The Party Light on Your Team

If you've ever walked into a room where a strobe light or mirror ball is running, you get the idea of the "party light" personality on your team. This is the person who: •   everyone knows•   knows everyone•   never walks into a room quietly•   is an expert at mingling•   knows what is going on in the organization (keeps his/her finger on the pulse of everything)•   can answer lots of questions about the company•   is in the middle of most fun plans You need some party lights on your team. They keep projects from getting boring. Their knowledge and influence can be very valuable as you make decisions. They will wholeheartedly promote your...

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The Flashlight on Your Team

He always has new ideas. She steps up to the plate whenever there is a new project to lead. People tend to gravitate toward him for instructions. She casts a vision and makes a plan. They are your flashlights. Every organization needs at least one flashlight. A flashlight lights the way, and is usually focused in one direction. In the event of a natural disaster, those with flashlights often become leaders for those who can't see where to go. In your company, the flashlight will "light up" when a new project comes along. They like to conquer goals and see tangible results. They don't mind saying what many wish they had the courage to reveal. They will set direction, make bold statements, and hit the ground running. They may also run into a...

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I'm married to an auto technician. Keith knows the value of doing a regular oil change on a vehicle. After a number of miles, oil begins to get dirty, fluids go down, and an engine doesn't run at peak efficiency. Gas mileage goes down and the life of the car may be shortened. It's the same way with the professional development for members of your team. Unfortunately, with a tight economy, professional development can be one of the first budgeted items to cut. It can seem hard to justify the cost of a class or conference when profits have gone down or income is low. But there are ways to continue to develop your team while keeping costs down. Here are a few ideas: Read a book together. Select a recommended business book and assign a reading...

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Setting Goals with Your Team

From time to time, it is wise to sit down with your team and ask, "Where do we want to go from here?" This can relate to new or existing projects, initiatives that need to be changed, or dreaming for the future. Here are a few tips for making goal-setting as a team effective and fun! Dream big, but be reasonable. Let your team brainstorm crazy ideas and after they are all on the table, then begin to select a goal that is reasonable. For example, if they want to have a big appreciation event for your clients, let them brainstorm big, then design and edit as needed to fit budget and business culture. Merge individual and team goals. Encourage your team members to set individual goals as well as name what they would like to see the team...

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A Request...

(We realize this may be a duplicate for those who receive these posts by email. We apologize for the inconvenience but needed to provide a working link. Thanks for understanding.) If you have subscribed to this blog by email, we would like to invite you to also subscribe to our "Friends of H.O.P.E." list. We send occasional updates about services that may interest you...no more than two in a month, for example, and sometimes not even that. We announce opportunities such as Break Time Bible Studies, resources for organizing/team building/money management, and holiday greetings. In the past, those subscribed to our blogs were automatically added to that email list as well but now we want to leave that up to you! Please consider joining that...

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