Giles Cadman 
As an avid sportsman, I’ve always understood the importance of teamwork and surrounding yourself with likeminded people in order to achieve your goals. Believe me when I say that this statement is as true in business as it is in sport, which is why I often write about how lucky I am to have a team of proactive professionals, who understand the goals of our business and are passionate about achieving them, alongside me at the helm.
But don’t be fooled simply employing a team of hard workers doesn’t necessarily translate into instant teamwork, teamwork is something you learn and develop over time, and trust me it’s worth every second spent on building the rapport needed to create a strong and reliable team. Here’s what we focus on:
1) Communication
I mentioned in my last post how good, solid communication has been fundamental to keeping our businesses afloat during these uncertain times. Of course, communication has and always will be a vital part of running a strong business, but even more so when your team is working from multiple locations.
Prior to COVID-19, my senior team and I spoke regularly, or so we thought. Weekly group calls were sufficient for the most part, with individuals from the team speaking and meeting with each other when necessary to discuss specific projects. Since home working though, we’ve upped the communication within our senior team no end, with the board now speaking daily to ensure each and every aspect of business is covered, progressing and moving steadily at all times.
I truly believe it is this communication that has led to us not only making it through these last six months, but in some instances, flourishing and achieving results we could never have imagined, let alone in the midst of a global pandemic!
2) Perspective
While the individuals in our senior team possess many of the same traits, each and every member has a different and valued opinion. This allows us to run our business as more of a democracy. All ideas are brought to the board for discussion and all avenues and outcomes are explored. This, to me, is the true meaning of teamwork it’s debating and talking until the very best solution is unearthed. I’ve often found that looking at things from different perspectives can help achieve clarity that is so often missed when working alone.
3) Purpose
More often than not, creating goals and strategic plans as a team is far more valuable than doing so individually. The more people involved at the top level planning stage, the more people you’re going to have actively fighting to achieve those goals and implement that strategy. A clear vision of what you’re working towards gives a team purpose and the powerful combination of purpose and passion is what drives our businesses forward on a daily basis.
Although I’ve mainly focused on the work of my senior team in this post, it’s important to note that teamwork is crucial at every level of business. From our operations and customer service teams to our marketing and sales teams, promoting close-knit team working has proved to be far more beneficial than encouraging individuals to work alone.
‘Teamwork makes the dreamwork’ may be a tired, old and let’s be honest, cheesy saying, but it’s one that will hold true indefinitely.
