[Matt Landau]

I wanted to start a discussion on this topic because teams are the piece of the puzzle that make everything tick ... however due to a convergence of forces, teams are distanced physically and subtly/mentally in new ways (most enabled by tech).

If our business' health is directly correlated to the strength of our relationships within our teams....how do we correct this course?

Doing things face-to-face feels infinitely more impactful when people are starved of connection. We saw this with the pandemic. Suddenly actually showing up and having a conversation, inviting people out to lunch, or going on a field trip with your team has big rewards!

Shout-out to StaySavvy's "Sleep Through" idea...which does way more than just improve the relationship...it unlocks all kinds of NEW property ideas which have meaningful impact on your bottom line.

Another way to strengthen team relationships is by emphasizing purpose. If you can draw a line between one's contribution and the bigger picture (happy/loyal guests) you've strengthened a business. Todd's "How to Make Your Housekeeper Cry" concept is a great example. Recognizing where each team member fits in successes and surprising them can stimulate real emotions!

Strengthening a team is not new (please share lessons) but for small businesses it's about to come under a big red spotlight in 2024 so I am challenging members to consider a NEW CHANGE that grows you and your team...

• Maybe an idea completely scares you...but also might just work?
• Maybe it's time to create a new shared vision together? Get everyone on the same page and write your future?
• Maybe you considered a team idea but never actually pulled the trigger?
• Maybe you tried a team initiative before but were thinking about it the wrong way?

As we move into 2024, being more thoughtful and intentional about our relationships will end up as the differentiator we were looking for. But it does take nudging into that territory you've up-until-now smoothly avoided...

 

[Will Franco]

Another way to strengthen team relationships is by emphasizing purpose. If you can draw a line between one's contribution and the bigger picture (happy/loyal guests) you've strengthened a business.

When I am able to communicate to a subcontractor how their project(s) contribute to the production of a valuable final product, the outcomes are always better. This is because they feel a sense of accomplishment, which boosts their morale. I have found that this is easier with bigger projects and becomes harder as they become more granular.

One way to tackle the problem is by converting subcontractors into employees. However, this is not always an option and in the case of remote teams, the top performers will always have the temptation of high-paying project work on the side.

An alternative strategy is to separate creative projects from maintenance-related tasks. This involves dividing these activities and outsourcing them to different individuals, even if one person is capable of doing both of them.

I recently started using this strategy. While it does increase management overhead and difficulty, it also generates more buy-in on the creative side and allows maintenance tasks to be transformed into an ongoing program that you can add/subtract from.

The "creative" project person gets to celebrate the big Before/After reveal, while the person performing the maintenance program gets to celebrate completing the daily, weekly, and monthly checklists.

Anyway, that's perhaps a mini-breakthrough for 2024 and perspective from a technical administrator who wants to firefight less and administer more.

Seasons greeting to you all xx