work. This alone will not be sufficient as people also want to see their career progress and be recognized. Then how do you focus people towards the team goals? Being a team player often involves doing the right thing by not always having your self benefit in mind. Again, in this age of fast forward on careers and achievement, I cannot see how most people will accept this line. The question of "what is in it for me?" must be answered. Team goals and objectives must be set. There is no compromise for this because there is no need for the team if not for the project. Now, for the team members. They must have their personal development goals also set. In some organizations, employee development plan is part of the people development process. In fact, people placement into projects are very much influenced by the employee development plans. If this has already happened and the team members are in line for career progress through this team assignment, then half the battle is won. If this is not how they were assigned, then the project manager or the team leader can discuss with the team members on what are their development and career progression goals. Many a time, it is possible that by contributing to the project success, the team members would also make progress. The fact that you even bothered to find out what are their personal development goals, you would already have created a positive impression with the team members. Just this alone could make a difference in your team building events. There will be times when the project goals and the team members' plans are not in a similar direction. First thing you must do is to decide whether skill-wise this person fits into the team requirements. If not, do yourself and the team a favor and get a replacement for this person. You might also be doing this person a favor. However, if it is not a skill mismatch, then understand this person's aspirations and see if it is possible to assign some activities that will achieve these. Again, it will be a win-win-win-win situation for you, the team, the team members and especially the project which after all is what it is all about. Just caring enough for the individual will make the person contribute more to the project. If despite all this, the team members still think that this project or team is not where they want to be in, then there is one other suggestion. It is not always that we can choose exactly what we want to do. But then, it is not always that we know what are the possibilities in our lives. Maybe, this is the opportunity that will bring something different that could lead to new possibilities. Suggest that they look for new skills and experiences that will become part of their resume for the next job. Remind them of Napoleon Hill's " Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit." This is not hype! How can it be hype if Napoleon Hill's books are as popular now as they were years ago? But if the project or team leader thinks it is hype, then this is a difficult step for the leader. As someone said " I don't care how much you know until I know how much you care". I think one of the secrets in team building is caring not only for the project but also for each of the team members.
Team Players in your team...
Having good team players is key to great teams. No matter what other fancy stuff we do in the name of team building, if your team members are not good team players, managing the team will be quite a struggle.
How can good team players be developed?
Team players are usually the people that are known for sharing and hard work. This alone will not be sufficient as people also want to see their career progress and be recognized. Then how do you focus people towards the team goals? Being a team player often involves doing the right thing by not always having your self benefit in mind. Again, in this age of fast forward on careers and achievement, I cannot see how most people will accept this line. The question of "what is in it for me?" must be answered. Team goals and objectives must be set. There is no compromise for this because there is no need for the team if not for the project. Now, for the team members. They must have their personal development goals also set. In some organizations, employee development plan is part of the people development process. In fact, people placement into projects are very much influenced by the employee development plans. If this has already happened and the team members are in line for career progress through this team assignment, then half the battle is won. If this is not how they were assigned, then the project manager or the team leader can discuss with the team members on what are their development and career progression goals. Many a time, it is possible that by contributing to the project success, the team members would also make progress. The fact that you even bothered to find out what are their personal development goals, you would already have created a positive impression with the team members. Just this alone could make a difference in your team building efforts. There will be times when the project goals and the team members' plans are not in a similar direction. First thing you must do is to decide whether skill-wise this person fits into the team requirements. If not, do yourself and the team a favor and get a replacement for this person. You might also be doing this person a favor. However, if it is not a skill mismatch, then understand this person's aspirations and see if it is possible to assign some activities that will achieve these. Again, it will be a win-win-win-win situation for you, the team, the team members and especially the project which after all is what it is all about. Just caring enough for the individual will make the person contribute more to the project. If despite all this, the team members still think that this project or team is not where they want to be in, then there is one other suggestion. It is not always that we can choose exactly what we want to do. But then, it is not always that we know what are the possibilities in our lives. Maybe, this is the opportunity that will bring something different that could lead to new possibilities. Suggest that they look for new skills and experiences that will become part of their resume for the next job. Remind them of Napoleon Hill's " Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit." This is not hype! How can it be hype if Napoleon Hill's books are as popular now as they were years ago? But if the project or team leader thinks it is hype, then this is a difficult step for the leader. As someone said " I don't care how much you know until I know how much you care". I think one of the secrets in team building is caring not only for the project but also for each of the team members.
