There is no I in TEAM
Teamwork is some of my favorite work to do. It allows me to lean into my experience as a Manager, a Leader, and a community builder.
The idea of TEAM has changed over the past couple of years. Teams used to gather in the same office every day. They had more facetime contact with one another, which allowed for more fluid and constant communication.
As the way we work has changed, many companies face similar challenges.
There is not a clear understanding of what each person's role and function is
We have loyal team members that have been with us for some time. For this group, change is hard.
There is tension growing between team members.
The company needs a better sense of hierarchy.
The staff lacks confidence in themselves which is holding them back from asking questions and getting the support they need to be as successful as they can be.
To solve these challenges, we don't need to return to work as we used to. Instead, we need to find ways to connect, perhaps more meaningfully and deeply than before, and there are a few ways to do so.
In team-building exercises I led (with Castel Maison, NBC Universal, Warp & Weft, Chateau Marmont, Stephan Jones Studio, Kurrent NY & Armadillo Rugs), we dove deep into each company's mission, vision, and values. But what makes that important?
Well, a company's mission statement is all about its WHY. It's your WHY that pulls you forward. It's your passion and purpose, and when you and your team is clear and connected to it, you cannot help but keep moving forward.
Understanding your why is not an entirely intellectual endeavor; it's emotional. You, your team, and your customers need to feel it.
I want to give you an example of how communicating your why can help motivate your team, and I experienced this early in my career.
My first job out of college was helping to open and manage Giorgio Armani's flagship store on Madison Ave in New York. I was hired to manage a staff that assisted our sales and visual merchandising teams. Our job was to ensure the store always looked perfect and that the salespeople and their clients had everything they needed.
One day the VP of Merchanding, Paula Falk, came into the store. She was a six-foot-tall blonde woman who spoke with an accent and was impossible chic, and she lived and breathed the Armani brand.
On this particular day, she walked me through the store, went to a display table, and opened one of the drawers. As soon as she opened the drawer, I immediately felt my throat tighten, and my stomach grow heavy. The draw looked like the floor of a teenager's bedroom. Navy cashmere sweaters looked like they had been crumpled up onto balls and thrown in.
Oh my God, I thought, I am going to get fired.
I braced myself for a scolding which I rightly deserved, but instead, Paula calmly began removing each sweater from the drawer and folded them, placing tissue inside each one, and as she did this, she spoke.
This store was built as a replica of Mr. Armani's home. So when we invite our clients in, we want them to feel like they are being invited into Mr. Armani's world. In this world, cashmere sweaters are treasures, costing $1,000. However, if we do not treat them like treasures, why would our customers ever believe they are worth the price tag?
With that, a light bulb went off for me. I began understanding how I fit into the bigger picture and made it my mission to uphold the ideal that Mr. Armani stood for. This is what a mission statement can do for your team too. It can make them feel a part of something bigger than themselves and pull them into action, proactivity, and leadership.
So what about your vision, and why is it essential for any company to have a strong one? Your vision is all about the future ad where you are going. There is a great quote that I often return to when I talk about vision. If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there. So, vision provides focus and direction. It directs the goals of the company as well as the individuals within. It can keep you moving forward even in the face of obstacles. So you want to make your vision so strong that your fears disappear.
And last but certainly not least, we have your Values. You are driven by your values, whether you are clear about what they are or not. In some cases, those values may not reflect what you really want out of your work and life. They may only be things you were taught to want, either directly or indirectly. And it's important to note that values change over time as you better understand yourself and what you want from your business. Nevertheless, getting clear about your values is vital. Building your business around them creates satisfying and meaningful work for yourself and your team.
If you are not feeling very clear about your mission, vision, and values, or if you are not sure your team is clear, click the link below and find out how I can help.