One of the biggest problems that accountants, consultants and advisors are experiencing right now is finding, hiring and keeping really good team members.
In fact, I have many practice owners come to me and say “I need to build my team, but I just don’t know where to find them.”
However, the first rule of building a strong team is to remember that it’s easier to keep a good team member than it is to replace them. It’s important to nurture your team so they’re not tempted away by headhunters – and the best place to start is with a team meeting.
The Power of Team Meetings
You don’t need to get your whole team together every day, or even every week, but I do highly recommend holding a team meeting at least once per month.
Here at Oompf, we do this on the first Thursday of every month via Zoom.
My focus during these meetings is making sure that my team is up to speed with what is happening and that everyone feels happy, supported and confident within their role. I don’t want anyone to feel as though they’re being left in the dark.
My team is the glue that holds my practice together. You might think that myself or my clients are the glue, but the truth is that without my team I do not have a business.
This is still absolutely necessary even if you have a lean team or just two or three people. If you have a large team of say, 40, then it’s worth hosting a whole team meeting and then smaller departmental ones, too.
The strongest teams are the ones that work together, and to make people work together, you need to give them a common goal.
You need to put yourself in the CEO position and give your team a reason to work together and follow you.
What To Do During a Team Meeting
Start every team meeting by recapping your vision and mission for the practice.
Your vision is why you exist and who you help. Your mission is how you want to change the lives of the people that you help. It’s important to unite your team under these values.
Next, take a look at what has happened over the past month. What has worked – and what hasn’t?
This will either be an uplifting conversation, or it will be all about identifying problems and devising a plan of action.
After that, we look to the future and talk about what is happening in the next 30 to 90 days. This is the crucial part. You need to make sure your team has goals and purpose, and understand which opportunities and projects may be coming their way.
Remember that your team members don’t always see the big picture of what you do. They don’t witness the transformations and understand the ins and outs of how you work with clients. They only see a teeny tiny bit of your offering, and so they may feel far removed from your purpose.
You should present your service offerings to your team and ensure that they are super clear about what you do. It’s also a good opportunity to ask them questions; your team members are on the ground and thus are well-positioned to pick up on details that you may have missed.
If a team member is unsure about their place in your practice and lacks a sense of purpose, it will be easy for a headhunter to whisk them away. Team meetings are an opportunity to make your team feel secure and get them fired up about their mission and goals.
Marks Out of 10
Finally, I like to end every team meeting by going around the room and asking each team member how happy they feel on a scale of one to ten.
This encourages open communication and allows you to offer extra support to team members who may be struggling or feeling lost before they get headhunted away.
It’s best to start with older team members who will be honest about any problems they have. Newer recruits may initially be nervous to voice any problems that they are experiencing, but hearing more seasoned team members speak up will embolden them to do the same.
Summary
It’s important to nurture your team so they’re not poached by headhunters – and the best place to start is with a team meeting. Just 30-60 minutes per month can help to motivate and unite your team, and thus strengthen your practice.