Team players are usually the people that are known for sharing and hard work. This alone will not be sufficient as people also want to see their career progress and be recognized. Then how do you focus people towards the team goals? Being a team player often involves doing the right thing by not always having your self benefit in mind. Again, in this age of fast forward on careers and achievement, I cannot see how most people will accept this line. The question of "what is in it for me?" must be answered. Team goals and objectives must be set. There is no compromise for this because there is no need for the team if not for the project. Now, for the team members. They must have their personal development goals also set. In some organizations, employee development plan is part of the people development process. In fact, people placement into projects are very much influenced by the employee development plans. If this has already happened and the team members are in line for career progress through this team assignment, then half the battle is won. If this is not how they were assigned, then the project manager or the team leader can discuss with the team members on what are their development and career progression goals. Many a time, it is possible that by contributing to the project success, the team members would also make progress. The fact that you even bothered to find out what are their personal development goals, you would already have created a positive impression with the team members. Just this alone could make a difference in your team building efforts. There will be times when the project goals and the team members' plans are not in a similar direction. First thing you must do is to decide whether skill-wise this person fits into the team requirements. If not, do yourself and the team a favor and get a replacement for this person. You might also be doing this person a favor. However, if it is not a skill mismatch, then understand this person's aspirations and see if it is possible to assign some activities that will achieve these. Again, it will be a win-win-win-win situation for you, the team, the team members and especially the project which after all is what it is all about. Just caring enough for the individual will make the person contribute more to the project. If despite all this, the team members still think that this project or team is not where they want to be in, then there is one other suggestion. It is not always that we can choose exactly what we want to do. But then, it is not always that we know what are the possibilities in our lives. Maybe, this is the opportunity that will bring something different that could lead to new possibilities. Suggest that they look for new skills and experiences that will become part of their resume for the next job. Remind them of Napoleon Hill's " Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit." This is not hype! How can it be hype if Napoleon Hill's books are as popular now as they were years ago? But if the project or team leader thinks it is hype, then this is a difficult step for the leader. As someone said " I don't care how much you know until I know how much you care". I think one of the secrets in team building is caring not only for the project but also for each of the team members.
Entertain your staff for profits - TeamBuilding Australia
Today's employees, particularly those involved with corporate finance and other major business sectors, are leaning more towards corporate event management and corporate entertainment as a key source of contentment and happiness at work. This reflects the emergence of what has become defined as corporate culture - one that recognizes the need to keep staff happy through team games, special event days and other activities that help build camaraderie and teamwork.
1. Happy Workers Work Harder
Such episodes come as a welcome break for most rank and file, and usually end up energizing staff and renewing their interest in work. Moving out of the office to have a bowling tournament, an overnight stay at a beach resort or similar activities are nearly fail-safe steps that would help employees de-stress themselves.
2. Build Comradarie
Corporate entertainment also gives workers an opportunity to know members of their own unit or department more, and also allows interaction with members of other units or groups that is not always possible at work. The activity also helps reveal strengths of certain employees that are not apparent in the workplace, while also exposing possible weaknesses or difficulties in others. Thus, the typically quiet type who just report to work and follows his or her routine everyday could turn out to be someone with other skills beneficial to related jobs in other areas. In the same way, someone in the office who is generally not well-liked could turn out to be someone bearing a personal or family issue who just needs an outlet for his or her emotional turmoil.
3. Providers Of Corporate Entertainment
This focus on promoting employee wellbeing has spawned the corporate event management business - corporate entertainment providers that coordinate with companies on themes preferred for what essentially are team-building activities. Such activities would include, but are not limited to: company parties, theme park visits, a concert, or even a night of food and drinks at a favorite restaurant.
4. Extend Corporate Entertainment To Suppliers And Partners
Keith Prowse, a 25-year veteran of the hospitality industry, notes that entertainment provided to clients at sports and similar events builds and strengthens business ties. Corporate entertainment also eases the exchange of ideas during negotiations or discussions, as both sides would be able to look back to enjoyable and shared experiences - enabling a relaxed atmosphere that increases the likelihood of a profitable relationship or the completion of a multimillion-dollar agreement.
