The Magic of Teamwork and Your Small Business

"Take Me Out to the Ballgame,,,,," My favorite sport is baseball, and I like to go to the ball park and watch the game in person. I enjoy the hot dogs, the popcorn and the excitement of seeing my favorite team on the field. There's something really magical about watching a team work together to win. We all know that each player is a valuable part of the team, and they all need each other to succeed. The best batter, pitcher or shortstop in the league is nothing by himself. It's like that in business too.

Whether you work with one person or many, it's important for everyone to come together as a team and work toward the same goals. Did you choose a primary objective for your business at the beginning of 2005? Did you share it with your teammates? Did your team brainstorm ways to make your primary objective become a reality? Your primary objective (and vision) should not be a secret. Bring it to the awareness of all your teammates so they understand what you want to achieve this year. Then they'll know how they can cooperate with you and help you succeed. Everyone wins!

The goal of baseball is simple; to get more runs than the other team. Yet each player will have his own personal goals to achieve during the game, goals that support the main goal. It may be to increase one's batting average, hit more balls out of the park or catch more fly balls. It's the same way in the business of marketing. Let's say your primary objective this year is to stimulate retail sales for a new product line, and you want it to be 20% of overall sales. Would you want the conflict of a team member or partner who focuses on the same product he/she has been selling for years? Not hardly! Clearly communicate this information to your team. Get everyone on the same page or field.

The only exception to this is when finances and employees are abundant, then you can have various levels of goals and objectives. Until that happens, find out if the goals of partners/employees/volunteers align with yours and support a common purpose. Explain the benefits of aligned goals. Be an effective leader and engage teammates in a unified objective, so the powerful force of the team will work together toward its accomplishment. Then, watch the magic happen!