Does Teamwork Training Really Work?

A lot of chit-chat goes on at training events about teamwork and the importance of it. We cover teamwork and provide teamwork training during our training events and with small businesses. Unfortunately, there is usually a lot of fluff involved with teamwork training at some events that doesn't really cut the chase of teamwork building at all. Attendees at these events are bored with the same old training modules and often leave them with relief that it is over. What should be covered for businesses interested in providing good teamwork training is the basics of what a team in business should comprise.

First, a team is a collaboration of individuals working toward the same goal or goals. It is really that simple. Why complicate it? It is management's responsibility to make sure that team members are placed on the correct team though. In other words, a business leader should know the personalities of each team member and should understand the dynamics of putting people together who can compliment one another. Using a DISC profile system or one similar to determine each type of personality is extremely helpful and important.

Second, team members can only help to serve as great team members as the extent of their knowledge of their job description. Translated: they have to know what to do. Again, this is the job of the business leader. Communication is so important and includes using common communication tools such as job descriptions, employee handbooks, mission, vision, and purpose statements, and more. This second step must be in place in order to have a smooth running team that works in the same direction toward the same goals.

Finally, teamwork training. Good teamwork training that includes eye-opening team building exercises is needed, and needed frequently. We've all heard that Abe Lincoln is quoted as saying that if he had all day to chop down a tree, he would spend the first half of the day sharpening his axe. Teamwork training and team building exercises is sharpening that axe. Team building exercises should include activities that get all team members involved. It should be a gradual process that makes some members feel just a little uncomfortable. The concept is to get team members that always take charge, (based on their already determined personality or DISC profile), to step aside and allow some of the more quieter types to make things happen, based on the exercise. The goal of this type of training is to get all involved to walk away with a clearer sense of how their role in the business helps to solve a problem or contribute to the greater good of the business.

Don't fear teamwork training. When done properly, it really works!

Retailing

When it comes to the retailing business, there is much that goes on behind the scenes than most realize. Retail business owners strive to create a fluid experience customers enjoy when they walk into their establishment. The customer rarely even notices the set up or the "skeleton" behind the displays, only what is meant to attract the eyes of the customer and bring more sales to the store. Retail business owners looking for retail store supplies should deal only with a supplier with experience, and one that understands the ins and outs of retailing. Retail Resource is that place.

Retail Resource offers a wide selection of retail store fixtures and store supplies including a variety of mannequins and display fixtures, and they offer competitive pricing, no small order fees, and a 100% money back guarantee. It only makes sense that if you are a business owner in the retail industry that you use Retail Resource for needed supplies to create the best displays that translates into the best customer experience possible. Even if your business is on a tight budget, Retail Resource offers specials and closeouts that can get you displaying or placing needed fixtures in your store to set the foundation for years of success.

Employee Engagement

One of the most challenging aspects of people management is keeping all team members engaged. A workforce with employee engagement is obviously more productive than one that is not engaged. Business leaders who make it a priority to make sure they have an engaged workforce reap the rewards of improved morale, increased productivity, a better bottom line, and a more loyal team.

Good softward management systems are available for businesses to use to increase the engagement of employees. Often times, employee engagement is a symptom of other things not being addressed in the workplace such as management and leadership practices, communication breakdowns, poorly conducted performance reviews, monetary and other motivational practices, and more. Smart business leaders keep their team members engaged in their work. The first step to improving employee engagement is understand what employee engagement is and then to begin the process of improving communication between the owners and/or management of the company and the employees. Click Here to learn about how your business can better achieve employee engagement among team members.

Communication begins with making sure that all communication tools such as employee handbooks, job descriptions, and mission, vision, and purpose statements are implemented and communicated to all team members, but business leaders also need a good management system that can provide results. Mass Ingenuity is the answer. They are a consulting and product company that created the NOW Management System, perfect for improving operating effectiveness and efficiency.

Transportation Industry

The shipping and warehousing of customer's goods is a growing and needed industry. We as business leaders must ensure that not only are we providing the quality products that we promise, but that we are also transporting and storing them safely and without a lot of cost to us. As a business grows, the chosen transportation and warehousing company should grow along with it. That can only happen if great customer service is provided with every phone transaction, every order, every shipment, every delivery, and every storage agreement. There is no reason to not go with a company that is respected in the industry for reliability and that you can trust to deliver various sizes of cargo to the correct destination on time.