5. Ideas
- Rent audio-visual equipment and AV production services
- Tap photographers and photography services
- Caterers
- Décor specialists
- Hire impersonators
- DJs, musicians
- Other performers
- Rent a limousine or luxury car
- Prizes such as mobile phones, gift certificates
6. Record The Event
The resulting videos, pictures and related multimedia content from recording such events would be ideal for corporate learning, particularly for top executives and senior managers, and serve as a storage of ideas for future use. Some of this media will undoubtedly prove useful to entice people to join your corporation.
7. Don't Go Too Overboard
Some companies are choosing more unorthodox strategies to woo new clients and maintain the interest of current ones. One firm has been enticing potential partners with driving lessons - using armored vehicles, while another offers flights using a jet fighter. One trade-off though is that such unusual approaches are generally more costly than traditional entertainment forms. Unusually extravagant spending could also expose a company to questions in the media and even regulatory scrutiny.
Despite the logical rationale and integral role it plays in business, the US Securities and Exchange Commission has come up with measures to discourage corporate entertainment. Thus, the seemingly harmless round of golf, ski vacations, a ticket to Wimbledon and cruises for clients are now being probed by the agency. The tighter scrutiny follows a string of scandals that has rocked the country's prominent companies and raised questions related to corporate governance.
One such case involves Adelphia Communications Corp. founder John Rigas. The executive and his family allegedly used funds of the sixth-largest cable operator in the US for their personal interests, including the acquisition of luxury condominiums, golf clubs and other perks. Jurors eventually decided that Mr Rigas and Timothy Rigas were guilty, rejecting counsel for the defendants that they intended to return everything they had loaned.
Entertain your staff for profits - TeamBuilding Australia
Today's employees, particularly those involved with corporate finance and other major business sectors, are leaning more towards corporate event management and corporate entertainment as a key source of contentment and happiness at work. This reflects the emergence of what has become defined as corporate culture - one that recognizes the need to keep staff happy through team games, special event days and other activities that help build camaraderie and teamwork.
1. Happy Workers Work Harder
Such episodes come as a welcome break for most rank and file, and usually end up energizing staff and renewing their interest in work. Moving out of the office to have a bowling tournament, an overnight stay at a beach resort or similar activities are nearly fail-safe steps that would help employees de-stress themselves.
2. Build Comradarie
Corporate entertainment also gives workers an opportunity to know members of their own unit or department more, and also allows interaction with members of other units or groups that is not always possible at work. The activity also helps reveal strengths of certain employees that are not apparent in the workplace, while also exposing possible weaknesses or difficulties in others. Thus, the typically quiet type who just report to work and follows his or her routine everyday could turn out to be someone with other skills beneficial to related jobs in other areas. In the same way, someone in the office who is generally not well-liked could turn out to be someone bearing a personal or family issue who just needs an outlet for his or her emotional turmoil.
3. Providers Of Corporate Entertainment
This focus on promoting employee wellbeing has spawned the corporate event management business - corporate entertainment providers that coordinate with companies on themes preferred for what essentially are team-building activities. Such activities would include, but are not limited to: company parties, theme park visits, a concert, or even a night of food and drinks at a favorite restaurant.
4. Extend Corporate Entertainment To Suppliers And Partners
Keith Prowse, a 25-year veteran of the hospitality industry, notes that entertainment provided to clients at sports and similar events builds and strengthens business ties. Corporate entertainment also eases the exchange of ideas during negotiations or discussions, as both sides would be able to look back to enjoyable and shared experiences - enabling a relaxed atmosphere that increases the likelihood of a profitable relationship or the completion of a multimillion-dollar agreement.
5. Ideas
- Rent audio-visual equipment and AV production services
- Tap photographers and photography services
- Caterers
- Décor specialists
- Hire impersonators
- DJs, musicians
- Other performers
- Rent a limousine or luxury car
- Prizes such as mobile phones, gift certificates
6. Record The Event
The resulting videos, pictures and related multimedia content from recording such events would be ideal for corporate learning, particularly for top executives and senior managers, and serve as a storage of ideas for future use. Some of this media will undoubtedly prove useful to entice people to join your corporation.
7. Don't Go Too Overboard
Some companies are choosing more unorthodox strategies to woo new clients and maintain the interest of current ones. One firm has been enticing potential partners with driving lessons - using armored vehicles, while another offers flights using a jet fighter. One trade-off though is that such unusual approaches are generally more costly than traditional entertainment forms. Unusually extravagant spending could also expose a company to questions in the media and even regulatory scrutiny.
