While a team mentality may be the growing trend amongst the Millennial generation currently inundating the workforce, it can still be a difficult concept for those in a sales position accustomed to an industry that believes in the “every man for himself” approach. One director, however, is seeing increased growth and the creation of an incredibly healthy company culture thanks to embracing the team focus- here are 5 ways to improve the team mentality around the office:
Don’t Be Afraid to Bounce Ideas Around
Jason Watt, Director of Sales at Cardinal Health, says one of the biggest strengths for everyone under his leadership is that they truly embrace a team mentality, “I stress that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Instead of going at ideas or projects alone, look for others that are strong in places you are not and look for those that can help bring balance.”
Share Best Practices
“Sales people are competitive by nature, but getting past that helps everyone in the company. It’s when we share best practices with one another that the whole team thrives.” Watt’s approach to encouraging sales team members to openly share solutions that are working undoubtedly goes against the grain for most, but with an almost 100% Voice of the Employee (VOE) satisfaction rating from his region it’s evident that the strategies are working to build a booming culture.
Drop the “I” MentalityLooking to drop the “I” from your employee’s vocabulary? Try team-building exercises that will incorporate fun, games, and engagement while building the trust necessary to improve and embrace the team attitude you’re searching for. As cliché as it sounds, team-building events work- and your culture could benefit greatly by doing so. Watt says their team looks at the future together, “we decide where we want to be as a team and company in 6-12 months- and then act on that.”
Open Communication
Within successful companies, two things go hand-in-hand: open communication and transparency. Without either of these aspects, over time an air of distrust will inevitably form. Combatting this is simple: encourage everyone working together to be on the same page, share ideas with one another and remove the “we vs. them” mindset throughout the office.
Break Down the Walls
This isn’t meant to be taken figuratively- you should literally remove the walls in your workspaces. Cluttered cubicles and closed off spaces do nothing to bring an open environment that cultivates growth, idea sharing and communication. A culture-rich workspace should help influence the flow of creativity and collaboration, not shove it into a corner for each to work on singularly.