One California trucking company does this the right way. Best Yet Express Incorporated (BYX), which has been serving Los Angeles and surrounding areas since 1978, is a TL and LTL freight company providing reliable local freight transportation services to Los Angeles. For over 30 years, BYX has been distributing Trailer Loads (TL) and Less than Trailer Load (LTL) goods, and also offer all necessary related services like pickup, delivery and storage to Los Angeles County, the greater Los Angeles area, Orange County and the Inland Empire. When a business must get goods from point "A", like a wholesaler, to point "B", the customer, it only makes sense to use a company you can count on.

Anchoring Systems

For those businesses depending on having quality fasteners, nuts, bolts, anchoring systems, threaded rods, wire rope and wire rope fittings, taking shortcuts is not an option. These are the types of businesses that work on bridges, highways, power water treatment plants, marine construction projects, and more. There is no room for error which means purchasing inferior fasteners is not on the list of things to do for the project manager. Good, reliable, well-made anchoring systems is a must for these types of projects. Bright Galvanized Wire Rope along with turnbuckle assemblies, eye bolts and nuts, and lifting devices are all common in the anchoring systems world. Business that provide the reliable bridges and highways we depend upon know that only superior fasteners can be used to ensure reliable, safe travel.

Of course, it is not just bridge, tunnel, highway building and marine construction that high strength fasteners are used for. Any project requiring extraordinary strength in the anchoring system depend upon extra strong fasteners. But having the right fastener is just a part of a quality-built project. The right tools help to install the correct anchoring system. Such tools include industrial arbors, magnetic drills, metal cutter saws, structural wrenches, and slugger and thin metal cutters. These tools help to install the correct fastener and with the combination of the right tool with the strength of the right fastener, project managers rest easier at night knowing that the structure they are building is built to last for a very long time.

Environment Protection

You may have noticed that in any business today, the buzz words frequently used are "environmental friendly," "green," "environment protection," and "recycling." But how many businesses actually put their money where the mouth is? A business can fool only so many people before customers catch on to the solely lip service approach to protecting our environment. Businesses that truly believe in saving the planet are those that actually spend money to put measures in place to filter the harm done by the business. Solvent Recovery is just one way to make sure harmful materials do not enter the ground infecting waterways. Taking such measures also minimizes or eliminates the impact of hazardous material on employees and the surrounding community. Harmful wastes can affect people and other businesses in the area. Being a good neighbor is simply good business.

Other safety measures should be in place to not only protect the environment, but to protect employees as well. Your team members should be top concern, as we still believe that an employer is responsible for its employees. Some measures include having special, easy to handle recycling bags for collection and disposal of harmful wastes from business projects. Additionally, measures should be taken to incorporate good, reliable cleaning systems for all to use. These systems provide safe, easy to use machines for cleaning paint guns, pneumatic parts washers, glove protection washing systems, and more. It is the smart business leader that makes sure that when they say that they care about the environment, they mean it.

Custom Packaging

From time to time, we as business leaders need to thoughtfully look at how we send packages to others. Whether it is our customers, associates, competitors, vendors, accountants, or anyone else we do business with, we need to prepare the packages that we mail in a good, professional manner. Custom Packaging is one way to make sure that anything we send out is going to have the look that speaks volumes of how we do business. Think about it. When we mail a package, for whatever reason, it is a reflection of us, our business. Often times, the packages we send may be the first time that a person or business sees anything from us. It is that first impression that we are making so it had better be a very good one.

A brown paper-wrapped brown box is not as exiting as something shipped in a tin container or some other out-of-the-ordinary shipping vessel. It only helps our business and our image to send packages that make a statement or help to define the type of business that we are. For example, if your business involves a product that is better seen than explained, why not ship it using clear or frosted packaging? It only makes sense to allow the recipient to see the product or if they can't see it, to at least allow the shipping material to be something that says to the receiver that your business is one that cares about presenting the best foot forward.