Despite the logical rationale and integral role it plays in business, the US Securities and Exchange Commission has come up with measures to discourage corporate entertainment. Thus, the seemingly harmless round of golf, ski vacations, a ticket to Wimbledon and cruises for clients are now being probed by the agency. The tighter scrutiny follows a string of scandals that has rocked the country's prominent companies and raised questions related to corporate governance.
One such case involves Adelphia Communications Corp. founder John Rigas. The executive and his family allegedly used funds of the sixth-largest cable operator in the US for their personal interests, including the acquisition of luxury condominiums, golf clubs and other perks. Jurors eventually decided that Mr Rigas and Timothy Rigas were guilty, rejecting counsel for the defendants that they intended to return everything they had loaned.
Success in Team-Building
www.teambuildingaustralia.com.au has researched techniques with Team Building that work...
In business, it does not matter whether you work in a typical office a shop or a factory. You are built up of a group individuals with specific goals towards producing the goods that the company sells. This is what defines a team. From the most mundane task like answering a phone call, to the most complicated job like designing products, every individual making up the team plays an important role. As a whole, every employee is working towards a common goal which is to earn profit for the company and for themselves. This is what team building is all about. It is the process of enabling a group of people to reach that common goal. That is why it is a good practice for companies to come up with regular team building activities to enhance the oneness of the group and to build a feeling of solidarity and pride of work. A company is made up of different departments which sometimes causes conflicts of interests and individual differences. Team building aims to eliminate these issues. 1. What Is The Main Goal Of The Company? - You all know that you need the job to make a living and earn profits for the company. Still, not everyone is clear about what the company's core all about - Your main focus for team building should be a review the of the employee's orientation of the company's goal and objectives - If you produce goods, what is the product really all about? What message do you want to impart to people as a company? - If you deal with services, what is your main goal and what service do you actually provide? - By reviewing these goals, a team member would have a fresh outlook about the company, making them strive harder to reach that common goal 2. What Factors Caused Poor Team Performance In The Past? Look into your company's successes and failures. Determine which area is in need of improvement and look for ways to do so. By looking into the strengths and weaknesses that each member exhibits, you would know which areas to improve on. Also, this would give you an idea of how to optimize the team's strengths to reach that common goal and contribute to the company's success. 3. How Can You Improve The Way Team Members Interact? Even siblings of the same genes make up different personalities. As a team, you are made up of individuals from different cultures, and would have various ideas on how to improve the way your company operates. There is bound to be friction of some kind since your team is made up of different individuals. Team building aims to avoid this and bridge the gap by coming up with activities which bond the group. Thinking of fun activities to break the ice and personalize the interaction between members is a great way to start. 4. How Can You Improve The Team's Ability To Solve Problems? Every company is faced with challenges every now and then. One way to forge team solidarity is to look into past problems and see how they were solved. Ask each team member how they would have handled that particular problem. This would let a leader know which team member has good problem solving, analytical and critical thinking skills. The team members may be asked to share ideas and decide together which solution would suit the problem best. This is another way to build team solidarity. 4. How Can You Forge The Support And Trust Level Between Team Members? A team leader should have people and management skills. However, it is still important for the leader to earn the trust of his team members. Supporting each other is a vital quality that a team should have. Even a simple problem like an employee who disobeys out of sheer contrariness should be looked into. What is causing this team member to contradict his superior? What can be done to improve his attitude? By team building, you can some up with ways to build trust and increase the support level between colleagues. 5. How Can You Apply The Team Building Activities In The Day-To-Day Operation Of The Company? In the end, after all the activities that the team has performed together, there should be a sharing of experiences and thoughts on what each member has learned about their peers and about the company's goal. These should make them aware of how they can further contribute to the company's success in the future. All in all, team building activities enhance team solidarity. It is good to remember that the whole organization is team working towards the company's main goal. After a set of fun and team building activities which inspire team spirit, each member would have a clear idea of how to improve their attitude towards their peers, their superiors, and especially towards their work.
In business, it does not matter whether you work in a typical office a shop or a factory. You are built up of a group individuals with specific goals towards producing the goods that the company sells. This is what defines a team. From the most mundane task like answering a phone call, to the most complicated job like designing products, every individual making up the team plays an important role. As a whole, every employee is working towards a common goal which is to earn profit for the company and for themselves. This is what team building is all about. It is the process of enabling a group of people to reach that common goal. That is why it is a good practice for companies to come up with regular team building activities to enhance the oneness of the group and to build a feeling of solidarity and pride of work. A company is made up of different departments which sometimes causes conflicts of interests and individual differences. Team building aims to eliminate these issues. 1. What Is The Main Goal Of The Company? - You all know that you need the job to make a living and earn profits for the company. Still, not everyone is clear about what the company's core all about - Your main focus for team building should be a review the of the employee's orientation of the company's goal and objectives - If you produce goods, what is the product really all about? What message do you want to impart to people as a company? - If you deal with services, what is your main goal and what service do you actually provide? - By reviewing these goals, a team member would have a fresh outlook about the company, making them strive harder to reach that common goal 2. What Factors Caused Poor Team Performance In The Past? Look into your company's successes and failures. Determine which area is in need of improvement and look for ways to do so. By looking into the strengths and weaknesses that each member exhibits, you would know which areas to improve on. Also, this would give you an idea of how to optimize the team's strengths to reach that common goal and contribute to the company's success. 3. How Can You Improve The Way Team Members Interact? Even siblings of the same genes make up different personalities. As a team, you are made up of individuals from different cultures, and would have various ideas on how to improve the way your company operates. There is bound to be friction of some kind since your team is made up of different individuals. Team building aims to avoid this and bridge the gap by coming up with activities which bond the group. Thinking of fun activities to break the ice and personalize the interaction between members is a great way to start. 4. How Can You Improve The Team's Ability To Solve Problems? Every company is faced with challenges every now and then. One way to forge team solidarity is to look into past problems and see how they were solved. Ask each team member how they would have handled that particular problem. This would let a leader know which team member has good problem solving, analytical and critical thinking skills. The team members may be asked to share ideas and decide together which solution would suit the problem best. This is another way to build team solidarity. 4. How Can You Forge The Support And Trust Level Between Team Members? A team leader should have people and management skills. However, it is still important for the leader to earn the trust of his team members. Supporting each other is a vital quality that a team should have. Even a simple problem like an employee who disobeys out of sheer contrariness should be looked into. What is causing this team member to contradict his superior? What can be done to improve his attitude? By team building, you can some up with ways to build trust and increase the support level between colleagues. 5. How Can You Apply The Team Building Activities In The Day-To-Day Operation Of The Company? In the end, after all the activities that the team has performed together, there should be a sharing of experiences and thoughts on what each member has learned about their peers and about the company's goal. These should make them aware of how they can further contribute to the company's success in the future. All in all, team building activities enhance team solidarity. It is good to remember that the whole organization is team working towards the company's main goal. After a set of fun and team building activities which inspire team spirit, each member would have a clear idea of how to improve their attitude towards their peers, their superiors, and especially towards their work.
Successful Team Building Australia tips
There are 5 basic parts to building an effective and efficient team. If you incorporate these 5 basic principles you and your team will be successful and unstoppable!
Principle #1 - Training: In order to motivate people to learn, show them how the training can improve their lives and their potential. During this process, you will further your own goals through implementing and supporting learning activities. There are few things you need to keep in mind.
Don't skip the basics. They should be reviewed for everyone on a regular basis. They form the core foundation for everything that follows.
Use a "need to know" approach. Adults don't need broad training that isn't related to their job functions. They need specific training that will help them perform their duties, so tie the training offered into their daily functions.
Stress the personal benefits. Unfortunately, first and foremost, people are always interested in "WIIFM?" - What's In It For Me? If they don't see a personal benefit, they will not do what you are asking of them. So you need to show them how it benefits them personally as well as the team.
Give hands-on training. Experience is the best teacher. Most people, including myself, will learn a lot quicker and easier if they "Get their hands dirty." Simulation and role playing can be effective methods for hands-on training. Heck, they might even have fun with it and you never know what kind of creative ideas could pop up out of nowhere!
Keep the training session short. If they are too long, people will lose interest, become board, and not remember what they were taught. Teach them a lesson, allow them time to apply the lesson learned, and then move n to the next lesson. It is said that after 2 hours of straight training or lecture, the mind begins to wander and you aren't getting through to them any more anyway. So why waste your time and theirs? Keep it short and the training will be more effective.
Recognize that all people are different. Just because John comprehends the training immediately doesn't mean Mary will (and visa-versa). Have patience with the people who need more time and assistance than the others and give them what they need. In the long run they will be grateful and more efficient and effective.
Match the training to each individual person. If Mary works in the computer repair department and John simply uses a computer to help with his tasks, they obviously don't need the same training. Mary might need a computer repair course where John might need to know about spreadsheets.
Principle #2 - Delegating: You can't build a team without effective delegation. It's all too easy for a leader to fall into the trap of doing things themselves because they "want it done right." You have to learn to delegate tasks so that your time can be used optimally.
Have a clear definition of the task. Let them person know the results you are seeking and what benefits will come from completing the task rather than telling them how to do it. This allows for creativity. They come up with an idea that you never thought of which completes the task more efficiently or more productively.
Assign authority. Decide who is capable of performing the task and then give them the authority they need to complete the job on their own. Don't hold them back by micro-managing them.
Be crystal clear about who will be accountable for what. This will instill pride in their workmanship and will remain with the people delivering the results.
Offer guidelines. This reinforces your expectations to competent people and helps the unskilled or uncertain people learn what you expect from them.
Don't micro-manage! Monitor the progress of the tasks you have assigned, but don't hover over the people. You will make them nervous and resentful. It will give them the feeling that you are not confident of their abilities. If you micro-manage everything, you are not using your time effectively and you might as well do it yourself! At that point, what's the sense in delegating?
Provide feedback on progress. Ask the person their thoughts on the progress of the task. Offer suggestions, but don't make it concrete. You must allow for them to accept or reject your suggestion to a certain degree. Feedback, especially positive feedback, helps people improve and work harder towards accomplishing the intended goal. This is crucial!
Reward and recognize a job well done. Like feedback, positive reinforcement for a good effort is crucial. It allows people to feel they are doing a good job (assuming they are) and it motivates them to maintain the same level of competence and quality of work, if not improve upon it even further.
Principle #3 - Gratification: To maximize productivity and loyalty, create an atmosphere that is as stress free as possible. Finding a way to make the work enjoyable is conducive to people applying their talents and energy to reach the desired results.
Principle #4 - Directing: When you give people direction, challenge them to use their talents, and give them the independence to achieve their goal, you have helped them to fulfill their personal potential and that of the team. The team should create its mission statement itself. This gives them the pride of ownership. You can continue directing your team and use their mission statement and sense of pride as a motivator to achieve excellent results.
Principle #5 - Motivation: Directing your team is just the start. They have to be motivated! One of the best ways to motivate the team is through recognition and rewards. To most people recognition is more important than the pay associated with their successful completion of the task! It's commonly called "A Ego Trip." It sounds frivolous but it is important none the less. People thrive on it, some more than others, and it is a fantastic motivator!
Always praise your team in public, but correct them in private. There is no need to embarrass anyone and correcting people in public will eventually lead to embarrassing yourself. Nobody will want to be on your team, and productivity will slow down because everyone will be too afraid of being publicly ridiculed. They will take precautions and be extra careful not to make a mistake.
Praise what's right and train what's wrong. It's just plain stupid to fire somebody who needs training. Instead, get them the training they need. You never know, they could be your next superstar! Praise things that are working well to reinforce confidence. Provide training where improvement is required.
When you respect your team and work with them to improve, you create an atmosphere which breeds personal motivation in people and allows them to do their best. Build professionalism within your team by encouraging them to maintain a high standard of performance. Maintain the ideal that it's not the job you do, but how it is done that counts. visist www.teambuildingaustralia.com.au
Successful Team Building Australia tips
There are 5 basic parts to building an effective and efficient team. If you incorporate these 5 basic principles you and your team will be successful and unstoppable!
Principle #1 - Training: In order to motivate people to learn, show them how the training can improve their lives and their potential.
During this process, you will further your own goals through implementing and supporting learning activities. There are few things you need to keep in mind. Don't skip the basics. They should be reviewed for everyone on a regular basis. They form the core foundation for everything that follows. Use a "need to know" approach. Adults don't need broad training that isn't related to their job functions. They need specific training that will help them perform their duties, so tie the training offered into their daily functions. Stress the personal benefits. Unfortunately, first and foremost, people are always interested in "WIIFM?" - What's In It For Me? If they don't see a personal benefit, they will not do what you are asking of them. So you need to show them how it benefits them personally as well as the team. Give hands-on training. Experience is the best teacher. Most people, including myself, will learn a lot quicker and easier if they "Get their hands dirty." Simulation and role playing can be effective methods for hands-on training. Heck, they might even have fun with it and you never know what kind of creative ideas could pop up out of nowhere! Keep the training session short. If they are too long, people will lose interest, become board, and not remember what they were taught. Teach them a lesson, allow them time to apply the lesson learned, and then move n to the next lesson. It is said that after 2 hours of straight training or lecture, the mind begins to wander and you aren't getting through to them any more anyway. So why waste your time and theirs? Keep it short and the training will be more effective. Recognize that all people are different. Just because John comprehends the training immediately doesn't mean Mary will (and visa-versa). Have patience with the people who need more time and assistance than the others and give them what they need. In the long run they will be grateful and more efficient and effective. Match the training to each individual person. If Mary works in the computer repair department and John simply uses a computer to help with his tasks, they obviously don't need the same training. Mary might need a computer repair course where John might need to know about spreadsheets. Principle #2 - Delegating: You can't build a team without effective delegation. It's all too easy for a leader to fall into the trap of doing things themselves because they "want it done right." You have to learn to delegate tasks so that your time can be used optimally. Have a clear definition of the task. Let them person know the results you are seeking and what benefits will come from completing the task rather than telling them how to do it. This allows for creativity. They come up with an idea that you never thought of which completes the task more efficiently or more productively. Assign authority. Decide who is capable of performing the task and then give them the authority they need to complete the job on their own. Don't hold them back by micro-managing them. Be crystal clear about who will be accountable for what. This will instill pride in their workmanship and will remain with the people delivering the results. Offer guidelines. This reinforces your expectations to competent people and helps the unskilled or uncertain people learn what you expect from them. Don't micro-manage! Monitor the progress of the tasks you have assigned, but don't hover over the people. You will make them nervous and resentful. It will give them the feeling that you are not confident of their abilities. If you micro-manage everything, you are not using your time effectively and you might as well do it yourself! At that point, what's the sense in delegating? Provide feedback on progress. Ask the person their thoughts on the progress of the task. Offer suggestions, but don't make it concrete. You must allow for them to accept or reject your suggestion to a certain degree. Feedback, especially positive feedback, helps people improve and work harder towards accomplishing the intended goal. This is crucial! Reward and recognize a job well done. Like feedback, positive reinforcement for a good effort is crucial. It allows people to feel they are doing a good job (assuming they are) and it motivates them to maintain the same level of competence and quality of work, if not improve upon it even further. Principle #3 - Gratification: To maximize productivity and loyalty, create an atmosphere that is as stress free as possible. Finding a way to make the work enjoyable is conducive to people applying their talents and energy to reach the desired results. Principle #4 - Directing: When you give people direction, challenge them to use their talents, and give them the independence to achieve their goal, you have helped them to fulfill their personal potential and that of the team. The team should create its mission statement itself. This gives them the pride of ownership. You can continue directing your team and use their mission statement and sense of pride as a motivator to achieve excellent results. Principle #5 - Motivation: Directing your team is just the start. They have to be motivated! One of the best ways to motivate the team is through recognition and rewards. To most people recognition is more important than the pay associated with their successful completion of the task! It's commonly called "A Ego Trip." It sounds frivolous but it is important none the less. People thrive on it, some more than others, and it is a fantastic motivator! Always praise your team in public, but correct them in private. There is no need to embarrass anyone and correcting people in public will eventually lead to embarrassing yourself. Nobody will want to be on your team, and productivity will slow down because everyone will be too afraid of being publicly ridiculed. They will take precautions and be extra careful not to make a mistake. Praise what's right and train what's wrong. It's just plain stupid to fire somebody who needs training. Instead, get them the training they need. You never know, they could be your next superstar! Praise things that are working well to reinforce confidence. Provide training where improvement is required. When you respect your team work with them to improve, you create an atmosphere which breeds personal motivation in people and allows them to do their best. Build professionalism within your team by encouraging them to maintain a high standard of performance. Maintain the ideal that it's not the job you do, but how it is done that counts. visist www.teambuildingaustralia.com.au
During this process, you will further your own goals through implementing and supporting learning activities. There are few things you need to keep in mind. Don't skip the basics. They should be reviewed for everyone on a regular basis. They form the core foundation for everything that follows. Use a "need to know" approach. Adults don't need broad training that isn't related to their job functions. They need specific training that will help them perform their duties, so tie the training offered into their daily functions. Stress the personal benefits. Unfortunately, first and foremost, people are always interested in "WIIFM?" - What's In It For Me? If they don't see a personal benefit, they will not do what you are asking of them. So you need to show them how it benefits them personally as well as the team. Give hands-on training. Experience is the best teacher. Most people, including myself, will learn a lot quicker and easier if they "Get their hands dirty." Simulation and role playing can be effective methods for hands-on training. Heck, they might even have fun with it and you never know what kind of creative ideas could pop up out of nowhere! Keep the training session short. If they are too long, people will lose interest, become board, and not remember what they were taught. Teach them a lesson, allow them time to apply the lesson learned, and then move n to the next lesson. It is said that after 2 hours of straight training or lecture, the mind begins to wander and you aren't getting through to them any more anyway. So why waste your time and theirs? Keep it short and the training will be more effective. Recognize that all people are different. Just because John comprehends the training immediately doesn't mean Mary will (and visa-versa). Have patience with the people who need more time and assistance than the others and give them what they need. In the long run they will be grateful and more efficient and effective. Match the training to each individual person. If Mary works in the computer repair department and John simply uses a computer to help with his tasks, they obviously don't need the same training. Mary might need a computer repair course where John might need to know about spreadsheets. Principle #2 - Delegating: You can't build a team without effective delegation. It's all too easy for a leader to fall into the trap of doing things themselves because they "want it done right." You have to learn to delegate tasks so that your time can be used optimally. Have a clear definition of the task. Let them person know the results you are seeking and what benefits will come from completing the task rather than telling them how to do it. This allows for creativity. They come up with an idea that you never thought of which completes the task more efficiently or more productively. Assign authority. Decide who is capable of performing the task and then give them the authority they need to complete the job on their own. Don't hold them back by micro-managing them. Be crystal clear about who will be accountable for what. This will instill pride in their workmanship and will remain with the people delivering the results. Offer guidelines. This reinforces your expectations to competent people and helps the unskilled or uncertain people learn what you expect from them. Don't micro-manage! Monitor the progress of the tasks you have assigned, but don't hover over the people. You will make them nervous and resentful. It will give them the feeling that you are not confident of their abilities. If you micro-manage everything, you are not using your time effectively and you might as well do it yourself! At that point, what's the sense in delegating? Provide feedback on progress. Ask the person their thoughts on the progress of the task. Offer suggestions, but don't make it concrete. You must allow for them to accept or reject your suggestion to a certain degree. Feedback, especially positive feedback, helps people improve and work harder towards accomplishing the intended goal. This is crucial! Reward and recognize a job well done. Like feedback, positive reinforcement for a good effort is crucial. It allows people to feel they are doing a good job (assuming they are) and it motivates them to maintain the same level of competence and quality of work, if not improve upon it even further. Principle #3 - Gratification: To maximize productivity and loyalty, create an atmosphere that is as stress free as possible. Finding a way to make the work enjoyable is conducive to people applying their talents and energy to reach the desired results. Principle #4 - Directing: When you give people direction, challenge them to use their talents, and give them the independence to achieve their goal, you have helped them to fulfill their personal potential and that of the team. The team should create its mission statement itself. This gives them the pride of ownership. You can continue directing your team and use their mission statement and sense of pride as a motivator to achieve excellent results. Principle #5 - Motivation: Directing your team is just the start. They have to be motivated! One of the best ways to motivate the team is through recognition and rewards. To most people recognition is more important than the pay associated with their successful completion of the task! It's commonly called "A Ego Trip." It sounds frivolous but it is important none the less. People thrive on it, some more than others, and it is a fantastic motivator! Always praise your team in public, but correct them in private. There is no need to embarrass anyone and correcting people in public will eventually lead to embarrassing yourself. Nobody will want to be on your team, and productivity will slow down because everyone will be too afraid of being publicly ridiculed. They will take precautions and be extra careful not to make a mistake. Praise what's right and train what's wrong. It's just plain stupid to fire somebody who needs training. Instead, get them the training they need. You never know, they could be your next superstar! Praise things that are working well to reinforce confidence. Provide training where improvement is required. When you respect your team work with them to improve, you create an atmosphere which breeds personal motivation in people and allows them to do their best. Build professionalism within your team by encouraging them to maintain a high standard of performance. Maintain the ideal that it's not the job you do, but how it is done that counts. visist www.teambuildingaustralia.com.au
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